How many wine dinners can you fit in one week?
Daily Anniversary Specials at Tres
Tres Tequila Lounge and Mexican Kitchen is celebrating its 9th anniversary this week with daily, tequila-soaked specials. Herradura's in the house on Wednesday, when you'll find camarones sauteéd with Herradura reposado and served alongside a specially crafted Herradura cocktail. On Thursday, try a Casamigos Hot Shot, which is a jalapeño with the top cut off, hollowed out, frozen, and filled with crushed ice and Casamigos tequila. Friday's feature is the Dia de los Muertos cocktail competition with Tequila Espolon. The competition happens behind the bar during regular service, with Tres bartenders competing in three rounds, each with its own secret challenge. Bar guests get to help judge, while snacking on street food snacks from Jalisco, including filled churros, salchipapas, sno-cones, and elote. On Saturday, representatives from Don Julio will be on hand to make Farm to Shaker margaritas tableside with agave nectar, lime juice, tequila, and fresh ingredients from local farms. 130 Townsend Street
Drink to the Giants
If you're thrilled that the Giants are back in the World Series (where we belong) but not so thrilled about backing them from a rowdy sports bar, a few local establishments are rolling out the welcome mat. OneUP Lounge (345 Stockton) in the Grand Hyatt San Francisco is hosting viewings of the games and offering the Orange and Black cocktail ($14) all month, made with Absolut Mandarin and coke over ice, garnished with an orange slice. La Mar Cebichería Peruana (Pier 1.5, Embarcadero) is serving a $6 orange Pisco Sour special in the bar, every day the Giants play. 4505 Burgers & BBQ (705 Divisadero) is screening games on the patio, where you can enjoy local beers and wine on tap while pigging out on a hardwood-smoked whole hog at a picnic table, biergarten style. And Radius (1223 Folsom) is inviting Giants fans behind the bar and into the rear dining room and enclosed patio, where they'll be showing the World Series and offering $4 draft beers, $12 half-carafes of wine on tap, and 25% off small-bites and appetizers.
Three Wine Pairing Dinners
It's a popular week for wine dinners, with two scheduled in San Francisco and another one in Redwood City. The line-up begins on Thursday at 6:30pm with a five-course, prix fixe menu at Donato Enoteca (1041 Middlefield Road, Redwood City). Each course will be paired with a wine from Ca' del Bosco. Tickets are available online for $145 per person. On Friday at 7pm, the Mandarin Oriental (345 California Center) is hosting a five-course artisanal wine pairing dinner with Clarke and Elizabeth Swanson of Swanson Vineyards and winemaker Chris Phelps. Seating is limited, and tickets are $175 person, or $150 for Swanson Wine Club members. Call (415) 276-9784 to make reservations. Next Wednesday, October 29, La Mar Cebichería Peruana (Pier 1.5, Embarcadero) will host a four-course dinner with wine pairings from Seghesio Family Vineyards. The event begins at 6:30pm with a Pisco Sour and passed appetizers in the Cebiche Lounge. Tickets are available online for $125 per person, and seating is limited.
Lookout Launches Cheeky New Bar Menu
Lookout's bar menu just got a makeover, and we like what we see. They've added a few new cocktails to their regular line up, including the Kentucky Tea Dance, made with Angel’s Envy Bourbon, house-made Earl Grey syrup, lemon juice, and Bergamot orange bitters. But what's really giving us butterflies is the collection of provocative bar snacks developed by Wes Rowe of Wes Burger. Dirty Balls is a risotto arancini with a New Orleans twist, made with beef and served with remoulade. The Fried Chicken Tacos come with Mexican street corn on a flour tortilla with chips and pico de gallo. And the Deep Fried Shots are to die for. Cubes of pound cake are soaked in bourbon or tequila (your choice), deep-fried, and served with dipping sauce: strawberry for tequila, and bacon caramel for bourbon. Which means you can have your cake, and drink it, too. 3600 16th Street
Alembic Welcomes Day of the Dead
El Dia de Los Muertos may be more than a week away, but Alembic is already prepared. Check the special board for three "Los Muertos con Suerte Tequila" cocktails, available for $11 each through November 1. The Evil Eye features an olive floating in a mixture of Suerte Blanco, yellow chartreuse, vermouth, and strawberry bitters. The Muerto-rita combines Suerte Reposado, sherry, lime juice, raspberry gum, mint leaves, and a bit of habanero tincture. For El Diablo, Alembic bartenders took a few liberties with the classic recipe, making it with Suerte Blanco, ginger syrup, lime juice, and cherry heering, then shaking and straining it over ice, and topping with soda and Peychaud's bitters. Death never tasted so good. 1725 Haight
Send drinking suggestions to renee@grassrootspr.com.
