Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Ashmont Grill Proprietor Chris Douglass, and chef de cuisine John Rush, present a new spring menu with an enhanced emphasis on vegan and vegetarian options, including:

* Asparagus Soup with truffled ricotta
* Vegetable Tempura with aioli and pickled onions
* Maine Crab & Zucchini Risotto w/ baby arugula, almond gremolata
* Braised Artichoke Skordalia with snap peas, favas and chervil
* Wood-Grilled Leg of Spring Lamb with ramp puree
* Polenta Cake with Soft-Boiled Farm Egg, parmesan & pancetta, lemon-thyme vinnie

Other events going on include:

Saturdays and Sundays:
Weekend Brunch from 10:00 to 3:00 - Urban Patio Now Open

Mondays:
The Grill’s Weekly Wine Club benefits Boston City Singers during May. $5 of each $35 tasting meal is donated through our Give Back @ The Grill program
May 9 Grill-worthy Wines
May 16 South Africa
May 23 The Pinot Noirs of Summer
May 30 Hey, Hey Chardonnay

Wine Club benefits The Boston Cyclists Union throughout June
June 6 St. Germaine Cocktails
June 13 Truro Vineyards with proprietor Dave Roberts
June 20 Grayson Vineyards
June 27 “Patio Pounders”

Tuesdays:
Create-A-Cocktail contest continues on Facebook. Winning recipe chosen May 15

Thursdays:
Buck-A-Shuck Local Oysters on the patio with Bivalv-olater Chris Douglass

2) Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is introducing an all-inclusive “Prime Celebrations” dinner menu. You can celebrate a big night with a complete three-course dinner for $50 per guest, including tax and gratuity. It will be available from May 10-June 30. 

MENU: Choice of one of four entrées and sides, and the option of Classic Caesar Salad, Fleming’s Salad, The Wedge or Chef’s Seasonal Soup, and dessert.

ENTREES (select one)
--Petite Filet Mignon
--New York Strip
--Double Chicken Breast, baked in a white wine, mushroom, shallot and thyme sauce
--Tuna Mignon, Seared rare with peppercorns and tomato sherry vinaigrette

DESSERTS (select one)
--Crème Brûlée, Creamy Tahitian vanilla bean custard served with fresh seasonal berries
--Cheesecake, Graham cracker crust, blueberry sauce and white chocolate shavings
--Walnut Turtle Pie, Caramel, walnuts and chocolate baked in a chocolate pie crust

3) The 14th Annual Chefs in Shorts© event brings together a group of the area’s leading chefs who will fire up the grills and create their favorite dishes during this outdoor, summer-in-the-city barbecue. Join some of the city’s most talented chefs for a night of grill-offs and fun, including:

Jeff Fournier, 51 Lincoln; Antonio Bettencourt, 62 Restaurant & Wine Bar; Rodney Murillo, Avila & Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse; Tim Cuniff, Backyard Farms; Jay Silva, Bambara Restaurant & Bar; Peter Tartsinis, Blue on Highland; Mark Sapienza, BOND at The Langham Boston; Jarrod Moiles, BOKX 109 American Prime; Gianni Caruso, Bricco Enoteca and Lounge; Steve Butters, Butter Café & Bakery; Laura Henry Zoubir, Church and Regal Beagle; Derek Barragan, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House; Charles Draghi, Erbaluce; Joseph Bartel, Flemings; Corey Johnson, Jeffrey Stevens, Aniceto Sousa, Flour Bakery; Alex Aratake, Haru Sushi; Shore Gregory, Island Creek Oysters; Harjit Singh, Kashmir; Josh Beuhler, KO Prime; Rick Barisano, LTK; Nicholas Dixon, Lucky's Lounge; Market by Jean-Georges; Max Brenner, Max Brenner; Todd Winer, Metropolitan Club; Carlos Pena, Morton’s; Chef S. Giridhar, Mumbai Chopstix; Stefan Jarausch, Oak Room at the Fairmont Copley; Stuart Race, Pairings; Philip Rotondo, Philip R's; Marc Orfaly, Pigalle; Brian Poe, Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake; Jackie Kelly, Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill; Richard Rayment, Seaport Hotel; Karen Hodsdon, Seaport Pastry; Amin Belkadi, Stanhope Grille; Salvatore Firicano, Strega Waterfront/The Varano Group; Chris Douglass, Tavolo/Ashmont Grill; Todd Hall, Temazcal Cantina; Mark Porcaro, Top of the Hub; Suzi Maitland, Trina’s Starlite Lounge; Cris Masco, Turner Fisheries and Mark Goldberg, Woodward at AMES.

WHEN: Friday, June 24th, from 7:00pm-9:30pm
WHERE: Seaport Boston, 200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston (along the upper level viaduct)
COST: $60 per person, which includes complimentary beer, wine and tastings.
BENEFICIARY: The Greater Boston Food Bank distributes 34 million pounds of food annually to more than 550 hunger-relief agencies in a dedicated partnership to end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. Founded in 1981, The Food Bank celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. For more information about The Greater Boston Food Bank, visit their website at www.gbfb.org or call 617-427-5200.
TICKETS: Tickets are available through the Seaport website, www.seaportboston.com after May 12.

4) Armed Forces Day, taking place on May 21, is an opportunity to say thank you to the men and women in active military service who are protecting our freedoms.  In honor of their sacrifice TAMO Bar & TAMO Terrace at the Seaport Hotel will offer all active members of the United States military, with military ID:
· ½ priced entrees and
· a free order of Chef Rachel Klein’s Spring Rolls