Event details are subject to change without notice. Please confirm directly before heading out!
THIS WEEKEND:
February 7: Old Homestead Steakhouse at the Borgata in Atlantic City will host a Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Dinner as part of the Savor Borgata Culinary Series. The meet-and-greet portion of the evening starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 8 p.m. $199 per person. Old Homestead Steakhouse, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, 609-317-1000.
February 7: Participate in Bordentown’s Chocolate Walk from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Score a piece of chocolate or a… wait for it… chocolate-tini. Print your passport, keep it with you and visit the shops and galleries. When you’re all done, you can enter your signed passport into a drawing for $50 in Bordentown Bucks. Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown.
February 8 and 9, 15 and 16: Celebrate Valentine’s Day Early at Wine and Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend. Presented by the Garden State Wine Growers Association, this event allows guests to enjoy chocolate and desserts paired with Chardonnay, Cabernet or Sparkling wine being offered by New Jersey’s leading wineries. The trails feature wine tastings and chocolate samplings from noon to 5 p.m. at participating wineries, from the Skylands in northern Sussex County to the southern tip of the state, in Cape May. Click here for a list of participating wineries. For more details about this event, check out Jersey Bites contributor Jennifer Malme’s article here.
February 8 to 15: It’s bacon! Actually, it’s Bacon Week at Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City. All of the restaurants and bars located at Tropicana will be in on the act, providing a multitude of ways to enjoy bacon, from cocktails to entrees to dessert. Tropicana Casino & Resort, 2831 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, 800-345-8767.
AND BEYOND:
February 10 to 16: Head over the The Pop Shop for Pancake Week. This pancake house serves up a dozen varieties of pancakes daily, and will be celebrating this week with a pile of pancake promotions, like All-You-Can-Eat pancakes for $9.99, “Pancakes & PJ’s” and more. For a full list of promotions, click here. The Pop Shop, 729 Haddon Ave, Collingswood.
February 12: Pilsener Haus & Biergarten is hosting a four-course weisse bier dinner featuring Austro-Hungarian cuisine and the weisse (wheat beers) biers of the Schneider-Weisse Brewery. This event is at 7 p.m. and the cost is $60 per person for four courses/four beers. Tickets are available online only at http://phbbeerdinner.bpt.me. Pilsener Haus & Biergarten, 1422 Grand Street (corner Grand and 15th Streets), Hoboken.
February 14: Come to Silver Birch Kitchens to the “Take The Local” Valentine’s Day Dinner from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., where you can enjoy a three-course gourmet dinner along with a local wine pairing in a rustic atmosphere prepared by Chef Jessica Geanoules. The evening’s proceeds will be donated to Community FoodBank of New Jersey. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Tickets are $85 per person. Silver Birch Kitchens, 20 Schooley’s Mountain Road, Washington Township.
February 14 and 15: BEX Kitchen will host a Valentine’s Day Dinner with two seatings (one at 6 p.m., one at 8:15 p.m.) in the heart of Califon. The dinner is $65 pre-paid and by reservation only. On the menu are specialties like filet mignon w/ truffle mushroom ragout and spiced molten chocolate cake. Call 908-975-3334 or visit their website to reserve your seat. BEX Kitchen, 52 Main Street, Califon.
February 15: The Big Beer Brew Festival returns to the Morristown Armory and will feature more than 250 craft beer tastings. VIP ticket holders will enjoy another 25 special and rare beers, an extra hour of tasting per session and a gourmet buffet presented by Morris Tap and Grill of Randolph with menu designed by Food Network Chopped Champion (and Morris Tap & Grill Chef and partner) Chef Eric LeVine. The first session begins at 1 p.m. and the second begins at 7 p.m. Click here to purchase tickets. For a list of participating breweries, click here. Go to bigbeerbrewfestival.com or Facebook for updates. Morristown Armory, 430 Western Ave., Morristown.
February 18: Come join the board members of Slow Food Northern NJ for a Sustainable Cocktail Hour to talk about good, clean and fair food interests and issues while enjoying locally sourced cocktails and appetizers for both vegetarians and omnivores. 6 to 8 p.m. Coda, 177 Maplewood Ave., Maplewood.
February 19: Come to Pizza Time! Chef Romano and staff will demonstrate how to make pizza in Red Knot‘s wood-burning oven. Students will each receive their own pizza dough to stretch out and use to create an original pizza using the toppings of their choice. The evening also includes a chef’s toque, choice of house wines and a goody bag. Class takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Adults only. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
February 19: Restaurateur and philanthropist Marilyn Schlossbach’s 3rd annual “Cooking with Marilyn” series of cooking demonstrations at Langosta Lounge continues. The theme is “Italian Entertaining” and $10 of every ticket will be donated to the Junior League of Monmouth County. These events sell out quickly, so please call 732-455-3275 to reserve.
