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Big dates in February: Next month is party time with the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, Chinese New Year on Feb. 8, Fat Tuesday on Feb. 9 and Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14.
>> If you’re looking for someplace to go the day of the Super Bowl, Hard Rock Cafe is offering a special menu for Feb. 7. The $65 fee includes a VIP seat for the 1:30 p.m. kickoff, an appetizer platter of chicken wings and potato skins, two drinks, and choice of an entree. Gather your friends and call 921-2244 to reserve a table. For more information go to hardrock.com/cafes/honolulu.
>> Chinese New Year is observed Feb. 8, but the fun begins this weekend. From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, vendors will line Maunakea, River and Pauahi streets with ono food booths and more for the Night in Chinatown Festival. The Night in Chinatown Parade takes place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday; nightinchinatown.com.
>> The celebration is also on at the Chinatown Cultural Plaza, with the United Chinese Coalition’s festival offering food and cultural items 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, Saturday and Feb. 12-13, and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce sponsoring festivities and food booths from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 5 and 6.
>> In preparation of Lent, it’s Mardi Gras time, a night of indulgence. The Mardi Gras Club Crawl 2016 begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 9 and ends at 2 a.m. the next day. Purchase a wristband in advance for $5 ($10 day of) and visit participating clubs and bars in downtown Honolulu, with entertainment, food and drink, including Afrobeat from Good Foot and traditional New Orleans fare by La Roux at Nextdoor, Brazilian dance and tapas at The ARTS at Marks Garage, and “Beerdi Gras” at Bar 35. Grondin French-Latin Kitchen, The Dumb Coq, Maria Bonita, Kan Zaman, Restaurant Epic, Little Village, PHO’hana and Ethiopian Love in the Chinatown Arts District will offer 10 percent discounts to participants age 21 or older. Get tickets at eventbrite.com.
For a look at Valentine’s Day specials, come back next week.
Brewery tour: Go behind the scenes at Gordon Biersch’s free brewery tour and lager tasting, 5-6 p.m. Tuesday at the restaurant in the Aloha Tower Marketplace. For more, call 599-4877 or go to gordonbiersch.com.
Mavro’s menu highlights: Been jonesing for Chef Mavro’s Onaga Salt Crust, or lilikoi malasadas? Both items returned to the restaurant’s menu last week. To reserve, call 944-4714 or go to chefmavro.com. Hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, 1969 S. King St.
“Passion in Paradise”: Taste Honolulu Cookie Co.’s heart-shaped cookie and get a free photo, 1-3 p.m. Feb. 6 at Waikiki Beach Walk, near the cookie store at 227 Lewers St. In observance of Valentine’s Day the first 200 couples will receive a complimentary box of hand-dipped chocolate cookies and a portrait by professional photographer David Murphey. Couples will have their photos taken in front of a tropical floral wall created by Janet Tran and will be able to download the photos at a later time. If selfies are more your style, take one in front of the floral wall, use #PassionInParadise when posting to Instagram and you might win a one-year supply of cookies. Info: 924-6651, honolulucookie.com.
Wine tasting: Master sommelier Chuck Furuya will introduce wine lovers to “a quartet of terrific Italian red grape varieties you may not be familiar with,” 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at Vino in Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. On the menu: 2008 Bellefonte Sagrantino di Montefalco, 2009 Quintarelli Primofiore, 2011 Riofavara Sciave Eloro and 2010 Terlano Lagrein Riserva Porphry. Cost is $39. Reserve at 524-8466 or email Ann at ataketa@dkrestaurants.com.
Returning restaurants
Kam Bowl’s back: The Kalihi spot opened this week at the Kamehameha Shopping Center, in the space that formerly housed Kenny’s Coffee House. Although there’s no bowling (Kam Bowl used to offer the game at the spot where a Walgreens now sits, on School Street), there is delicious food, including Kam Bowl’s famous oxtail soup. This is still a soft opening, so through Tuesday the restaurant will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, serving breakfast and lunch. Beginning Wednesday, the eatery’s hours will be 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Call 841-0931.
North Shore Thai: Haleiwa Eats Thai closed in November 2010 to move to Mililani, operating as Rajanee Thai. In December the restaurant owners returned to Haleiwa, starting with a takeout window. Rajanee Thai Haleiwa opened its dining room doors Jan. 1. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday at the Haleiwa Store Lots, 66-111 Kamehameha Highway; 784-0023, fb.com/rajaneethaihaleiwa.
Send restaurant news — restaurant opening and closings, new chefs, mixologists and menu changes — at least two weeks in advance to mramos@staradvertiser.com.
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