←Celebrate National Pancake Week with Block’s Pancake Sampler

What: Neighborhood diner Block’s celebrates National Pancake Week by unfurling an extensive pancake lineup that will satisfy the dietary cravings and restrictions of every sweet tooth. Think multigrain buttermilk pancakes, vegan friendly sweet potato pecan, and gluten-free yogurt and jelly doughnut pancakes. After trying them out, vote for your favorite on @blockspdx. The crowd favorite will be served free of charge with every breakfast and lunch purchase on Fat Tuesday.
When: Feb 22—28th, 8 am to 3 pm. The winning pancake will be served Tuesday, March 4th.
Where: Block’s, 2032 SE Clinton St
How Much: Special prices vary. Call Block’s at 503-234-5689 for more information.

Thursday Night Cocktail Party at 23Hoyt

What: Watch 23Hoyt’s Alex Wilson and Bacardi’s Nathan Gerdes (dubbed by the US Bartender’s Guild as “America’s Most Imaginative Bartender”) work their mixology magic at the bar in an evening showcase of four imaginative craft cocktails paired with snacks in 23Hoyt’s mezzanine.
When: Thursday, February 27th at 6:00 pm
Where: 23Hoyt, 529 NW 23rd Ave
How Much: $35 per person. Call 503-445-7400 to book your reservation. 

Whole Grain Suppers with Tabor Bread & Kathryn Yeomans

What: Enjoy a three–course dinner featuring farm fresh and foraged ingredients, focused on delicious, locally sourced, GMO–free whole grains treated with thoughtfulness and attention to detail at Tabor Bread and Kathryn Yeomans’ Whole Grain Supper series. Celebrate locally grown rye flour, buckwheat, and heirloom Red Fife grains milled in–house and baked in a wood fired oven for an evening highlighting one special grain.  
When: Rye Dinner—Friday, Feb 28th; Buckwheat Dinner—Friday, March 28th; Red Fife Dinner—Friday, April 25th at 7 pm  
Where: Tabor Bread, 5051 SE Hawthorne Blvd
How Much: $35 per person. Reserve your spot online or stop by the bakery for more information. 

First Sunday at Fireside with Old Salt

What: Fireside brings back their First Sunday dinner series with tasting menu from Chef Henry Kibit collaborating with Old Salt’s Timothy Wastell. The menu showcases snacks like beet chips with harissa (trend alert!) and fried cauliflower with fish sauce, small plates focused on seasonal fish and vegetables, and big plates serving up decadent fare like smoked beef sirloin with beef tallow potatoes and fried oysters. If the tasting menu is not your style, the menu is available a la cart as well. 15% of the evening’s sales will be donated to the International Rett Syndrome Foundation.
When: Sunday, March 2nd at 5–9 pm
Where: Fireside, 801 NW 23rd Ave
How Much: Special prices vary. Call 503-477-9505 or email [email protected] for more info or to reserve your spot.

Indie Wineries Dinner at Genoa 

What: Southeast Belmont's contemporary Italian mainstay Genoa launches their 2014 winemaker dinner series with wine and conversation with two Italian “Indie” Winemakers. Indie wineries are small estates that produce quality wines with a small–scale approach and hands-on craftsmanship. Ana Martens of Vino di Anna and Enea Burani from La Collina stop over at Genoa on their West Coast tour to discuss their wineries along with a four–course meal designed to highlight their expressive wines.
When: Sunday, March 2nd at 6 pm
Where: Genoa, 2832 SE Belmont St  
How Much: $85 per person including reception. For more info or to reserve a seat contact [email protected] or call 503-238-1464.

Mardi Gras at Acadia

What: Chef Adam Higgins is doing his part to bring the decadent culinary binge fest that is Fat Tuesday to Portland, offering a Mardi Gras tasting menu in addition to Acadia’s New Orleans’s inspired offerings. This over the top, four course menu includes a crawfish remoulade, Cajun red bean cassoulet with house made Andouille sausage, not to mention a King’s Cake with cream cheese icing and a traditional plastic baby hidden inside for one lucky diner. Between feasting, sharing beads, vintage masks, and imbibing in a few cocktails, you’ll be primed to enter Lent in true New Orleans style at Acadia.  
When: Tuesday, March 4, 5–10 pm
Where: 1303 NE Fremont St
How Much: $45 per person. To reserve your table, call 503-249-5001.

Mardi Gras at Eat Oyster Bar

What: Celebrate Mardi Gras with luscious, seafood-fueled New Orleans feasting this year at Eat Oyster Bar. In addition to a trio of New Orleans bands offering a buffet of zydeco, jazz, and Cajun rhythms, the eatery will offer food and drink specials and—if you care to mix and match your Fat Tuesday festivities—free limo service running between The Parish and Eat all day long.
When: March 4th, starting at 5:30 pm
Where: Eat Oyster Bar, 3808 N Williams  
How Much: Special prices vary. Call 503-281-1222 for more information about the event.

