Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday November 7th

 Regional North American Dishes

 Our November fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening will feature six special small dishes from the three countries of North America. Join us for a tour of regional specialties from the US, Mexico and Canada.

 For the food tasting, you bring the wine of your choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

 Menu:  California roasted butternut “salad;” Mini Chesapeake crab cakes with cocktail sauce; Puerto Rican “Arroz con Pollo y Gandules” (rice cooked with chicken and pigeon peas); Sonoran posole (whole corn hominy) braised with ham sofrito; Québec “Tourtière” (winter farm-style pork pie); Wisconsin cheese selection, apple-cranberry chutney.

 Tim’s preference for wine pairings with this group of dishes would be either an American West Coast Pinot Noir or a chilled California Viognier, Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc. 

 Or -- for a great wine pairing at a moderate price, visit Pairings (formerly, Uncommon Gourmet) at 1087 Baxter St; telephone 706 353-3107. Tim teaches cooking classes at Pairings, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

 Thursday, November 7, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

 Price $30 per person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

 Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday October 3rd

 Spanish and French Mediterranean Dishes

 Our October fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening will feature six special small dishes from the Western Mediterranean – Coastal Spain, France and the Balearic Islands. Neighbors have always been influenced by each other’s cuisines, but this region also shares a similar climate and overlapping histories.

 For the food tasting, you bring the wine of your choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

 Menu:  Empanadas Valencianas (pastry-covered turnovers stuffed with fish and sweet peppers, from Valencia – described in Hemmingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”); Gratin de Chou Fleur Provençale (casserole of cauliflower with tomato and cheese from Provence); Pommes de Terre, sauce Brandade de Morue (roasted potatoes with salt codfish-based aioli from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France); Daube de Porc (hearty pork stew from Provence, served with noodles); Tombet (mixed vegetable casserole from Mallorca); Spanish cheeses with dried figs.

 Tim’s preference for wine pairings with this group of dishes would be either a red or white Côtes du Rhône or a French or Spanish rosé, well chilled. 

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a moderate price, visit Pairings (formerly, Uncommon Gourmet) at 1087 Baxter St; telephone 706 353-3107. Tim teaches cooking classes at Pairings, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

 Thursday, October 3rd, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

 Price $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

 Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday September 5th

Eastern Mediterranean Dishes

Our September fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening will feature six special small dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean – Greece, Turkey and the Levant (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel). The region, though encompassing radically different languages, religions and cultures, shares many foods. Neighbors have always been influenced by each other’s cuisines, but this region also shares a similar climate and for a while a common history as part of the Ottoman Empire.

For the food tasting, you bring the wine of your choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

Menu: Baba Ganoush (literally “Pampered Daddy” in Arabic; roasted eggplant dip) – countries of the Levant; Spiced chickpea salad – Turkey; Börek/Spanakopita (“Cigar” rolls of phyllo dough stuffed with spinach and cheese) – Turkey/Greece; Young zucchini sautéed with garlic and tomato -- Iraq; Moussaka (baked eggplant and chopped meat casserole topped with potato-cheese béchamel) – Greece/Turkey; Watermelon with imported Greek feta – Greece.

Tim’s preference for wine pairings with this group of dishes would be either a light-bodied red (slightly chilled) like a Pinot Noir or Chianti, or a well-chilled rosé. 

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a moderate price, visit Pairings (formerly, Uncommon Gourmet) at 1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107. Tim teaches cooking classes at Pairings, and Anne Wells and Laura St. Martin select wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, September 5th, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue.

First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday August 1st

Thai Regional Specialties

After a one-month summer break, Donderos’ tapas night picks back up in August. We’ll do specialties from Thailand, where the weather is just as hot as here. Tim, our chef for the evening, lived for over seven years in Southeast Asia, and visited and worked in Thailand often. His wife Christina grew up in that country, and still has family there. Tim and Christina were married in Bangkok.

Based on seafood – even the seasoning salt comes in the form of fish sauce – Thai cuisine has its roots in Indian, Chinese, Malay, as well as indigenous Thai and Lao cooking. Rice and rice noodles are the staples. Seafood, meat and vegetables in remarkable combinations accompany the rice, through typically meat is used in small quantities to “season” the other ingredients. And regardless of the particular dish’s origins, there is an overriding “Thai” quality to it.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six Thai “small dishes” from various regions of the country and with differing international and local origins.

Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine – or beer --  of choice.

Menu: Crispy chicken wontons with sweet-sour chili sauce (Bangkok, Chinese origins); Larb Moo (chopped pork with fresh herbs, shallots, lime juice and ground toasted rice; Northeast Thailand, with Thai and Lao origins); Chicken satay (kebabs) with peanut dipping sauce (Southern Thai, with Malay/Indonesian origins); Ajaad (cucumber and shallot condiment, Southern Thai, with Indian and Malay origins); Triple fish Nam Ya Kanom Jeen (spicy fish curry with rice noodle nests, Central Thai, with Indian and Chinese influences); Yam Nua (spicy fried beef salad, Central Thai, local and Chinese origins).

Tim’s recommended wines for this selection of dishes are all chilled whites: Albariño, Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc. Alternatively in the Thai manner, lager-type beer would be the choice: Singha, Tsing Tao, or Heineken are beers popular in Asia. If you require red wine, a Pinot Noir, and cool it a little.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Anne Wells or Laura at Pairings (until recently, the “Uncommon Gourmet ), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107. Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at Pairings/Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne and Laura select wines to go with his style of cooking.

Thursday, August 1, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $30 per person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday June 6th

French Regional Specialties

Join us as summer gets underway for an evening of “reasonably” light French dishes (French cooking rarely gets too light!) from several regions of the country, particularly Provence and Burgundy. Our fixed menu, fixed price soirée is particularly wine-friendly – you bring your wine of choice. Chef Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

Menu: Cold hors d’oeuvre of Pâté Maison (house-made specialty of meats and seasonal fresh herbs) accompanied by Céléri Rémoulade, tiny Cornichon pickles and Independent Bread Company baguette; Salade au Chèvre Chaud (“Hot Goat” salad with oven-fried goat cheese medallions over salad greens and Dijon mustard vinaigrette); Pâte au Pistou (the Provençal version of Pesto-dressed pasta); Suprèmes de Vollaille Dijonaise (butter-sautéed chicken breast with mustard-tinged fresh cream sauce); Ratatouille (Provençal summer vegetable medley with eggplant and capers); Selected French cheeses and seasonal fruit.

Tim’s preference on wines to pair with this regional menu -- and the hotter weather -- would be a Beaujolais or Pinot Noir (both of them somewhat cooled) or a red Côtes du Rhône, or a well-chilled French rosé such as a Côtes du Rhône rosé or Côtes de Provence.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, visit Uncommon Gourmet (1087 Baxter Street, telephone 706 353-3107). Tim teaches cooking classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne Wells and Uncommon Gourmet’s wine enthusiast Laura select wines to go with his style of cooking.

Thursday, June 6th, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday May 2nd

ꜟCinco de Mayo!  Platitos Ricos Mexicanos

Cinco de Mayo, just around the corner, commemorates the miraculous victory on May 5th, 1862 at the Battle of Puebla by an outnumbered army of recently independent Mexican citizens over the French expeditionary forces of Napoleon III.  Our May 2nd fixed-menu, fixed-price tapas evening will feature six special small dishes – “platitos” -- from Mexico, including two dishes from Puebla itself.

For dinner, you bring your wine – or beer -- of choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

Menu: Empanaditas de Picadillo (puff pastry turnovers with chopped beef and olive filling), house-made salsa; Ensalada con Chicharón (salad with tequila-lime dressing dusted with crushed crispy pork rind); Pollo en Mole (roasted chicken with Mole Poblano – from Puebla), corn tortillas; Frijoles Refritos Elegantes (black bean refritos garnished with crema, tomatoes, cilantro, green onion and Mexican-style fresh cheese), served with tortilla chips; Arroz con Pollo (rice combined with Yucatan-style barbecued chicken), Valentina salsa picante; Chiles en Nogada (another Puebla dish, Poblano peppers stuffed with chopped chicken and cheese served with walnut sauce).

Tim’s preference on wines to pair with this group of dishes would be a light-bodied red such as Pinot Noir or Chianti, or a dry rosé, Albariño or Sauvignon Blanc. But a lager-type beer (such as Dos Equis, Bohemia, or Tecate) would be more common than wine in Mexico. 

