Top 5 Weekend Food Events: PinotFest, Wine + Chocolate Tasting, "Back at Café du Monde," The Strand Dinner + Crawfish Boil

Susan Slade Sanchez

crawfish

Pasadena PinotFest Grand Tasting
Praise the pinot! That's the theme of this tasting event, now in its sixth year. Sample 200 pinot noirs from California and Oregon wineries, including several exclusive to PinotFest. Also enjoy food courtesy of Noir Food & Wine and Altadena Town & Country Club.
WHAT: PinotFest Grand Tasting
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 9, 1-4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Altadena Town & Country Club, 2290 Country Club Drive, Altadena.
COST: $89; $119 for VIP.

Valentine's Day Wine and Chocolate Tasting
Celebrate our sweetest holiday by sampling up to 30 different wines and liquors -- with chocolate on the side. The event is at mega-candy shop Sweet, so guests will be in good hands.
WHAT: Valentine's Day Wine and Chocolate Tasting
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 11, 6-9 p.m.
WHERE: Sweet, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., #201, Hlywd.
COST: $58

"Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde..." at Tom Bergin's Tavern
Sit back, relax (with Irish coffee and beignets) and enjoy the show -- a series of monologues that creator Peggy Sweeny-McDonald calls "life stories about food." The cast features actors and local food-industry folk including Brandon Boudet and Kat Witt (Tom Bergin's Tavern), Adam Milstein (South Santa Monica), Johnnie Handel (San Gennaro Cafe), Brigitte Pailet (Snookie's) and Theo Stephan (Global Gardens Olive Oil & Vinegar). Sweeny-McDonald also recently published a book based on the show.
WHAT: "Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde..." at Tom Bergin's Tavern
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.)
WHERE: Tom Bergin's Tavern, 840 S. Fairfax Ave., L.A.
COST: $25, including beignets, coffee, tax and gratuity. (Full menu available too.) Call 323-936-7151 for reservations.

Culinary Masters Series at the Strand House
The Strand House is bringing in special chefs for a special evening: Chefs Nancy Silverton and Matt Molina of Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza will cook a multicourse meal including a mozzarella appetizer, crispy pig's trotter, ricotta and egg raviolo, grilled quail, and Silverton's beloved butterscotch budino. K.R. Rombauer III from Rombauer Vineyards will be on hand to offer wine pairings.
WHAT: Culinary Masters Series at the Strand House
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 11.
WHERE: The Strand House, 117 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach.
COST: $100; optional wine pairing $50. Call (310) 545-7470 for reservations.

Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil
The Other Door is serving up a "genuine New Orleans crawfish boil with all the fixins," plus the bar's craft beers and cocktails. Arrive on the early side for complimentary King Cake, homemade.
WHAT: Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7-9 p.m.
WHERE: The Other Door, 10437 Burbank Blvd., N. Hlywd.
COST: $9.75 (21+)

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