Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.. **********************************************************
1)  Tavern Road will soon be turning two years old and it's time to celebrate. On Tuesday, March 31, starting at ^:30pm, the restaurant is throwing a birthday bash, complete with guest chefs, a six-course menu and an after party (which starts at 11pm).

A few of the highlights of Chef Louis DiBiccari's street food inspired menu include:
--Grilled chicken and black truffle skewers with potato and shallots
--Spicy raw beef lettuce wrap with chili-lime spicy peanuts
--Vegetarian beans and puffed rice with fried chickpea vermicelli and chutney, finished with steamed and fried sausage

Guest Chefs:
Ashley Abodeely of NoMad Hotel, NYC
Chris Gould of Central Provisions, Portland ME
Matthew Gaudet of West Bridge, Cambridge
Alex Crabb of ASTA, Boston
Jiho Kim of The Modern, NYC

Cost: $85 per person; tickets available for purchase on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tavern-road-turns-2-a-guest-chef-anniversary-dinner-tickets-15945471334

2) Bob’s Clam Hut is hitting the road, leaving Kittery’s US 1 for One Kendall Square in their first-ever pop-up event at Belly Wine Bar in Cambridge. Belly’s patio will be transformed into a Cambridge-style clam shack experience with Bob’s serving up seafood favorites fresh out of the fryer alongside wine selections from Belly’s Liz Vilardi (a snappy summer white and the 2015 debut of a rare Txakoli) and Narragansett Beer’s summer brews.

Ticket includes the choice of Bob’s Clam Roll, Oyster Roll or Lobster Roll and one of these cold adult beverages
· Narragansett Summer Ale
· Haut Marine Côtes de Gascogne
· Trabanco Astirian Cider

Available for purchase:
· Clam Roll - $14
· Oyster Roll - $14
· Lobster Roll - $14
· Hand Breaded Onion Rings - $6
· Clam Chowder - $6
· Trabanco Astirian Cider - $6/glass
· Haut Marine Cotes de Gascogne - $7/glass
· Narragansett Summer Ale - $5/can
· Ameztoi Txakolina Rosado (2015 season debut!) - $13/pint
· Maine Beer Co. Peeper Ale - $8/pint

WHEN: Thursday, April 30, 5pm-9pm. This is a rain or shine event.
PRICE: $19/person includes choice of Bob’s Roll (Clam Roll, Oyster Roll, Lobster Roll) along with choice of glass of wine, cider or beer; additional food and drink available a la carte. Please remember to tip your server.
TICKETS: everyBELLYwantsBOBS.eventbrite.com

3)  On April 4, at 2pm, Brass Union will host the fifth annual Music vs. Cancer event to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. For the first time, Brass Union will feature live music entertainment provided by B3 Kings, a Boston-bred funk and jazz band, in addition to other acts and deejays. Brass Union will dish out complimentary appetizers and there will be a silent action, door prize and a 50/50 raffle. For those looking to get their game on, there will be a charity shuffleboard tournament.

Brass Union’s Music Curator, Jeff Wallace, will be spearheading the fundraiser. Wallace’s mother, Eileen, is a breast cancer survivor who has been cancer-free for 11 years. A cause close to everyone’s hearts, the donations will help supplement Eileen’s fundraising initiatives for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as she prepares to run her 6th Boston Marathon.

COST: $10 onsite donation to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

4) On Wednesday, April 15, at 7pm, guests will take a virtual culinary wine tour of Argentina at Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s spring wine dinner. Designed to both educate and entertain, Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro’s (BHHB) wine dinners are aimed at individuals of all experience levels. This event is about “wonderful wines, creative food and good friends,” says Cecilia Rait, proprietress and wine director of the BHHB.

Beginning at 7pm, diners are invited to visit all four regions without leaving the comfort of their seats. Cecilia and Tracy Burgis of M.S. Walker act as virtual tour guides, moving from region to region expanding the history, curiosities and nuances of each selection. During this educational dinner guests will sample wines from regions across Argentina. In addition to the wines, the dinner will showcase the culinary artistry of BHHB’s Executive Chef Lucas Sousa, whose dishes are designed to complement each featured wine.

This intimate adventure is set in communal seating to encourage conversation, laughter and fun. For $65 per person (tax and gratuity not included), guests are treated to four wines, a four-course dinner and Cecilia's and Tracy's good cheer, humor and expertise. Reservations are encouraged as the event will sell out fast.

COST: $65 Per Person (tax and gratuity not included),
Reservations are necessary. Please call 617-723-7575.

5) Pastoral Chef/Owner Todd Winer invites guests to learn authentic Italian cooking techniques during his Todd Teaches cooking classes which will take place monthly on designated Sundays.

The next Todd Teaches Sunday School class in April will take place on Sunday, April 19 from 4pm- 5:30pm and the first theme is Meatball Madness. Students will learn the basics behind making meatballs. The class is $40 per person and includes wine, samples of the finished dishes, and recipe cards to take home. Space is limited and can be reserved by logging onto Eventbrite.com.

