Food and Dining Briefs for Dec. 4

By PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 3, 2008 10:06 PM PST ∞

Pechanga steakhouse wins award: The Great Oak Steakhouse at Pechanga Resort & Casino has won an Award of Distinction from Wine Enthusiast Magazine, joining 354 other restaurants nationwide. The award honors American restaurants with wine lists (and wine programs) offering value, selection, individuality and service.

Pat & Oscar's sells wishes: To raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Pat & Oscar's Restaurants are selling $1 wish stars at all 19 Southern California locations through Dec. 31. Last year, Pat & Oscar's raised $12,000 with the program.

Domino's supports St. Jude: Domino's Pizza stores are also raising money for charity through Dec. 31. When customers place an order in person, by phone or online, they can ask that $1 be added to their order, which will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The campaign raised $192,215 last year. Visit www.dominos.com.



Food events calendar:

Taste of Christmas: The Mission San Luis Rey hosts a candle-lit gourmet food fair from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Local restaurants will offer tastings, and the mission grounds will be lighted by 1,000 luminarias. Strolling carolers, holiday handbell ringers and prize drawings are planned. The mission is on Peyri Road in Oceanside. Tickets are $35. Call (760) 757-3651, Ext. 146.

Lobster-Maine-ia: Major Market in Escondido hosts its annual lobster fest from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Live Maine lobsters will be for sale for $7.99 a pound (through Monday), but if you're squeamish about boiling your own, lobster meals will be available for sale over the weekend, featuring a 1.25-pound lobster with beans, corn, bread, slaw and soft drink for $14.99 (add steak for $5 more). Major Market is at 1855 S. Centre City Parkway. Call (760) 741-7827.

Pizza Port's Strong Ale Festival: The Carlsbad microbrewery/restaurant hosts its 12th annual festival, celebrating nearly 75 hand-selected beers, from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at 571 Carlsbad Village Drive. Admission is $12, which entitles ticket-holder to eight taster tickets and a commemorative glass ($1 for each additional 4-ounce taste). A special VIP tasting event, with 25 additional taps, runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, is $40. Advance tickets are on sale at (760) 720-7007.

"Babette's Feast" film and dinner: Oceanside Museum of Art's Culinary Cinema Series continues Saturday with a screening of the Oscar-winning 1998 French film about a housekeeper's grand dinner for a guest, followed by a catered French dinner (with haricots verts salad, coq au vin and dessert mousse) prepared by Carol Blomstrom at the Museum, 704 Pier View Way. Pre-film reception begins at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $60 for museum members, $75 for nonmembers. Attendance is limited to 100. Reserve to (760) 435-3721.

Bonsall Farmers Market & Open Air Faire: To promote the new Bonsall farmers market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Bonsall Elementary School at Old River Road at Olive Hill, there will be live music, a book fair, a Santa store and cooking demonstrations by chefs from Cal-A-Vie Health Spa and Vista Valley Country Club.

Wine & A Bite Holiday Walk: A downtown Fallbrook arts and culinary crawl is planned for 4 to 7 p.m. Dec. 13. Seventeen downtown shops will be open, including 10 restaurants, offering tastings, tours and wine samples. Tickets are $10-$15. Call (877) 451-3282.

Christmas teas in Julian: Julian Tea and Cottage, owned by Edie Segar, will host Victorian Christmas Teas every day from Monday through Dec. 23. Reserve to (866) 765-0832.

Winter High Tide Breakfast Buffet: The Marine Room in La Jolla presents a series of gourmet buffets created by chef Bernard Guillas so diners can watch the seasonal high tides, from 7 to 10 a.m. Dec. 13-14, Jan. 10-11 and Feb. 7-8 at 2000 Spindrift Drive. Cost is $32. Call (858) 459-7222.

Breakfast with Santa: Santa Claus will host a family-style breakfast at the Harbor House restaurant in San Diego's Seaport Village from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Dec. 20 and 21. Program includes a full breakfast, photos with Santa, face-painting, balloon artists, children's entertainment and goodie bags. Cost is $25. Call (619) 235-4014, Ext. 3.



New menus

Friars Folly Wine Cellar & Gourmet Deli: Chef Bill Pinnone has introduced 12 authentic Spanish dishes at the San Marcos wine cafe: seven tapas items, priced from $5 to $12, and five entree-sized items ($18-$22). The menu includes bruschetta, tapenade, garbanzos con tostados (chickpea puree with crisp bread), brandada (roasted garlic and salt cod puree), pincho morunos (Moorish lamb skewers with rice and vegetables), paella and much more. Friars Folly is at 1032 W. San Marcos Blvd., No. 19. Call (760) 736-8035.

Zenbu Sushi Bar offers happy hour specials: This Japanese seafood restaurant in La Jolla is offering new low-priced happy hour food specials from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturday and all night Sundays and Mondays. Specials include oyster shooters, fresh-catch grilled skewers, calamari appetizers and the Zenbu Dynamite Roll, among others. Zenbu is at 7660 Faye Ave., Suite 1a. Call (619) 225-7069.

Roy's adds Friday lunch: The La Jolla location of Roy's will be open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Fridays during December. A special holiday lunch menu, with items priced from $9 to $28, will be served. Roy's is at 8670 Genessee Ave. Call (858) 455-1616.

Gluten-free at Sammy's: Sammy's Woodfired Pizza is now offering gluten-free crusts on all of its gourmet pizzas for customers who are wheat-intolerant. The restaurants are also offering a whole-wheat crust alternative. See sammyspizza.com.

