Taste of Orange County

The Bungalow is offering BYOB nights with free corkage from Monday through Wednesday nights. Bring a friend on any of those nights and one dinner is half price.

The restaurant is also hosting a guest bartender night on March 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to raise money for the Newport Beach Film Festival. Guest bartenders include Newport Beach city council members Steve Rosansky and Ed Selich, NBFF CEO Gregg Schwenk and co-founder Todd Quartararo and some surprise guests. Tips and a percentage of bar revenue will be donated to the organization. 2441 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-673-6585. www.thebungalowrestaurant.com 

Saturday nights through the end of March, you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Ramos House Café with a four-course tasting menu of Irish specialties. The menu includes potato pancakes with Irish salmon, Irish stew and whiskey bread pudding, among other items. Saturday nights through March 27, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. $60 per person. 31752 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano. Call 949-443-1342 for reservations.

On Thursdays, the crow bar and kitchen offers a slew of late-night specials from 10 p.m. until close. Choose from $5 burgers, $8 flatbreads and 50 percent off select appetizers. On the drinks side, draft beers like like Craftsman 1903, Palm Ale and Karl Straus Big Barrell Double IPA are $4.50, select wines and well cocktails are $5 per glass, and you can take 30 percent off of all bottled beers. 2325 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. www.thecrowbarcdm.com 

OC Restaurant week will continue through March 13 at a majority of the current participating restaurants. Prix-fixe lunch menus are $10 to $20, while dinner menus are $20 to $40. If you plan on taking advantage of these deals next week, visit the Restaurant Week Web site to make sure your eatery of choice is still participating. www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com 

If you plan on parking it on the couch to watch the Academy Awards this Sunday, you may want to consider watching at Kimera in Irvine. The restaurant is hosting its second Oscar Viewing Party beginning at 5 p.m. Diners are encouraged to get all dolled up for Kimera’s red carpet, compete with “media” interviews before entering the restaurant. There will be hors d’oeuvres, a buffet dinner, champagne split, gift bags, a silent auction and prizes for the best dressed and other categories. 21 and over only. $89 per person. 19530 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 949-261-1222. www.kimerarestaurant.com  

There’s quite a bit of buzz circling the St. Regis lately. First, Stonehill Tavern has appointment of Brian Black as executive chef. Black replaces Adam Keough, who left the restaurant to pursue travel and research in Asia. Black is a Culinary Institute graduate who has worked for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Aqua (which later became Stonehill Tavern) and as sous chef and chef de cuisine at the Loft at the Montage Laguna Beach.

The St. Regis has also unveiled a program for oenophiles who want to learn in a formal setting. Learn About Wine, an L.A.-based program, has partnered with the resort to offer one-night classes and a four-week “L.A.W. School” credential program. Some of the courses to look forward to:

• Intro to Wine. March 18 or Aug. 19
• Greatest Wines of the World. April 22
• Palate Builder/Taste Like a Pro. June 17

L.A.W. School courses begin May 6 or October 7 and run for four weeks each. Courses are in the evenings from 6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visit www.stregismb.com  or www.learnaboutwine.com  for more information and a complete schedule.

Morton’s the Steakhouse (photo above) is featuring a Glenlivet whiskey tasting at two of its OC locations this month. Diners can try four of its single-malts, including 12-year, 15-year, 16-year and 18-year. A representative of the company will be on-hand to talk about the whiskies. Tastings will be paired with hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon pinwheels, sliced tenderloin on crostini, broiled sea scallops and petite filet mignon sandwiches. The first tasting is on Thursday at the Anaheim location (1985 S. Harbor Blvd.; 714-621-0101), while the second is on March 16 in Santa Ana (1641 W. Sunflower Ave.; 714-444-4834). Cost is $49 per person. www.mortons.com 

Is bacon is a bit more up your alley? You might want to head over to the Anaheim White House Thursday night. Chefs Jamie Gwen and Bruno Serato have dreamed up a four-course menu with bacon as the star of each. You’ll try things like candied bacon martinis, maple bacon biscuits and filet mignon with bacon mushroom sauce. 6:30 p.m. $40 per person. 1887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. 714-772-1381. www.anaheimwhitehouse.com 

The next installment of OC Restaurant Week is upon us again, and some of your favorite restaurants are gearing up to offer some great deals. The week begins Sunday, Feb. 27 and runs through March 6. Check out www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com  for a full list of participating restaurants.

The Winery Restaurant & Bar is kicking off the week with OC Restaurant Week Eve, where the week’s official cocktail will be unveiled. There will also be giveaways, like entertainment and OC staycations. The event is free to attend, but you have to RSVP by clicking on this link  to JILL-FM (92.7 FM), one of the sponsors of the event. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow. 2647 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-258-7600. www.thewineryrestaurant.net 

When dining out, be sure to ask about the Golden Foodies card, a free card that diners can use for the remainder of the year that provides spiffs like 15 percent off of bills, free appetizers and desserts and special prices on wine. Visit www.goldenfoodiescard.com  for more information.

Also: Taco Rosa presents a culinary demo and a Milagro tequila tasting with Chef Ivan Calderon tomorrow at 3 p.m. Tacos Coreanos are Korean-inspired street tacos (think the Kogi BBQ truck!) with chipotle BBQ pork ribs with Korean relish served with homemade tortillas and sides. Also includes dessert. $25 per person. 2632 San Miguel Road, Newport Beach. 949-720-0980. www.tacorosa.com 

And one last bit of good news for the weekend: The OC Weekly reports that Pizzeria Mozza, the Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich outfit in Los Angeles, will open an OC location at 800 West Coast Highway in Newport Beach. Read more about it here .

Tomorrow, Zimzala restaurant is launching its monthly cabaret show featuring the Diamond Bettys troupe. The show is accompanied by a three-course Mediterranean dinner and a cocktail. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. Also, future dates: March 25, April 22. $65 per person. 500 Pacific Coast Highway (in the Shorebreak Hotel), Huntington Beach. 714-960-5050. www.shorebreakhotel.com 

Also tomorrow, Costa Mesa’s Fleur de Lys is having its grand re-opening from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The boutique is known for its cute and quirky home furnishings and knick knacks, including frilly (and fab) aprons and dinnerware. Stop by to check out the new demo kitchen, where artisans will teach cooking classes in the near future. Plums Café will have a tasting station at the store all day, while the Brown Butter Cookie Bakers are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can also meet Chocolatier Diana Phillips from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday. 369 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa. 949-548-0810. www.shopfleurdelys.com  

Yves’ Restaurant & Wine Bar is hosting a wine class on Thursday, featuring the wines of Trabuco Canyon-based Hamilton Oaks vineyard. Winemaker Ron Tamez will be on-hand to talk about wines the six wines he will be pouring that evening. There will also be tapas. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m, Thursday. $40 per person. Yves' Restaurant & Wine Bar, 5753 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim Hills. 714-637-3733 www.yvesbistro.com 

This Saturday, Laguna Culinary Arts is having its last Saturday of the month wine tasting from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For $5 (a bargain!) you get a taste of eight domestic and international wines. 845 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. 949-494-0745. www.lagunaculinaryarts.com 

Plus: Tomorrow, Mozambique restaurant is having a Haiti relief fundraiser with Tom Petty’s band members and other musical guests. There’s a minimum $20 donation at the door, with all proceeds going to the Red Cross. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow. 1740 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-7777. www.mozambiqueoc.com 

The “Oscars of the food world” has just announced its nominations for 2010 restaurant and chef award semifinalists, counting Executive Chef Craig Strong of Studio in Laguna Beach as one of its picks for best chef this year. He is the only OC chef to make the list.

Strong is in the Pacific category and is up against big names like Josiah Citrin of Los Angeles’ Melisse, and Alan Wong of the eponymous eatery in Honolulu. Finalists will be announced March 22 at the Palace Café in New Orleans. (Here’s a link to a PDF  of the rest of the list.)

Strong hails from Michelin-starred restaurants and was formerly the chef de cuisine at The Dining Room at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, Calif. He replaced Chef James Boyce st Studio in 2009 and received James Beard semifinalist nomination last year as well. www.studiolagunanbeach.com  for more information on the restaurant and its menu. 

This weekend, a few of our own bakeries are heading north to Los Angeles for the Nesquick Cupcake Challenge  to see if they have what celebrity judges and public attendees say are the best cupcakes around. Costa Mesa’s Two Parts Sugar , North OC’s Meringue Bake Shop  and Placentia’s Fairy Cakes  are among competitors. If you’re in the area, stop by to cheer them on. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. $40 per person. Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, 1755 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. Visit this link  for tickets and more information.

Sage on the Coast’s January dinner featuring Tequila Master Robert Martinez has been rescheduled for Friday. Five Don Julio cocktails will be paired with five courses, including Oaxcan gazpacho and firecracker shrimp, scallop ceviche and hangar steak. 6 p.m. tonight. $45 per person. Sage on the Coast, 7862 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-715-7243. www.sagerestaurant.com 

On Friday, Prego Ristorante (above) will have its own five-course dinner, only this one focuses on the different regions and wines of Italy. Dishes include a salad of pears and speck, spinach manicotti with stracchino cheese, Tuscan braised beef with polenta and apple strudel in a zabaglione sauce. Courses are paired with wines from different regions. 7 p.m. Friday. $54.95. 18420 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. 949-553-1333. www.pregoristoranti.com 

The beads and the bourbon will be out in full swing at Ra Sushi on Tuesday, where the restaurant is holding a "Mardi Ra" celebration of it's own. The Mardi Ra Masquerade bakk will have food and drink specials (like $4 Cajun wings, $6 Creole crawfish and an $8 Voodoo roll), along with a DJ playing jazz beats and current top songs. The evening starts at 8 p.m. 2401 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-566-1700. www.rasushi.com 

So you’re not in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. You can still celebrate in Brea: La Vie en Rose is hosting a Fat Tuesday jazz celebration tomorrow with a three-course menu . Choose from things like Creole soup with crawfish and andouille sausage, jambalaya or lamb shanks, among other options. 6 p.m. tomorrow. $45 per person. 240 State College Blvd., Brea. Reservations: 714-529-8333. www.lavnrose.com 

On Wednesday, the annual Fiesta de las Golondrinas with the Taste of San Juan. More than 20 of San Juan Capistrano’s restaurants will have samples of their dishes, including local favorites Café Mozart, the Sundried Tomato Café and The Vintage Steak House. There will also be a no-host bar. A portion of proceeds from the event will benefit the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday. $25 per person; purchase tickets at the door. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. 949-493-1976. www.swallowsparade.org 

Here’s the final installment of OC restaurants offering special menus this Sunday. Check out list No. 1  and list No. 2  for more. Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails. Three-course prix-fixe menu with optional wine pairing. Choices include burrata salad, beef tenderloin, Mahi Mahi, caramelized apple tart and flourless chocolate cake. 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. $45 per person, $60 per person with wine. 2607 Main St., Irvine. 949-387-8887. www.andreisrestaurant.com 

Bayside Restaurant. A champagne brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for $35 per person. Also: three-course dinner for $55 per person from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. 949-721-1222. www.diningasart.com 

Bistango. Three-course menu for $48 per person from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Live music from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. 949-752-5222. www.diningasart.com  

Brasserie Pascal. Four-course French dinner for $60 per person, $85 per person with wine pairing. Available for dinner Friday and Saturday, and all day Sunday. 327 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-640-2700. Visit this link  for full menu. Brasserie Pascal is also offering a three-course take-out menu for $70 per couple. Click here  for menu.

First Cabin Restaurant. Prix-fixe dinner Sunday with entrée choices of Plugra-sauteed filet mignon, Hawaiian moon fish or rack of lamb, among others. $72.50 per person, add $40 for wine pairing. Balboa Bay Club and Resort, 1221 Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-645-5000. www.balboabayclub.com 

Geisha House. Four-course menu available all day Sunday. Choose from edamame, spicy rock shrimp tempura or albacore carpaccio, ginger black cod or lamb chops, among other dishes. $45 per person. 2773 N. Main St., Santa Ana. 714-564-0350. www.dolcegroup.com 

Kimera Restaurant. Three-course menu for $37.75 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. 19530 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 949-261-1222. www.diningasart.com 

Lucca Café. Special V-day menu offered Friday through Sunday. Expect things like endive and radicchio salad, salmon with cilantro-macadamia nut pesto and blackberry Cabernet sorbet. $55 per person, $75 per person with wine pairing. Regular menu is also available Friday and Saturday. 6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine. 949-725-1773. www.luccacafe.com 

Prego Ristorante. A four-course prix-fixe available from Friday through Sunday. Candelight, chocolates and flowers, plus your choice of chateaubriand or whole Dover sole. $80 per couple. 18420 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. 949-553-1333.www.pregoristoranti.com 

The Ramos House Café. V-day five-course dinner with seatings at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Courses include Black Pearl caviar, poached Eden apples, poached lobster and “ménage a chocolat.” $100 per person. 31752 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano. 949-443-1342. www.ramoshouse.com 

Royal Khyber. A four-course prix-fixe dinner available Saturday and Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Choose from things like tandoori saffron shrimp, butter chicken, rack of lamb and vegetarian platters. $39 per person. 1621 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. 714-436-1010. www.royalkhyber.com 

Sapphire Laguna. From 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday, there will be a three-course menu ranging from $45 to $62 with choices like baked sea bass, crispy barramundi or lamb sirloin. 1200 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirelaguna.com 

Stella’s Serious Italian. Menu specials on Friday and Saturday. Sunday features a four-course dinner, which ranges from $65 to $75 per person. Regular menu is also available. 17 Monarch Bay Plaza, Monarch Beach. 949-234-1679. www.stellasitalian.com 

Stonehill Tavern. A five-course tasting menu for $125 per person. Add $70 for wine pairing. Dishes include things like Japanese yellowtail, Liberty Farms duck and Osetra caviar. St. Regis Dana Point, 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. 949-234-3318. www.michaelmina.net 

Tradition by Pascal. A five-course French meal with live music and roses. $110 per person, $155 per person with wine pairing. Begins at 5 p.m. 1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach. 949-263-9400. Visit this link  for the complete menu.

For the first list, click on this link.  

And if you didn’t find what you’re looking for here, check back tomorrow for the remainder of the list.

The Alley. A three-course prix-fixe with roses and champagne. Choices include Maine lobster bisque, prime rib and red velvet whoopee pies. $55 per person. 4501 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-646-9126. www.thealleynewportbeach.com 

Chateaux Restaurant & Lounge. A four-course “His and Hers” dinner set to the tunes of a five-piece jazz band. Menu is $150 per couple. 18912 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine. 949-833-1800. www.chateauxlounge.com 

The Daily Grill. Three courses for $28.95: hazelnut-crusted mahi mahi, sea scallops, filet mignon, crème brulee and cherry cobbler, among other choices. Available from Friday through Sunday. Also: V-day special for two; four courses for $64. www.dailygrill.com  for locations.

Don the Beachcomber. The 65th-annual Surfers Valentine’s Day dinner-dance is on Saturday from 7 p.m. to midnight. Also: “Memories of Our First Valentine” lunch on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. (family friendly). Also Sunday: In honor of Chinese New Year, there will be a 10-course menu, along with Chinese acrobats, singers and musicians. 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. 16278 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com 

Jack’s Restaurant. Three courses for $46.95 on Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Choices include shrimp cakes, beef medallions, lemon sole meuniere, berry crepes and chocolate mousse. 24462 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949-489-1903. www.jackssdp.com 

Matador Cantina. Full dinner menu available, as well as a three-course special for $30: shrimp cocktail, steak a la plancha or grilled Mahi Mahi and chocolate-covered strawberries. Includes champagne. 111.N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton. 714-871-8226. www.thematador.com 

Taleo Mexican Grill. Four courses, including things like carnitas, chipotle apple chicken and flan. $36 per person. 3309 Michelson Drive, Irvine. 949-553-9002. www.taleogrill.com 

The Winery Restaurant & Bar. Roses, chocolate, and four courses. Choose from beef carpaccio, lobster bisque and beef tenderloin, among others. Menu available Friday through Sunday. $89 per person. 2647 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-258-7600. www.thewineryrestaurant.net 

Zov’s Bistro. V-Day champagne brunch starting at 10 a.m. Three course, choose from baked frittata, eggs Benedict and bananas Foster French toast. $33.95 per person. There are also special dinner items starting at 4:30 p.m. www.zovs.com  for locations.

