Free Chefs Week Parties; St. Jack Launches Late Night Happy Hour

PARTY TIME, EXCELLENT — Chefs Week kicks off tonight, but even if you didn't get tickets, you can still hit the four free after parties. Thursday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. head to Jackknife Bar for drinks from Amity Vineyards, Bacardi, Double Mountain Brewery, and Union Wine. Friday Feb. 6 at 10 p.m. the party moves to Stumptown Coffee Downtown, where Bacardi, Breakside Brewery and Soter Vineyards will be pouring, plus you can snack on bites from Roman Candle. On Saturday Feb 7 at 10 p.m. the party is at Elder Hall, with Bacardi, Commons Brewery, Reverend Nat's Hard Cider, and Union Wine, plus bites from Smokehouse 21. And Sunday Feb. 8, the closing party is at Cooper's Hall, with food from Urban Farmer's Matt Christianson and Chris Starkus, oysters from Olympia Oyster Co., and, of course, more Bacardi.

NORTHWEST — You've just left the movie theater, you're hungry, but don't want greasy bar food. Well, you're in luck. Starting Friday, Feb. 6, you can get fancy belly busters like poutine du jour, lamb merguez sandwiches, and steak frites at bargain prices during St. Jack's new late night happy hour. It's offered daily from Sunday through Thursday from 9 to 11 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

NE ALBERTA — Case Study is offering customers the chance to taste for themselves how coffee fruit impacts the flavor of the coffee bean. Friday Feb. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Alberta Street location, you can order a flight of coffees made from the Pacamara varietal from Finca Los Congos in Nicaragua. Taste a brew made with just the coffee fruit itself (aka cascara "tea"), one made with coffee that has been picked and dried with the fruit still on (aka natural process), and one made with coffee that has been cleaned of the fruit after picking (aka washed process).

NORTHEAST — 24th and Meatballs just added booze to its ballsy lineup. One of The Ocean's micro-restaurants, the shop now offers a range of cocktails, from an Aperol Spritz to a low-brow vodka-spiked Kool-Aid, plus "meatshots" — your shot of choice with a $1 meatball on the side. During happy hour from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. cocktails are $1 off, and you can get two meatball sliders and a beer for $6. They've also launched free delivery to local customers.

CHOCOLATE — Just in time for Valentine's Day, you can sample all the new truffle bar flavors from inventive Portland chocolatier Xocolatl de David: Orange Cardamom, Rose Hips and Berries, Peanut Butter, Coconut Lemongrass, "Salt and Pepper," and Earl Grey Tea. Tastings are Sunday, Feb. 8 from 2-4 p.m. at Pastaworks; Friday, February 13 from 3-6 p.m. at Cacao on SW 13^th Ave.; and Saturday, Feb. 14 from 11-4pm at Logsden Ales Tasting Room downtown Hood River.

OLD TOWN — Once a year on Fat Tuesday, Bowery Bagels serves up pączki, a Polish, jelly doughnut-like pastry plumped up with apple, vanilla cream, chocolate cream, or prune fillings. But if you want some you better place your order now. They're only  available on Tuesday, Feb. 17 while they last. That week they'll also offer a lemongrass chicken bagel sandwich and hot & sour soup in honor of the Lunar New Year.