February 20: The Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City is hosting its Men ‘R Cookin’ event from 6:30 p.m. t0 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased by calling 609-347-2697 by clicking here to purchase online. Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City, 317 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Atlantic City.
February 22: For Fun with Cupcakes, join Pastry Chef Cassandra Carlstrom for a demo about how to prepare cupcakes from scratch for easy baking at home. Participants will learn different techniques for decorating cupcakes for all occasions, and then they can bring their creations home with them! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
February 23: Pic-A-Lilli Inn, known for their “almost-world-famous Buffalo Wings & Crab Soup,” will host their 44th annual Venison Dinner from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. The meal will feature Slow-Roasted Venison served with your choice of Venison Soup or Salad, fresh veggies, potatoes and dessert. Pic-A-Lilli Inn, 866 Rt. 206, Medford. 609-268-2066.
February 26: Chef Bryan Gregg holds his February charity-driven farm-to-fork dining experience with acclaimed Chef Thomas Ciszak of Chakra at Escape Montclair at 7 p.m. The cost is $95 per person with 50% of the proceeds being donated to benefit cancer research and treatment in New Jersey. Seating for this roots-and-grains event is very limited, please call (973) 744-0712 to reserve. Click here for more details. Escape Montclair, 345 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair.
February 26: Join food and beverage director Richard Spaulding for Cocktail Creation, during which participants will get a review of basic bartending concepts and then will try their hand at making three contemporary-yet-classic cocktails: margarita, cosmopolitan and whiskey sour. Students will learn how to use all-natural, fresh ingredients to mix delicious specialty cocktails that can easily be recreated at home. Adults only. $25 per person. To register, visit www.RedKnotRestaurant.com,
March 8 and 9: Bergen County-based Giants of Generosity sponsors its Celebrity Food and Wine Show 2014. Funds raised will help needy families and individuals throughout Bergen County. Featured guests are celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan, author, restaurateur and judge on the Food Network’s Chopped, and chef Guy Mitchell, producer of the White House Chef Tours. $75 per person. Clinton Inn Hotel, 145 Dean Drive, Tenafly. Purchase your tickets here.
March 9: In honor of National Meatball Day, Millie’s Old World Meatballs & Pizza in Morristown is hosting a meatball eating contest: Man (or Woman!) v. Meatball! Two contests will occur, one beginning at 12:30 p.m. and the other at 4:30 p.m. Winners will receive a $25 Millie’s Gift Card, have their photos hung on the wall and be commemorated with a weekly Special Pie named after them! To register/for more info: events@milliesoldworld.com. Millie’s Old World Meatballs and Pizza, 60 South St. Morristown.
March 10: The Rotary Club of Montclair announces dates for the third annual Taste of Montclair, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Montclair State University. The all-volunteer, nonprofit Rotary Club will donate 100% of the money raised to local charities. Most of the money going to local feeding programs and soup kitchens. Tickets are available here and are $55 per person. The Conference Center, University Hall, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair.
March 13: Tickets are now on sale for Atlantic Cape Community College’s 31st Annual Restaurant Gala on March 13 at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino. With the theme of “The Greatest Gala on Earth,” the event will celebrate food with hors d’oeuvres prepared by students at the Academy of Culinary Arts and the house specialties of 40 of the area’s best restaurants at a progressive dining experience. An elegant dessert reception, co-organized by Chef Deborah Pellegrino of Caesars Entertainment and Chef Tree McCann of the Academy of Culinary Arts, will complete the evening’s festivities. Live music will include Don’t Call Me Francis, The FM Band and Lenny Mitchell. Performance ice sculptor Peter Slavin, an Academy of Culinary Arts graduate and owner of Fear No Ice Philly, will take the stage during the cocktail reception. The event has raised nearly $3 million for scholarships since 1984. All proceeds form the gala benefit student scholarships at the Academy of Culinary Arts at Atlantic Cape Community College and Atlantic Cape Foundation operations. For more information, contact Torrina Bennett-Michael at (609) 463-4672 or tbennett@atlantic.edu. Or visit www.atlantic.edu/gala. Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino, 1901 Boardwalk, Atlantic City.
May 10: America’s Grow-a-Row’s Farm to Fork Fundraiser will take place on May 10, at the Life Camp in Pottersville. Former Governor Christine Todd Whitman will make an appearance as the guest speaker. This unique fundraiser features local food artisans, a farm fresh dinner and fine auctions. To participate or attend, visit americasgrowarow.org. LifeCamp, 67 McCann Mill Road, Pottersville.