 It’s that time of year again, and if you haven’t made any plans with your sweetie for Valentine’s Day, there’s still a small window of opportunity. Local restaurants are offering special menus just for Sunday. And since the list is a rather long one, we’re going to post in three parts. Check back tomorrow for part deux.

• The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove. Four-course prix-fixe for $65 per person. Items include lobster bisque, Framboise spinach salad, roasted chicken, filet mignon and strawberry s’mores. Wine pairings available. 15 Crystal Cove, Newport Coast. 949-376-6900. www.thebeachcombercafe.com 
• Cha Cha’s. $24.95 per person gets you champagne, an appetizer, two entrees and two desserts from the menu. Offer is valid from Friday through Sunday. 101 W. Birch St., Brea. 714-255-1040. www.chachasbrea.com 
• The Crow Bar and Kitchen. A five-course meal for $69 per person, or three courses for $49 per person. Choices include: Grilled white prawns, ale-braised prime rib, grilled striped bass, Belgian chocolate tortes. 2325 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-675-0070. www.thecrowbarcdm.com 
• Five Crowns. From Thursday through Sunday, you can get a three-course prix-fix dinner plus a jar of C.C. Brown’s fudge for $99 per couple. Choices include potato-crusted salmon, roasted duckling, slow-roasted rib roast and a “Chocolate Sweet Heart.” 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-760-0331. www.lawrysonline.com 
• King’s Fish House. It’s a night for lobster lovers, with bisque, deviled eggs, pot pie and other dishes made with everyone’s favorite crustacean. Spiny lobsters are from California, while Maine lobsters are flown in from New England. Special menu items are available from Friday through Sunday. 7691 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach. 714-793-1177. Also: 24001 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills. 949-586-1515. And: 1521 W. Katella Ave., Orange. 714-771-6655. www.kingsfishhouse.com 
• Marche Moderne. 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. seatings on Sunday, with a four-course prix-fixe for $75 per person. Choose from Maine lobster, veal and Parmesan ravioli, oysters on the half-shell, Angus ribeye, black sea bass. Vegetarian options are available. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-434-7900. www.marchemoderne.net  
• Mozambique. A two-course Sunday brunch includes steak and eggs, Belgian waffles or eggs Benedict. Noon to 3 p.m. $29, add $6 for bottomless champagne. 1740 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-7777. www.mozambiqueoc.com 
• Port Restaurant & Bar. Three-course brunch or four-course dinner, with choices like filet mignon or halibut. Dinner option is available Saturday and Sunday, while brunch is only available Sunday. Dinner is $150 per couple. 440 Heliotrope Ave., Corona del Mar. 949-723-9685. www.portcdm.com 
• Scott’s Restaurant & Bar. Four-course prix-fixe from Friday through Sunday: choice of oysters, wild mushroom salad, filet mignon, Dungeness crab, vanilla panna cotta or chocolate soufflé. $65 per person. There will also be a champagne brunch on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 3300 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-979-2400. www.scottsseafood.com 
• Sol Cocina. “Amor y Besos” menu is a four-course dinner for $90 per couple. “Seduction” includes a special V-day cocktail, bottle of Moet Imperial Champagne, four-course dinner and dessert sampler for $200 per couple. Choices include shrimp Romesco, Angus shrimp tacos and rack of lamb, among others. 251 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-675-9800. www.solcocina.com 

Starting tonight, all Zov’s Bistro locations will reserve Mondays for Kebab nights, starting at 5 p.m. Kebabs (photo above) are $16.95 and come with a green salad. Zov's Bistro, 17440 E. 17th St. Tustin. 714.838.8855. Also: 3915 Portola Parkway, Irvine. 714-734-9687. And: 21123 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast. 949-760-9687. www.zovs.com 

On Thursday, you can join some of the “Real Housewives” at La Vie en Rose for the ultimate girls night out. “A Night of Glamour, Martinis & Sharing” is a cocktail party hosted by Adrian R’Mante from Disney’s “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” while Tammy Knickerbocker and Tamra Barney from “The Real Housewives of Orange County” will model pieces from Bettinis Boutique. There will also be a silent auction. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will benefit Canyon Acres Children and Family Services. 6:30 p.m. $50 per person, which includes hors d’oeuvres, dessert, two drinks and door prizes. 240 S. State College Blvd., Brea. 714-529-8333. www.lavnrose.com 

Watch the Super Bowl in style: the lounge at Charlie Palmer will have the game on its giant 88-inch high-definition TV, while Chef Amar Santana serves refined versions of your favorite game-day foods: chicken wings with Sriracha and blue cheese fondue, Wagyu hot dogs and Kobe-style beef sliders, among others. 3333 Bristol Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 

Fullerton’s Cantina Lounge starts the party early – 10 a.m., to be exact. Until 2 p.m., $17.99 gets you into a Sunday brunch buffet with all-you-can-drink mimosas. During the game, there will be drink specials, raffles and other activities. 2736 E. Nutwood Ave., Fullerton. 714-879-8094. www.cantinalounge.com 

Ra Sushi is offering three different party platters for those who tire of all the game-day wings and things. Platters range from $20 to $50 and include things like tempura, edamame and various rolls. 155 5th St., Huntington Beach. 714-536-6390. Also: 2401 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-566-1700. www.rasushi.com 

Colts and Saints fans alike are gonna want to stock up their Sunday afternoon Super Bowl parties with enough sustenance to last for the whole game. The crow bar and kitchen is offering large-quantity takeout for those who don't want to cook. Choose from things like meatball sliders ($39 per dozen), hot wings ($22 per dozen), crow bar chili ($15 per quart) and Icelandic cod ceviche ($25 per quart), among other things. Place your order by tomorrow. 2325 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-675-0070. www.thecrowbarcdm.com 

The Alley in Newport Beach is having its own Super Bowl shindig, where $25 gets you all-you-can-eat grilled bratwurst, spicy Andouille chili, sliders and two pints of Bud Light. There's also a hot wing competition, where you can enter your sauce to win. 2 p.m. Sunday. 4501 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-646-9126. www.thealleynewportbeach.com 

Newcomer SideDoor will have specials in honor of the big game: $7 draft pints, bottomless chips, Cuban sandwiches and other gameday fare. 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-717-4322. www.sidedoorcdm.com 

This weekend, Art Institute students and local chefs will join forces to raise money for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, which works to fight against cancer in children. Chefs Colleen Johnson, Sandy Kim and Art Institute Chef Peter Striffolino (photo above) are among the six chefs who will each prepare a course for guests. Expect things like pumpkin porridge, Swiss chard tarts, beef short ribs pots de crème and other selections. Dinner is served family style. 50 Forks (on the Art Institute of Orange County campus), 3601 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. First seating is 6 p.m., second seating is 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday. $50 per person, with every red cent going to the foundation. Reservations: 714-429-0918. www.artinstitutes.edu/aiorangecounty 

Sprinkles Cupcakes now offers its popular red velvet flavor in vegan and gluten-free versions. The vegan cupcake uses soy milk, tofu-cream cheese and coconut oil, while the gluten-free version is made with gluten-free flour and the regular cream cheese frosting. Both versions are available daily. 944 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. 949-760-0003. www.sprinkles.com 

On Wednesday, all Daily Grill locations will donate a portion of its sales from signature menu items to Haiti relief. When you order a chicken pot pie, cobb salad, cheeseburger or fruit cobbler, 10 percent of what you’ve paid for those items will go to the American Red Cross and Partners in Health. www.dailygrill.com  for locations.

So Cal staple Ruby’s Diner is adding five premium burgers to its menu, all made with American Kobe beef. Choose from the All-American, BBQ-Cheddar, Portobello-Provolone, the Greek and the Cobb. All are priced at $9.99. The rollout begins Feb. 2 in Yorba Linda, fanning out to other locations in Southern California. By the end of March, all Ruby’s locations will have the new offerings. Visit www.rubys.com  for locations.

News from The Hobbit in Orange: Every Thursday for the entire month of February, enjoy no corkage fees when you bring in a bottle. Also, starting March 1, the restaurant will serve dinner at 7 p.m. from Wednesdays through Sundays. 2932 E. Chapman Ave., Orange. 714-997-1972. www.hobbitrestaurant.com 

“Top Chef” season one favorite Dave Martin will host a dinner at Bayside restaurant on Friday at 6:30 p.m. The lucky diners who attend will have a chance to meet Martin and also receive an autographed copy of Martin’s latest book, “Flavor Quest.”

The five-course prix-fixe menu is $59 per person and includes:

• Oven-roasted wild mushroom soup (amuse)
• Tempura crab fritters with Sambal lime aioli
• Wild striped bass with brussel sprouts, haricot verts and roasted garlic butter
• Asian tenderloin hangar steak bites with ginger pan sauce
• Meyer lemon crisp with berry coulis

Call 949-721-1222 for reservations. 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. www.baysiderestaurant.com 

Laguna Culinary Arts is having an open house on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., where you can sample some dishes prepared by recent graduates and chef instructors. The Professional Chef Program Open House will also have mini-demos. RSVP by Thursday at 6 p.m. by calling 949-494-0745. 845 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. www.lagunaculinaryarts.com 

Sage on the Coast’s second Saturday wine tasting was canceled a few weeks ago, but the restaurant makes up for it by hosting a special wine tasting on Jan. 30. The tasting will feature some of the bottles on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list: Provenence Sauvignon Blanc (2008), Rodney Strong Chardonnay (2006), Chapoutier Cotes du Roussilon-Village (2008), Seghesio Zinfandel (2008). Wines will be paired with various nibbles. 2:30 p.m. $30. 7862 Pacific Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-715-7243. www.sagerestaurant.com 

Newport Beach Restaurant Week starts tomorrow and runs through Jan. 28. Around 75 restaurants will offer either lunch or dinner prix-fixe menus -- or both -- at $15 or $20 for lunch and $25 or $35 for dinner. Click on this link  to go to the official Restaurant Week site. 

If you’re not in the mood for a full-on, sit-down menu, you may want to check out what the Wine Lab is offering for the week: five wines and five artisan cheese pairings for $25. It looks like a pretty good deal. The menu:

• Montaudon Brut Champagne NV paired with Mt. Tam Cowgirl Creamery from California and a crispy chip
• E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2007 paired with Purple Haze (lavender and fennel in a soft goat cheese) from California
• Tenuta Vitanza Volare Toscana 2007 paired with Pecorino Toscano Sheep from Italy
• Ahnfeldt Merlot 2005 paired with Midnight Moon 1-year aged goat Gouda from the NetherlandsEponymous McCallister meritage 2006 paired with Pittig 4-year aged Gouda from Holland

Four seatings per night: 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. 2901 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-515-VINO. www.winelabnewport.com 

Haven Gastropub's Executive Chef Greg Daniels and his team will work pro bono on Jan. 25, donating all profits to Haiti relief. 

From 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., every last cent the restaurant earns will be donated to MercyCorps. The restaurant’s grand total will be tracked on the restaurant’s donation page the following day. 

Haven accepts reservations for groups of seven or more. Can’t make it out? You can still donate by visiting Haven’s MercyCorps page. 

Also: The OC Weekly reports on three other restaurants stepping up to the plate for Haiti: the Anaheim White House, Beach Pit BBQ and the Chaparosa Grill. Click on this link for more. 

News comes that Master Sommelier Michael Jordan has joined the Ruby’s family as president of food and beverage of The Beachcomber cafes in Crystal Cove and Malibu. Jordan had previously worked as general manager of the  Napa Rose, and was the man responsible for the award-winning wine list and wine education program at the restaurant. He stepped down from the position last year to start his own winery, Word Vineyards.

Expect some big changes to The Beachcomber’s beverage list in the future. Jordan has plans to implement a wine education program for staff, similar to the one he put into place at the Napa Rose. The wine and beverage list will also expand, no doubt including some award-winning wines. Stay tuned.

Newport Beach’s upscale Baja restaurant Sol Cocina will host a tequila dinner featuring dishes paired with premium Corzo tequilas. A margarita reception precedes dinner, which is as follows:

• SOL Tostadas with Borracho black bean dip and chipotle-tomatillo salsa, mushroom taquitos with Cotixa, Epazote and green chile salsa, Apache beef ceviche with beet chips, all paired with Corzo cocktails
• White corn and grilled Poblano soup with crema and pepitas, paired with Corzo Reposado
• Seared sea scallop ‘En Nogada’ on tostone with creamy Poblano chile sauce, pomegranate seeds and crumbled walnuts,paired with Corzo Blanco
• Kurobuta pork carnitas and roasted vegetables ‘Pipian’ in roasted squash with green mole sauce, paired with Corzo Anejo
• Fallen chocolate souffle cake with Piloncillo caramel sauce, spicy mango-pineapple compote and vanilla bean ice cream, paired with Corzo Reposado

6 p.m. Wednesday. $50 per person. 251 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. E-mail Jennifer@SolCocina.com for tickets, or call 949-675-9800. www.solcocina.com 

Laguna Culinary Arts has started its winter season of cooking classes. Here are a couple coming up this week: At the Orange location, learn how to prepare a mean pesto-crusted chicken, roasted beet salad with goat cheese and date bars for dessert. 6 p.m. Wednesday. $85 per person. 541 W. Chapman Ave., Orange.

The original Laguna Beach location, will have a class on hearty winter party foods like oven-roasted buffalo wings with blue cheese sauce, white bean turkey chili, beef chili, cornbread muffins and brownie sundaes. 6 p.m. Friday. $90 per person, $100 with beer. 845 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Register online with this link , or call Or call 949-494-0745. www.lagunaculinaryarts.com 

Mozambique is offering happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Drinks are half off, while appetizers like sliders ($2.50), wok-charred ahi tuna ($8) and vegetable samosas ($5) are offered at rock-bottom prices. Daily dinner specials are also available, including wood-grilled pork chops for $10. 1740 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-7777. www.mozambiqueoc.com 

On Wednesday, Charlie Palmer will host a winemaker dinner with pours from Pride Mountain Vineyards of St. Helena, Calif. (Photo at left.) Click on this link  for the full menu. 6 p.m. $130 per person. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 

Steve Samson and David Myers take a quick break.

