For dineLA.com
July 15: Dine Out for the Cure
Few of us are eating out as much as we used to. Here’s a fine excuse to get together with some friends are go on a date with your sweetheart and hit a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try: Dine Out For A Cure. 10% of proceeds from restaurants such as Cezanne, West and Rush Street go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The list of participating restaurants is growing every day. 310.575.3011 or komenlacounty.org.
July 18: Extravaganza for the Senses
Canele, Chez Jay, Buddha’s Belly, Milk and Chaya Venice are among the 40 or so restaurants participating in this year’s Extravaganza for the Senses, a benefit for the Saban Free Clinic. And when they say extravaganza, they aren’t kidding. Over 100 wineries will be pouring and El Leon and The Raven Spa will be doling out spa treatments. Hedonism lives, for a good cause natch. It all goes down at 20th Century Fox Studios. $80 gets you in. thesabanfreeclinic.org.
July 19: Grilling Lesson with Ben Ford
Apparently Ben Ford of Ford’s Filling Station is something of a grilling nut, thus his nom du partie: “Big Daddy of BBQ.” During this morning’s three hour class, he’ll be delivering lots of grilling and smoking tips as well as recipes for rubs, marinades and brines. Consider it an investment in a much tastier summer. The class price includes a pig out. $120 per person. 310.202.1470.
July 25: Cooking Class at RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen
In a cooking rut? Tired of the same half dozen dishes you seem to cook over and over? Expand your horizons, your pantry and palate at today’s Singapore cooking class at RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen. $75 per person. Ressies required. 310.552.9988.
July 26: Angeleno’s Annual Chefs Night Out
Brad A. Johnson, Angeleno Magazine’s restaurant critic, and Anthony Dias Blue of The Tasting Panel, serve as co-hosts of tonight’s Chefs Night Out event at the Fairmont Miramar, a benefit for the Children’s Institute. The restaurants are top notch: Spago, Sona, BLT Steak and others. Expect lots of foodie talk and swirling and sniffing (and drinking!) of wine. $150 per person. Visit childrensinstitute.org.
July 29: Ninth Anniversary at Sam’s by the Beach
This evening, Samer Ellis’ beach adjacent Cal-Mediterranean charmer celebrates its nine year anniversary with a lavish California grill menu: scallops with smoked bacon, homemade sausages and Wagyu mini burgers to name just a sampling. Tim Skogstrom of Cornell Winery and Tasting Room in Malibu will be in the house pouring some eminently quaffable local vino. $59 per person. 310.230.9100.
July 30: National Cheesecake Day Deal
It’s national cheesecake day. So get thee to The Cheesecake Factory, where they’re celebrating with 50% off any slice. They’ll also be debuting their newest flavor today, Stefanie’s Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake. 25 cents of every slice of Stefanie’s sold in the year to come goes to Feeding America. So like, you’re doing a good deed while breaking your diet. thecheesecakefactory.com.
July 30: Guest Chef at Breadbar
Last month, Breadbar in Century City launched the monthly “Hatchi Series.” (For those, like us, who wondered what the heck hatchi is, it’s the number 8 in Japanese as well as the symbol for infinity.) An up and coming guest chef is invited to come in and turn out eight exciting dishes, each priced at $8 a pop. Tonight’s guest chef is Michael Voltaggio of the Langham in Pasadena (and ex of Bazaar), also a contestant on this coming season’s Top Chef. The Jose Andres influence is evident on the menu he has created. Consider item number 6: Wagyu beef short rib with tamarind, cream of dehydrated broccoli and horseradish “styrofoam.” Or number 8: Fools’ gold with milk chocolate, pistachio and nitro coffee mousse. 310.277.3770 or breadbar.net.
