←Wild Mushroom Celebration at Higgins Restaurant

What:  Explore the versatile, complex flavors and textures of this year’s mushroom harvest at a special five course vegetarian meal at Higgins Restaurant & Bar. The dinner will also include regional wines that complement the deep earthy flavor of the dishes. All proceeds will benefit the James Beard Public Market. 
When: Tuesday, November 5 through Thursday, November 7 from 7:30 to 10:30 pm.
Where: Higgins Restaurant & Bar, 1239 SW Broadway St.
How Much: $100 includes dinner, wine, and gratuity. Call 503-222-9070 to make reservations.

Raptor Ridge Winemaker’s Fall Dinner with Bent Brick

What:  Head to wine country for a fall dinner at Newburg’s Raptor Ridge Winery. Chef Scott Dolich of Bent Brick will prepare a four-course meal featuring poached prawns, Payne family pork, and Raptor Ridge’s featured Pinots.
When: Friday, November 8 at 6 pm.
Where: Raptor Ridge Winery, 18700 SW Hillsboro Hwy, Newberg
How Much: $80 includes food, wine, and gratuity. (Purchase a case of the featured wine, and your dinner is free!) Seating is limited. Email [email protected] or call 503-628-8463 for reservations.

¡Salud! Pinor Noir Auction

What:  Bid on exciting auction lots featuring the best Pinot Noirs of the 2012 vintage. Top wine producers have once again come together to offer wine lovers the opportunity to acquire exclusive Pinot Noirs only available at Friday’s cuvée tasting. Saturday’s auction gala features more unique wines, as well as culinary and travel packages. Proceeds benefit ¡Salud!, a program providing healthcare to Oregon’s seasonal vineyard workers and families.
When: Friday, November 8 from 3 pm to 6:30 pm; Saturday, November 9 from 5 to 10 pm.
Where:  Friday: Domaine Drouhin Oregon, 6750 Breyman Orchards Rd, Dayton
               Saturday: The Governor Hotel Portland, 614 SW 11th Ave.
How Much: $395 includes admittance to the Friday Cuvée Tasting & Auction and the Saturday Dinner & Auction Gala. Seating is limited. Tickets and more information available here.

The Taste of Zupan’s

What:  Sample your way through Zupan’s showcase of exceptional holiday food and drink. Attendees are invited to try everything from rib roast and spiral ham to a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, as well as a wide variety of wine, beer, and desserts. All proceeds will go towards providing Thanksgiving dinners for local families.
When: Saturday, November 9 from 10:30 am to 3 pm. 
Where: Heathman Hotel, 1001 SW Broadway.
How Much: $20 in advance or $25 at the door. All proceeds benefit the Portland Police Bureau’s Sunshine Division. Purchase tickets at any Zupan’s Markets location or online here. 

Feastworks Harvest Dinner

What:  Feast on a delicious harvest meal prepared by the folks at Feastworks. Courses will be served with a sparkling wine starter, then two glasses to compare and contrast the main course along with a finishing wine. The menu will feature shaved cauliflower, smoked pork loin, pickled shrimp, crawfish mayonaise, fresh baked foccacia, and rum baba cake. 
When: Saturday, November 9 at 7 pm.
Where: The Portland Bottle Shop, 7960 SE 13th Ave.
How Much: $50 includes dinner and wine pairings. Call 503-232-5202 to reserve a spot.

Oyster Bus 2013

What:  Ride the Oyster Bus to Hama Hama Oyster Farms for copious amounts of farm fresh oysters, lunch prepared by chefs from the Parish Restaurant, and bubbly beverages provided by Argyle Winery, Lompoc Brewing, and Trumer Pilsner. This is a very popular event, so grab your tickets early.
When: Saturday, November 9 at 9 am.
Where: The Parish, 231 NW 11^th Ave.
How Much: $100 per person. Tickets are available for purchase at the Parish.  

Doug Fir Gospel Brunch Series

What: Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the music of local soul diva Linda Hornbuckle and her Old Time Gospel Hour, before tucking into a full southern style buffet brunch. The gospel brunch will include chicken fried steak bites, Georgian grits, Carolina potatoes, collards, okra, and a full menu of specialty cocktails.
When:  November 10, November 24, and December 15. Doors open at 1:30 pm; brunch served at 2 pm; show begins at 2:30 pm.
Where:  Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St. 
How Much: $25 includes general admission seating and brunch. All shows are 21+. Purchase tickets here or at the Doug Fir Box Office.