Last night, Pizzeria Ortica officially turned a year old. (Can I just say I love this slow trickle of L.A. restaurants opening on our side of town?) David Myers spent some time behind the bar as mixmaster, shaking drinks from the restaurant's new 18A cocktail menu. Best bets: Try the Rossini ($10), which is a blend of vodka, lemon juice, strawberries and mint. It's kind of what you would expect winter and summer to taste like if they combined forces in a glass. Another good one is the Eastside ($12), made of Bombay Sapphire, cucumber, mint and lime. From now until Feb. 11, if you buy a drink, you get the second one for $1. It's a good reason to try them all. 650 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. 714-445-4900. www.pizzeriaortica.com

To kick off 2010, the Orange County Wine and Food Center is pouring wines from Sonoma for its Wednesday Wine Stars program. The wines:

• Kunde Estates Viognier
• Chalk Hill Estate Winery Chardonnay
• Hanna Winery Pinot Noir
• Rodney Strong Vineyards "Knotty Vines" Zinfandel
• Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon

The evening is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is $15 for a taste of all five and various bar bites. 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-641-9922. www.ocwfc.com 

Z’Tejas is currently serving its winter menu, which will be served until March 7 to make way for spring. New lunch and dinner items include a crab cake salad with chipotle aioli, a citrus flank steak with spinach and spicy walnuts, an avocado turkey burger and sweet potato fries, and grilled apple pork chops with andouille cornbread stuffing, among others. There’s also a Winterburry cocktail, which is made of Prairie organic vodka, St-Germain, Monin Wildberry and fresh mint leaves, diced apples and raspberry sugar. 3333 Bristol St. (South Coast Plaza), Costa Mesa. 714-979-7469. www.ztejas.com 

It seems like just yesterday David Myers claimed a piece of Costa Mesa for his latest restaurant venture, but it’s actually been a whole year. Pizzeria Ortica turns 1 year old on Wednesday, and to celebrate, Myers, Steve Samson and Zach Pollack are offering free appetizers and 2-for-1 drink specials from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. For those too busy to make the soiree, it’s your birthday too: the drink special will be around until Feb. 11, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to close. Everybody wins! 600 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. 714-445-4900. www.pizzeriaortica.com 

Those headed to OC’s Great Park to take in Cirque du Soleil’s “Kooza” show may want to check out the Lucca Café’s (photo above) dining deal. Guests dining in who present a ticket or ticket stub to the show will receive 15 percent off of their bill. Offer is not valid on prix-fixe meals or special events. 6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine. 949-725-1173. www.luccacafe.com 

In other news: The Bluewater Grill is having a France vs. Italy night tomorrow at 6:30 p.m., pitting bouillabaisse and cioppino against each other in a single dinner. The meal includes French and Italian wines to compliment the seafood stews. $26.95 per person. Reservations are required. Newport Beach: 630 Lido Park Drive. 949-675-3474. Tustin: 2409 Park Ave. 714-258-3474. www.bluewatergrill.com 

The vibe may be a bit more casual (SideDoor doesn’t accept reservations), but the upscale pub fare sounds like it’s being held up to the same standards as the hallowed eatery next door: roasted Chioggia beet salad, butternut squash with wild nettle pesto and duck confit. Sandwiches, cheese and charcuterie plates are made to order. There's also beer, wine and spirits. 

Jenny Ross makes raw food appetizing with dishes like lasagna.

Raw food is so much more than munching on crudités, and Jenny Ross aims to show you that on Friday. The chef and owner of Costa Mesa’s 118 Degrees  will host a grand opening reception for Raw Bar, her latest venture, located inside the Tustin Whole Foods market. There will be raffles and free gifts in addition to nibbles from Raw Bar’s organic menu: things like Kombucha martinis, chocolate truffles and Florentine lasagna. The Raw Bar also will have packaged selections for those on the run. It’s free, you just need to RSVP by e-mailing spjam.marketing@wholefoods.com 6 p .m. to 8 p.m. Friday. Whole Foods @ The District, 2847 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-566-7650. www.wholefoodsmarket.com 

As a gift to start the new year on the right foot, Chef Dee Nguyen of the popular Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills shares a recipe for Vietnamese comfort food. This poached chicken with ginger and jasmine rice is healthy, so you don't have to break any resolutions to indulge. To learn more about Nguyen and how he cooks at home, visit this link to a story in the latest issue of Orange Coast. 

Gingered Poached Free-Range Chicken
with jasmine rice “pilaf” and ginger sauce
Yield: 4 serving

• 1 free-range chicken
  
• 1 onion, cut into quarters
  
• 2 pieces ginger, thinly sliced
  
• Water
  

For rice: 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1 onion, diced small
  
• 2 cups jasmine rice
  
• 3 1/2 cups reserved liquid from chicken poaching 
  
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  

For sauce: 

• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, diced small
  
• 3 tablespoons sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Sriracha)
  
• Juice of 1/2 lime
  

To finish: thinly sliced onions, Vietnamese tarragon

Procedure: 

1. To poach chicken: In a large pot, combine all chicken, water, onion and ginger with enough water to cover the chicken. Cover with lid and bring liquid to a boil. Turn off heat and let chicken poach for exactly one hour. Remove chicken from liquid and let it cool to room temperature. Cook remaining liquid over high heat to reduce, until you have about 3 1/2 cups.

2. To make rice: In a saucepan, sauté onion with oil on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add rice and continue to stir for additional 5 minutes. Add poaching liquid, salt and pepper, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and cook rice for about 20 to 22 minutes, until done. 

3. In mortar and pestle or food processor, pound or process the ginger and sugar until smooth. Add fish sauce, hot sauce and lime juice. 

4. To serve: Clean and shred the chicken into small pieces. Toss chicken with onion and Vietnamese tarragon until combined. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve chicken cold with hot rice and ginger sauce.

The Dock in Newport Beach is serving a five-course NYE dinner. 

Spend the last day of 2009 (and the first few hours of ’10!) at any one of these restaurants listed. Call for reservations.

230 Forest Avenue. New Year’s Eve specials in addition to the regular menu. The restaurant will also be open on Jan. 1, with happy hours from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. 230 Forest Ave., Laguna Beach. 949-494-2545. www.230forestavenue.com 

Bayside Restaurant. Three-course menu for $65 per person before 8:30 p.m., and a four-course gala menu available all night for $85 per person. Live band and dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. 949-721-1222. www.diningasart.com 

Bistango. Three-course menu for $45 per person before 8:30 p.m., three-course gala menu from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Second seating is $98 and includes champagne, dancing and music from the Ron Kobayashi Trio. 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. 949-752-5222. www.diningasart.com 

Brasserie Pascal. Cocktails, live jazz and prix-fixe French fare like John Dory filet, butter poached Maine lobster and duck foie gras. A $55 three-course menu will be served from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., while a $75 five-course is served from 7 p.m. to midnight. There will also be an oyster bar. 327 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-640-2700. www.pascalnewportbeach.com 

The Cellar. Four-course dinner with choices ranging from lobster bisque and truffle hollandaise to Berkshire pork loin chops. $69.95 per person for 5 p.m. seating, $89.95 per person for 8:30 p.m. seating. The later seating will seat guests “family style” and includes dancing and a champagne toast. 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton. 714-525-5682. www.cellardining.com 

Charlie Palmer @ Bloomingdale’s. Seven-course chef’s tasting menu for $105 per person, which includes a champagne toast. Add $65 for wine pairings. Courses include ahi tuna tartare, seared foie gras, roasted veal cheeks and a milk chocolate tart. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 

The Crow Bar and Kitchen. Special menu that includes lobster “fish” and chips. Two seatings at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. DJ, party favors and champagne toast at midnight for second seating. 2325 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-675-0070. www.thecrowbarcdm.com 

The Dock. Five-course meal with choices of braised lamb shank, New York steak and Loup de Mer (seabass) or Turbot. 5:30 p.m. seating is $65 per person, and $75 for the second seating. Add $35 for wine pairings. 2816 LaFayette Ave., Newport Beach. 949-673-3625. www.eatatthedock.com 

Don the Beachcomber. A “Jungle Jetsetters Ball,” featuring performances by the Tikiyaki Orchestra and the Eliminators. The show itself is $25 per person. Show and VIP three-course dinner and champagne is $75 per person. There will also be an “East Coast” new year’s five-course menu for $99 starting at 9 p.m. 16278 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com 

Five Crowns. Seasonal menu served from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Courses include butternut squash soup, Nova Scotia lobster tails, prime rib of Kurobuta pork and potato-crusted salmon. Prices vary by dish. 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-760-0331. www.lawrysonline.com 

French 75. First seating from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. includes four courses for $70 per person. Second seating is from 8 p.m. to close and includes five courses, party favors and a champagne toast for $110 per person. Choices include warm spinach salad, French onion soup, lobster gnocchi, and a Callebaut chocolate soufflé. 1464 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-494-9444. www.culinaryadventures.com 

Jack’s Restaurant & Bar. Three-course menu with choices like shrimp cakes, rack of lamb and berry crepes. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a DJ and dancing from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $48.95 per person. 24462 Del Prado, Dana Point. 949-489-1903. www.jacksdp.com 

Kimera. Three-course prix-fixe menu for first seating before 8 p.m. for $45, and a four-course menu available all night, with DJ and dancing from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. for $75 per person. 19530 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 949-261-1222. www.kimerarestaurant.com 

Montage Laguna Beach. Cocktail reception, four-course menu, wine pairing, champagne toast and dancing. $300 per person. 8 p.m. 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-6420. www.montagelagunabeach.com 

Mozambique. Three-course menu from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for $30, featuring corn chowder soup, roasted Riesling duck and Napoleon Chambord mixed berries. Second seating also features three-course menu, with choices of Australian lobster tail and filet or Chilean seabass. Menu is served from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is $55 per person. Champagne toast at midnight, and live band plays until 1 a.m. 1740 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-7777. www.mozambiqueOC.com 

Old Vine Café. Four-course meal with wine pairings for $65. Courses include sautéed sea scallops, filet mignon and “Grandma’s cheesecake.” There is also a vegetarian tasting menu option. $65 per person. 5:30 p.m. seating and 8:30 p.m. seating. 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-545-1411. www.oldvinecafe.com 

Opah Restaurant. New Year’s Eve specials in addition to the restaurant’s regular menu. Opah will also be open on Jan. 1, with happy hours from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. 13122 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 714-508-8055. Also: 26851 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo. 949-360-8822. www.opahrestaurant.com 

Prime Cut Café. Steak and lobster special and regular menu available until 11 p.m. Bar menu available until after midnight to ring in the new year. 1547 Katella Ave., Orange. 714-532-4300. www.primecutcafe.com 

The Ramos House Café. A “New York” New Year’s Eve dinner, with five courses, open bar and a signed copy of the restaurant’s cookbook. Courses include winter mushroom risotto with black truffles, Manhattan steaks stuffed with lobster medallions and a flaming chocolate soufflé. 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. $200 per person. 31752 Los Rios St., San Juan Capistrano. 949-443-1342. www.ramoshouse.com 

Ra Sushi. A masquerade party with food and drink specials, music and a champagne toast. RSVP through the restaurant’s Facebook page, and you will be entered into a raffle for prizes from local businesses. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The District, 2401 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-556-1700. www.rasushi.com 

Salt Creek Grille. Limited dinner menu, open bar package and champagne toast from 10 p.m. to close. $50 per person. 32802 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949-661-7799. www.saltcreekgrille.com 

Savannah Chop House. First seating is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. with three courses for $80 per person. Midnight seating is from 9:30 p.m. to close, with a four-course menu, live music, dancing and a champagne toast. $115 per person. 32441 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel. 949-493-7107. www.culinaryadventures.com 

Simply Fondue. A Mardi Gras-themed celebration with a five-course Southern-inspired fondue menu from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. for $59 per person. Three seatings: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. 28719 Los Alisos Blvd., Mission Viejo. 949-707-5200. www.simplyfondueoc.com 

Sorrento Grille. Prix-fixe menu with choices like shrimp scampi, mushroom ravioli and Jidori chicken. $60 per person, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. 370 Glenneyre, Laguna Beach. 949-494-8686. www.sorrento-grille.com 

Stella’s Serious Italian. Five-course dinner with Italian lentil soup, which, according to legend, “will bring money and prosperity,” the restaurant says. Other choices include surf and turf, pollo marsala and seared halibut. $50 to $70 per person. Seatings from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. 17 Monarch Bay Plaza, Monarch Beach. 949-234-1679. www.stellasitalian.com 

Stonehill Tavern. A five-course prix-fixe menu, with dishes like Tai snapper, foie gras, Maine scallops, monkfish, pork belly and spiced doughnuts. $235 per person. Add $100 for wine pairings. 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. 949-234-3318. www.michaelmina.net 

Tradition by Pascal. A four-course meal ($70 per person) is available from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., while a five-course meal is available all night ($95 per person). Choices include steamed oysters, wild boar pate, beef tenderloin and a trio of desserts. 1000 N. Bristol, Newport Beach. 949-263-9400. www.pascalnb.com 

Watermarc. The restaurant will have New Year’s Eve specials like a grilled watermelon salad and a seafood trio, in addition to its regular menu. On Jan. 1, Watermarc will be open all day, with happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. 448 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-376-6272. www.watermarcrestaurant.com 

A safe and happy new year to all!!

Spend Christmas Eve in Stonehill Tavern's elegant dining room.

Mosey on down to any of these eateries for Christmas and Christmas Eve meals. Call for reservations.I'll update this list as I find new info. Happy holidays!

CHRISTMAS EVE

• Ambrosia Restaurant. Five-course dinner using local ingredients. Dishes include diver scallops, beef stroganoff, roasted quail and a Buche de Noel, among others. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. $55 per adult, $20 for kids under 12 (from a kids menu). 801 N. Main St., Santa Ana. 714-550-0811. www.ocpavilion.com 
• Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails. Four-course prix-fixe menu with entrée choices like Loch Duart salmon, duck confit or rack of lamb. Regular menu is also available. $45 per person. 2607 Main St., Irvine. 949-387-8887. www.andreisrestaurant.com 
• Bayside Restaurant. Two three-course menus to choose from, along with the regular menu. Kids menu is available. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. $35.50 to $45.50 per person. 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach. 949-721-1222.  www.bistango.com
• Brasserie Pascal. Five-course dinner with hors d’oeuvres, lobster bisque, “trou normand” (a palate cleanser), and roasted duck. A three-course kids menu is also available. 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. $55 per person. 327 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-640-2700. www.pascalnpb.com 
• Charlie Palmer. Four course meal featuring things like frisee and Asian pear salad, maple-glazed pork belly, veal loin and apple crisp. $70 per person, $100 per person with wine pairings. Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 
• Don the Beachcomber. Prix-fixe meal with choices of seafood, roasted meats and pineapple upside-down cake. Noon to 8 p.m. $29.95 for adults, $22.50 for seniors, $12.50 for kids. Kids 5 and under are free. 16278 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com 
• Port Restaurant & Bar. Special Christmas Eve menu with four courses. Choices include butternut squash soup, cured salmon gravlax, braised lamb and egg nog crème brulee. 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. $35 per person. 440 Heliotrope Ave., Corona del Mar. 949-723-9685. www.portcdm.com 
• Sapphire Laguna. Three-course prix-fixe with pomegranate-poached plums with goat cheese, chicken confit and mascarpone ravioli, beef tenderloin and chocolate-Clementine torte. 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. $48 to $62 per person. 1200 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirellc.com 
• Stonehill Tavern. A five-course tasting menu with an heirloom beets, almonds and goat cheese salad, local shellfish with pesto gnocchi, squab with apple-turnip puree, lamb with potato gratin and apple-pear crisp. $125 per person. Add $70 for wine pairings. St. Regis Monarch Beach, 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. 949-234-3318. www.michaelmina.net 
• The Summit House. A special Christmas Eve menu with choices like escargot, crab cakes, roasted prime rib and Muscovy duckling. Prices vary. 2000 E. Bastanchury Road, Fullerton. 714-671-3087. www.summithouse.net 
• Tradition by Pascal. Three- or five-course dinner with things like pumpkin soup with goat cheese, sautéed foie gras, wild boar pate, roasted goose and free-range chicken. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. $65 per person for three courses, $85 per person for five courses. 1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach. 949-263-9400, ext. 1. www.pascalnpb.com 

CHRISTMAS DAY

• Royal Khyber. Buffet and a la carte menu selections available from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Prices vary. 1621 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. 714-436-1010. www.royalkhyber.com 

Xan Confections truffles make great stocking stuffers.

If you’re looking for something other than kitchen tools restaurant gift cards for the foodie in your life, here are a few suggestions.