Monthly classes will take place on select Sundays and upcoming themes include:
--Cooking With Mama- May 10th
--Vegetables Steal the Show- June 14th
--Fish Feast- Italian fish prepared in Neapolitan style
--Knife Skills- how to properly carve poultry, filet fish, chopping vegetables
--Italian Casseroles- Learn how to make Lasagna, Mac and Cheese & Eggplant Parmesan

For more information and reservations, please call (617) 345-0005 or visit www.eventbrite.com.

6) Bergamot Chefs Keith Pooler and Dan Bazzinotti along with Beverage Director Kai Gagnon and GM Servio Garcia celebrate Bergamot’s five year anniversary by bringing back the opening menu for two weeks. You can enjoy a prix-fixe format with three courses for $44 which includes a selection of an appetizer, entrée and dessert from the original menu when Bergamot debuted on April 1, 2010. The two week period starts April 1, 2015 and continues to April 15.

The original menu includes:
Appetizers
Sunchoke Bisque
Duck, Duck, Duck
Fresh Sardines
Pea Green Salad
Baby Roasted Beets
Tuna Carpaccio
Pan-Seared Quail
Chilled Maine Shrimp Salad
Entrees
Pan-Seared Monkfish Medallions
Roasted Lamb Loin
Egg-Battered East Coast Halibut
Braised Rabbit Leg
Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Pan-Seared Sea Scallops
Herb Roasted Giannone Chicken
Desserts
Meyer Lemon Steamed Pudding
Pistachio Baklava
Carrot Cake
Guajillo Chili Chocolate Pave

For reservations, please call 617-576-7700.

7) Since 2009, Alpine Restaurant Group has been an integral part of Davis Square with three restaurants that put a playful, contemporary spin on global flavors. This spring, Posto, The Painted Burro and Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar will extend their influence beyond their dining rooms and into guests’ kitchens with monthly classes teaching how to recreate signature menu items from each restaurant at home. The interactive classes offer attendees of all skill levels a unique peek inside some of Davis’ top restaurants and the opportunity to learn firsthand from Joe Cassinelli, Alpine Restaurant Group’s Founder and Executive Chef of The Painted Burro and Posto, and John Delpha, Chef/Partner of Rosebud, while spending a Saturday afternoon cooking (and eating) up a storm.

The topics include:

Derby-Day Eats at Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar
April 25 at 3PM, $55
As the unofficial kickoff to spring, the Kentucky Derby not only means oversized hats and racehorses, but a reason to bust out the grill and Julep cups for al fresco celebrating. To help ease the transition from winter stews to smoked meats, John Delpha will give guests an in-depth lesson on proper brining procedures and how to make the perfect smoked pork chops at home. All followed by a well-deserved demo on building a classic Mint Julep – a seasonal must-have for backyard cookouts and Derby-themed celebrations.

Festive Summer Dishes at The Painted Burro
May 16 at 3PM, $55
Joe Cassinelli will transport guests to the Mexican border, no passports required, with interactive instruction on crafting superb guacamole, salsa, fresh tortillas and fish tacos – the perfect way to prep guests for a Memorial Day weekend bash. After taking the heat in the kitchen, guests will drink in a lesson on mixing the Burro’s signature margaritas at-home.

Summer Entertaining Basics at Posto
June 20 at 3PM, $55
Italian hospitality comes to Davis Square as Joe Cassinelli leads guests through an engaging class covering simple summer dishes that are perfect for attendees’ next soiree. The class will focus on shareable dishes like traditional bruschetta, wood-fired pizzas and, of course, batched sangria.

BBQ 101 at Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar
July 18 at 3PM, $55
With backyard cookout season in full-swing, John Delpha will provide guests a hands-on lesson covering all things BBQ – from the basics of grill maintenance to proper meat prep and more. Guests will also learn how to grill up the perfect flatbread and concoct a refreshing Blackberry Bourbon Smash – sure to be a hit at their next cookout.

Holding on to the Flavors of Summer at The Painted Burro
August 22, 2015, 3PM, $55
With summer coming to a close, Joe Cassinelli will help guests savor the remainders of the season by teaching them to recreate the restaurant’s ceviches and whole fish Veracruzana at home. A tutorial on Paloma cocktails – a zippy blend of grapefruit and tequila – caps off the late-summer feast.

TICKETS: Classes can be purchased a la carte for $55 or in a package of two ($100), three ($150), four ($200) or all five ($250), available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/in-the-kitchen-with-alpine-restaurant-group-tickets-16252563856.
INFO: For more information, call 617-776-0005.

8) Starting April 1st, Chef Louie DiBiccari’s internationally inspired TR Street Foods concept will cross the border from annexed fast-casual space to the restaurant’s main dining room. The new dinner menu is dominated by playful yet sophisticated plates that riff on classic street food flavors. Prepared with finesse and thoughtfully presented, these distinctive dishes are meant to be shared with friends and best paired with cocktails created especially for the occasion.

Menu highlights include:
· Porchetta Flatbread with broccolini, charmoula, fried egg ($12)
· TR Hot Dog with French’s mustard, shaved onion, relish ($10)
· Lamb Meatball Shwarma, Arugula, Cucumber, Yogurt, Harissa ($16)
· Crab Dumplings, Ramen Broth, Mushrooms, Scallions ($14)

WHEN: April 1st – April 30
COST: Vegetable: $5 to $12; Fish: $6-$22; Meat: $8-$24