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, visit Uncommon Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Tim teaches cooking classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, May 2nd, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Donderos’ Kitchen: “Tapas with Tim” -- Thursday April 4th

Thai and Malaysian Dishes

Our April fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening will feature six special dishes from Thailand and neighboring Malaysia. Tim’s wife Christina grew up in Thailand (they were married in Bangkok), and later they lived with their family for seven and a half years in Malaysia. Foods from both countries figure prominently among their favorites.

For dinner, you bring your wine – or beer -- of choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

Menu: Thai salad with bean thread noodles and spiced shredded chicken (Yam Gai Woon Sen);  Singapore peanut sauce shrimp (Udang Sambal Kacang); Thai savory chopped pork appetizer wrapped in lettuce leaves (Nam Prik Moo); Malay yellow coconut rice with crispy tiny anchovy and peanut condiment (Nasi Lemak Sambal Ikan Bilis); Malaysian/Indonesian roasted soy chicken (Kecap Ayam); Bananas poached in sweetened coconut cream with pandan leaf (Thai and other Southeast Asian dessert).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Tim’s preference on wines to pair with this group of dishes would be a dry rosé or Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc. But a lager type low-hops beer (such as Singha, Tsing Tao, or Heineken) would be more common than wine in both Thailand and Malaysia. 

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, visit Uncommon Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Tim teaches cooking classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, April 4th, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Our March fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening will say goodbye to winter with six late winter dishes from Central Europe.

You bring your wine – or beer -- of choice. Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served.

Menu: Berliner Gulaschsuppe (German meat, cabbage and sauerkraut soup with paprika and sour cream, originating in Hungary); Appetizer plate of spiced pot cheese (Hungarian) and smoked liver pâté (Czech); Kohlrabi braised with cream and a touch of horseradish (Hungarian/Czech); Weiner Paprikaschnitzel (Viennese sautéed cutlets  -- originally made from veal, but we’ll use turkey – in paprika, wine and cream sauce); Salata Yarzynowa (Polish sweet-sour potato salad with pickles and cooked winter vegetables); Central European sheep and cows milk cheeses, plum conserve, brown rye bread.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Tim’s preference on wines to pair with this group of dishes would be a medium to light-bodied red such as Pinot Noir or Chianti, or a chilled Grüner Veltliner or Viognier. But a lager or Pilsner type of beer would also work. 

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, visit Uncommon Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Tim frequently teaches cooking classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, March 7th, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Our February fixed menu, fixed price tapas evening falls on the 3rd day of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Swine, and will feature Chinese New Year specialties.

You bring your wine – or beer -- of choice.

Tim will introduce and discuss the dishes as they are served. Tim and his wife Christina, who grew up in Thailand, together lived 7 ½ years in the heavily Chinese-populated city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They will discuss some of the symbolism of the traditional foods we will be serving, including money bags (dumplings and wontons), gold coins (candied carrots, red barbecued pork slices, almond cookies), new growth (bamboo shoots, bean sprouts), and long life (noodles).

Please note that New Year dishes traditionally include a lot of meat, which for ordinary people was limited and reserved for holidays, especially New Year. Then, starting out “rich” was hoped to carry on throughout the year. Thus this evening it will difficult to substitute non-meat dishes.

The specialties will include: Crispy fried wontons with sweet-sour sauce; Honey-barbecued “Char Siew” pork; Steamed dumplings; Red-cooked pork with bamboo shoots; “Lo mein” noodles; Candied vegetables plus almond cookies. 

Tim’s preference on wines to pair with this variety of dishes would be a well-chilled dry rosé or a Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Albariño. For a red, if you prefer that, Pinot Noir. Beer would also go with these dishes, and would be much more common than wine in Chinese communities in Asia. Low-hops, lager-type beers are the most common in East Asia. Try “Tsing Tao” from China or “Singha” or “Chang” from Thailand.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Uncommon Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Tim frequently teaches cooking and wine classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Anne Wells selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, February 7th, 2019. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $30 person. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

One of our regulars at Tapas night at Donderos’ -- as well as at Tim’s international cooking classes at the Uncommon Gourmet -- is Randall Abney, who along with his wife Carolyn Tim has known over food and wine for a number of years. Randall is now importing from Italy exclusive and quite extraordinary olive oils, balsamic vinegars and a new creation, olive dust. Tim has enjoyed experimenting with these amazing products and has created some dishes featuring them.

