Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
******************************************************
1) On Tuesday, November 14, at 6:45pm, Chef Jose Duarte of Tambo 22, in Chelsea, will be holding  Part II of his Taranta Wine Dinner Series. This dinner will offer a special menu that highlights some of the Chef's favorite dishes and customer favorites from his 20 year journey in Boston's North End. These dishes will be accompanied by 6 different wines. You will learn from Chef Duarte the inspiration behind these dishes during this interactive tasting menu. 

The Menu will include dishes such as Gamberi E Rapini, Pappardelle Con Funghi Porcini, Coccio di Pesce E Legumi, and Costoleta Di Maiale con Canna Di Zucchero E Rocoto (his famed brined double cut pork chop).

Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased HERE. 

2) Night Shift Brewing has recently launched Brunch service at their Lovejoy Wharf location. Brunch is served every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Some of the menu highlights from the new brunch service are: 

• Apple pie stuffed french toast - Challah bread french toast, apple pie filling, crumbled crust granola, powdered sugar, vermont maple syrup 
• Chorizo Tostada - Corn tortilla, Mexican chorizo, fried egg, jalapeno, pickled onions, lime crema 
• Breakfast Burger - 6oz beef smashburger, bacon, hashbrown, fried egg, maple aioli, brioche bun
• P.E.C. pizza - Crispy prosciutto, egg, house cheese blend, Tomato herb hollandaise 
• Falafel Pita - roasted garlic labneh, pickled onions, carrots, arugula, cherry tomatoes, pita pocket, housemade chips 
• Autumn Squash Salad - arugula & baby kale, roasted butternut squash, toasted pumpkin seeds, squash chips, apple cider vinaigrette 
• Giant Prop + Peller Pretzel - served with everything bagel beer cheese

The new brunch service is also a good time to check out Night Shift's new limited edition releases such as: 

• Apple Piescraper - 7% beer brewed with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk sugar. It sips with crisp, refreshing notes of ripe apples and fall spices, with sweet hints of vanilla on the finish.
• Spooky Sour - a new 6% sour ale brewed with actual gummy worms, oozing bright green and unwrapping a burst of tart, fruity deliciousness. Each sip is a cauldron of blue raspberry magic, casting a spell on your tastebuds with its candy charm 

Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant or booking online HERE. 

3) The Tip Tap Room, in Beacon Hill, has introduced a fresh fall menu, "offering dishes that exude a warm and comforting ambiance enhanced by all the beloved seasonal flavors." Some of these dishes include the following:

• Tempura Green Beans: farmer dave’s green beans ~ saffron & Calabrian pepper aioli
• Burrata: star anise balsamic ~ beets ~ exotic mushrooms ~ crispy prosciutto ~ focaccia toast
• Six Layer Beet Salad: truffle rico ~ roasted red & golden beets ~ pistachios ~ red onion ~ goat cheese ~ mesclun greens ~ raspberry vinaigrette
• Pinche Tuna Tartare: crispy rice ~ pinche sriracha aioli ~ seaweed ~ avocado ~ teriyaki glaze 
• Barbacoa Pork Shank: chipotle & adobo braised ~ smoked tomato polenta ~ sautée green beans
• Wild Game Bolognese: wild boar, yak & bison ~ parpadelle pasta & pecorino calabrese (This sounds delicious!)

4) On Thursday, November 2nd at 6 p.m., Puritan & Co. will be hosting its annual Harvest Dinner showcasing the best flavors the season has to offer. The communal-style dinner features a five-course meal of Chef Will Gilson’s signature seasonal New England fare alongside complimentary carafes of wine and Puritan & Co's full beverage menu available for additional purchase a la carte. 

The menu includes: 

• Local apple salad with speck, manchego, fried rosemary, orange vinaigrette; 
• Sugar pumpkin soup with butter poached lobster, pepitas, vadouvan curry 
• Cedar plank grilled salmon with apple-teriyaki, miso glazed carrots, cilantro 
• Pastrami short rib of beef with braised cabbage, spaetzle, mustard jus 
• Caramel-poached pear with fig leaf mousse, hemp seed cake, dukkah phyllo crisp 

Tickets cost $150 per person, including gratuity, and can be purchased HERE. 

5) Join Burro Bar Brookline for their 3rd Annual Dia de los Muertos Fiesta on Thursday, November 2, from 9pm to 1am. Partnering with Espolòn Tequila, tickets to this event will include passed Burro bites, 1 Espolòn Tequila cocktail, a swag bag and plenty of dancing and good times. Come dressed up in a costume for a chance to win a $250 gift card, as well. 

Along with the swag, attendees can enjoy a full Espolòn Tequila cocktail menu, a late night menu available until midnight and a live DJ. The event is 21+ and the ticket price is $10. The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.  

Grab your ticket through eventbrite here: https://DiaDeLosMuertosFiesta.eventbrite.com

6) Here's some local restaurants offering Thanksgiving options:       

• Rare Steakhouse (at Encore Boston Harbor): From 4 to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, guests are invited to enjoy a holiday dish curated by Executive Chef Megan Vaughan featuring turkey roulade with black truffles, traditional sides including Brussels sprouts, herbed stuffing and house gravy for $52 per guest. Rare's regular a la carte menu will also be available. To make a reservation, please call (857) 770-3300. 
• Bistro du Midi (Boston): They will be serving up a special three-course, prix fixe menu to celebrate Thanksgiving. Available from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 23, Chef Robert Sisca will prepare holiday dishes including pumpkin & squash soup, roasted turkey breast, ora king salmon, filet mignon, and vanilla bean crème brûlée with fall citrus. The menu costs $90 per person with an additional wine pairing available for $50. To make a reservation, please call (617) 279-8000
• Harvest (Cambridge): Chef Nick Deutmeyer is serving up a three-course prix fixe menu on Thanksgiving Day. Available from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., the menu will be $90 per person with an additional wine pairing available for $40. To make a reservation, please call (617) 868-2255
• Grill 23 (Boston): For an elevated Thanksgiving at Grill 23 & Bar, Chef Ryan Marcoux will be serving up an a la carte menu from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. featuring a Thanksgiving turkey entreé special for $42. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact (617) 542-2255
• Scampo (Boston): For Thanksgiving, Chef Lydia Shire presents a traditional Thanksgiving feast as a special four-course dinner featuring options like a traditional Roast Heritage Turkey w/ Muscat Gravy, Homemade Anadama Bread, Celery Heart, Sausage & Golden Raisin Stuffing; Deluxe Mashed Potatoes; Out-of-Shell Lobster; and Dutch Apple Pie. The menu will cost $125 per adult. To make reservations, please contact (617) 536-2100.
• Abe & Louie’s: For Thanksgiving, they will be offering a trio of specials. To start, there is a butternut squash soup with crème fraiche and candied pepitas ($13). For a taste of tradition, the all-natural Vermont raised turkey is served with all the fixings including whipped potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pan gravy ($49). For something sweet, dig into the pumpkin pie topped with house made whipped cream ($12). Reservations from 11:30am-10pm. Please call (617) 536-6300. 
• Coach Grill (Wayland): They will feature a quintet of Thanksgiving specials. For an appetizer, there is a split pea soup with oven-roasted ham, seasonal vegetables, and crème fraiche ($12). For entrees, there are three options: Thanksgiving turkey with traditional stuffing, whipped potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, gravy, and cranberry sauce ($49); a 16oz Colorado lambchop with fingerling potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts ($90); and a lobster casserole with buttered Ritz crumbs and warm drawn butter ($60). The finale is a house made pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream ($11). Reservations from 11am-8pm. Please call (508) 358-5900 for reservations.