Cafe Sevilla revamps menu: Cafe Sevilla, which specializes in Spanish cuisine, has revamped its menu to convert its regular entrees into lower-priced gran tapas, or small-plate servings, starting at $5. The restaurant also has added items that delve deeper into the cuisine of Spain, including Imported Jamon Iberico ($23), Green Mussels Escabeche ($15.50) and Pulpo a la Gallega ($8). Cafe Sevilla has locations in downtown San Diego, Long Beach and Riverside. Visit cafesevilla.com.

Tamales are back: El Pollo Loco Restaurants have brought back their seasonal tamale dishes in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Now through Jan. 1, the fast-food restaurants will be offering a traditional tamale plate and a tamale bowl, with tamales and chile sauce served over rice and beans. Tamales can also be bought in bulk for take-out, with three-packs for $5. Visit elpolloloco for locations.

Sbicca Bistro offers seasonal menu: To spice up the holidays, the Del Mar restaurant has introduced dishes that put a new twist on traditional festive fare, including pecan-roasted maple leaf duck breast, maple-roasted pork prime rib, grilled Meyer's flatiron steak and an avocado wild mushroom melt sandwich. Sbicca is at 215 15th St., Del Mar. Call (858) 481-1001.



Classes

Light and Healthful Cooking: Chef Jenn, a certified culinary nutritionist, is offering a four-week class on preparing low-calorie lunches and healthful comfort foods from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, from Dec. 11 to Jan. 15 at La Costa Canyon High School on Camino de los Coches Road in Carlsbad. Course fee is $130. Call (760) 753-7073.

Children's cooking classes in Carlsbad: Captain Cook's Culinary for Kids hosts weekly cooking classes for children with a new, all-organic menu every week: "Mommy and Me" (ages 3 to 5) from 10-11 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; "Lil Explorers" (ages 4-6) from 3:15-4:15 p.m. Thursdays; and "First Mates" (ages 6 to 14), 3:30-5 p.m. Mondays or Wednesdays. Classes range from $25-$40 each or $60-$100 for three. Captain Cook's is at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite C, in Carlsbad. Call (760) 431-2278. Coming up:

-- Monday-Wednesday: Chocolate Dipped Treats

-- Dec. 15 and 17: Cookies, Cookies and More Cookies

-- Dec. 20: Parents Morning Out (kids bake while parents shop)

-- Dec. 22: Holiday Mini Camp

Ro Z's Sweet Art Studio: Rosanne Zinniger's new cake decorating shop and studio at 277 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, San Marcos, offers these classes. Call (760) 744-0447 or rozsweetartstudio.com.

-- 10:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 13: Gingerbread House Decorating Class. $20 for one child/one adult.

-- 1 to 3 p.m. Dec. 13: Truffles, Cake Balls and Candy Cluster workshop. $30 (includes materials).



In the spirits

Carlsbad Wine Merchants: Hosts tastings at 5 p.m. Fridays and 4 to 7 p.m. Saturdays for a fee at 5814 Van Allen Way, Suite 155, Carlsbad. Call (888) 750-WINE or visit www.CarlsbadWineMerchants.com.

ENO: ENO, a gourmet wine, cheese and chocolate tasting room at the Hotel del Coronado, hosts a wine tasting with Hill Family Estates' Doug and Ryan Hill from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 13. Tickets are $35. Call (619) 522-8546.

Harvest Ranch Market Del Mar: Wine tastings from 5-7:30 p.m. plus appetizers for $10-$20. The store is at 1555 Camino Del Mar, Suite 203, Del Mar. Call (858) 847-0555.

Holiday Wine Cellar: Daily tastings from 5:30-7 p.m. at 302 W. Mission Ave., Escondido. Call (760) 745-1200. Upcoming:

-- 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday: Port wines from Fonseca and Taylor Fladgate. $20-$25.

-- 8 p.m. Dec. 11: Jarvis Winery tasting. $20-$25.

-- 6-8 p.m. Dec. 17: Chile's Casa Lapostolle Winery. $20-$25.

-- Dec. 18: Alesmith microbrewery tasting. $15-$20.

The North County Wine Company: Tastings daily at 1099 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos, plus special events from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. Call (760) 744-2119 or visit www.NorthCountyWineCompany.com. Upcoming:

-- Saturday: Big Dog Cabernets. Five for $20.

T&H Prime Meats & Sausage: The shop now offers tastings from 10 San Diego wineries from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays for $5, which includes four tastes and a San Diego Vintners Association souvenir wine glass, at 735 E. Mission Road, San Marcos. Call (760) 471-9192.

Vinz Wine Bar: Full restaurant menu with wide wine menu by the glass or bottle. Live music on Saturdays and outdoor patio dining. Vinz is at 201 E. Grand Ave., Escondido. Call (760) 743-8466.

The Wine Spot: Hosts tastings from 2-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; noon-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays at 2801 Roosevelt St., Carlsbad. Six tastings and an appetizer ($20). House tastings anytime ($15). Call (760) 434-9463 or visit the-wine-spot.com.

Wine Street Inc.: Weekly tastings from 3-7 p.m. Fridays. Appetizers to match are served. Wine Street is at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite D, in Carlsbad. Call (760) 431-8455 or visit www.winestreet.com.

Wine Styles: The Encinitas wine store hosts tastings from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. Saturdays. Cost is $15 or $10 for WineClub members and includes six to eight wines and snacks. The shop also hosts WineDown Fridays, where guests enjoy wine and live music and can bring in food to socialize. Call (760) 633-0057.



Send information about local food products, food events or classes to Food Editor Pam Kragen, North County Times, 207 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido, CA 92025; fax to (760) 745-3769, or e-mail to food@nctimes.com.

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