Chocolate truffles. A confession: I’ve been known to scarf down a box or two of truffles in one sitting. So maybe Irvine-based Xan Confections shouldn’t have told me its released a “LadybuG” collection of jumbo domed chocolates that could make for great stocking (and pie-hole) stuffers. Chocolates are filled with things like caramel and sea salt, Irish cream or Mexican chocolate. If your giftee is also enthusiastic in their chocolate-eating habits, try Xan’s Saintly Sins collection, which are filled with fruit purees and weigh in at 29 calories apiece. Now we can eat twice as many. Xan Confections are available at Whole Foods or by calling 949-833-2928 or visting www.xanconfections.com

Hot Fudge. C.C. Brown used to be a bees-knees ice cream parlor in Hollywood in the early- to mid-1900s, satisfying the sweet cravings of stars like Marilyn Monroe and Bob Hope. The shop’s closed now, but you can still gift a little piece of nostalgia: C.C.’s famous hot fudge sauce is available in 10-ounce jars at Five Crowns for $7. A little Christmas sundae never hurt anyone. Five Crowns, 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-760-0331, www.lawrysonline.com

Personal wine locker. For the lucky few who still can say that money is no object in this recession, A Restaurant has the perfect gift for the local oenophile who needs a place to store that beloved bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild. The restaurant’s personal wine storage lockers are $2,500 each, discounted from $5,000 for the month of December. You’ll also receive a $250 gift card to the restaurant, and $1,000 of your purchase will be donated to the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. A Restaurant, 3334 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-650-6505. www.arestaurantnb.com

Savannah Chop House is running a special that can yield you a free dinner for the New Year. From today untilo Dec. 30, all diners who order an entrée from the regular menu will receive a gift card for a free dinner (from the “Perfection” menu) that’s valid for the month of January. Savannah Chop House, 32441 Golden Lantern, Laguna Niguel. 949-493-7107. www.culinaryadventures.com 

Tomorrow from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Orange County Wine and Food Center is hosting a Wine Education informal course with food pairing with Chef Paul Squicciarini and Sommelier Jimmy Kawalek. $25 per person. OCWFC, 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-641-9922. http://ocwfc.com 

In addition to the specials he’s running at Opah, Chef Marc Cohen has some real deals at his other two restaurants. At 230 Forest Avenue: Happy hour is Sundays through Thursdays, with all appetizers 50 percent off and signature martinis priced at $6. Wines by the glass are $7 and Chandon splits of Brut and sparkling rose are $8. At Watermarc, happy hour is from 3 to 6 p.m. and after 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays. 14 appetizer plates are $10 each, selected wines are $7 by the glass and selected beers are $4. Chandon is also $8. Both restaurants are offering 50 percent off of wine bottles up to $70 in value on Monday nights. 230 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach. 949-494.2545. www.239forestavenue.com. Watermarc, 448 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-376-6272. www.watermarcrestaurant.com 

A splashy pre-opening party for AnQi last week featured the likes of reality diva Kourtney Kardashian and actor Alan Thicke. South Coast Plaza’s sexy bistro and noodle bar officially opens to the public today. So will the food live up to AnQi’s celebrity-studded hype? Given the An family’s track record, it just might. The Ans are behind Beverly Hills’ upscale Vietnamese eatery Crustacean, which has long been a favorite of critics. AnQi features the family’s recipes, some borrowed from Crustacean and some entirely new. 

A bonus: There’s a sleek runway in the dining room that will no doubt feature some fashions from South Coast Plaza’s retailers. Sounds like AnQi will be a fun ride for foodies and fashionistas alike. 

AnQi, 3333 Bristol St. (Bloomingdale’s wing of SCP), Costa Mesa. 714-557-5679. www.anqirestaurant.com

Sol Cocina will have a tequila dinner tonight at 6 p.m. There will be a cocktail reception with small bikes of ceviches and tostadas, followed by a four-course dinner paired with Partida Blanco, Reposado and Anejo tequilas. 6 p.m. tonight. $50 per person. 251 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. For reservations, e-mail Jennifer@SolCocina.com. www.solcocina.com

If you’re a lady who lunches, visit A Restaurant tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. for a Sisters Luncheon, benefiting the USMC toy drive. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate and sit down to a four-course meal. The menu: 

• Medjool dates with blue cheese and bacon or spicy ahi with tempura eggplant
  
• French onion soup or Butterleaf wedge salad
  
• Scottish salmon, petite filet and fries or grilled chicken cobb
  
• Valrhona dark chocolate cake or butterscotch pudding
  

Attendees will receive a lifetime membership to the A Sisters. $35 per person. A Restaurant & Market, 3334 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-650-6505. www.arestaurantnb.com

From today until the end of December, Chimayo at the Beach will have $10 specials. A six-ounce filet mignon, a half-pound of king crab legs and mahi mahi plates are featured. Specials are available from Monday through Thursday for parties fewer than 10. 315 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 714-374-7273. www.culinaryadventures.com

Former “Top Chef” contestant and San Diego Chef of the Year Brian Malarkey (pictured at left) will be at the OC Wine Opener event to help raise funds to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Malarkey will demo some of his favorite dishes. Restaurants to be on hand are Antonello’s Chaparosa Grill, Citrus City Grille, Brasserie Pascal and others. Local wines will also be featured. 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Dec. 6. $50 to $75 (VIP admission). Orange County Wine & Food Center, 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-938-1393 for tickets and information.

Also worth noting: From now until Dec. 30, Park Ave. will have a Surf and Turf special. For $34, you get soup or salad, shrimp scampi, a 7-ounce filet mignon with sides and dessert. 11200 Beach Ave., Stanton. 714-901-4400. www.parkavedining.com 

Pizzeria Ortica has revamped its dining room and now has a full liquor license (woo hoo!). In honor of the 76th anniversary of Prohibition, the restaurant has a cocktail menu of Prohibition-era libations. And get this: From Friday to Dec. 11, whisper “Roosevelt” to your server or bartender and you’ll get a second cocktail for 76 cents. 650 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. 714-445-4900. www.pizzeriaortica.com

On Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., M Foscari is hosting a wine tasting featuring selections from Dry Creek Vineyards. Tasting is $15. 5645 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim Hills. 714-779-1777. http://foscaricuisine.com/

More bargains: From now until Dec. 6, Salt Creek Grille will offer 50 percent off of food and cocktails from Monday through Thursday. Promotion hours are from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the bar and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the dining room. 32802 Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point. 949-661-7799. www.saltcreekgrille.com

And if you’re looking for a new lunch spot, Royal Khyber is running a weekday lunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.: A two-course meal for $10. Choose soup or salad and an entrée. Choices include chicken curry, tandoori chicken and other selections. Royal Khyber also currently has a $20 three-course dinner menu. 1621 W. Sunflower Ave. (in the South Coast Plaza Village), Santa Ana. 714-436-1010. www.royalkhyber.com

On Nov. 30, Jack’s Restaurant is hosting an belly-buster buffet in honor of the U.S. Marines. The menu includes spinach and pineapple salad, torteloni rustica, seafood risotto and eggplant parmesan, among other items. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 30. $37.50 per person, with 50 percent benefiting the Dana Point Fifth Marine Regiment support group. Advanced payment/reservations are required: Call 949-842-6122. 24462 del Prado, Dana Point. www.jacksdp.com

And if you still don’t have plans for tomorrow, visit this link and this link for a list of restaurants offering takeout and dine-in meals. Have a lovely and safe Thanksgiving! 

The Matador Cantina’s “Night Before Thanksgiving” will have $5 margaritas and $5 happy-hour appetizers from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., there will also be a late-night menu with items for $5. Wednesday. 111 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton. 714-871-8226. www.thematador.com

And the following are additional restaurants open for Thanksgiving. (For original list, click here.) 

• 6ix Park Grill (In the Hyatt Hotel). A Thanksgiving lunch feast will be available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Items include Roast turkey, prime rib, salmon and pork tenderloin, among others. $55 for adults, $20 for children. There will also be a three-course pre-fixe at dinner from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. $38 for adults, $15 for children. 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine. 949-225-6666. http://www.hyatt.com/gallery/6ix/
  
• Ambrosia Restaurant (in the OC Pavilion). A four-course Thanksgiving menu with tableside service. Menu includes Maine lobster risotto, truffled “pigs in a blanket” and Wagyu beef tartare. Starts at 5 p.m. $48 for adults, $20 for children. 801 N. Main St., Santa Ana. 714-550-0880. www.ocpavilion.com
  
• Cannons Seafood Grill. A Thanksgiving buffet with roasted turkey, prime rib and other traditional items. $38.95 for adults, $6.95-$12.95 for children. 34344 Street of the Green Lantern, Dana Point. Call for dining time: 949-496-6146. www.cannonsrestaurant.com
  
• Charlie Palmer @ Bloomingdale’s. From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., there will be Thanksgiving specials like Maine lobster chowder ($15), slow-basted organic turkey ($28) and a caramelized pumpkin tart ($10) in addition to the regular menu. There’s also a larger Thanksgiving menu in the lounge area from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com
  
• Coliseum Pool and Grill (Pelican Hill Resort). A three course menu from noon to 10 p.m. featuring things like spiced pumpkin soup, pan-roasted ribeye and a trio of miniature pies. $80 for adults, $40 for children. 22701 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast. 949-467-6800. www.pelicanhill.com
  
• Leatherby’s Café Rouge. Three courses: Butternut squash soup, Louisiana crab cakes, Loch Duart salmon, pumpkin pie and other choices. No corkage fees. $48 for adults, $15.95 for children. Starts at 5 p.m. 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 714-429-7640. www.patinagroup.com
  
• The Loft (Montage Laguna Beach). Traditional four-course Thanksgiving meal with soup or appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert. Noon to 10 p.m. 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-6000. www.montagelagunabeach.com
  
• The Montage Laguna Beach Ballroom. A full Thanksgiving buffet with live entertainment. Noon to 4 p.m. 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-6000. www.montagelagunabeach.com
  
• Pinot Provence (inside the Westin Hotel). A three-course menu with choices like Hudson Valley Foie gras torchon, braised boneless beef short ribs and chocolate mousse. $39 for adults, $15.95 for children. 1 p.m. 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. 714-444-5900. www.patinagroup.com
  
• Studio (Montage Laguna Beach). A five-course Thanksgiving pre-fixe menu. A la carte dining is also available. 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. 30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-6000. www.montagelagunabeach.com
  

Zov's mini pumpkin cheesecakes.

Not looking forward to tackling the turkey this year? You’re in luck: Some of O.C.’s best are open during Thanksgiving – all you have to do is show up. The following is a list of restaurants that are open for Thanksgiving, offering takeout or pre-Thanksgiving meals. This list will be updated periodically over the next few days, so check back often. Reservations are necessary.

PRE-THANKSGIVING MEALS

Here are some restaurants that are starting the celebration early.

• The Daily Grill. $19.95 gets you a sliced turkey dinner with apple stuffing, red-skinned mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and cranberry sauce. Menu is available through Nov. 25. For locations: www.dailygrill.com 
• Don the Beachcomber. A pre-Thanksgiving luau with a Pacific rim buffet and Polynesian show. Buffet items include chicken teriyaki, barbecued Koreanshort ribs, Kalua pork and dessert choices. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday (Nov. 20). Free for kids under 5, $25 for kids 5-12, $40 for adults. 16278 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com 

TAKE OUT

Open for pickup before or on the big day. 

• Clay Oven. Tandoori turkey cooked in barrel-shaped ovens. Order by Nov. 23 to pick up Thanksgiving day. Turkeys feed 6 people. $54.95 each. 15435 Jeffrey Road, Irvine. 949-552-2851. www.clayovenirvine.com 
• Lucca Café. Free-range turkey, cranberry-orange chutney, “Fire-in-the-Sky” yams, pumpkin spice cheesecake and other items. Feeds 10. $250 (add $25 for additional servings). Items are also available a la carte. Order by Friday to pick up on or before Thanksgiving at noon. 6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine. 949-725-1773. www.luccacafe.com 
• Sage on the Coast. A la carte side dishes and desserts, including wild rice stuffing, turkey gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, chocolate truffle cake and pumpkin torte. Pick up on Nov. 25. 7862 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-715-7243. www.sagerestaurant.com 
• Sapphire Laguna. With whole dinners that serve two ($68) or 6 to 8 ($345). Choose from various side dishes and desserts. Place orders by 1 p.m. Nov. 25 to pick up at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. or 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving. 1200 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirelaguna.com 
• Zov’s Bistro. Take-out Thanksgiving meals serve 12 to 15 and include free-range turkey, wild mushroom and jasmine rice stuffing, maple-glazed yams, choice of pie and more. Order before Friday to pick up on Nov. 25. $375 for 12 to 15 people. Zov’s Bistro, 17740 E. 17th St., Tustin. 714-838-8855. www.zovs.com 

DINE IN

Open for business on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26)

• Agora Churrascaria. A traditional Thanksgiving menu plus 16 skewer-roasted meats and hot and cold salad bar. 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. $23 for children, $41 for adults. 1830 Main St., Irvine. 949-222-9910. www.agorachurrascaria.com 
• Anaheim White House. Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with roast turkey, mashed potatoes, yams and other items. Noon to 9 p.m. $19.95 for children, $39.95 for adults. 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. 714-772-1381. www.anaheimwhitehouse.com 
• Bay Club Grill @ the Balboa Bay Club & Resort. Pumpkin bisque, turkey, prime rib or lemon sole with lump crab, pumpkin crème brulee. 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. $31 for children, $62 for adults. 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-630-4145. www.balboabayclub.com 
• The Cellar. Candle-lit dinner with turkey and prime rib, pumpkin bisque, shrimp cocktail and roasted hazelnut souffle. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $35.95 for children, $45.95 for adults. 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton. 714-525-5682. www.cellardining.com 
• Don the Beachcomber. Green salad, turkey with tropical stuffing, glazed sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. Noon to 8 p.m. $10.95 for children, $23.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors. 16278 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com 
• First Cabin @ the Balboa Bay Club & Resort. Roasted butternut squash soup, cured gravlax and smoked trout mousseline, turkey, prime rib and Chilean sea bass. 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. $34 for children, $68 for adults. 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-630-4145. www.balboabayclub.com 
• Five Crowns. Three courses, including butternut squash soup, hearts of romaine salad, oven-roasted turkey, prime rib, Yorkshire pudding and other choices. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Prices vary. 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-760-0331. www.lawrysonline.com 
• French 75. French onion soup gratinee, heirloom beet carpaccio, roast turkey, ribeye, potato gnocchi and chocolate soufflé. $10.99 for children, $49.99 for adults. 3:30p.m. to 8:30 p.m. 1464 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-494-8444. www.culinaryadventures.com 
• Hush Restaurant. Three-course dinner with choices like crab Louie, roasted half chicken and apple beignets. 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. $22 for children, $55 for adults. 858 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-497-3616. www.hushrestaurant.com 
• Mr. Stox. Cuban pumpkin bisque, Dietzel Family Farm turkey, Columbia River King Salmon, deep-dish pumpkin pie. Noon to 8 p.m. $15.95 for children, $39.95-$42.95 for adults. 1105 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim. 714-634-2994. www.mrstox.com 
• Palm Terrace Restaurant (Inside the Island Hotel). The annual “Table-less Thanksgiving Day Buffet” with small-plate appetizers, entrees and various desserts. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. $38 for children, $75 for adults. 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-760-4920. www.theislandhotel.com 
• Sage Eastbluff. A special holiday menu of entrees ranging from $42 to $50, which includes turkey, prime rib or grilled salmon with soup or salad and dessert. Appetizers are also available. 2531 Eastbluff, Newport Beach. 949-718-9650. www.sagerestaurant.com 
• Sapphire Laguna. Roasted butternut squash and apple bisque, Muscovy duck breast and red mustard greens, prime ribeye, Diestel Hen turkey, spiced chocolate cake. 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. $48-$65 per person. 1200 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirelaguna.com 
• Scott’s Seafood. New England clam chowder, Dungeness crab salad, roast turkey, apple cobbler. 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. 3300 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-979-2400. www.scottsseafood.com 
• Stonehill Tavern (at the St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach). A Thanksgiving tasting menu with things like heirloom beet salad, Maine scallops, Berkshire pig potato-cabbage gratin and pecan pie. $125 per person. Add $70 for wine pairing. 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point. 949-234-3325. www.michaelmina.net  

For singles ready to meet fellow oenophiles, the Bluewater Grill is hosting its first singles wine social featuring the following wines: Villa Sandi Prosecco, Acrobat Pinot Gris, ’07, Toad Hollow Chard Unoaked '07 Mendocino, Hantime Pinot Noir Cal '07 and Oberon Merlot Napa '06. The event will take place on the docked Paradiso yacht. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow (Nov. 19). $40 per person. Bluewater Grill, 630 Lido Yacht Drive, Newport Beach. Reservations: 949-675-3474. www.bluewatergrill.com

Charlie Palmer's chef Amar Santana shares his Thanksgiving insight at Saturday's "Brining the Bird" class at 11 a.m. The demo includes a three-course lunch. Following the event, the Next Vintage wine shop will hold its 50 for 50 wine sale, with 50 wines for half off. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com

Check back tomorrow for an extensive lineup of local restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner.

