—Throughout October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), Riva (at Navy Pier) will highlight several dishes on its menu. Each time a dish designated with a PINK RIBBON is ordered, $1 will be donated to benefit the Lynn Sage Scholars Program at Northwestern University (www.lynnsagefoundation.org). Featured dishes include Riva lobster Diavolo ($42) and Atlantic salmon ($29). See www.RivaNavyPier.com.
—The Doughnut Vault teamed with Vintage Step Vans to restore a 1957 International Metro as its food truck, according to Thrillist. Doughnut flavors include buttermilk glazed and blueberry as well as ones with a lemon-poppyseed glaze. Follow @VaultVan_G on Twitter to get the truck’s location.
—The 5th Annual Taste of the Gold Coast will take place Thursday, Oct. 3, 6-8 p.m., at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, 20 E. Chestnut St. Among the participating restaurants are Cape Cod, Jellyfish, RL Restaurant, The Grill on the Alley, Carmine’s and Wow Bao. Tickets are $125; see tasteofthegoldcoast2013.eventbrite.com/.
—Allium (inside the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware Pl.) will hold “Pink” Thursday, Oct. 3. At 6-8 p.m., guests can enjoy Laurent-Perrier Rose Champagne, Allium’s Pink A’Peel cocktail, passed bites, fashions and mini-manicures as Allium Goes Pink to benefit breast-cancer research. There is a suggested donation of $35; a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Lynn Sage Foundation. Call 312-799-4900 or visit www.alliumchicago.com.
—Geja’s Cafe, 340 W. Armitage Ave., will host its 40th Annual Professional/Amateur Wine Tasting Contest Sunday, Nov. 3, at 1 p.m. (Amateurs are defined as not having worked in the wine industry for the previous three years.) To enter, contestants pay an entrance fee of $20 and must be 21 years of age or older; to RSVP, call Geja’s Cafe at 773-281-9101.
—Twistd Spoke, 501 N. Ogden Ave., has announced Nomad Brewing, a follow-up to its 15th anniversary New Belgium collaboration beer. This limited supply of the first-ever Nomad Brewing ale is available on tap at Twisted Spoke and also in 750-ml bottles at all three Lush Wine & Spirits locations for $25 each.
—Odyssey is hosting two pasta lunch cruises for Chicago Marathon participants as well as family and friends Saturday, Oct. 12 (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; 3-5 p.m.). Offerings will include a caprese pasta salad; and a pasta station featuring three-color cheese tortellini and imported rigatoni noodles. The cost starts at $40.44; call 888-957-2320 or visit www.odyssey.com.
—Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap, 41 E. Superior St., is offering Oktoberfest-themed specials. Items include the Bacon Brie Burger ($12.95), the smoked Gouda mac ($8.95) and peach BBQ wings ($10.95). Call 312-266-0400 or visit www.jakemelnicks.com.
—Takito Kitchen, 2013 W. Division St., is hosting a “Beyond Takito” dinner Sunday, Sept. 22, 5-8 p.m., to mark the restaurant’s six-month anniversary. The $55-per-person, five-course menu will include zucchini bread, mohinga branzino, quail and kale, lamb sausage and peach upside-down cake. See www.TakitoKitchen.com.
—Dunlay’s on the Square, 3137 W. Logan Blvd., has announced the New Belgium Beer Garden Night Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6-9 p.m. Executive Chef Kevin Ives will present four New Belgium brews paired up with four upscale beer-centric pub dishes, such as a Paulina Meat Market beer brat on a pretzel roll with a housemade beer mustard sauce. Tickets are $25 each; call 773-227-2400.
—Musician Buddy Guy will headline Shaw’s Crab House’s annual Oyster Fest Block Party on Friday, Oct. 18, in the parking lot on Rush Street between Hubbard and Illinois streets. Pre-sale tickets are available through Sept. 4 for $20 each (promotional code: OYSTER25). The celebration will cap the restaurant’s 25th annual Oyster Fest extravaganza, which will feature events/specials all week leading up to the block party. Visit www.ticketweb.com and www.shawscrabhouse.com.
—The second annual Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show (Oct. 18-20) and National Chocolate & Dessert Show (Oct. 20-22) will take place in the halls of Navy Pier. This event for both professionals (National Chocolate & Dessert Show) and food enthusiasts (Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show) is open to the public and will give attendees the chance to see demonstrations on how to make all kinds of chocolate treats. See www.chicagochocolatefestival.com.
—The Wicker Park and Bucktown Chamber of Commerce will present The 2nd Annual Fall Dinner Crawl Oct. 1, 6-9 p.m. Among the many participating restaurants are Antique Taco, Covo, Takito Kitchen, Trencherman, Grass Fed, and Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta. Ticket prices are $35 in advance (or $45 at the door if any tickets remain) and go on sale Sept. 2 at wpbdinnercrawl.brownpapertickets.com.
—Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet now has 10 international chefs in the event known as Grand Cru. (Every visiting chef has been paired with a Chicago-based, Michelin-starred counterpart.) Some of the chefs are Hideaki Matsuo (Osaka, Japan), Jordi Vila (Barcelona, Spain), Svetlana Riskova (Riga, Latvia), Angel Vazquez (Puebla, Mexico) and Aktar Islam (Birmingham, United Kingdom). Grand Cru (Sept. 28-29; 2-4 p.m.) is a separate ticketed event at $199 plus tax per person and requires a general admission ticket; visit www.chicagogourmet.org.
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