Special Dinners at Gruner, BridgePort, Otto, MORE

WEST END—Gruner takes a minor detour away from its Alpine-inspired cuisine for a four-course Italian wine pairing dinner scheduled for tomorrow evening (Wednesday, April 18). Chef de cuisine Jake Sheffield serves up a meal inspired by Cantina Tramin, a co-op wine producer in Northern Italy's Alto Adige wine region, with a dinner including courses like a warm chicory salad with prosciutto and a marsala chicken liver crouton; and duck sugo with polenta and a red wine-tomato sauce. Reservations are $75 and available here.

PEARL DISTRICT—The team behind the Viva Vegan Conference will host an all-vegan pairing dinner on Sunday, April 22 at the Pearl's BridgePort Brewing, featuring four courses of animal-free eats, all served with samples of BridgePort beers. Expect dishes like vegan mac and cheese, a raw veggie "taco salad" and a mini vegan meatloaf served with miso barbecue sauce and veggies. The $50 dinner will raise funds for Merciful Maiden, an animal sanctuary in Klamath, Oregon; more information here.

DOWNTOWN—Local selmelier Mark Bitterman (of N. Mississippi salt shop the Meadow) will collaborate with Heathman chef Michael Stanton for a four-course "salt-inspired" dinner on Monday, April 23. The dinner — which includes a cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres passed on salt plates — will highlight salts like Garibaldi salt (served in a hamachi crudo), a Maine hickory-smoked salt (highlighted in a poached duck egg dish), and Piran sel gris (which is used in a roast lamb entree). Reservations are $70, with cocktail/wine pairings available for an additional $20. More information available by calling the restaurant.

SOUTHEAST—Otto once again welcomes guest chef Mark Dunleavy for a five-course wine pairing dinner with Salem's St. Innocent Winery on Wednesday, April 25. The menu features courses like poached opah with fennel broth (paired with St. Innocent Pinot Gris Vitae);honey-glazed duck breast (with a pour of Pinot Noir Teperance); a smoked pork cheese and pickled tongue salad (served with a Pinot Noir Zennith). Reservations are $60 and available by calling the restaurant.

Image of Gruner courtesy Avila/EPDX