Quick bites: Upcoming events provide good excuse for dining out

Wine dinner at Chop House

Chef-owner Joshua Broda’s culinary talents will be showcased at another Chop House at Lake Lucille wine dinner on Oct. 28. The 6 p.m. event will be a six-course affair with a different South African wine paired with each food course.

For openers, a sparkling wine toast will be given alongside caviar served on butter-fried canapés with chopped capers, deviled egg, red onions, and crème fraiche. That will be followed by a second course of fresh herb-marinated elk loin chop, served with braised red chard and herbed couscous. The first red wine of the night, Profs Pinotage, will be served with the elk.

The third course will feature a classic Lobster Thermidor with a glass of Viking Point Sauvignon Blanc. Smoked Asian-style duck sausage will follow the lobster and be served with a glass of Rocking House Cape White blend.

Round five, the main course, will be Tournedos Rossini. Medallions of beef tenderloin are seared in butter and topped with Madeira sauce and mousse de foie gras. The beef will share the plate with truffled mashed potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, and asparagus, and be accompanied by a glass of Flyin’ French Cabernet.

For dessert, chocolate hazelnut cake topped with Frangelico crème Anglaise awaits. A Rhone-style red blend from Wanderer’s Heart winery will be poured with dessert.

This is a 21-and-older event. Reservations are required, and tickets cost $225 apiece.

Thanksgiving buffet at Settlers Bay

Thanksgiving is just a month away, and Settlers Bay Lodge invites diners to “skip the dishes, not the feast, and join us for our annual Thanksgiving buffet – where the turkey’s hot, the gravy’s flowing, and the only thing stuffed will be you.”

The buffet will feature something for everyone. Entrees will include, roasted turkey with all the trimmings, honey-glazed ham, roasted leg of lamb, seafood casserole, and baked ziti. A wide variety of appetizers, sides, salads, and desserts will also be available.

Service is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 27, and reservations are required. The cost is $59 for ages 13 and up, $27 for ages 6 to 12, and $13 for 3 to 5 year olds. Once again, Settlers Bay will also be offering a take-and-bake option for those who would rather dine at home. Keep an eye on the Settlers Bay Facebook for more details.

Dine out in Anchorage for Food Bank of Alaska

For anyone headed to Anchorage at meal time this week, the annual Restaurant Week event is back. Through Oct. 26, more than 40 establishments in the big city are serving up special menus and donations to celebrate the city’s culinary scene and help combat hunger across the state.

Every meal enjoyed at a participating restaurant supports the Food Bank of Alaska, which aims to raise $50,000 this year. That’s enough to provide 100,000 meals to Alaskans in need.

Around 1 in 7 Alaskans, including children, elders, and veterans, experience food insecurity. Participating in Restaurant Week helps the Food Bank of Alaska provide critical resources to families in need across the state.

— Compiled by Mark Kelsey