Join us for our fixed-menu, fixed-price tapas evening where we’ll feature six servings of small dishes from appetizers to dessert all made with one or more of the oils, vinegars and olive dust that Randall imports. Tim will discuss the dishes’ backgrounds as they are served. Randall will speak briefly about the products themselves. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Iced blueberry soup laced with white balsamic vinegar; Assorted hors d’oeuvres – Goat cheese-stuffed dates with black balsamic pearls, Devilled chopped-egg canapé with olive dust, Gorgonzola and toasted walnut bruschetta with balsamic glaze; Polenta alla puttanesca (“working girls” style sauce with tomatoes, anchovies, capers, hot pepper and black olive dust over seasoned corn grits); Pork tenderloin brochettes “Abney” (roasted kebabs seasoned with smoked paprika, lemon juice, Balsamico di Modena, olive oil and olive dust); Spice-roasted sweet potato cubes with balsamic glaze; Mini pumpkin cakes with rum-scented whipped cream and raspberry balsamic pearls.

For pairing with this collection of dishes Tim recommends light to medium-bodied red wines like a Pinot Noir, Chianti or other Sangiovese, Beaujolais or Barbera. Or if you prefer a white, make it a somewhat heavier-bodied one, like a Viognier or Orvieto.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet, 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

The oils, vinegars and olive dust are also available at the Uncommon Gourmet, where they can be sampled and, if you wish, purchased.

Thursday, November 1st, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for two people, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person. (Please note that in the new year we will be modestly raising our prices, due to increasing ingredient and staffing costs.)

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

The Mediterranean stretches from Spain and Morocco to the Middle East. Numerous cultures have interacted throughout history around that great sea. Donderos’ Tapas evening offers a varied sample of the remarkable foods from the region.

Join us for our fixed-menu, fixed-price tapas evening where we’ll feature small dishes from Morocco, France, Croatia-Macedonia, Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. Tim will discuss their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Muhammara (Turkish walnut and pepper spread) and Greek olives; Cevapcici and Ajvar (tiny Balkan chopped meat “kebabs” with roasted red pepper and eggplant condiment); Gratin de Courge (French Provençal pumpkin and cheese casserole); Souvlaki (Greek pork shish kebabs); Lebanese cucumber, parsley and tomato salad with feta and olives; Chicken Tajine Sucré au Prunes (Moroccan chicken braised with prunes and honey) with Couscous.

For pairing with this collection of dishes Tim recommends a Pinot Noir, Nero D’Avola or Tempranillo. For a white wine, try a Sauvignon Blanc or Spanish white, well chilled. Dry, chilled French or Spanish rosé will also go well.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet, 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

Thursday, October 4th, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Join us at Donderos’ for a return to Spain, where the tradition of Tapas (meaning “Lids”-- originally for covering the top of the wineglass with a slice of bread plus ham or cheese) began. Our fixed-menu, fixed-price tapas evening will feature six varied small dishes from various parts of that country. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Almonds, Manchego cheese, Manzanilla olives; Valencian red peppers stuffed with tuna and rice; Patatas Bravas (spice roasted potatoes with a tomato sauce); White fish sautéed with sweet peppers and olive oil; Pork tenderloin braised with cherries; Saffron-scented rice with almonds and sultana raisins.

For pairing with this collection of dishes Tim recommends a cold Albariño, Garnacha rosé or other Spanish white wine. Or for a red, a Tempranillo, very lightly chilled.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet, 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

Thursday, August 2nd, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Join us at Donderos’ for a culinary journey with foods that Tim and family enjoyed during their seven-plus year stay in Malaysia, while Tim was doing tropical medicine research -- plus enthusiastically eating and cooking. Malaysian cuisine includes Malay-Indonesian, Chinese and Indian traditions, and many fusions among these, and even British, traditions.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six varied “small dishes” from Malaysia. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine, or beer, of choice.

