Dungeness Crab Night at Bar Avignon

What: Enjoy the peak of Dungeness Crab season at Bar Avignon as Chef Eric Joppie dishes out whole crabs paired with a trio of dipping sauces, sides, and shellfish-loving wines. 25% of crab sales will be donated to the Wetland Conservancy Aqua Plate Program.
When: Wednesday, Jan 22nd from 5 pm until they run out!
Where: Bar Avignon, 2138 SE Division St
How Much: $29 per crab. Book your crab on Open Table or call 503-517-0808.

Chocolate Fest: A Benefit for the World Forestry Center

What: Expose yourself to new chocolate products, sample delightful treats, and learn the process of chocolate-making from bean to bar at this three-day fundraiser benefiting the World Forestry Center. Enjoy a decadent chocolate happy hour at Friday’s premiere kickoff with music from Patrick Lamb, and cast your vote for Best (Chocolate) in Show. Attend the two–day festival to taste chocolates and study the tropical tree that yields this sought-after ingredient.
When: Premiere party held Friday, Jan 24 from 6 to 9 pm. The festival continues Saturday, Jan 25 from 11 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, Jan 26 from 11 am to 5 pm.
Where: Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE MLK Blvd.
How Much: Saturday and Sunday, $12 per person. Friday premiere, $20–$24 per person. Check out chocolatefest.org for more information or to purchase your ticket. 

Author Diane Morgan Teaches 2 Food Writing Workshops

What: Spend an afternoon gleaning food writing wisdom from James Beard award–winning author, Diane Morgan. Learn how to write, pitch, and market your next food writing project at her “Food Writing that Sells" workshop, or hone your recipe-writing skills with her Recipe Writing Intensive. Whether you are a chef, writer, or home cook, spend an afternoon with the pro and walk away armed to tackle your next food writing project.
When: “Food Writing that Sells” workshop held Saturday, Jan 25 from 9 am to 2 pm; Recipe Writing Intensive workshop help Saturday, Feb 1 from 9 am to 2 pm.
Where: Good Keuken, 5031 NE 42nd Ave.
How Much: $125 per person, per workshop. For tickets and more information, visit dianemorgancooks.com or call 503-799-4994

Chocolate for the Congo Benefit

What: Indulge in decadent chocolate dessert creations and support a worthy cause at the Chocolate for the Congo Benefit. Little Bird Chef Laura Fortgang and eight other prominent Portland pastry chefs will use fair trade Theo chocolate to craft a provocative tasting menu featuring a wide ranging assortment of sweet and savory dishes. 100% of the proceeds benefit the Eastern Congo Initiative, an advocacy and grant–making initiative.
When: Saturday, Jan 25 from 11 am to 2 pm.
Where: Little Bird Bistro, 219 SW 6th Ave.
How Much: $30 per person. Tickets and more information available at littlebirdbistro.com.

Red Ridge Farm’s Annual Olio Nuovo Dinner

What: Head out to wine country and taste the freshest of Oregon olive oils at this three-course dinner prepared by Andrew Biggs of Hunt & Gather Catering. Featuring the Oregon Olive Mill’s Olio Nuovo and estate-grown wines, this dinner celebrates non filtrated, seasonal oil pressed in a Tuscan style.
When: Jan 25th, 6–9 pm
Where: Oregon Olive Mill, 5510 NE Breyman Orchards Rd (Dayton, OR).
How Much: $68 per person (Red Ridge member), $85 per person (non member). For more info call 503-864-2000 and reserve your spot via Eventbrite.

NW Coffee Beer Invitational

What: Local breweries combine two of Portland’s most beloved beverages, coffee and beer, in a super beverage that is arguably greater than the sum of its parts. Sample the array of interpretations of this unique drink, all of which feature freshly roasted coffee and an ABV of 7% or less, and unwind with live music at the cozy Goose Hollow Inn.   
When: Sat, Jan 25 from 1to 7 pm.
Where: Goose Hollow Inn, 1927 SW Jefferson St.
How Much: $12 includes a festival glass and six taster tickets. More information available at the host's Facebook page.

18th Annual Great Balls of Fire

What: A fiery hot annual fundraiser benefiting Oregon Heat, a local non–profit that helps low income Oregonians pay their utility bills, Salvador Molly’s donates $1 to Oregon Heat for every habanero fritter—aka Ball of Fire—consumed in the month of February. The fritter scarfing showdown kicks off Jan 26, and ends March 1with finalists putting their tongues to the test in a competition to be crowned this year's winner. 
When: Jan 26 through March 1. The Toughest Tongue Kickoff Competition is held Jan 26 at noon, and the King and Queen of Heat Competition takes place March 1 at noon.
Where: Salvador Molly’s, 1523 SW Sunset Blvd.
How Much: Free to attend. Additional information available at salavadormollys.com. 

