Quickbites: Food Company Market & Cafe, Shokudo, Yanagi Sushi

Kailua’s Food Company Market & Cafe is hosting a benefit dinner for HUGS, 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 14.

Chef Jason Kiyota is presenting a buffet with fresh fish, Burgundy- braised short ribs, appetizers and dessert, accompanied by wines. Cost is $150, with seating limited to 40.

Proceeds go toward HUGS (Help, Understanding & Group Support) programs to assist families caring for seriously ill children.

Kiyota’s restaurant — also known as FC Cafe — is in the Enchanted Lake Shopping Center, 1020 Keolu Drive. Call HUGS at 380-6924.

SWEETS FOR GOOD GRADES

Students: If you had a good first quarter, Shokudo Japanese Restaurant & Bar has a treat for you. Stop by for a free order of Honey Toast.

Bring your student ID and report card showing a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. No age limit, and the deal is available all year.

The dessert — a thick slice of Japanese white bread, toasted, drizzled with honey and topped with vanilla ice cream — is free with purchase of an entree.

Shokudo is in the Ala Moana Pacific Center, 1585 Kapiolani Blvd., adjacent to Ala Moana Center. Call 941-3701.

40-YEAR SALUTE TO YANAGI

Yanagi Sushi opened in 1978, a tiny 800-square-foot restaurant staffed by eight family members. Forty years later it is four times larger, with 50 employees, but Yanagi is still run by the family of brothers Haruo and Tsutomu Nakayama.

The restaurant is marking its 40th anniversary serving sushi and other Japanese specialties from tempura to donburi to shabu shabu. Most of the recipes are the originals, as developed by the Nakayamas, who trained as sushi chefs in Japan.

The family is celebrating in October, giving away two $40 gift certificates every week. Enter at the restaurant or by posting a photo of a Yanagi Sushi dish on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #YanagiSushi40.

The restaurant is at 762 Kapiolani Blvd., open for lunch, dinner and late-night happy hour (10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m.) Visit yanagisushi-hawaii.com.

FARMERS MARKET HOW-TO

If you’re interested in becoming a farmers market vendor, West Oahu County Farm Bureau is offering a workshop Oct. 16 at Oahu Urban Garden in Pearl City. Vendors and other experts will discuss how the market works and what makes for a successful market booth.

The event runs 5 to 9 p.m. Preregister for $10 by Oct. 15, or pay $15 at the door, but seats are limited. The garden is at 955 Kamehameha Highway. To register call Dina at 622-5500 or e-mail dina@hawaii.rr.com.

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Star-Advertiser

Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.