Menu: Mixed appetizers -- Ikan Bilis Kacang (crispy fried tiny anchovies and peanuts), pickled young papaya, crispy shrimp crackers; Gado-Gado (Malay-Indonesian salad of fried tofu, hard-boiled eggs, and blanched vegetables topped with spicy peanut sauce); Won Ton Goreng (crispy fried chicken – or vegetarian – won tons with sweet-sour plum sauce); Lobak Babi (steamed bean curd skins stuffed with ground pork and Chinese vegetables, with chili-garlic sauce); Kari Ikan Nasi Kunyit Kelapa (fish curry with yellow coconut rice); Mee Goreng Sayor (fried wheat noodles with vegetables, in a savory sauce).

Beer would be the typical drink in Malaysia. However, Tim, who prefers wine, recommends for this collection of dishes a chilled rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, or fairly dry Riesling. Or for a red, if you insist, a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, very lightly chilled.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

Thursday, June 7, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 N. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Join us at Donderos’ for a culinary journey with dishes that Tim has encountered during his international public health career work. These are either basically French dishes, as introduced to societies they encountered during the colonial era, in which local ingredients substitute for unavailable French ingredients, or they are fusions of local and French cooking.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six varied “small dishes” from French-speaking countries in the Caribbean, West Africa and the Indian Ocean. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Crème Sénégalaise (lightly curried sweet potato soup with West African accents of coconut and ground peanuts, served chilled); Shrimp and hearts of palm sautéed with brandy and cream (recalled from Madagascar); Salade Niçoise (French composed salad with tuna, hard-boiled egg and vegetables popular in French-speaking West Africa); Chicken Créole (Haïtian braised chicken with peppers and tomatoes); Riz Djon-djon (Haïtian black mushroom rice); Cristophine au Gratin (Martinique and Guadeloupe version of potato gratin but using chayote squash).

Tim’s recommended wine for this collection of dishes would be a chilled French rosé or a Sauvignon Blanc. Or for a red, a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais, very lightly chilled.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

Thursday, May 3rd, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Indian Delights

With winter here, join us at Donderos’ for a virtual escape to warmer climes with food specialties from India. We will not make the dishes “hot,” but hot condiments will be available.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six varied “small dishes” from the Indian Subcontinent. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Samosa chaat (Delhi street vendor “snack” with vegetable samosa, puffed rice, crisp chickpea flour treats, sweet yogurt and chutneys); Chole (chickpea curry) with naan bread; Spiced dry-roasted chicken chunks; Sweet potato and pea curry, pineapple curry, and crispy papads; Lamb and vegetable “Biriani” rice, served with raita; an Indian sweet dish, to be announced.

Tim’s recommended wines for this collection of dishes would be chilled and white, and with mild residual sweetness, such as Albariño, Chenin Blanc, or Riesling. Alternatively a low-hops beer. Red wines, especially with tannins, will not pair well with the dishes.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107.

Thursday, February 1, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Mediterranean Delights

With winter here, join us at Donderos’ for a virtual escape to warmer climes with food specialties from the Mediterranean.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six varied “small dishes” from Spain, Croatia, Greece and Turkey. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: “Maria Rosario’s” tapa albóndigas (Valencia-style pork and chicken meatballs); Croatian Ćevapčići (Turkish-influenced Balkan ground beef kebabs) served with Ajvar sauce; Chicken Stifado (Greek stew of chicken in wine with pearl onions); Turkish braised green beans with garlic and tomato; Patatas Bravas (Madrid-style herb/spiced potatoes with Spanish tomato salsa; Selection of Spanish and Greek cheeses, with dried Turkish figs.

Tim’s recommended wines for this collection of dishes would be a light-bodied red, such as a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais (both slightly chilled, ideally) or a Tempranillo. For non-red, a well-chilled Spanish or South African rosé, an Albariño or a California Viognier.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107. Dave Wells and Tim have frequently taught cooking and wine classes there, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, January 4th, 2018. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

French Regional Winter Delights

 With winter coming on, join us at Donderos’ for cold weather specialties from different parts of France. We will serve our tapas the second Thursday of December rather than the first, since the Athens pre-Christmas parade is the first Thursday.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six varied “small dishes” from Alsace, Burgundy, Provence, Savoie, and the Auvergne. Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: House-made charcuterie; “Black lentil” salad; “Pumpkin” (butternut) gratin; Coq au Riesling (Alsatian version of Coq au Vin) with noodles; Pommes savoyarde (potatoes scalloped with chicken broth and “Swiss” cheese); Selection of French cheeses.