Photo credit: From Taleo Mexican Grill

On Thursday, Pascal Epicerie will have an informal wine tasting to mark the world premiere of the 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau wines. $28 per person includes hors d'oeuvres and a grilled sausage tasting. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. On Friday, Tradition by Pascal takes it up a notch and offers a full-fledged dinner celebration revolving around the light-bodied French wine. The menu includes a half-bottle of the wine and choices like New York steak grilled salmon or chicken in foie gras sauce. (Click here  for full menu.) 6 p.m. Friday. $70 per person.  Pascal Epicerie/Tradition by Pascal, 1000 N. Bristol St., Newport Beach. Reservations: 949-263 9400. www.pascalnb.com.

In other wine news, Yves Restaurant and Bar is featuring Italian wines in a tasting with tapas on Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. $40 per person. Yves Restaurant and Bar, 5753-A E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim. Reservations: 714-637-3733. www.yvesbistro.com. 

Bennett Lane first came to my attention while browsing through the cabernet aisle at Hi-Time Wine Cellars for a gift bottle. This one was Maximus, a red table wine then priced at $25, now $35 and still a good value. A Catholic school survivor, my eyes are always drawn to Latin. I bit and was so curious about its content that I decided to gift the bottle to myself. I wasn’t sorry. A great value wine, it delivered with sturdy fruit and ample tannins.

This weekend I decided to sample the uptown versions from Bennett Lane. 

Notes: 

2006 Bennett Lane Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) Both these wines need to be decanted because there are loads of lees in the pour. I checked to see if they were corked and allowed them to breathe for 45 minutes. This one tasted great right out of the gate. The same bold fruit flavors of Maximus came through without any jamminess. The classic cassis is there along with plum and blackberry. This blend has 94 percent cabernet sauvignon, 4 percent petite verdot and 2 percent malbec. The malbec seems to prop up the juicier fruits and they taste a bit more mature than they might without it. Pair with red meats and sharp cheeses; it’s more appropriate for rib eye and New York steaks than prime rib and filet, Oregonzola cheese rather than traditional Italian dolce gorgonzola.

2006 Bennett Lane Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($95). Begs to be decanted if you’re opening it now. Get some air on this one and you’ll be rewarded. Neither of these tend toward the super soft and supple, like Napa cabs such as Cakebread and Caymus. Instead, Bennett Lane wines are masculine and forthright. There’s more complexity and structure in this bottle as well as a longer finish. It’s distinctly cedar and tobacco. But there’s such good fruit on it you could even serve it with hefty barbecued meats. This powerful wine would be a real husband pleaser—after dinner he can finish it with a good cigar.—Anne Valdespino

At La Vie en Rose, $17.75 gets you a two-course prix fixe lunch. Choices include soup or salad and the following entrees: Fillet de Sole Amandine, Tilapia Bostonienne, Crepes de Volaille, Chicken Cordon Bleu or Beef Stroganov. La Vie en Rose, 240 S. State College Blvd., Brea. 714-529-8333. www.lavnrose.com

It’s not quite a “Battle,” but more of a fun happy-hour wine tasting on a Thursday night. Antonello’s “Battle of the Napa Valley Boutiques” will feature samplings from B Cellars, Levendi Winery and Sodaro Estate Winery – all owned by O.C. residents. 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. $25 per person. Antonello Ristorante, 3800 South Plaza Drive, Santa Ana. Reservations: 714-751-7153. www.antonello.com

Ra Sushi has recently unveiled crop of menu items from Chef Tai Obata. Some highlights: grilled Kalbi short ribs starters with wasabi mashed potatoes ($7.25), Kaisen Ceviche ($9.25) and the “Ra”llipop sushi roll ($14.50). The roll reads like a sample platter of popular sushi, with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, spicy tuna, lettuce, asparagus and cucumber wrapped in Asian radish and served on skewers. The restaurant chain also has lunch specials and new additions to its wine and cocktail menus. Ra Sushi, 2401 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-566-1700. Also: 155 5th St., Huntington Beach. 714-536-6390. www.rasushi.com 

The “ad hoc at home” cookbook features recipes for many of the dishes served at the restaurant, along with Keller’s personal stories and cooking tips. 

Photo credit: Brett Wilson, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike

Xanh Bistro is hosting a fall wine dinner with five courses of Vietnamese food paired with Italian wines. (Being both Vietnamese and Italian myself, my recommendation of the pairing is biased ☺) The menu: 

• Ahi tuna stacks, Drei Dona 2008 Blanc di Rosenere
  
• Free-range chicken “pho,” Marcato 2008 La Giareta
  
• Blackened tilapia, Tenuta Vitanza 2007 “Volare,” IGT
  
• Pineapple pork, Drei Dona 2008 Rosso di Rosenere
  
• Tapioca pudding with coconut juice and sponge cake 
  

6:30 p.m. Tuesday. $55 per person, with tax and tip included. Xanh Bistro, 16162 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley. 714-531-2030. www.xanhbistro.com

Roy’s in Newport is pairing sushi with champagne – Moet and Chandon, to be exact. Diners will feast on five courses that include sushi and Wagyu beef. Champagnes to be served are Moët Impérial, Moët Rosé Impérial, Moët Nectar Impérial and Moët Grand Vintage 2000. The menu is also offered at Roy’s Anaheim location. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. $75 per person. Roy’s Newport Beach, 453 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Reservations: 949-640-7697. www.roysrestaurant.com

And for all you military personnel out there, Z’Tejas is offering 15 percent off your dining bill for all of November as a thanks for your service. Just flash your military ID for the discount. Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-979-7469. www.ztejas.com

“I don’t really want to sell cheese, I want to teach it,” Stoltzfus says. “That’s the part I enjoy. Just sharing it with others.”

Currently, she’s experimenting with goat’s milk cheeses – although certain types of goat milk have been difficult to find. “Sometimes I’ll find someone who has goats and who’s selling milk on Craigslist,” Stoltzfus says. Craiglist for goat milk? Now we’ve heard everything. For more info on Stoltzfus’ cheese making classes, visit www.occheesemaker.com

This Friday, Chef Bruno Serato and the Anaheim White Housewill celebrate a milestone: the restaurant’s building's* 100-year anniversary. A four-course celebratory dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. The menu:

• Baked orange roughy with couscous and dill coulis
  
• Duck ravioli with Countreau and orange reduction
  
• Braised beef in Cabernet reduction with horseradish
  
• A special dessert from Pastry Chef Onesimo Lorenzo
  

The evening also includes a fashion show from Betinni’s of Brea. $65 per person. Anaheim White House, 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. Reservations: 714-772-1381. www.anaheimwhitehouse.com

Tomorrow night, Cedar Creek will host a bourbon and rye whiskey tasting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For $15 ($20 at the door), you can sample things like Maker’s Mark, Maker’s Mark Mint Julep, Jim Beam Red Stag and Ri-1 Rye Whiskey. Cedar Creek, 27321 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel. Reservations: 949-389-1800. www.cedarcreekinn.com

*Note: The Anaheim White House restaurant opened in the 1980s, but the building itself is 100 years old. Thanks for the clarification, Nancy!

Until recently, Don the Beachcomber was a tiki-themed restaurant chain that faded into legend with many of the other dining trends of yesteryear (remember casseroles?). Hoping to keep the party going, husband-and-wife team Arthur and Delia Snyder have resurrected the everlasting luau in Huntington Beach, with tropical rum drinks and tribal masks to boot. The restaurant graced O.C.’s landscape in 1969 with a Corona del Mar location, but had first opened in the late 1930s in Hollywood. 

Don’s current menu echoes offerings served more than 70 years ago, with things like sticky ribs, ahi poke tacos, pulled pork and pineapple upside-down cake. A three-course prix-fixe is available nightly for $30. Don the Beachcomber, 16278 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. 562-592-1321. www.donthebeachcomber.com

Sapphire Laguna will feature ingredients from local farmers and meat producers in a fall harvest dinner tomorrow from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Evan Marks of The Ecology Center and Tim Hussman of the Newport Meat Company will discuss local sustainable farming. $65 per person. Sapphire Laguna, 1200 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirelaguna.com

He reminded me that you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to enjoy port. I’ve always found that unlike really complex sauternes and sherries, which sometimes have mineral notes so pronounced they’re practically medicinal, the profound fruit flavors of Douro Valley wines are much more approachable, especially to those of us accustomed to California fruit bombs. We sipped and imagined pairing these lovelies with everything from barbecue to Mexican mole.

Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Ruby Port. ($18.98 at Hi-Time Wine Cellars) Gorgeous in color with deep, dark fruit flavors. Well integrated and luscious. An ideal match with my favorite blue cheese of the moment: Roaring Forties from King Island, Australia.

Dow’s 2004 Late Bottled Vintage. ($19.99 at Bev Mo) Aged up to six years, aromatic withstrong notes of violet. It has all the fruit of a ruby but with more intensity, soft tannins and a slight backbeat of pepper. I imagined Rick Bayless’ pumpkinseed mole (pipián rojo) slathered on duck or dark meat turkey with this one. Roasted root vegetables, butternut squash soup or pumpkin flan would do nicely too.

Graham’s 20 Years Old Aged Tawny. ($49.98 at Hi-Time Wine Cellars) Superb nutty flavor and butterscotch finish. Don’t wait for sticky toffee pudding season. Open a bottle to enjoy this weekend with handfuls of caramel popcorn studded with peanuts and almonds. Could also make any of those crazy cheeseballs that come rolling onto buffet tables this time of year infinitely more palatable. Tasting tip: Dominic says keep it in your fridge. Yes, a bit of chill tamps down the alcohol.

—AV

There's free food at Ruby's in Rancho Santa Margarita on Sunday. 

Oktoberfest celebrations are coming to an end and if you haven’t had your fill yet, you might want to check out Kimera on Friday night. The restaurant will host a five-course Oktoberfest dinner with beer pairings, so get your last-minute Oktoberfest fix in while you can. 6:30 p.m. Friday. $60 per person. Kimera Restaurant, 19530 Jamboree Road, Irvine. Reservations: 949-261-1222. www.kimerarestaurant.com

To celebrate its grand re-opening celebration, Ruby’s Diner in Rancho Santa Margarita is doling out free cinnamon roll French toasts and RubyBurgers with fries on Nov. 1 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. What qualifies as a “grand re-opening,” you ask? Ruby’s says the branch is now “company owned and operated.” Well, the free food is good enough for us. Ruby’s Diner, 22411 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita. 949-713-7829. www.rubys.com

And here’s a link to some of the county’s Halloween happenings, which appeared on this blog yesterday. Have a good one!

In other news from The Cellar, head down there tonight and the restaurant will bestow upon you a free chocolate soufflé when you order an entrée. Why? It’s National Chocolate Day.

For those who want something a bit more spooky, Mr. Stox will have a Halloween Houdini séance and dinner. The evening includes cocktails (Very Bloody Marys and Evil Wines from Australia) dinner and an after-dinner séance where a member of the Magic Castle will reenact the Harry Houdini séance in which he tried to make contact with his wife. (Be sure to tell her we said hello.) A bonus: You can totally come in costume and they’ll reward your Halloween enthusiasm with prizes. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. $150 per person. Mr. Stox, 1105 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim. 714-634-2994. www.mrstox.com

And if you like more of a highbrow Halloween (minus the costumes or actual ghosts and what have you), Five Crowns will have a prix fixe dinner and a murder-mystery show. The menu:

• Porcini mushroom ravioli
  
• Garden salad with toasted pine nuts and gorgonzola
  
• Entrée choices: Prime rib with creamed spinach and Yorkshire pudding, roasted duckling with apple/fig compote and hand-harvested wild rice or potato and horseradish crusted salmon with three-mustard sauce
  
• Strawberry English trifle

7 p.m. Friday. $96 per person. Five Crowns, 3801 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Reservations: 949-760-0331. www.lawrysonline.com

“Orange County Fare: A Culinary Journey Through the California Riviera” is the Junior League of Orange County’s first cookbook in 20 years. It contains more than 175 recipes from celebrities, local chefs, restaurants and JLOCC members. Besides the celebrity recipes (Stamos’ marinated grilled seafood, White’s green pea salad and the Nixon’s family recipe for Snowball Salad, among others), some highlights include A Restaurant’s cucumber cooler and the Ramos House Café’s recipe for warm banana and berry shortcake. 

“Orange County Fare” ($29.95) is also up for a National Best Books award. You can buy the book by visiting www.orangecountyfare.com. There’s also a list of local stores where you can pick it up.

The powers in Rome have declared Oct. 25 World Pasta Day. We're not arguing.

In honor of Oct. 25’s World Pasta Day (as deemed by the World Pasta Congress of Rome, natch), the Anaheim White House is serving an unheard of five-course pasta dinner. Each course will be a different pasta and sauce. (I recommend having a designated driver for the food coma that will ensue during the ride home.) $28 per person. Anaheim White House, 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. Reservations: 714-772-1381. www.anaheimwhitehouse.com 

On Saturday, Charlie Palmer is all about the game: venison, pheasant and wild boar. Chef Amar Santana will demo how to cook each in a three-course lunch. Afterward, CP’s “50 for 50” tradition continues, with 50 of the restaurants hand-selected wines for 50 percent off.11 a.m. Saturday. $75 per person. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 

Also on Oct. 25: The Derby Deli and Dueling Piano Bar (say that three times fast!) is hosting the West Coast’s first Hot Dog Eating Championship. There will be two 12-minute rounds, beginning at 11 a.m. First prize is a cool $1,000, and it’s $25 to enter. The Derby Deli and Dueling Piano Bar, 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo. 949-582-KEYS. www.derbymv.com 

Tonight, the Orange County Wine & Food Center is hosting a wine tasting with selections from Australia. Chef Paul Squicciarini will prepare some bar bites to go along with the following vino selections: Icon, Kim Crawford, Tintara, Rosemout and Penfolds. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. $15 per person. Orange County Wine & Food Center, 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-641-9922. www.ocwfc.com

Another wine tasting is happening Friday in South County at La Maison Gourmet. This one features six boutique wines, being pairied with cheese and charcuterie, chocolate fondue and fruit. 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday. $35 per person. La Maison Gourmet, 27772 Vista del Lago, Mission Viejo. Reservations: 949-916-4810. www.lamaisongourmet.net  

La Vie en Rose is running some fall specials until Nov. 25. You can receive a free dessert with every a la carte entrée, as well as 10 percent off of every prix fixe meal. Make sure to mention these specials when you’re making your reservation. La Vie en Rose, 240 S. State College Blvd., Brea. 714-529-8333. www.lavnrose.com

For the rest of October, The Beachcomber will offer Halloween-themed cocktails for $9 each. Try a Witches’ Cauldrom, made of 151 rum, banana rum and tropical fruit juices, a Cat’s Eye (lemon-infused vodka, apple-flavored liquor and lemonade), among others. The Beachcomber, 15 Crystal Cove, Newport Coast. 949-376-6900. www.beachcombercafe.com

Black Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese

From: Chef Dave Martin

Yield: 6 to 9 main-course portions

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup shallots, minced
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped and cleaned from stems
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped and cleaned from stems
  
• 12 cloves of fire-roasted garlic
  
• 1/4 cup sherry
  
• 1/4 cup brandy
  
• 3 tablespoons black truffle shavings (canned, with liquid)
  
• 4 cups (1 quart) heavy cream 
  
• 1 egg, beaten (for liason)
  
• 1 pound cooked and drained Gemelli noodles 
  
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  
• 1 1/2 cups Fontina cheese, finely grated
  
• 1/4 cup white truffle oil
  
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco 
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 1/2-2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
  

Procedure: 

2. Add sherry and brandy to deglaze pan, making sure to scrape fond off of pan. 

3. Reduce heat to low and add truffle shavings and cream. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until cream is reduced and thickened. 