Trash Fish Sunday Supper

What:  Feast on fish that have been traditionally discarded by fishermen, left off the menu by chefs, and virtually unknown to the public. This multi-course, early afternoon supper features yellowtail rockfish, ivory king salmon, pacific skate wing, wolf eel, and sand dabs prepared by chefs from Nostrana, Oven & Shaker, Bamboo Sushi, Xico, and Evoe. Proceeds will benefit the Chefs Collaborative’s sustainable seafood initiatives.
When: Sunday, November 10 at 12:30 pm.
Where: Nostrana, 1401 SE Morrison St.
How Much: Ticket packages are sold on the Trash Fish Kickstarter. Packages begin at $100, which includes one ticket to the supper and one commemorative decal.

Cowboy Bingo at Smokehouse 21

What:  Dust off your Stetson and polish your boots—Smokehouse 21 is celebrating its second year in business with quick-draw rounds of Cowboy Bingo. Guests will enjoy all-day food specials, discounted wine and craft beer, seasonal cocktails, country music, and Smokehouse swag for the bingo winners. 
When: Monday, November 11 at 9 pm.
Where: Smokehouse 21, 413 NW 21st Ave.
How Much: Free to attend. Food and drinks available for purchase.

Seasonal Beer Dinner with Tabor Tavern and Lagunitas Brewing

What:  Drink and eat your way through a four-course brewer’s dinner at Tabor Tavern. Chef Chris Greer will prepare a four-course meal featuring beer poached egg, braised lamb, and Italian pear cake. Each course will be paired with the perfect Lagunitas ale.
When: Tuesday, November 12 at 7 pm.
Where: Tabor Tavern, 5325 E Burnside St.
How Much: $45 per person. Call 503-208-3544 to purchase tickets.

Paleo Holiday Cooking Class

What:  Prepare flavorful, ancestral holiday dishes that adhere to the popular Paleo diet. Using grass-fed meats and local produce, participants will prepare fried butternut crisps, bacon wrapped dates, braised beef stuffed squash, and much more, learning kitchen techniques like emulsification, roasting, and braising along the way. Classes are held in a spacious, light-filled demonstration kitchen in the CrossFit Portland warehouse gym.
When: Friday, November 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Where: CrossFit Portland, 418 NE 8th Ave.
How Much: $65 includes instruction, recipes, and generous samples of prepared dishes. Class size is limited to eight participants. Register here.

An Evening with Paulée Restaurant and Evening Land Vineyards

What:  Commend the end of a successful harvest and the start of the holiday seasons with a memorable five-course dinner at Paulée Restaurant in Dundee. Paulée’s Chef Sean Temple is teaming up with Evening Land Vineyards’ Isabelle Meunier to present a seasonally driven, regionally sourced menu paired with six renowned wines of Oregon, California, and Burgundy.
When: Friday, November 15 at 6 pm.
Where: Paulée Restaurant, 1410 N Highway 99W, Dundee
How Much: $110 per person. Call 503-538-7970 to make reservations.

Sumo + Sushi

What:  Watch bout after bout between pro sumo wrestlers while dining on a bento box-style meal of fresh sushi at this evening dedicated to Japanese traditions. Presented in conjunction with USA Sumo, the 90-minute show features three champion sumo wrestlers and an experienced emcee to explain the rules, technique, and culture. The menu will include Japanese-style edamame, sushi rolls, chicken and fish hot plates, and dessert.
When: Saturday, November 16 at 12 and 4:30 pm.
Where: Pure Space, 1315 NW Overton St.
How Much: $69 per person. Tickets and more information available here.

Schwenksgiving 2013 Open House

What:  Fausse Piste and Teutonic are teaming up for this open house at Sauvage. Don’t miss out on new releases and cellar specials. Shwenked turkey available separately.   
When: Sunday, November 17 from 12 to 5 pm. 
Where: Sauvage, 537 SE Ash St. #102
How Much: $10 tasting fee, or $20 tasting fee plus a super pour.

Finnriver Farm & Cidery Winter Showcase

What:   Indulge in an assortment of sweet winter beverages at this showcase of Finnriver Farm & Cidery’s ciders and fruit wines. Bushwhacker Cidery will dedicate all 8 taps to Finnriver ciders, and Finnriver’s own Jana Daisy-Ensign will be on hand to answer questions and offer samples. Smitten Artisan Truffles will offer custom chocolate cordial cups as an optional serving vessel for the port-style and apple brandy fruit wines, as well as experimental apple brandy fruit wine chocolate truffles.
When: Thursday, November 21 from 5 to 9 pm.
Where: 1212 D SE Powell St.
How Much: Free to attend and sample. Guests are encouraged to consider purchasing beverages or chocolates as holiday gifts.