Tim’s recommended wines for this collection of dishes would be a light-bodied red, such as a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais (both slightly chilled, ideally). For a white, a well-chilled Viognier or unoaked Chardonnay

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, check at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107. Dave Wells and Tim have frequently taught cooking and wine classes there, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, December 14th, 2017. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $55 for a couple, $28 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per person.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Having followed many ethnic, regional -- and even political -- themes in our tapas menus over the past few years, we are proposing one of the few things we have never tried as an entire Tapas with Tim theme. Join us for an entirely vegetarian night. But trust that even ardent carnivores will find it robust and satisfying.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six international small dishes, either from the Mediterranean or inspired by cooking from there. These will be prepared for you by Chef Tim Dondero and colleagues, and Tim will discuss the dishes and their backgrounds as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Salade Forestière (French composed salad with marinated mushrooms and toasted walnuts); Patatas Bravas con Salsa Romesco (Spanish Catalan roasted almond and pepper sauce over spice-roasted potatoes); “Wild Mushrooms” (shiitake, oyster and cremini) sautéed with brandy and goat cheese served on butter-fried Planche (French); Lima Beans braised with olive oil and dill (in the style of Greek Fava Beans); Vegetarian Eggplant Moussaka with spiced tomato sauce (Greek-Turkish); Cheeses with fruit (Spanish/Italian/Greek).

Tim’s preferred wine for this selection of dishes would be an acidic, low-tannin red, like a Pinot Noir, Nero d’Avola, Tempranillo or Sangiovese. Or for a non-red, a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or a dry Rosé.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Dave and Anne Wells at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107. Dave and Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, June 1, 2017. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $50 for a couple, $25 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Join us for a very special Mother's Day Brunch, Sunday, May 14th from 9 AM to 2 PM. We'll be serving up some delicious specials so come out and celebrate that special lady in your life with a delicious brunch at Donderos'.

No reservations necessary. 

Local artist Emma Shore will be showing her paintings at Donderos' Kitchen for the month of April. An opening reception will be held on Friday the 7th at 3:30pm. Come out and enjoy the beautiful art work along with complementary refreshments. Below, a brief Bio from the artist:

. I am 28 years old and have only lived in Athens for about a year. I came here for many reasons. When I was nineteen I suffered a major spinal injury and herniated two discs in my lower back. It was the result of a condition called degenerative disc disease. I have suffered from severe chronic pain ever since that day. I had major back surgery when I was 21 and it took about a year to relearn to walk. It stabilized me but i still suffer from chronic pain. I moved to Athens to avoid the painful winters of the north, and enjoy the culture . I had no future in Connecticut. The cold weather crippled me. I spent a lot of time (about seven years) isolated in bed trying to just fight the constant pain. During this time I became immersed in film and graphic novels. I am inspired by so many illustrators and filmmakers. Making art has been my therapy. I have an unusual melancholy narrative.   A lot of my work is about contemplation.  I also love to illustrate and create characters. I try to stay positive and use my art as a way to channel feelings. 

Tasty Dishes from the Seven Banned Countries

Because of recent changes in US immigration and travel policies, seven countries have been in the news: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. The cuisines of these countries are unfamiliar to many Americans. Join Donderos’ Kitchen in exploring some of the surprisingly delicious dishes from these countries whose citizens may be banned from our country.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature seven separate small dishes, served in six courses, prepared for you by Chef Tim Dondero and colleagues. Tim will discuss the dishes as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Syria -- Hummus bi tahini with pickled radishes and olives; Libya --  Fresh-herb marinated steamed carrots; Iraq – Lamb-and-rice stuffed baby eggplants; Iran – Mast-o-khiar (cucumber and yogurt salad with mint; Somalia – Chicken Surbiyaan (chicken and spiced rice with crisp onions); Sweets -- Almond-stuffed dates with orange blossom water (Yemen) and Basbousa (Sudanese semolina cakes in syrup). 