Aug. 1: Annual Plate By Plate Event
Eat sushi from Katsuya and churros from Xooro for a good cause (specifically helping the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program)? We’re so there. Where’s there? The Wallis Annenberg Building at the California Science Center, where Project By Project’s Annual Plate by Plate event takes place this evening. Other participating restaurants include BottleRock Downtown, Roy’s, Wabi-Sabi, Scoops... The list goes on. Wine, beer and spirit tastings too. $150 gets you in. platebyplate.org
Aug. 1-2: Taste in San Pedro
Quite simply one of the rockingest parties in the South Bay, Taste in San Pedro, now in its 21st year, brings together over 30 restaurants as well as wineries, breweries, artists, musicians and merchants. Activities for the little ones too. tasteinsanpedro.com.
Aug. 2: Celebration at Wally’sThough it draws lots of savvy swirlers—and there is lots of seriously good stuff to be swirled—Wally’s annual Central Coast Wine & Food Celebration should also be on the calendar of the food obsessed. Some of the very best restaurants always turn out—Spago, Lucques, Pizzeria Mozza to name a few. Plus it’s always a gorgeous day. There’s live music. And proceeds benefit the Michael Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund. So chin chin we say. $95 per person in advance. 310.475.0606 or wallywine.com.
Aug. 2: Ammo Dinner
Think of tonight’s farm to table dinner at Ammo featuring Windrose Farms and Tablas Creek Vineyards as a delicious ode to San Luis Obispo County. Expect gorgeous tomatoes, melon and stone fruit and equally gorgeous organic wines. $45 per person with a $30 surcharge for wine pairings. 323-467-3293 or ammocafe.com.
Aug. 8: Wine Tasting Benefit at Corkbar
We need little excuse to drink tasty wine and nibble on delectable hors d’oeuvres like cheddar cheese gougeres and melon in prosciutto. But indulging feels better when it’s for a good cause. Tonight, raise a glass and you’ll be helping the Downtown Women’s Center. Choose from seven different flights. $35 per person. 213.746.0050 or corkbar.com.
Aug. 9: Uncork A Wish Wine Tasting & Auction
Make-A-Wish Los Angeles Chapter’s Annual Uncork A Wish Wine Tasting & Auction, now in its 16th year, is one of the best parties of the year. You taste fabulous wine, sample bites from some of L.A.’s top restaurants, bid on terrific silent auction items all at the very civilized Bel Air Bay Club. And the monies earned go to deliver wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions. Wishla.org
Aug. 23: 5x5 Chefs Collaborative
It’s the penultimate 5x5 Chefs Collaborative of the year. This one takes place at Water Grill and unites the fabulous five once again for what promises to be a knockout dinner. Who is the fabulous five you ask? Water Grill chef David LeFevre as well as Neal Fraser, Josiah Citrin, Michael Cimarusti and Gino Angelini. Tonight’s guest chef is Curtis Duffy of Avenues in Chicago. $150 per person. $65 supplement for wine pairings. 213.891.0900.
Oct. 2: Taste of Downtown Burbank
Save the date valley-ites. The fifth annual Taste of Downtown Burbank takes place tonight along San Fernando Valley Boulevard. The event features a beer and wine garden and live entertainment. tasteofdowntownburbank.com
Oct. 3: 27th American Wine & Food Festival
We’re loathe to play favorites. But if you’re going to go to just one big foodie charity event this season, the American Wine & Food Festival, held at the Universal Studios Back Lot, is probably our pick. It is hosted by the Wolfgang Puck & Barbara Lazaroff Charitable Foundation. And it attracts some very big guns from all over the country who don’t skimp on what they serve. There’s always a great silent auction and live entertainment. But really it’s all about pacing yourself. Because you definitely don’t want to run out of room before you get to the warm lobster rolls (which we still remember fondly from year’s past) or whatever your weakness may be. awff.org.
Oct. 4: Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner
If last night’s festivities left you wanting more or you’re looking for something more exclusive (exclusive to the tune of $750 per person), tonight’s Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner, part of the American Wine & Food Festival, should fit the bill. Wolfgang Puck and his peeps are joined by the likes of Thomas Keller, Nobu Matsuhisa and Dean Fearing for a six course dinner at Spago. Contact Tracey Spillane at Spago: 310.385.0880.
