Happy Christmas Eve, Chowder readers!

 I finished my shopping yesterday (whew!), but if you’re one day behind me, here are three locally-inspired ideas for all your favorite gourmands:

 1) Here’s a gift that gives back: a gift certificate to a Super Hunger Brunch (sold in denominations of $25, $35, or $50) or tickets to the 2009 Super Hunger Chef Challenge—all to benefit The Greater Boston Food Bank. Your giftee gets a great meal, you get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re supporting a truly vital (especially these days) cause.

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I love it when Christmas and Chanukah overlap. Having been raised in a very multi-culti household, I adore seeing tree and menorah both aglow in the living room. It reminds me of home.

But it also makes it very hard to decide what to eat this week. Latkes or ham? Brisket or goose? Doughnuts or pumpkin custard? I’m sure the folks at the Globe would love for me to make some prize-winning noodle kugel. (Frankly, I prefer potatoes in mine.) Or maybe a buche de Noel? (more…)

Your Chowder hounds have sniffed down the best culinary events in town. Check back every Friday for your weekly prix-fixe of foodie festivals, cooking classes, wine tastings, and more.

$40 Stimulus Menu
Tuesday-Sunday, dinner hours
Pigalle
Tuesday through Sunday evenings, chef Marc Orfaly will prepare your choice of three courses for just $40, including selections like French onion soup with braised short rib, tuna martini with seaweed salad, pâté de porc with mustard aïoli, cornichons and Armagnac soaked prunes, and many others.

Prix Pixe Dinner
Through Feb. 28, every evening
Olives
Todd English’s Olives has unveiled a new, three-course menu for $35 that is available every night through the end of February. The menu will change monthly, and for December, they’re offering first course choices of steamed P.E.I. mussels, tender salad of Boston Bibb & Mache, or ricotta ravioli. For the second course, choose from pan roasted chicken breast, winter flounder, or petite filet mignon. And for dessert, there’s the option of chocolate & butterscotch pudding or tarte tatin.

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There’s a spirited fight discussion currently raging on the local Chowhound board regarding Bina Osteria, the newish Italian eatery opened in Downtown Crossing by the folks behind Lala Rokh and Bin 26 Enoteca.

No one’s taking issue with the quality of the food itself: Indeed, when Chowder sampled the menu a few weeks ago, every morsel was exquisite, perhaps even some of the best cooking going on in the city right now, courtesy of (super-young) chef Brian Konefal, who did time at Atelier de Joel Robuchon and Eleven Madison Park, two of Manhattan’s finest restaurants.

The issue is the cost. Are the prices outrageous? (more…)

In all fairness, it’s understandable why Theater District newcomer Max and Dylans would’ve been near-empty on a frigid Sunday evening while nearby Fajitas & ‘Ritas (relatively) buzzed with customers.

The sprawling venue has all the ingredients of a thriving downtown nightspot (two bars, plus a sexy-ish ambiance of exposed brick walls, soaring ceilings, low lighting, and a peppy pop soundtrack), so at first glance potential diners might think the restaurant/bar better suited for a Friday or Saturday night–especially judging from the “No sneakers after 8 p.m.” sign tacked to the front door.

They’d only be about half right. (more…)

Tis the season… for drowning our financial sorrows and holiday woes in expensive, complicated booze. That’s what it seems like, anyway.

While we at Chowder can imbibe with the best of ‘em, we’re starting to wonder how much of this cocktail-obsessed madness we can take. First the Art of the Cocktail party at Drink, then the Repeal of Prohibition anniversary party at ESK, then more Drink.

And now this: Tuesday’s cocktail-making seminar for local bartenders, hosted by Svedka Vodka at The Beehive. (more…)

Your Chowder hounds have sniffed down the best culinary events in town. Check back every Friday for your weekly prix-fixe of foodie festivals, cooking classes, wine tastings, and more.

Holiday Baking Class at Rialto
Dec. 13, 11 a.m.
Rialto
The most difficult part of preparing any dessert is the crust. Luckily, we prefer the filling anyway. Rialto pastry chef Susan Abbott demonstrates the use of four versatile doughs that make perfect pies and tarts. The cooking demonstration will be followed by a light lunch, dessert, and sparkling wine.

Rum Cake Finalists’ Competition
Dec. 13, 1-3 p.m.
Prudential Center Food Court
Booze and cake: Everything’s better when they’re together. Bacardi and Where to Eat are hosting the Rum Cake Competition at the Prudential Center. Taste the top three finalists’ Bacardi Gold rum cake recipes and watch live celebrity judging.

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With O Ya getting all the press, and Uni taking on the overflow, we were starting to forget about the city’s other great sushi spots. So Tuesday night we zipped over to Fugakyu in Coolidge Corner to celebrate the Japanese restaurant’s 10 years in the maki biz.

Lucky for us, we had polished our chopsticks: We’d be sampling chef Hiro San’s special B-day menu, which will be available to guests all month. (more…)

Circle Plates & Lounge, which just opened in October, has closed its doors.

Guess we won’t be getting any more of Adam Gendreau’s grits, eh? Good thing we got the recipe.

Your Chowder hounds have sniffed down the best culinary events in town. Check back every Friday for your weekly prix-fixe of foodie festivals, cooking classes, wine tastings, and more.

FuGaKyu Turns 10 Special Menu
Dec. 1-31, Restaurant hours
We love that the name sounds like a sneeze and a slur, so we’ll definitely join the party for FuGaKyu’s tenth B-day. Throughout the entire month of December, the restaurant will offer a special celebration menu using ingredients such as apple, watermelon, and pickled daikon to create traditional Japanese cuisine.

A Family Affair
Every Tuesday and Friday night from 5:30-8 p.m.
Aura, Seaport Hotel
We know some particular South Enders loathe children raining on their dinner party. Those of us who have little ones prefer to go places where families are welcomed with open tables. Thank you, Aura, for hosting an impromptu “Romper Room” on Tuesday and Friday nights, complete with an adult prix fixe and accompanying kids menu. Does that mean we can feel free to fling the foie gras? (more…)