4. Ladle some of the cream mixture into a small bowl. Slowy whisk in beaten egg until fully incorporated. (This has to be done slowly, so the egg won’t curdle.) Add egg mixture to pot. 

5. Remove pot from heat. Add pasta, Parmesan and Fontina cheeses, truffle oil, Tabasco, salt and pepper to pot. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. 

6. Spoon mac and cheese into a greased 9x13 (larger if you have it) pan. Top with seasoned bread crumbs. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until bread crumbs on top are browned. Serve hot.

Newport Beach Restaurant Week begins tomorrow and will run through October 22. About 100 of the city’s restaurants will offer special lunch and dinner menus from $10 to $40 per person. A bonus: Upon dining, some restaurants will give you a coupon good for 20 percent off of a future visit between Oct. 23 and Nov. 30. Visit this link for the full list of restaurants. 

And if you don’t have any plans tonight, Morton’s is hosting a champagne and chocolate pairing event, where guests use sensory vials to bring out the flavor in each. Selected Piper-Heidsieck champagnes and Vosges Haut-Chocolate flavors will be featured. The evening kicks off with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. $45 per person. 6 p.m. Morton’s The Steakhouse, 1895 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim. 714-621-0101. Also: The event will be repeated at the Santa Ana location on Nov. 6. Call 714-444-4834 to make a reservation for that date. www.mortons.com

Taps Fish House will have a Taste of the Harvest Beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. tonight. There will be a five-course menu to go along with Victor Novak’s award-winning beers. Novak will also talk about the history and philosophy of his brewery. The menu includes coconut soup paired with a pumpkin ale, Berkshire pork Osso Bucco paired with Kellerpils and a Callebaut dark chocolate tart paired with an Imperial Russian Stout. $55 per person. Taps Fish House, 101 E. Imperial Highway, Brea. Reservations: 714-257-0101. www.tapsbrea.com 

Tomorrow at 2 p.m., Sage Eastbluff will host an afternoon tea. Count on scones, crustless sandwiches and 14 types of loose-leaf tea to choose from. $20 per person. Sage Eastbluff, 2531 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach. 949-718-9650. www.sagerestaurant.com 

Orange Coast magazine is a sponsor of the March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction tomorrow evening. The chefs:

• Bruno Serato, Anaheim White House (pictured)
• Amar Santana, Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales
• Brian Black, The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach
• Cathy Pavlos, Lucca Café
• Pascal Olhats, Brasserie Pascal and others
• Edgar Agbayani, Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion
• Jenny Ross, 118 Degrees
• Phil Knoke, SteerCrazy International BBQ and Grill
• Yvon Goetz, The Winery Restaurant and Bar
• Corey Vuu, The Art Institute of California —Orange County
• Anahita Naderi, Events by Chef Anahita
• Arturo Briones, Wildfish Seafood Grille
• Bert Agor, Ruth’s Chris Steak House
• Franco Barone, Antonello Ristorante
• Gil Barriga, Tiffany’s Cuisine of Newport Beach
• Rachel Klemek, Blackmarket Bakery
• Tony Corke, Chaparosa Grill

All chefs will prepare their signature dishes, which will be paired with local wines. There will be a silent and live auction to raise money for the organization, which helps fight against birth defects in babies, premature birth and infant mortality. 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. 949-263-1100. www.orangecoastmagazine.com/march_of_dimes 

The Resort at Pelican Hill’s Andrea Ristorante has picked a celebrated Italian chef to head its upscale kitchen: Stefano Chiarugi, a Tuscany native with 20 years of restaurant know-how under his belt.

Chiarugi has previously worked as chef de cuisine at SWITCH restaurant in the Encore Wynn Las Vegas hotel, Osteria Del Circo in the Bellagio Hotel and New York City’s Le Cirque. He started his culinary education in Italy at 14 years old at the Institute Profesional di State “F. Martini” and has owned and worked at restaurants in Tuscany.

Chiarugi will add a few new dishes to the menu, using some of his favorite ingredients like heirloom tomatoes, sage and rosemary. Andrea Ristorante at the Resort at Pelican Hill, 22701 Pelican Hill Road South, Newport Coast. 949-467-6800. www.pelicanhill.com

In other news, Five Crowns will have an Oktoberfest celebration tonight at 6:30 p.m., complete with an accordionist (really?) and a wide array of imported beers from Munich’s Spaten-Franziskaner Brewery. Chef Dennis Brask will serve buffet-style things like cucumber salad, herring two ways, Sauerbraten, beer-marinated chicken, a sausage trio and other German dishes. A rep from the brewery will be on-hand to talk about the beers being served. $69 per person. Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. 949-760-0331. www.lawrysonline.com 

Tomorrow night, four of Orange County’s great chefs will band together for Cooking For a Cause, a charity event benefiting Culinary Action Direct, Miracles for Kids, Share Our Selves, the Art Institute of California and Newport Harbor High School. The event takes place at the Orange County Wine & Food Center.

(From left) Chefs Azmin Ghahreman of Sapphire, Debbi Dubbs of Deb’s Kitchen, Gabriel Caliendo of the Lazy Dog Café and Paul Squicciarini of the OCWFC will cook from an autumn comfort food menu. 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. $65 per person. Orange County Wine & Food Center, 1570 Scenic Drive, Costa Mesa. Tickets: www.great-taste.net 

Cedar Creek's happy hour is extended until closing on Mondays this month.

Laguna Niguel’s Cedar Creek is running specials every day of the week through the end of October, including a weekly drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant. Here’s the rundown:

• Monday: In honor of Monday Night Football, happy hour is extended until closing. A special menu of grilled bratwurst, chili, chicken wings and prime rib sandwiches accompanies.
• Tuesday: Girls night out calls for “Cosmos for a Cause.” Order one and a portion of the tab will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fund breast cancer research.
• Wednesday: A long list of wines is available for half price.
• Thursday: Cedar Creek features a special three-course, Asian-inspired menu.
• Friday: There’s live entertainment.
• Saturday: From 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., a kids menu for those 12 and under has plates for $4. Saturday night, there’s a $79 prix fixe dinner for two.
• Sunday: Brunch specials include $5 Bloody Marys or Mimosas from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. From 4 p.m. to close, Cedar Creek will have a special on prime rib dinners.

Cedar Creek, 27321 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel. 949-389-1800. www.cedarcreekinn.com 

"The Big Wisniewski" will be available for one month at Ra Sushi.

We all know the Anaheim Ducks play a mean game on the ice -- but now we know that gamefaces can apply to the plate, too. A few weeks ago, Ra Sushi held a contest pitting Ducks James Wisniewski, Saku Koivu, Scott Niedermayer and Mike Brown against each other to see who could create the best sushi roll. The winning roll (deemed by judges and fans) was none other than “The Big Wisniewski,” made by the Anaheim Ducks defenseman himself. It’s made of spicy yellowtail, crab, jalapeno and cilantro, served with avocado, Sriracha and a chili-ponzu sauce.

The Big Wisniewski will be available at all Ra Sushi locations from tomorrow until Oct. 9, and $2 from each sale will benefit the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. Ra Sushi Bar Restaurant, (The District) 2401 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-566-1700. www.rasushi.com  for other locations.

In other District news, The Winery is celebrating its two-year anniversary tonight with live music, food, wine and cocktails. The whole shebang is $35 per person and begins at 6:30 p.m. 2647 Park Ave., Tustin. Call 714-258-7600 for reservations. www.thewineryrestaurant.net 

In keeping with the sports-food theme today, Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Fleming and Greg Jenkins will be at Wineworks for Everyone in Mission Viejo to share their California wines in a special dinner tonight. Fleming-Jenkins Winery selections on the roster:

• Fleming-Jenkins "Victories" Rosé, California 2007
• Fleming-Jenkins "Jenkins Vineyard" Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2007
• Fleming-Jenkins "Madden Ranch Vineyard" Syrah, Livermore Valley 2005
• Fleming-Jenkins "Black Ridge Vineyard" Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains 2006
• Fleming-Jenkins "Choreography" Cabernet Blend, Napa Valley 2005

The dinner is $75 and includes live music. Call 949-582-0026 for reservations. 26342 Oso Parkway, Mission Viejo. www.wineworksforeveryone.com 

On Saturday at noon, Roy’s in Anaheim will host a cooking class with Hawaiian- and Asian-themed food. It’s $40 per person, and here’s the menu:

• Crunchy golden lobster potstickers with spicy Togarashi miso butter sauce
• Classic roasted macadamia nut-crusted Mahi Mahi with Maine lobster "essence"
• Melting chocolate souffle: A flourless chocolate cake with a molten center, served with raspberry sauce and vanilla bean ice cream

If you miss this one, the restaurant will run the same class at noon on Oct. 31. 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim. 714-776-7697. www.roysrestaurant.com 

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse has unrolled its fall and winter prix fixe menus, which will run through Jan. 4, 2010. Meals are $39.95 per person, and include things like roasted butternut squash soup, cracking pork osso bucco and dark chocolate mousse cake. You can view the full menu here. 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-720-9633. www.flemingssteakhouse.com 

The Cellar in Fullerton is offering discounts on its bottles through Oct. 11. With Cash for Corkers, if you bring in any bottle of wine (even the two-buck chuck), you’ll get $25 off one of theirs that are priced $75 or more. It’s a bargain, just in time for the holidays. 305 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton. 714-525-5682. www.cellardining.com 

We normally don't cover fast food here, but this warrants a few sentences: Boston Market locations are offering two free kids meals (14 and under!) with any $6 adult meal purchase. If you order a family meal, you'll get up to four free kids meals. The promotion ends Oct. 31, and your kids have to be present to claim the meals. Visit www.bostonmarket.com  for locations.

Pizzeria Ortica Executive Chef Steve Samson demos different pasta shapes.

Last weekend, some of South Coast Plaza's best restaurants hosted an open house of sorts for some of L.A. and O.C.'s most active food bloggers. It was nice to finally see the faces behind the food prose of L.A.'s Pleasure Palate, Food GPS, Eater LA  and LA & OC Foodventures, just to name a few. Representing the bloggers on our side of the curtain were writers from Food Frenzy, Juli B  and Stick a Fork In It . Here are some of the event's highlights:

Chefs Steve Samson (photo above) and Zach Pollack demonstrated how to make various pasta shapes, making pasta from scratch using the well method. I can see why Pizzeria Ortica has an open kitchen and low countertops -- they're perfect for Samson's Saturday cooking classes. The best part? The pastas were sauced and served for lunch:

From top: Tortelli di pere e pecorino al burro e salvia (tortelli with pecorina in a brown butter and sage sauce), burrata and ricotta ravioli in pomodoro, and spinach tagliatelle with Bolognese.

The night before, Chef James Hamamori of Hamamori seated us at the sushi bar and proceeded to handcraft some of his specialties, including this duo of deep fried shiitake mushrooms and asparagus tempura, which was crusted in puffy Japanese rice cereal (photo below). This dish was my favorite of the evening, because you really can't go wrong with anything fried (can you?).

And finally, one of the most interesting finds through our SCP glutton trek were these Himalayan salt blocks and bowls from NapaStyle. You can use these to serve and to hold fruit and things, but the coolest part is that you can cook on them. Heat up one of the square blocks on a gas burner, and you can cook fish, poultry and meats, infusing a very subtle salt flavor into the food. To clean, you just rinse the blocks under the tap. I believe they last for awhile, and when they start to break down, you can grind them up and use them over food.

Full disclosure: This was a fully sponsored event. Gifts were not accepted.

I can't help but take this loss personally. I've grown up with the mag, and I credit it largely for inspiring me to become a food writer. It's a sad day. Read more about the closing here, here and here. 

For the months of October and November, Marche Moderne will feature an Oktoberfest-inspired daily dinner. “Soirees Alsacienne” is $29 per person, and consists of an ambitious menu of pig and “choucroute,” or sauerkraut, that only Florent and Amelia Marneau could pull off.

The details:

• “The Pig, Head to Toe”: Braised cheeks, confit of short ribs and belly, Jambonneau tranche ham-hocks au court bouillon, saucisse de Strasbourg fraiche, saucisse fume, pig's feet
• Choucroute Moderne: Pressure-cooked sauerkraut, German butterball potatoes, mustard (side dish)
• Dessert: Apple tarte a l'Alsacienne, vanilla scented creme fraiche custard, Chimay beer gelato

For reservations, call 714-434-7900. Marche Moderne, 3333 Bristol St. (in the Nordstrom wing of South Coast Plaza), Costa Mesa. www.marchemoderne.net 

Thompkin Cellars is teaming up with Phans55 for a wine pairing dinner with Vietnamese food. This is the second installment of the series, the first of which was at the Irvine location. Because of that event's popularity, the restaurant is offering the dinner at its sister location in Fullerton.

7 p.m. Saturday, $60 per person. Reservations are necessary, as there are only 60 seats available.

The menu:

• Crispy Imperial roll, sweet pork roll, Phans55 calamari, 2008 Thompkin Cellars Ombre
• Beef or vegetarian pho, 2007 Thompkin Cellars 3ie Degre
• Chilean seabass claypot, braised short rib, 2005 Couchant, 2006 Thompkin Cellars Syrah
• Double chocolate mousse cake or Cognac apple mousse, coffee

You can choose vegetarian options at the time of reservation. Phans55, 1981 Sunny Crest Drive, Fullerton. Reservations: 714-441-0714. www.phans55.com 

Now's the time to ignore the diet and head to the Cheesecake Factory. All day Wednesday, chain will be doing its part for Hunger Action Month. All locations of the chain will donate 10 percent of guest checks to Feeding America food banks if guests bring in two cans of soup. The goal is to collect 100,000 cans from across the country. Visit www.thecheesecakefactory.com  for locations.