Tim’s preferred wine for this selection of dishes would be a chilled white like a Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño  or a dry Rosé; or an acidic, low-tannin red, like a Pinot Noir, Sangiovese or Tempranillo. Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Dave and Anne Wells at the Uncommon Gourmet (previously, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St., telephone 706 353-3107. Dave and Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, April 6th, 2017. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM. Price: $50 for a couple, $25 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.  

Favorites from six North American cities (and no Groundhog on his Day)

There is no specific ethnic or national theme for February’s tapas, other than that our Chef encountered these dishes in various North American cities or from acquaintances who came from those cities. Join us for a meal of specialties from Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

Our fixed-menu, fixed-price “tapas” evening will feature six small dishes prepared for you by Chef Tim Dondero and colleagues. Tim will discuss the dishes as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Santa Monica (Marmalade Café) – Roasted butternut “salad” with olives, caper berries, pecans andcranberries; New Haven (Yale Faculty Club) – Cod Fish Cakes; Vera Cruz (Nina, long-time cook for the Dávalos family of San Luis Pótosi) – Black beans braised with Sofrito, served with green salsa and tortillas; Montréal (Aux Trois Brasseurs, Rue St-Denis) – Poutine with pulled pork, deep-fried potatoes, cheese curds and gravy; New Orleans (various restaurants and friends) – Jambalaya with Andouille sausage, shrimp and rice; Madison (Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board) – Selection of Wisconsin cheeses.

Tim’s preferred wine for this selection of dishes would be a low-tannin red, like a Pinot Noir or a go-to white, chilled, like Sauvignon Blanc or Albariño.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Dave and Anne Wells at the Uncommon Gourmet (aka, “Healthy Gourmet”), 1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107. Dave and Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at the Uncommon Gourmet, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, February 2nd, 2017. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price: $50 for a couple, $25 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.

Thailand

Because the first Thursday of December usually features the holiday parade in Athens, our monthly tapas dinner will be on the second Thursday this month, December 8th. Join us for a meal of traditional dishes from several regions of Thailand.

Our fixed menu, fixed price “tapas” evening will feature six specialties prepared for you by Chef Tim Dondero and colleagues. Tim will discuss the dishes as they are served. You bring your wine, or beer, of choice.

Please note that Thai cuisine is based on fish and to a lesser extent meat; it would be difficult for us to offer good vegetarian options this month.

Menu: Crispy fried pork wontons with sweet and sour chili sauce; Nam Prik Ong (Northern Thai minced pork appetizer) with vegetables and crispy pork rind; Gai Yang (Northeastern Thai BBQ chicken) with savory cucumber sauce; Som Tam (spicy Northeastern Thai green papaya salad); Gaeng Garee Pla (Southern Thai yellow curry of fish and bamboo shoot); Khao Pad (Central Thai fried rice with egg and chicken).

Tim’s preferred wine for this selection of dishes would be a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or dry rosé. For a red, he wouldn’t have one, but would choose beer instead.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Dave and Anne Wells at the Healthy Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Dave and Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at the Healthy Gourmet, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, December 8th. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $50 for a couple, $25 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance. 

Join us Thursday, November 3rd for a meal of traditional meze, or mezza, the small dishes of the Eastern Mediterranean. Our menu will feature six dishes prepared for you by Chef Tim Dondero and colleagues. Tim will discuss the dishes as they are served. You bring your wine of choice.

Menu: Hummus bi tahini with spiced meat and pomegranate seeds; roasted stuffed peppers (biber dolma), with yogurt sauce; baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant spread); grilled cauliflower with tahini-lemon sauce; baked kibbeh (stuffed meat and bulgur wheat casserole); regional cheeses, pickles and fig preserve.

Tim’s preferred wine for this selection of dishes would be a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño or dry rosé; or for a red, a Pinot Noir or Nero d’Avola.

Or -- for a great wine pairing at a modest price, see Dave and Anne Wells at the Healthy Gourmet (1087 Baxter St, telephone 706 353-3107). Dave and Tim frequently teach cooking and wine classes at the Healthy Gourmet, and Dave selects wines to go with Tim’s style of cooking.

Thursday, November 3rd. Donderos’ Kitchen, 590 No. Milledge Avenue. First course served at 6:30 PM.

Price $50 for a couple, $25 for a single. Corkage fee is $2 per couple.

Seating is limited. To assure a place, please register in advance.