Flight and Bite Trio of Nouveau Beverages

What:  Sip a trio of Nouveau-style beverages, including Cidre Nouveau, Oregon Gamay Nouveau, and a tradional French Beaujolais Nouveau, at St. Honore Boulangerie’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day celebration. Guests will sample the Alsatian specialties to be featured at the restaurant’s new SE Division location, which will open later this fall. French-style accordion player Todd Bayles will provide live music, and Virtue Cider’s Rob Merollis will be on hand to discuss and pour Cidre Nouveau.
When: Thursday, November 21 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.
Where: St. Honore Boulangerie, 2335 NW Thurman St.

Oregon Nouveau Block Party at St. Jack

What:  Party in the streets at the second annual Oregon Nouveau block party. Hosted by St. Jack and Division Winemaking, the fete will feature 2013 (Nouveau) releases of both local Oregon winemakers and celebrated French exports. Food from St. Jack, Nostrana, Ned Ludd, Clyde Comon, and Salt & Straw will be provided.
When: Thursday, November 21 from 6 to 10 pm.
Where: St. Jack NW, 1610 NW 23^rd Ave.
How Much: $25 includes food and four 3-oz pours. Additional pours available for $5. All profits will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank.

Beaujolais Nouveau Party at Multnomah Athletic Club

What:  Treat yourself to a sip from a cask of Duboeuf Nouveau Beaujolais 2013 in celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau Day. MAC executive chef Philippe Boulot will personally pick up a 24-hour roasted pig from Carlton Farms, and a variety of other scrumptious food (and Nouveau Beaujolais, of course) will also be available.
When: Thursday, November 21 at 6 pm.
Where: Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 SW Salmon St.
How Much: $45 per person. Call 503-517-6601 to RSVP. Reservations are required.

12^th Annual Beaujolais Nouveau Festival at the Heathman

What:  Celebrate the release of Beaujolais Nouveau while sampling Hardy cognacs, Pernod absinthe, and European-style Virtue Cider at the Heathman Restaurant. Tastings will be complemented by a buffet featuring grass-fed beef, roast pig, lamb, cheese, and desserts. Live music, games, and raffles will also be featured. This event is presented by the French-American Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance Française of Portland.
When: Friday, November 22 at 6 pm.
Where: The Heathman Restaurant & Bar, 1001 SW Broadway St.
How Much: $70 per person. A limited number of $55 tickets are available for young (21-35 year old) professionals. Purchase tickets here.

Any Port in the Storm: A Twilight Port Tasting

What: Warm your bones with an array of Edgefield Winery Ports and rare Portuguese varieties. Under a heated tent on the hidden Fir Grove at the Little Red Shed, guests will enjoy roasted chestnuts, tasty appetizers, a crackling fire, and live music from Kafe Metalyk.
When: Friday November 22 from 6 to 9 pm.
Where: The Little Red Shed courtyard, McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale
How Much: $40 includes hearty appetizers and samples of Ports. Purchase tickets here.

5th Annual Olio Nuovo Festa

What: Commemorate the completion of the annual olive harvest by sampling and purchasing freshly-milled olive oils right at the source. Guests will also enjoy traditional Italian bruschetta and Durant Vineyards Pinot Noir.
When: Friday November 22 to Sunday, November 24 from 10 am to 4 pm.
Where: Oregon Olive Mill, 5700 NE Breyman Orchards Rd, Dayton
How Much: Free and open to the public.  

4th Annual Season’s Eatings

What:  Eat, drink, and shop for a cause at this holiday bazaar benefiting the Oregon Food Bank.  Local artisans will showcase the region’s finest chocolates, cheeses, spirits, and other treats. Participating vendors include PokPok, Tails and Trotters, Water Avenue Coffee, Portland Juice Press, Masala Pop, and Alma Chocolate. Guests will also be treated to specialty New Deal craft cocktails.
When: Saturday, December 14 from 12 to 6 pm.
Where: New Deal Distillery tasting room, 900 SE Salmon St.
How Much: Admission is one non-perishable food item per guest—additional donations are welcome. Proceeds will benefit the Oregon Food Bank. More information available here.

Know about a great event coming up that should be on our radar? Shoot me an email at [email protected] or give me a shout over on Twitter at @allisonejones. Now get out there and start eating!