Chef Azmin Ghahreman (pictured) of Sapphire Laguna will take to the sea in mid-November to cook as a guest chef on Crystal Cruises Wine & Food Cruise to the Caribbean. But if you can't tag along, Ghahreman is offering Caribbean spice plates nightly at his restaurant, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Plates are $10 each, and here's what you can get: Caribbean Jerk Chicken Taco, Sofrito-Spiced Pulled Pork, Banana-Curried Barramundi with Coconut-Mango Chutney, Lobster-Mango Salad with Fried Plantains, Pineapple-Rum BBQ Lamb Riblets and Calamari Black Beans and Rice. Wash it all down with his tropical-themed cocktails. Sapphire Laguna, 1200 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. 949-715-9888. www.sapphirellc.com 

Chef Amar Santana of Charlie Palmer will teach a cheese class on Saturday at 11 a.m. You can learn how to make fresh mozzarella and fromage blanc right in your own kitchen, and top off the day with a three-course lunch. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.. $75 per person. 714-352-2525. www.charliepalmer.com 

La Vie en Rose is hosting another dinner and a movie, this time with the 1951 film "The African Queen,"  starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. The three-course meal includes a feta cheese salad, hazelnut crusted Orange Roughy or ribeye steak and some French pastries for dessert. There's popcorn, too. 6:30 p.m. Friday. 240 S. State College Blvd., Brea. $32.75 per person. 714-529-8333. www.lavnrose.com 

Football fans take note: ESPN NFL analyst and former USC wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson will be the guest of honor in “Lunch with a Legend,” taking place at Morton’s on Wednesday. ESPN radio hosts Andrew Sicilian and Mychal Thompson will interview Johnson in a live broadcast from the restaurant, which includes a Q&A with attendees.

The menu: Choice of Caesar salad or Morton’s salad, choice of filet mignon with Bearnaise sauce, broiled salmon filet or Chicken Christopher, and double chocolate mousse.

11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Morton's The Steakhouse, 1641 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. $50 per person. Reservations: 714-444-2851. www.mortons.com 

Over in South County, La Maison Gourmet celebrates its 7th anniversary with a final $7 wine tasting on Thursday, featuring wines from Dutton Estate Winery, Azur Wines, Kenefick Ranch Winery and Hope and Grave Wines. Accompanying the wine will be various cheeses and pates. The winemakers will be present to talk about their 2009 harvests. There are two tastings: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reservations are required. La Maison Gourmet, 27772 Vista del Lago, Mission Viejo. 949-916-4819. www.lamaisongourmet.net 

Howdy! I'm back from vacation and am happy to report I didn't miss Orange County Restaurant Week, which has been extended through Saturday. You get a second chance to try some of the menus from the more than 120 participating restaurants. Lunch prix fixe menus are from $10-$20, while dinner is from $20-$40. Visit www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com  for more restaurants and menus.

Scott’s Seafood celebrates its 20 years of serving San Francisco-inspired seafood dishes with an anniversary party on Saturday. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from “20 Years of Gratitude” will be donated to the Festival of Children Foundation (www.festivalofchildren.org ). The organization’s annual September program includes bringing awareness to more than 75 children’s charities, along with free family activities. There will be a four-course prix fixe menu, a VIP reception, prize drawings and live entertainment from former Righteous Brothers’ band member Lee Ferrell. The restaurant’s regular menu will also be available during the evening. 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Scott’s Seafood, 3300 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. $100 per person. Reservations required: 714-979-2400. www.scottsseafood.com 

Tonight, Pizzeria Ortica is hosting its first wine dinner, featuring some wines from southern Italy. The tasting menu and wines will explore some of southern Italy’s history, with dishes like crudo di pesce and strascinate, a handmade pasta dish with eggplant and cherry tomatoes. $45 per person, plus $25 with wine pairing. 600 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. Reservations required: 714-445-4900. www.pizzeriaortica.com 

On Wednesday, four chefs will gather and cook at The Winery in Tustin to raise money for (my culinary alma mater!) Orange Coast College’s culinary arts program. The “Orange County Celebrity Chefs Culinary Arts Scholarship” fundraiser is a mouthful to say, but it’s guaranteed that the six courses to be prepared that evening will be even more. Chefs cooking the dinner are The Winery’s Yvon Goetz, Pascal Olhats (Tradition by Pascal among others), Andrew Sutton (Napa Rose) and Rob Wilson (Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel). There will be a cocktail reception, and dinner with wine pairings. Dinner is $155 per person, and some of it is tax deductible. Call 714-258-7600 for reservations. The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar (at the District in Tustin), 2647 Park Ave., Tustin. www.thewineryrestaurant.net 

More than 35 restaurants and 15 wineries will be on hand at the 21st annual Taste of Newport this weekend. From Friday to Sunday, you can sample bites from the likes of Agora Churrascaria, Back Bay Bistro, Canaletto Ristorante Veneto, Sabatino's Lido Shipyard Sausage Co. and Vie de France, among others. Sugar Ray, David Cook and Train will provide live entertainment (check Web site for concert schedule). 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Tickets range from $22 to $125. Fashion Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. www.tasteofnewport.com 

Just when one foodie week ends, another one begins: The national Great American Dine Out starts Sept. 20 and will help raise funds for nonprofit Share Our Strength. Dine from mom-and-pop to chain restaurants to help the organization work toward ending childhood hunger. Visit www.greatamericandineout.org  for more information. The Dine Out ends Sept. 26.

Also: Sage on the Coast will host Unexpected Pleasures, a wine tasting featuring some unusual wines. Here’s the menu:

• Clos de la Chappelle, Muscadet Sevre et Maine 2008 served with fried oysters
• McCrea Vineyards, Roussanne Columbia Valley 2007 served with a butternut squash tart
• Isenhower, Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley 2007 served with blackened fish tacos
• Kaapsicht, Pinotage South Africa 2006 served with Sage slider, fries and smoked ketchup

Reservations are required. $30 per person. 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Sage on the Coast (in the Crystal Cove Promeade), 7862 East Coast Highway, Newport Beach. 949-715-7243. www.sagerestaurant.com 

Foodies looking for an online place to message and meet other like-minded foodies need not look any further than OC Food Nation, a hyper-local site launched earlier this year. In it, OC epicures can wax poetic about everything locally related to food, from blogs to farmers market finds and recipes. (Full disclosure: This blog is mentioned in one of the forums.)

“I see people at the farmers markets all the time, and I wanted them to have a place to talk about all of their finds and recipes,” says OCFN founder Priscilla Mayfield, who is an avid and accomplished cook who previously has written columns for the national food site eGullet. Similar foodie message boards like those of Chowhound lump LA and OC in one category. Mayfield, along with her Web-savvy husband, wanted to create a hyper-local food site just for the OC.

“There hasn’t been a [food site] for OC that hasn’t been overshadowed by L.A.,” Mayfield says. Currently the site has a handful of members, with the hope that more will join in the conversation. There are also some changes to the site in the works, which will make it more user friendly. Visit www.ocfoodnation.com to check it out.

On Thursday, James Beard Award-winner Joyce Goldstein (pictured at left) will pair up with Zimzala Executive Chef Vincent Muraco for a Tapas & Tagines dinner at Muraco’s Huntington Beach restaurant.

The Spanish and Moroccan menu includes things like goat cheese, raisin and pine-nut piquillo peppers, Albondigas, Serrano ham-wrapped melon, lamb tagine, Crema Catalana and a bunch of other yummy-sounding dishes. There will also be a cocktail reception, cookbook signing and a dessert reception after dinner.

7 p.m. Thursday. $75 per person (includes wine pairings). Zimzala Restaurant (Shorebreak Hotel), 500 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. Call 714-861-4470 for reservations. http://restaurantzimzala.com 

OC Custom Wine teams with Yves’ Restaurant & Wine Bar  for an informal class on how to blend your own wine. Tapas and wine tastings are also on the menu. 6 p.m. Thursday. $40 per person. 5753-A East Santa Ana Canyon Road, Anaheim. 714-637-3733 for reservations. www.yvesbistro.com 

Chef Marc Cohen of Watermarc Grill will demo a dish this week.

The last time we had Orange County Restaurant Week, I made a hefty list of restaurants I wanted to hit up to take advantage of all the deals. I mean, this was a painstakingly crafted list – agonizing almost – because there were so many restaurant to choose from and so little time. After the week was over, I was quite a satisfied diner and had gained a pound or two (which, incidentally, I still have to this day). As my bad luck would have it, I’m on vacation for the entire duration for this installment of OCRW. It’s a bummer (but it’s not that bad, since I’ll be on an island somewhere!) but I hope you’ll take advantage of it for me.

The skinny: More than 120 of the county’s restaurants are offering prix fixe lunch and dinner options through Saturday, Sept. 19. Depending on each restaurant, lunch deals range from $10 to $20 and dinner is from $20 to $40. Visit www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com  for more information (you can also make reservations for participating restaurants on the site.)

And here’s a list of the remaining chef demos at Bloomingdale’s for the rest of the week. If you haven’t caught one yet, you still have time!

• 6 p.m. Wednesday: Executive Chef Marc Cohen (pictured above) of Watermarc Restaurant, OPAH Restaurant & Bar  and 230 Forest Avenue  will demo an elegant Brandade deMorue, or a salt cod with potato puree. 
  
• 6 p.m. Thursday: The ubiquitous Zov Karamardian will show you how to make an eggplant and avocado salsa.
  
• 6 p.m. Friday: Executive Chef Tony Corke of the Chaparosa Grill  demos a banana coconut crème brulee.
  
• Noon, Saturday: Nirvana Grille  Executive Chef Lindsay Smith-Rosales makes the restaurant’s blackened sea scallops with beurre blanc and vegetables.
  
• 3 p.m. Saturday: Chef Arturo Briones of Wildfish Seafood Grille  finishes off the series with a vegetable-stuffed Haddock and cilantro sauce.
  

Demos are at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Cathy Pavlos of the Lucca Café is the next chef to get behind the Bloomingdale’s kitchen for the Cooking with the Experts series. She’ll demo her honey-grilled Loch Duart salmon with potatoes and asparagus in a lemon beurre blanc, among other things. 1 p.m. Sept. 13. Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Chef Pavlos will also host a Sunday Supper at 3 p.m. Sept. 13, featuring the flavors of Greece. These dinners are $40 per person and are served family-style, with wine pairing out on the restaurant’s patio. Expect things like Grilled lamb skewers, Greek salad and baklava. Lucca Café, 6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine. Reservations: 949-725-1773. www.luccacafe.net  

On Sept. 15 at 6 p.m., Chef Miguel Garcia of Kimera Restaurant  will take to the Bloomingdales kitchen to prepare a soba noodle salad with grilled tiger prawns and sticky soy. And Sunday (Sept. 13) is the kickoff of Orange County Restaurant Week.

Check back on Monday for a few more OCRW news bites. Have a great weekend! www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com 

Every year, Fleming’s introduces a new Fleming’s 100 , its list of the best wines the restaurant will serve by the glass. In addition to that list this year, the steak folks will have a “Month of Discovery” celebration through September, with special menus and a sweepstakes, the latter in which you can win a bottle of your favorite from the list. Click here  for more info on the sweepstakes. 

The restaurant will have a three course Trio of Filets special for $45 per person, which includes filet mignon served in the old-school Wellington, Oscar and Au Poivre styles. $10 more gets you a flight of three wines to pair. The September festivities continue with Wine Tuesdays, where diners will get 25 percent off any bottle in the Fleming’s 100 list, or complimentary corkage on a bottle you bring in.

There’s also a new Prime Burger Bar menu, featuring five burgers: filet mignon, Ahi tuna, crab cake, Portobello mushroom and Prime. Stop in for happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and you can taste these for free at the bar. And finally, a new “5 for $6 ‘til 7” bar menu will have cocktails and appetizers for $6 every evening until 7 p.m. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. 949-720-9633. www.flemingssteakhouse.com 

Chef Ronnie Arnold of Hush restaurant will prepare a sea bass in today's demo.

Maybe you’ve always wanted to take a cooking class or enroll in a culinary program, but weren’t sure if you had the time or the money. If this is the case, you might really want to consider attending some of these Cooking with the Experts demos by OC chefs, happening this week and next. You’ll get schooled for free.

Today at 6 p.m., Chef Ronnie Arnold of Hush Restaurant  will prepare a Provencal sea bass with cherry tomatoes, roasted peppers and picholine olives.

Tomorrow at 6 p.m., raw food expert and Chef Jenny Ross of 118 Degrees  will show you how to make a sweet pesto salad with capers, basil and baby heirloom tomatoes, plus a chocolate torte with a caramel sauce.

The Bloomingdale’s demo kitchen is kind of a roomy space with flat screen monitors above the demo area, so you’ll be able you see all the action. Take notes! Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza, 3333 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa. www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com 

Sept. 13 marks the sixth year for Flavors of Orange County, which benefits the American Liver Foundation. It’s kind of different than some of the other charity dinners in that there will be a chef assigned to create a five-course, wine-paired meal for each table. Chef Jamie Gwen hosts, and the chefs in the kitchen that evening include Adam Keough (Stonehill Tavern), Michael Nirtaut (The Fairmont Newport Beach), Franco Barone (Antonello), Amar Santana (Charlie Palmer), Ronnie Arnold (Hush), Donald Schoenburg (Leatherby’s), Brian Black (The Loft at the Montage Resort & Spa), Lupe Camarena (Ritz Restaurant & Garden) Edgar Agbayani (Roy’s) and Kevin Jerrold-Jones (Tabu Grill).

The evening kicks off with cocktails and a silent auction. $250 per person. Call 310-670-4626 for tickets. Bambu Garden at the Fairmont Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. 949-476-2001. www.fairmont.com 

For the next two weeks, 12 of OC’s most recognized chefs will demo some dishes at the Bloomingdale’s Home Store. There will be giveaways and book signings during these demos as well. The chefs are helping to kick off and draw attention to Orange County Restaurant Week, which begins Sept. 13. Here’s the schedule:

• Noon Sept. 5: Chef Vincent Muraco of Zimzala  
• 1 p.m. Sept. 6: Chef Hector Camarena of the Ritz Restaurant and Garden 
• 6 p.m. Sept. 8: Executive Chef Arun K. Puri of Royal Khyber Fine Indian Cuisine 
• 6 p.m. Sept. 9: Executive Chef Ronnie Arnold of hush  
• 6 p.m. Sept. 10: Executive Chef/Owner Jenny Ross of 118 Degrees  
• 1 p.m. Sept. 13: Executive Chef/Owner Cathy Pavlos of Lucca Café  
• 6 p.m. Sept. 15: Chef Miguel Garcia of Kimera Restaurant 
• 6 p.m. Sept. 16: Executive Chef/Owner Marc Cohen of OPAH Restaurant & Bar , 230 Forest Avenue and Watermarc Restaurant    
• 6 p.m. Sept. 17: Executive Chef/Owner Zov Karamardian of Zov's Bistro in Tustin, and Zov's Neighborhood Cafes in Irvine and Newport Coast 
• 6 p.m. Sept. 18: Executive Chef/Owner Tony Corke of Chaparosa Grill  
• Noon Sept. 19: Executive Chef/Owner Lindsay Smith-Rosales of Nirvana Grille  
• 3 p.m. Sept. 19: Chef Arturo Briones of Wildfish Seafood Grille  

Check back next week for specific dish demo information and restaurant week updates. Have a good weekend!

September is California Wine Month , and there’s no shortage of wine tastings and events going on. Here’s just one of them:

There’s a wine tasting on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Charlie Palmer, featuring Alsatian winemaker Florian Beck-Hartweg. Beck-Hartweg brings with him some of his family’s organic wines, and Chef Amar Santana will pair hors d’oeuvres accordingly. Here’s the white wine lineup:

• 2007 Beck-Hartweg Pinot Gris Cuvee Prestige
• 2006 Beck-Hartweg Pinot Gris Grand Cru Frankstein
• 2006 Beck-Hartweg Riesling Cuvee Prestige
• 2007 Beck-Hartweg Riesling Grand Cru Frankstein
• 2007 Beck-Hartweg Gewurztraminer Cuvee de L'Ours
• 2006 Beck-Hartweg Gewurztraminer Grand Cru

There will also be tastings of two reds, a 2007 Bindi Segardi Chianti Classico and a 2004 Germano Angelo Barolo.

3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 5. $30 per person. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdales, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. RSVP to Paul Lin of Tanaro River Imports by calling 949-394-2877. www.tanarowineimports.com  

In other news: Tradition By Pascal is continuing it’s Tribute to Julia Child dinner through the end of September. Click here  to read about it in a previous post. 

