Friday Quickies #79: Pre-Halloween October Events

The adorable Japanese maids at Royal/T Café

With all the events coming up, you'd think it's already Halloween. Though truth be told, this coming weekend is probably my least food-oriented one ever--with me partaking in the Nike+ Human Race 10K, Blogger Beach Clean-up (though that will be followed by a happy hour at Pourtal's,) and a few art exhibitions opening around town that I'd like to check out. But just because I'm missing out on end-of-October festivities doesn't mean you have to (and really? 10 more weeks till 2010? I barely got used to properly dating my checks!)

Starting today until Sun., Nov 15 - Royal/T, the japanese maid cafe known for collaborations with trendy artists, designers and tastemakers around town and abroad, will be honoring all things Hello Kitty with their "Three Apples" exhibition. In addition to the Sanrio art smorgasbord, there's also a special Hello Kitty themed menu with a variety of items from waffles to high teas that will look uncannily like the 35-year-old icon from Japan. For a rundown of going-ons during this exhibition (including a fan appreciation party tomorrow,) check out their Web site.

Sat., Oct. 24, 3 p.m. - Do you eat wonton noodle soup enough to eat it by the gallon? Well, here's your chance to show your love and maybe even win some dough (pun intended) at the Bamboodles' 2nd annual wonton noodle contest. With a $2,500 grand prize (and $300 first prize,) this isn't your everyday on the fly (possibly alcohol-assisted) dare. There is no entry fee, so download and fill out the application and send/bring it in (do call the restaurant first to make sure there are still open spots)

Sun., Oct. 25, 12:45 p.m. - FoodGPS's Josh and EatingLA's Pat are at it again with the Bike Bender; following the success of their first bike bender eating & cycling tour earlier this year, they are putting together another one. Taste your way through four stops in the East Hollywood neighborhood and congratulate yourself with two pints of cold ones at beer haven Blue Palms Brewhouse. They're keeping the stops hush-hush and under wraps, but I'm sure their stops will be tasty and enlightening. The $28pp includes all tastings, tax and tips, though you may want to bring extra cash on day of in case you want additional food.

Tues., Oct. 27 - be there as global cuisine collides with Japanese beer as Susan Feniger's STREET teams up with Hitachino Nest Brewery to put together a five-course, five-beers tasting dinner. The world-inspired menu includes: Hawaiian Ono sashimi with yuzu ponzu sauce, spicy sesame mayonnaise, pink peppercorns and micro-wasabi paired with the red rice ale, crispy Sarudon noodles with kabocha squash broth that's topped with Autumn veggies and wild mushrooms against their cedar cask pale ale and a "Peking Quail" that's been in glazed in a cardamom-star anise-cinnamon-clove-infused honey alongside the XH Oak cask ale. If you reserve and pay for the $55pp dinner by today you'll even get a commemorative Hitachino glass to take home. Additional info on event at STREET's Web site.

Tues., Oct. 27 and Wed., Oct. 28 - Mid-week is all about cassoulets at the recently-opened Mid-City Frenchy Bistro LQ, where chef Laurent Quenioux has put together a simple-yet-elegant three-course meal for $40pp. The highlight, of course, is the Toulousain-style cassoulet with duck leg and pork ribs confit, two kinds of sausage AND a five-hour-baked lamb shoulder. And if you plan on attending, I highly recommend springing the supplement for their insane cheese cart & condiments.

Thurs., Oct. 29 - it's the last Thursday of the month and you know what that means, Hatchi at Breadbar Century City (this time with Eda Vesterman)! With a four elements theme and a focus on healthy gourmet fare, the eight featured dishes (at $8 each) include "Earth" of spinach-pasta lasagna layered with wild mushroom and Boucheron goat cheese, "Air" of mini-duck burgers infused with black tea in whole wheat brioche, "Fire" of filet mignon medallions with porcini, potato squares and syrah reduction and "Water" of sous-vide scallops prepared three ways with parsnip puree-corn butter, raspberry-habanero and wasabi-spinach-basil sauces. For more info and to reserve your seats, click here.

And my memorable reads of the week:

Slate examines the eco-friendliness of tofu versus animal-derived proteins

While Foreign Policy asserts that the humble potato is the "it" vegetable that ushered in the modern world

New York Times presents the many faces of fried chicken available in the Big Apple

Chicago Tribune puts up the 10 worst dining trends of this decade (including fried onion blossom, molecular gastronomy, media whoring chefs) . . .

. . . and the SeriousEat(er)s gave their retort to the "populist bashing"

SinoSoul goes groupie and went chef-a-chasing from LA's Craft to SF's SPQR

Meanwhile, GoRamen is going ramen-mastering as he moves to Japan to apprentice at a noodle house and chasing his dreams

And even though weather isn't ripe for it yet - LA Weekly's Squid Ink has some interesting trivia and a nice recipe on the Hot Toddy

Eat Drink & Be Merry consumed seven animals at Animal;of course, with the requisite beautiful photos