Mid-November Eating: Winemakers Dinners, Izakaya

Image of the Bent Brick courtesy Avila/EPDX

Now that it's November 1, here comes pressure to solidify those Thanksgiving plans... but randomly, the local calendar is packed with gorging opportunities the week prior to Thanksgiving proper. For those looking to pre-func turkey day by stretching their gullets, here's a quick round-up of food events for the week of November 12:

Classic Wine Auction: Winemakers Dinners
When: Tuesday, November 13
Where: Various locations
How much: $150
What: The schmancy folks at Classic Wines Auction, which raises funds for charity via oneophiles' love of wine, will throw their annual Fall Winemaker Dinner series in mid-November, featuring 21 wineries teaming up with 17 Portland restaurants for unique pairing dinners. As of press time, only three dinners have seats remaining, and they're all scheduled for Tuesday, November 13: Syncline Wine Cellars and Helioterra Wines will visit NW's the Bent Brick, downtown's Mucca Osteria welcomes Italian wines by Admiralty Beverage Co., and downtown's Nel Centro pairs with Bethel Heights Vineyard. More information and reservations available here.

Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration 2012
When: Friday, November 16
Where: The Heathman Restaurant & Bar, 1001 SW Broadway
How much: $70
What: As per annual tradition, the French-American Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance Française of Portland team up to celebrate the new harvest of Beaujolais Nouveau wine. In addition to an impressive spread cooked up by the Heathman (past years have featured an all-you-can-eat French buffet complete with raw bar, charcuterie, cheese, hot food stations, and a serious dessert table), wine pours include both French imports and local varieties from Oregon and Washington wineries. More information and tickets available here.

Izakaya 2012
When: Friday, November 16
Where: The Jupiter Hotel, 800 E. Burnside St.
How much: $35 (with the coupon code SUPPORTPDX)
What: Local Japanese restaurants and sake brewers team up to celebrate Japanese pub culture with Izakaya, a tasting event that will occupy 3,000 square feet of Lower Burnside's Jupiter Hotel. Restaurants like Biwa, Masu, Miho Izakaya, and Wafu will be on-hand to offer bites like a three-sesame pork with quail egg (courtesy Miho), while booze comes courtesy SakeOne, Rogue, and Gigantic Brewing (among others). Proceeds from the event benefit the Japan-America Society of Oregon. More information — including DJ, artist, and performer line-up — here.