Holy wow – this year Julia Child would have been 100 years old. Her contribution cannot be taken lightly, so Jennifer James and her able crew at Jennifer James 101 are taking charge and holding a bunch of events guaranteed to put a happy purr in your tummy.

This is the basic lineup: Saturday the 11th will be a special Community Table (normally these are only on Tuesdays!).

On Sunday, August 12: cocktail party   5-7pm   $50pp

Here’s what they are serving:
cured salmon, meatballs, oysters, stuffed eggs, puffy things, peanuts…and more…

And finally, the big party:

august 15    birthday party     6pm   $100pp 
hors d’oeuvres | champagne
wild dungeness crab | bourgogne blanc
roast duck & parsnip boats | bourgogne rouge
los gatos gâteau cake | sauternes
mignardise | coffee

Find all the rest of the details and more importantly, make a reservation, at Jennifer James 101′s website.

…”all the way over” in Cedar Crest is a gem of a restaurant founded by one of the dudes behind The Range Cafe and Standard Diner.  I say “all the way over” because really, Cedar Crest is about 10 minutes from town – closer than most stuff on the Westside.  But I digress.

I like this place but don’t go a ton, but when I receive their emails for specials and new ideas, it always makes me happy they are doing well against the likes of really mediocre Chinese food and other less worthy options.

The owner and cook is Jay Wulf, and the place is Greenside Cafe.

On Valentine’s Day, Jay is offering a 4 course meal with wine pairings for $65 – yum!

Here’s the menu, to get you salivating enough to make reservations:

Courtesy of nearly zero work on my part and a good assemblage of options from the city’s website, I present to you a smattering of Valentine’s Day dining specials. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend.

Andaluz (Lucia): February 10, 11 and 14. A four course chef’s menu. Seating times are from 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. Call 505-923-9080 to reserve, or via Open Table. Cost is $65 per person.

Nativo Lodge (Spirit Wind Cafe): February 10, 11 or 14, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Featured items, plus a live guitar player on Valentine’s Day, if you like that kind of thing. Cost is $49 per person. Call 505-798-4300 to reserve.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (Pueblo Harvest Cafe): February 14th from 4pm – close.  $45.95 per person or $100 per couple, including sparkling wine. To make reservations, please call 505.724.3510.

Sandia Resort and Casino: Options for special menus are two: The Council Room restaurant will have an a la carte menu as well as a special menu for couples. Cost is $70 per couple.
The Bien Shur rooftop restaurant features a five course dinner. Cost is $125 per couple. Reservations can be made by calling (505) 796-7500.

Savoy Bar & Grill: Prix Fixe menu February 10 – February 14. $65 per person with wine pairings. $39 without wine.

Seasons Rotisserie & Grill: February 10, 11, 12, and 14th. Seasons will offer a special tasting menu in addition to their regular menu. Four courses of food with matching wines. $100 per person, which includes tax and gratuity.

Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown: February 14th. A three-course meal with four different entree options. Prices range from $24.95 – 29.95. To make reservations, please call 505.349.2520.

St. James Tearoom: February 14th. Three-course meal in the full afternoon tea tradition, long-stemmed red roses in a vase, and boxed truffles – all for only $52 per person. 11am, 1:30pm, 4pm or 6:30pm.

Torinos’ @ Home: February 14th. A cooking class and dinner on Valentine’s Day. Make ravioli, eat amazing food, take home chocolate! $95 per guest, plus gratuity. Call 505.797.4491 to make your reservation.

Tucanos Brazilian Grill: February 10, 11, 13 and 14th. What could Tucanos do? Add more meat, of course. Oh, and put roses and linens on the table. Not a bad deal, really. Lunch is $17.95 and dinner is $25.95. Reservations are being accepted at (505) 246-9900.

Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro: Februrary 14th. Zinc has extensive specials from 5 to 10pm. The Cellar Bar at Zinc will be hosting two four course dinners. Wine pairings and live music, too, for $65 per person (tax & gratuity additional).

It is (finally) chilly and the fall/winter menus are in full swing.  Here’s a little for you to nibble on in our local lineup:

Jennifer James 101 has a new menu heavily invested in roasts, comforting veggies, and luxurious soups.  PLUS, they are doing a winter Sunday dinner on 11/20 featuring the comfort foods of Italy.  With wine pairings included for $75, that’s a great pre-holiday stress season splurge for yourself.

In Los Lunas, you have to try the Greenhouse Bistro and Bakery – adorable space, friendly people and darn good food.  Plus, they’re doing a special cooking class next week featuring cured salmon.  Yum.

While the sun is out, follow the ABQ Food Trucks around town and snap up a tasty lunch or dessert with other devoted diners.

When you can no longer bear the chill in the air, about the warmest place I can think of is the “old” standby, Pars Cuisine (ack, turn off the flashing button!!!).  Bringing a tingle to your belly with Middle Eastern foods and belly dancers who show the right way to keep themselves warm, this is a great “destination” restaurant right in your backyard.

I’m off for a pig pig pig dinner, but have a great weekend and let me know if you spot great seasonal specials around town!

Thanks to a (finally) nudging forward economy, people are opening their wallets just a little bit more, and that’s benefiting some restaurants – if they’ve managed to stay open so far. Holiday eating-out traffic is probably merely stable this year, but the seasonal uptick is still occurring, especially with things like celebratory meals and gift certificate purchases. All good!

Cecilia’s downtown (a gem worth seeking out, even after the fame of Guy Fieri’s show) is cranking out hundreds of tamales for holiday orders, and Buffett’s Candies is doing well because everyone loves sugar.

Economists talk about the “lipstick index”, meaning that lipstick sales do well in recessions because it is a small luxury that won’t be done without even when times are tight.

In the food business, you might call it the “chocolate factor” – everyone loves sweets and chocolates, candies, and other confections are a cheap way to have a little treat and remind yourself that the world has not gone entirely into the crapper.  And thusly Buffett’s does well, Van Rixel Brothers is cranking along with awards all over the place, and the same goes for Cocopotamus – they’ve been featured in HUGE publications like Martha Stewart and other girly-type magazines as a healthy indulgence, and Theobroma is still one of the local torchbearers of chocolate.

All hail the locally-owned producers of deliciousness!