Spring Preview Tastings at Sbraga
Mon.-Thu., April 23-26, 6 and 8:30 p.m., $55
Chef Kevin Sbraga is presenting a week of preview tastings for his new spring menu at his kitchen counter. The menu, which will be served in five courses, features dishes such as bronzino en croute with charcoal oil, grapes, spring garlic soup, pine nut rice pilaf and sea beans; and Wagyu beef with fava beans, morels, short rib tortellini, truffle cream, bordelaise and tarragon oil. Each seating is available to only six guests at a time and reservations are required. Sbraga, Symphony House, 440 S. Broad St., 215-735-1913, sbraga.com.
Lemon Society Speakeasy at The Arts Ballroom
Fri., April 20, 8-11 p.m., $75
The Lemon Society, a coalition of young professionals supporting Alex's Lemonade Stand, is giving usa reason to drink for a good cause: It's hosting the first-ever Lemon Society Speakeasy, raising funds for the Annual Childhood Cancer Symposium. Bartenders from Osteria, Continental Mid-town and the Franklin will be mixing lemon-inspired cocktails made with booze from Philadelphia Distilling, Red Stag, PBC and others. Guests will vote on their favorite cocktail while enjoying food catered by Starr Events. Period-appropriate '20s garb is encouraged. The Arts Ballroom, 1324 Locust St., alexslemonade.org/campaign/lemon-society-speakeasy.
Shucking Contest at Oyster House
Sat., Apr 21, 2 p.m., $5 admission, cash bar
For the third year in a row, Oyster House invites all comers to a bivalve-busting extravaganza. Both amateur and professional shuckers are competing, for $200 and $100, respectively. They will be judged on speed and accuracy by Kristina Jenkins of Where magazine, Allison Stadd of uwishunu.com and HughE Dillon of phillychitchat.com. The $5 entry fee includes a sampling of shucked oysters. Oyster House, 1516 Sansom St., 215-567-7683, oysterhousephilly.com.
AGBU Young Professionals' Armenian Cuisine Demo & Tasting
Fri., April 20, 7:30 p.m., $35
The Armenian General Benevolent Union Young Professionals are hosting an Armenian dinner and demo with Aline Kamakian and Barbara Drieskins, writers of the cookbook Armenian Cuisine. The authors will present dishes before leading a tasting featuring items such as homemade hummus, dolmas and tabouleh. RSVP to agbuypphilly@gmail.com. Gallery309, 309 Cherry St., agbu.org.
Great American Smoke-Out Festival at Flying Carpet Café
Fri., April 20, 4 p.m.-midnight, $25 open bar, pay as you go for food
Flying Carpet is hosting this barbecue and blues fest to raise money for P.A.W.S. Enjoy 'cue from Le Cochon Noir and pizza from Pitruco, among other snacks, while jamming to six different bands. Beer will come courtesy of Abita and Flying Fish. Twenty-five bucks gets you a bracelet to access two open bar sessions, one from 4 to 7 p.m. and the other from 9 p.m. to midnight. (Cash bar is also an option.) Five dollars of every bracelet and 10 percent of each individual drink sold goes to P.A.W.S. Flying Carpet Cafe, 1841 Poplar St., 215-235-2525, flyingcarpetcafebar.com.