Jacobsen Salt Co. Dinner at din din

What: Taste for yourself the salty waters of Netarts Bay at this prix fixe dinner that includes and wine and spirits along with a trio of crudos, each served with two different Jacobsen salts. Feast on local foie gras torchon garnished with Jacobsen flake salt on pain d’epices, sample Hama Hama blue pool oysters paired with Netarts Bay salt water, and indulge in sole wrapped in mushroom walnut duxelle on chard at this eight-course dinner.
When: Friday, March 7th and Saturday, March 8th
Where: Din din, 920 NE Glisan St
How Much: $85 per person. Book your reservation at 971-544-1350 or email [email protected]

Racion's One Year Anniversary

What: Celebrate the first anniversary of this downtown open kitchen restaurant with an inventive seven course tasting menu featuring the most popular dishes of the past year. Choose between dishes like halibut cheeks with green apple, ajo blanco soup, cauliflower panna cotta with foie gras, and rosemary ice cream with milk chocolate and pickled rhubarb. Matched with Racion’s award winning Mint Julep and Margarita with chorizo–infused tequila and sea salt foam you’ll give thanks Racion is filling Portland bellies for the foreseeable future. 
When: Saturday, March 8th seating at 6 pm and 8:30 pm
Where: 1205 SW Washington St
How Much: $75 per person. Book your reservation by calling 971-276-8008 or email [email protected]. 

Italian Wine Trio Dinner at Ned Ludd 

What: Taste the diversity of Italy’s agricultural landscape at this four-course winemaker dinner featuring some of Italy’s prominent family wineries from three different regions. Learn the stories behind each of the wines from the hosts of the evenings, the owners and managers themselves. Wines from Garofoli, Li Veli, and Poliziano will be paired with Chef Jason French’s wood fired, seasonal dishes like shrimp, prosciutto, and pork noodle, quail breast spiedino, pork stuffed olives, and cabbage.
When: Tuesday, March 11th, 6:30–10:00 pm
Where: Ned Ludd, 3925 NE MLK Jr Blvd
How Much: $85 per person. Reserve your seat at the table online.

Bowery Bagels Celebrates Fat Tuesday and Purim

What: Celebrate the full scope of Judeo–Christian holidays this March with a pastry from Bowery Bagels. In addition to getting your weekly bagel fix at this certified kosher bakery, celebrate Purim by picking up some traditional Hamantaschen cookies—triangular cookies with your choice of sweet fillings (prune, apricot, or poppy seed). Revel in some Fat Tuesday decadence with a deep fried Paczki— a Polish jelly doughnut–like pastry with filling (vanilla cream, chocolate, apple, or prune).
When: Hamantaschen are available March 10—16th and Paczkis are only available March 4th. 
Where: Bowery Bagels, 310 NW Broadway
How Much: Prices vary. Order online or call 503-227-6674 to reserve your sweets.  

DOC + Elenaa Pantaleoni from La Stoppa

What: Try seven wines with seven courses in this celebration of Emilia–Romagna’s La Stoppa winery with owner Elena Pantaleoni guiding the tour. Start off with their Trebbiolo Frizzante and eventually make it to La Stoppa’s Barbara della Stoppa with plenty of DOC’s seasonal, locally sourced Italian fare to highlight these one of a kind, dynamic wines.
When: Thursday, March 13th at 6:30 pm
Where: DOC, 5519 NE 30th Ave
How Much: $100 per person. Call DOC to book your reservation at 503-946-8592.

Kells Irish Festival

What: St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and Kells is blasting the bagpipes and letting the rivers of Guinness flow at the largest St. Patrick’s day event in the Northwest. Kells hosts a four-day Irish festival celebrating live music, dancing, and traditional food and drink with events ranging from the traditional (think bagpipers, Celtic folk music, and Irish step dance) to the eclectic (a black tie boxing smoker, a concert with Van Morrison’s daughter Shana Morrison, and a Neil Diamond tribute band). Check out their website for the full schedule.
When: March 14th, 7:30–11:30 pm; March 15, 11:30 am–12:00 am; March 16, 10 am–10 pm
Where: Various locations at Kells Irish Pub, 112 SW 2nd Ave and Kells Brew Pub, 210 NW 21st Ave
How Much: Event prices vary. Purchase your tickets online or pay at the door.

Aged Beer Dinner at Le Pigeon with Hair of the Dog Brewery

What: Author Patrick Dawson of Vintage Beer: A Taster’s Guide to Brews That Improve Over Time stops by Le Pigeon March 26th to talk vintage beer along with Hair of the Dog brewery’s Alan Sprints for an evening celebrating beer and it’s decadent food pairing possibilities. Hair of the Dog specializes in vintage dated beers and this evening will feature a five course tasting menu that highlight Blue Dot’s Double IPA (Winter 2014), Doggie Claws West Coast Barlywine (2010), Michael Flanders Red Ale (2012), Fred from the Wood Golden Strong Ale (2012), and Pannepooch Quadrupel (2013). 
When: Wednesday, March 26th with a 5:30 pm and 8:15 pm seating
Where: Le Pigeon, 738 East Burnside St
How Much: $125 per person. Book your reservation and call Le Pigeon at 503-546-8796.