The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival has announced three French wine seminars to be held during the fall festival.
The annual seminars draw sommeliers and sophisticated wine aficionados, some of whom attend all three. The wines are generally rare and expensive.
All of the sessions will be held Nov. 4 at the Halekulani:
>> SOMM — A Study Into the Terroirs of the Southern Rhone (9 a.m.): A blind tasting featuring Daniel Brunier of Domaine Vieux Telegraphe of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The wines will be evaluated based on the characteristics of vineyards, estates and the effects of terroir. Cost is $100.
>> Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Vertical Tasting (10:30 a.m.): Brunier leads a tasting of wines from one of the best known of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape estates, from the years 2000 to 2010, except 2002. Cost is $150.
>> Chateau Cos d’Estournel Tasting (12:30 p.m.): Tastings of highly coveted selections from the acclaimed estate in Bordeaux. Cost is $200.
Each session is limited to 50 people. Register at hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.
Beer dinners for ‘Locals Only’
Square Barrels has launched a series of “Locals Only” craft beer dinners in collaboration with a changing roster of chefs.
The next event is 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday with Square Barrels chef Sean McMonigle joined by Keaka Lee (The Pig & the Lady), Hide Yoshimoto (Izakaya Torae Torae), Don Boucher (Encore Saloon) and Shawn Go (Koko Head Cafe).
The five-course menu builds to an entree course of spiced lamb chops with garlic yogurt, paired with Northeast Style IPA.
Beers will also come from Waikiki Brewing Co., Honolulu Beerworks, Aloha Beer Co. and Lanikai Brewing Co.
Cost is $100, with tickets available at eventbrite.com.
Square Barrels is in Bishop Square, 1001 Bishop St. Call 524-2747.
2 items to honor anniversary
Burgers and Things is marking its second year in Pauoa with a celebration throughout August.
Two items have been added to the menu: soda floats and beer-battered french fries with garlic oil and reggianito cheese, called the Wave Fryder.
For the first two weeks of the month, downsized version of the fries and floats will be available for $2, half the usual price.
Chef Ernesto Limcaco is hosting a private pop-up dinner Aug. 28 with comic book writer David Michelinie, creator of the character Venom in the “Spider-Man” comics and Scott Lang in “Ant-Man,” among his comic book accomplishments. To attend you’ve got to win a spot through a weekly drawing; drop off a business card to enter.
Burgers and Things is at 1991 Pauoa Road; call 971-1946. For the menu: burgersandthings.com.
Cooking classes at BLT Steak
BLT Steak in Waikiki launches a series of cooking classes Aug. 12 with chef Fred DeAngelo.
Each month DeAngelo will lead a cooking demonstration, to be followed by a tour of the BLT kitchen and a three-course lunch.
The first session, noon to 3 p.m., is “Under the Sea,” to be followed with Saturday classes on Sept. 9, Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16.
Cost is $100 per class, with a $10 supplement for the December year-end class. BLT Steak is in the Trump International Hotel, 223 Saratoga Road. Call 683-7447.
Taste of Spain at Il Lupino
Il Lupino Trattoria & Wine Bar hosts a wine dinner with Spanish winemaker Jorge Ordonez, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9.
Heela Mottus, the restaurant’s general manager, invited Ordonez to the Waikiki restaurant after taking a wine tour of Spain.
She and chef Diego Pacuruco have created a five-course menu paired to nine Ordonez wines. For example, the entree of lamb osso buco with porcini mushrooms and truffle risotto is paired with three wines: the 2013 Bodegas Muga Reserva Rioja, 2011 Bodegas Ordonez Avante Ribero de Duero and 2014 Bodegas Ordoez Vatan Toro.
Cost is $135. Il Lupino is in the Royal Hawaiian Center. Call 922-3400.
Win free tacos for a year
Buho Cocina y Cantina celebrates its third anniversary with an Ultimo Birthday Fiesta on Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The event will include Pernod Ricard drink specials and dancing to music by Son Caribe and DJ Jem. A taco-eating contest will be held at 10 p.m., with the winner to receive free tacos for a year.
The restaurant is in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Call 922-2846.
RumFeast features Koloa Rum
Kauai’s homegrown Koloa Rum will be featured Friday at the RumFeast at RumFire Poipu Beach.
The rum will go into special menu items and cocktails, available from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
A sampling: A sausage and white bean soup with rum-glazed Portuguese sausage and braised-lamb ravioli with goat cheese and a rum-carrot puree. From the bar, perhaps a Papaya Cooler, with papaya-infused Koloa Rum and kaffir lime syrup, St. Germaine and lemon.
Prices start at $10. Call 742-4786 or visit rumfirekauai.com.
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
