May 23, 2019

Parker’s Bistro has new spring menu items, and superstar Cher picked one of them for dinner before her concert recently in Sioux Falls. According to the restaurant, she chose the Buddha Bowl with quinoa, tofu, chickpeas, grilled veggies and a tahini sauce. Other recent additions include a small plates pasta dish that’s a spin on Mexican street corn and an entree with grass-fed buffalo meatballs in a spicy red sauce on a bed of house-made fettuccine.

The Co-op Natural Foods at 18th and Minnesota has added dinner hours to its hot bar. On weekdays, the kitchen offers one entree and two soups. Dishes range from beef and broccoli stir fry to vegan mac and cheese. Tuesday is always popcorn tofu day. The entrée is $7.99 a pound. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. With the later kitchen hours, the co-op’s new smoothies are now available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Holy Smokes Barbeque is serving a pop-up lunch Saturday that’s a fundraiser for Red Door Church. Father-and-son duo Paul and Zach Bauer started Holy Smokes as a competition barbecue team, but they’re branching into private events. On Saturday, they’ll be at the church’s yard sale at 807 N. Lake Ave. from 11 to 2 p.m. They’ll serve a pulled pork sandwich, chips and drink for $5, with all proceeds going to the church. Holy Smokes also will compete in next week’s PorkPalooza rib cook-off, which will benefit Feeding South Dakota.

Urban Chislic is looking for a few brave diners to try its spice challenge Saturday. Participants will be asked to eat three spicy chef’s-choice small portions, such as a chip coated with the restaurant’s Bone Dust dry rub. They’ll have a small amount of time between items, and the goal will be to find the person who can go the longest without needing a drink, said Becky Skinner, front-of-house manager. They’ll be given a glass of milk and a beer of their choice. There’s no cost to enter. Participation is limited, so if you’re up for the challenge, contact Urban Chislic. The winner gets a T-shirt and a plaque. The event starts at 2:30 p.m. at the restaurant, which is in a retail center near 85th and Minnesota.

Did you know Oh My Cupcakes also makes 6-inch cakes? Customers can order them in advance on the bakery’s recently redesigned website or call in for a more elaborate customized order. The revamped website also makes it possible to order a flavor that you might not find in the case that day.

Shahi Palace on Shirley Avenue near The Empire Mall is offering a free lunch to active-duty military and veterans through May 27.

Be Right Bites has extended its hours for summer. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The protein-packed snack maker is in The Bridges at 57th. Be Right Bites come in four flavors: peanut butter, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate chip cookie dough, and cookies and cream. Containers include five snacks, which is one serving that ranges from 300 to 350 calories.

“Alexa, ask Texas Roadhouse to put me on the wait list.” Yes, that’s a thing now. Hungry diners can use their Amazon devices to reduce their wait during busy times at the restaurant on The Empire Mall campus.