Oct. 7, 2021

Josiah’s Coffeehouse, Café & Bakery has created daily lunch specials: Meatloaf Monday, Turkey Tuesday, chicken pot pie on Wednesday and goulash on Thursday.

If you missed your chance to try the winner of September’s Downtown Pork Showdown – the Pulled Pork Wellington at Chef Lance’s on Phillips – you’re in luck. Starting Saturday, it will be available for the rest of the month.

The Frontenac Gris and La Crescent grapes have been picked off the vines at Strawbale Winery, so it’s time to celebrate. The winery northwest of Renner is hosting its annual Harvest Festival from 11 a.m.to 5 p.m. Saturday. “We’ll have a wine-tasting tent, wines by the glass, wine-based slushies, craft and domestic beers, and wines by the bottle,” said events coordinator Elizabeth Schumacher. “For the kids, we’ve got our popular blue raspberry slushies, pop and juice boxes.” Discounts will be offered on Strawbale’s wines and ciders. Festival-goers will find activities for kids, food trucks and vendors selling locally made products. The Shamrockers will provide live music.

Strawbale Harvest Festival will offer local food, music, art – and, of course, wine

Roundhouse Brew Pub has a new Monday night football special. Get all-you-can-eat nachos, onion rings or french fry baskets for $8 per person with the purchase of a beer or cocktail.

Wishing for something to nibble on while drinking at Glacial Lakes Distillery & Brewhouse? The new cocktail lounge at 10th and Main has added charcuterie boards from local Cultivated in Love. Options include fruit, veggie or crostini, and they come in sizes for one, two or four people. They’re available daily. The tasting room for the South Dakota-made liquor also has added wine. Popular varieties such as cabernet, rose and sauvignon blanc are available by the bottle.

The drive-thru is up and running at Kabab King Restaurant and Market. The business, which started as a food truck, moved into the former Taco John’s building on East 10th Street earlier this year, initially offering service only at the counter. The menu features favorites from the food truck such as kababs, shawarma, gyros, falafel and chislic, and owner Moe Fares is running a special in October with 20 percent off the entire menu. Grocery store items are marked down 10 percent.

Oktoberfest foods are the highlight of this month’s featured menu at Tinner’s Public House. Traditional options include Kartoffelpuffer, or potato pancakes, Rinderrouladen, Schweineschnitzel and Oktoberfest Beer Bratwurst. For an American spin, try the Oktobrat Flatbread. Drink specials for the month include Sour Grapes, Raspberry Lemon Sour Smash, Strawberry Tequila Fizz, Dagg Nabbit, Red Rum Mojito.

It’s mac-and-cheese season, and Fazoli’s has three additions to the menu: panko-crusted, lobster and Angus beef. Another seasonal favorite that’s worth noting is back on the menu: pumpkin cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.

Changes in service, hours

The Phillips Avenue Diner is now open seven days a week. The downtown eatery has added Tuesday hours.The full schedule is 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

KK & Sons Lao & Thai Food is closed indefinitely because the staff came into contact at the end of September with someone who tested positive for COVID, according to a post on social media.

The new FatKid Saloon in Salem has added evening hours for Monday through Wednesday as it ramps up. The restaurant from the owners of Fat Kid Filly’s is open from 5 to 10 p.m. those nights.

TJz Bar & Restaurant in Colton announced curtailed hours last week but has returned to opening at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Sunday.