Culinaria Dinner Series at Disjecta featuring John Gorham

What: Artistic and culinary minds come together in one expertly curated evening supporting Disjecta’s Curator-In-Residence program. Rub shoulders with artists in Disjecta’s intimate exhibition space over a deliciously crafted menu by Toro Bravo’s John Gorham.
When: Monday, Jan 27
Where: Disjecta, 8371 N Interstate Ave.
How Much: $100 per person. Tickets and more information available at disjecta.org.

Down the Wormhole! A tequila Tasting with Clayton Szczech

What: Mexican spirits specialist and tequila evangelist Clayton Szczech stops by the Multnomah Whisky Library to curate an evening of tequila sampling and education. Szczech will talk tequila tasting and NOM scoring, focusing on the seasonal Anejo and Extra–Anejo tequilas, and share tips on production and tequila aging methods in an evening showcasing offerings from The Library’s rarities and back bar.
When: Monday, Jan 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Where: Multnomah Whiskey Library, 1124 SW Alder St.
How Much: $55 (members), $65 (non–members). Call 503-954-1381 to make reservations.

Mid-Winter Brewer’s Dinner Benefit for the James Beard Public Market at Higgins

What: Taste  Higgin’s own Cumberland–style ale and brined heritage breed pork, and show your support for a year–round public market at the one of three Mid-Winter Brewer’s Dinners at Higgins Restaurant and Bar. Delight in the tasty pairing of carefully chosen local craft brews with ham, shellfish, and cheese. Proceeds from the dinners benefit the James Beard Public Market, a community led effort to create a year round public market in Portland’s central waterfront district.
When: Jan 28–30 from 5 to 9 pm.
Where: Higgins Restaurant and Bar, 1239 SW Broadway.
How Much: $100 per person. Call 503-222-9070 to reserve your spot. 

Kells Brew Pub kicks off the Stout Month

What: Kickoff a month celebrating the darker side of ales at Kells Irish Stout release party. This NW Brew Pub has produced a traditional dry stout with oats and flaked barley, and is rolling out the plaid carpet for a day of revelry. Dance to the tunes of a live bagpiper, enjoy complimentary appetizers, tour the brewery, and try out the newest beer at this two-year-old brewery.
When: Saturday, Feb 1st, from 2–5pm
Where: Kells Brew Pub, 210 NW 21st St.
How Much: Special prices vary. Call 503-710-7175 for more info.

Flight Dessert Bar Hosted at Bluebird Bakers

What: Be one of the first to experience the new pop–up dessert bar, Flight, as it unfurls the first of it six course prix fixe menu, complete with drink pairings. Taste Chef Nate Hamilton's seasonally inspired, locally sourced desserts, and expect experimental twists blurring lines between sweet and savory at this unique food event.
When: Saturday, Feb 1 at 8 pm.
Where: Bluebird Bakers, 2390 NW Thurman St.
How Much: $41 per person. Upcoming menus and additional information available at flightdessertbar.com.

←Via Chicago Turns One! 

What: Grab your fork and celebrate deep dish pizza as it was meant to be enjoyed in honor of Via Chicago’s first anniversary. Midwest transplants Tonya Mayhew and Kevin Reynolds transitioned from their PSU farmers market booth last February, and they’re saying “thanks” to Portland with a day of live music from local bluesman, Bob Shoemaker, food and drink specials, and giveaways celebrating their first year as a brick and mortar in NE Portland.  
When: Monday, Feb 1 from noon to 11 pm.
Where: Via Chicago, 2013 NE Alberta St.
How Much: Special prices vary. Reservations and more information available at the Via Chicago Facebook page.

THIRST Fest: First Annual LGBTQ Wine, Beer, and Spirits Event

What: Sample newly released spirits and weigh in on the latest trends in mixology at this two day festival benefiting Cascade AIDS Project and supporting the LGBTQ community. Find your new favorite drink, taste a lineup of local and national labels, and support your favorite mixologist at “Battle of the Bartenders,” where contestants whip up original cocktails for a jury of celebrity judges.
When: Friday, Feb 7 from 5 to 10 pm; Saturday, Feb 8 from 4 to 10 pm.
Where: The Tiffany Center, 1410 SW Morrison St.
How Much: $20 per person includes 10 drink tokens. Tickets and more information available at thirstfest.com.  

Firehouse Winemaker’s Dinner featuring Ippolito 1845

What: Imbibe some flavorful southern Italian wines, and enjoy the outdoor inspired cuisine of NW Portland’s Firehouse at the winemaker’s dinner series kick-off event, featuring Vincenzo Ippolito from Calabria, Italy. The oldest wine producer in Calabria, the Ippolito family cultivates ancient grape varietals near the Ionian Sea with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. The dinner consists of four courses paired with Ippolito wine, including the Ripe del Falco and Res Dei.
When: Monday, February 10.
Where: Firehouse Restaurant, 711 NE Dekum St.
How Much: Visit firehousepdx.com for more information; call 503-954-1702 to reserve a spot.