Wine ages in medium-toasted French oak wine barrels in Costa Mesa.

It’s 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and Jeff Dobkin and Julie Thompson-Dobkin are already drinking. To be fair, the drinking is required – and it’s more of an educated tasting if anything. The husband-and-wife team is behind Thompkins Cellars, a Costa Mesa-based boutique winery that performs the bulk of its operations in a nondescript office building, sharing it with other tenants like State Farm Insurance. It’s not a place you would expect could churn out award winning wines – but it does. Bottles retail from $27 to $40 and are sold at local wine stores like Hi Times. Restaurants like Memphis and Pescadou in Costa Mesa carry them as well.

Today, Jeff and Julie (photo at right) have rounded up some friends and colleagues to help them bottle three of their wines, the first being a 2006 Couchant. As a spectator (who later was put to work!), it’s clear that this operation is a labor of love for the duo, who met at a wine tasting years ago. The carefully aged wine is siphoned from medium-toasted French oak barrels into a large container, then pumped into a nearby portable wine bottling truck  – which is a marvel in itself. Who knew you could bottle wine out of a truck?

The truck houses an assembly line of functions, from injecting nitrogen gas into the bottles to corking and putting labels on. Click on the video below to watch a short clip of how it all happens.

The 2006 Couchant blend produced about 200 cases (12 bottles per case) of wine. In a few weeks, Jeff and Julie will head out to Santa Barbara to begin the process for the next batch of wine. Visit www.thompkincellars.com  for more information and where to buy.

If you're in North County Saturday morning, stop into Pacific Sales restaurant supply in Brea to watch an Iron Chef  barbecue battle. Chef Tom Hope (photo at left) of Tap's Fish House and Chef Jamie Gwen will compete by creating and plating three courses in 45 minutes. Tap's will provide samplings from its menu. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific Sales, 2750 E. Saturn St., Brea. 714-984-2700. www.pacificsales.com

Over at Roy's in Anaheim, there will be a cooking class featuring the following menu:

• New Wave Ahi "Poketini" with wasabi nori ranch and lomi lomi tomato
• Thai-style beef carpaccio with green papaya salad and citrus Nam Plah vinaigrette
• "Sunrise at Haleakala" sushi rolls with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, avocado, asparagus crispy roll and Togarashi butter sauce.

The class is from noon to 2 p.m. $40 per person. Reservations: 714-776-7697. Roy's Anaheim, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim. www.roysrestaurant.com

Best reasons to call in sick on Monday: The OC Beer Fest is Aug. 30 from 2 to 5 p.m. $40 gets you unlimited 4-ounce pours of more than 60 beers from around the world, including some made by OC’s own breweries. As for food, there’s barbecue and In-N-Out burgers. It's out in the middle of nowhere, so bring a designate, or take a cab home. $40 per person. 4621 Santiago Canyon Road, Silverado. 310-303-4883. www.drinkeatplay.com/ocbeerfest 

La Vie En Rose in Brea is offering dinner and a movie tomorrow featuring the 1973 film “The Sting”  starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

Menu:

• Baby shrimp in avocado relish
• Grilled mahi mahi with mango sauce or slow-roasted beef tenderloin with Provencale sauce
• Trio of pastries for dessert

Dinner is at 6:30 p.m., and the movie starts at 7:30 p.m. Popcorn will be served during the film. $29.75 per person. Reservations: 714-529-8333. La Vie en Rose Restaurant, 240 S. State College Blvd., Brea. www.lavnrose.com  

Is it a sign of the times when you can order a bacon-wrapped filet mignon for $10?

Maybe.  It’s definitely the kind of deal that diners should take advantage of. The Cedar Creek restaurant is where it's being served through the end of September as part of a promotion to draw diners to its Laguna Niguel location. Other items on the $10 menu include fish & chips and the restaurant’s deluxe cedar-planked burger with fries (photo above).

The menu is available all day and is only offered at the Laguna Niguel location. Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 27321 La Paz Road (In the Plaza de La Paz shopping center), Laguna Niguel. Reservations: 949-389-1800. www.cedarcreekinn.com 

The Lucca Café turns four, and is celebrating with a five-course wine dinner at 6 p.m. tonight. Bubbly and boisterous Chef Cathy Pavlos is at the helm, cooking up things like lobster bisque and duck confit. Pavlos and co. have spared no expense, especially when it comes to the Allegrini wines that will pair each course: Some of those bottles retail for $100 a pop. Dinner is $85 per person. Reservations are required. Lucca Café, 6507 Quail Hill Parkway, Irvine. 949-725-1773. www.luccacafe.com 

NapaStyle’s wine bar is in full swing, after opening last month. Stop in to taste some of Michael Chiarello’s wines from his family vineyard. NapaStyle (South Coast Plaza, Crate & Barrel wing), 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa. 714-825-0445. www.napastyle.com 

The ahi tuna burger with cucumber salad (recipe below).

Have you been to the Orange County Wine and Food Center yet? If you haven’t, it might be time to check it out. This place has so much potential for being a solidified meeting place for wine and food fiends alike, one of the reasons being its newly remodeled demo kitchen. Chef Paul Squicciarini and guest chefs teach reasonably priced (and sometimes free!) cooking classes, like the one I attended Monday on burgers. The class was is part of the center’s “Effortless Entertaining” series (The “Effortless” part is what drew me in).

Chef Squicciarini put a spin on classic burgers by using different meats and pairing them with complimenting dressings, sides and wines. The casual setting allows for students and chefs to sound off on ideas and techniques. In fact, some of the most helpful tips were in informal exchanges between attendees and Squicciarini. Some highlights from the conversation:

• One of the best places to get ground lamb is the Mission Ranch Market  in Mission Viejo.
• To cut goat cheese and fresh mozzarella, use a wired cheese slicer or unflavored dental floss. These work better than knives, which often stick to cheeses.
  
• Rielsing pairs well with spicy foods because of its residual sugar content. For the class, Squicciarini paired it with an ahi tuna burger and cucumber salad (recipe below).
• Roasting peppers: We all know you can roast bell peppers directly on an open flame until they turn black. But to easily remove its skin, place hot pepper into a covered container and let steam for a few minutes. This will loosen it up considerably and make it a breeze to peel.

The OCWFC will have Effortless Entertaining classes through the end of the year, with focuses on Moroccan (September), Asian (October), Steaks (November) and Hawaiian (December) cuisine. The center will also introduce hands-on cooking classes in the fall. Check the Web site for a schedule and more information. 1570 Scenic Ave., Costa Mesa. 714-641-9922. www.ocwfc.com 

AHI TUNA BURGER WITH WASABI OIL AND CUCUMBER SALAD

From Chef Paul Squicciarini of the Orange County Wine and Food Center

Yield: 4 servings

• For tuna burger:
• 1-1/2 pounds fresh ahi tuna
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoons scallions, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For wasabi oil:
• 1 tablespoon prepared wasabi (powdered wasabi with water added)
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For cucumber salad:
• 1 Hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
• 4 sesame seed buns

1. Make the tuna burger: Coarsely chop tuna until it resembles ground meat. Place in bowl with remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Divide mixture into 4 evenly shaped burgers. Wrap each in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Make the wasabi oil: Place wasabi, vinegar, egg yolk and sesame oil into a blender With machine running slowly, drizzle in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Make cucumber salad: Place rice vinegar and sugar in a bowl and whisk to dissolve sugar. Add cucumbers and toss well. Refrigerate for two hours. Drain. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

4. To assemble: On a lightly oiled non-stick pan or hot grill, place the tuna burgers on and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Place cabbage in a bowl and lightly dress with wasabi oil. Assemble burgers on top of bun and dress with napa cabbage and wasabi oil. Serve with cucumber salad on the side.

This Wednesday, The Winery in Tustin is throwing an informal shindig with Signature Don Julio tequila and Grand Marnier cocktails. (Tequila tasting is a lot like tasting wine, where you’ll find some interesting flavor notes with all the sniffing and sipping.) There will be passed hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. $35 per person. 2647 Park Ave., Tustin. Call 714-258-7600 for reservations. www.thewineryrestaurant.net 

An al fresco farm dinner at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center on Aug. 23 will have the museum’s executive director taking on guest chef duties for a grill-heavy menu. The menu includes things like smoked red snapper pizza, Asian slaw salad, pulled pork chili and cornbread, Cornish hen and homemade ice cream. Everything served is organic and local. Courses are paired with wine from OC Custom Wine. Funds support the Muckenthaler's programs. $100 per person. 5 p.m. Aug. 23. 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton. Reservations: 714-738-3134. www.themuck.org  

Since last year’s SB 1420 bill passed (the one that requires chain restaurants to provide nutritional information to diners), we’ve been able to make conscious decisions when dining at chains.

As for non-chains, we’re on our own. But keeping a few things in mind when dining can help you from going overboard. I talked to Susan Johnson of the Irvine-based Susan’s Healthy Gourmet  for some advice on ordering healthy in non-chains. Read on for some of her tips.

• Order small plates. When eating out with friends, you’ll get the variety in small quantities that you can share. For most of us, a few bites of a dish will do. This applies to desserts as well. “It’s a great way to get something sweet is to share,” Johnson says. “You’ll get a taste of something without having to eat the whole thing.”
• Box it. Many of us are diligent about asking for the doggy bag after we’ve eaten our fill, but you might be better off boxing up half the entrée before you even pick up your fork.
• Order grilled or steamed. Grilled chicken and fish are good bets. As for vegetables, they "taste better at restaurants because they run them through a butter bath,” Johnson says. Subbing for steamed vegetables will do the trick.
• Breakfast breads: “English muffins are lower in calories than toast,” Johnson says. Also, use jam instead of butter to further cut calories.
• Cobb, Caesar and Chinese Chicken salads are the worst to order, the former two because of creamy mayo-based dressings. Chinese Chicken salad has a high sodium content. If you’ve got a hankering for any of these, order dressings on the side and ask for half the amount of cheese. You’ll still get the taste of cheese without overdoing it.
• At the bar: “Red wine is your best bet. It’s less caloric than white,” Johnson says. Choose flavored vodkas over fruity drinks, and light beers over dark. “Blond beers have fewer calories than darker ales,” Johnson says.

When choosing restaurants, find the ones that are accommodating to your pick-and-choose methods. “I try to frequent the restaurants where you can choose and customize your meal,” she says.

Johnson’s restaurant picks:

• Bistango:  For small plates. 
• Cocina Alessa: “If you have to have a Caesar salad, this is the best one around,” she says.
• Memphis Café:  Yes, you can eat healthy at a Southern restaurant. Memphis’ pan-roasted chicken (order without the garlic butter) and blue corn chicken salad (ask for grilled chicken) are Johnson’s recommendations.

The interior of Zimzala restaurant in Huntington Beach

Bacon fans: Chef Vincent Muraco of the recently opened Zimzala shares his recipe for his bacon-wrapped dates, a popular item on the Mediterranean restaurant’s menu. You can serve them as an appetizer or as part of a tapas menu.

BACON-WRAPPED DATES

Yield: 4 servings

• 4 dates
• 4 strips bacon
• 1/4 cup blue cheese*
• Arugula leaves (for plating)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat a sauté pan or deep fryer with about 2 or 3 inches of oil. With a pairing knife, slice dates along their pits, being careful not to cut dates in half. Remove pit.

2. With your fingers, gently press the dates flat. Place a small amount of blue cheese inside dates and pull each side together. On a cutting board or work surface, place one date on top of bacon slice and roll, trimming off excess bacon. Repeat with other dates.

3. Place dates in pan or deep fryer, and cook until bacon is golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate.

4. On a serving dish, place arugula leaves and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place bacon-wrapped dates on top and serve.

* Note: the restaurant uses Roaring 40’s blue cheese  for this recipe. Zimzala, 500 Pacific Coast Highway (inside the Shorebreak Hotel), Huntington Beach. 714-960-5050. www.restaurantzimzala.com  

Dash over to Brea after the workday comes to an end Friday for the 23rd annual Brea Fest. From 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Brea and Fullerton restaurants will converge at the civic center to dole out samples of their fare to passersby.

The more than 30 participating restaurants include Lascari’s, Le Diplomate Café, Pane E Vino, Taps Fish House & Brewery, Winestyles and Ziings Bistro & Bar. Besides eating, you can listen to live bands, watch theater performances and stroll through artist demos and exhibits. The event has raised more than $20,000 for Brea arts programs in years past. Admission is free, but taste tickets are $3 each. Brea Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea. 714-990-7771, www.cityofbrea.net  

Tonight, the Newport Beach and Tustin locations of the Bluewater Grill are hosts to a tuna tasting menu starting at 6:30 p.m. Here’s the menu:

• Seared AHI Tuna
• Seared Albacore Tuna
• Calico Poke (AHI and Albacore)
• Smoked Albacore Tuna
• Spicy Tuna Roll

Featured booze is Hakutsura Draft Sake, Sapporo Draft Beer and Trimbach Pinot Blanc. Menu is $24.95 per person, and if you’re still hungry, you can tack on select additional items for $3. Reservations are required. 630 Lido Park Drive, Newport Beach. 949-675-3474. Also:  2409 Park Ave., Tustin. 714-258-3474. www.bluewatergrill.com 

Meryl Streep as Julia Child in "Julie & Julia."

I don’t know about you, but the minute I heard about the “Julie & Julia”  film (which opens Friday), I got a little nervous. We all know how movies often pale in comparison to the books they’re based on. This film is based on two books -- Julia Child’s “My Life in France” and Julie Powell’s “Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen” -- so there’s even more room for disappointment. But the general buzz from foodies and the press (myself included) who have seen it is positive. Nora Ephron does a wonderful job of bringing the books to life, and Meryl Streep is a genius playing Julia Child. You will love it.

Below is info on a couple of local eateries that have special menus in honor of the film’s opening. But before we get into that, Chef Zov Karamardian and OC Register food columnist Cathy Thomas recount some of their own Julia memories from working with her: 

“She was very receptive to other people cooking. When we cooked together she would watch me cook and say ‘why are you doing this?’ and ‘why are you doing that?’ She was not very familiar with Mediterranean cooking, and she was fascinated by it.

“She also loved cornbread. I took her some when she was sick and she loved it so much she wanted the recipe. She wanted to give it to the chef at the assisted living place she was living in. She was very inquisitive about everything. She had no idea what a legend she was.” – Zov Karamardian

“Like so many people my age in the culinary world, she opened up the door for us, she showed us how and why because she was really a teacher. She talked about where you could go wrong and how to be successful. It really was our cooking school. I remember meeting her when I was studying at La Varenne in Paris in the late ‘70s. She visited the school, and I was making tuiles, those u-shaped cookies. These were really cool because they had coconut in them. She came into the kitchen and picked up one of my tuiles and told me how good it was and how much she liked it. I don’t think my feet touched the ground for a week.

“Later, while at the OC Register, I had the opportunity to be with her several times. I remember this time I was talking to her and just trying to get information. Julia always turns those sessions around. It really turned into an interview of the person interviewing her. She encouraged me to write a book. She said, 'you have to write a book.' S,o bless her heart. – Cathy Thomas

As promised, here are celebrating the movie release with Julia-inspired menus: The Anaheim White House will have a month-long menu where Chef Bruno Serato and team will cook from Julia’s ubiquitous “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Anaheim White House, 887S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. 714-772-1381. www.anaheimwhitehouse.com 

Chef Pascal Olhats’ Tradition By Pascal will also have a Julia-inspired three- or four-course meal (and optional cooking class) which includes Sole Meuniere, the first dish that Child sampled upon arrival in France. Olhats was also a chef at Child’s 80th birthday party. 1000 N. Bristol, Newport Beach.949-263-9400. www.pascalnpb.com