Katz Club Diner hosts a pop-up French Bistro Night

Try something new and different by attending a one-of-a-kind food event on Dec. 17.

Chef Doug Katz and his staff at the Katz Club Diner, 1975 Lee Rd. in Cleveland Heights, are hosting a pop-up French Bistro Night in the historic dining car. The ongoing series of pop-up dinners at the Katz Club Diner offer an opportunity to experiment with dishes from around the world.

The French Bistro Night menu includes pork rillettes with orange marmalade and baguettes, and frisee salad with lardon and poached egg. The entree is beef bourguignon with roasted vegetables. The main course is followed by Bloomfield camembert cheese with walnut and raisin croustades and a dessert of creme caramel.

Counter and community table seating is $63 per person. Tax and tip are included and beverages are sold separately. There are no cancellations, but reservations are transferrable. Guests should review the menu carefully, since the kitchen cannot accommodate dietary restrictions with the evening's special menu.

Visit www.thekatzclubdiner.com to make reservations.

Ohio is ranked #18 for its love of green bean casserole

With more than 30 million green bean casseroles set to appear on Thanksgiving tables this week, Del Monte released the results of its latest survey.

Ohio is ranked #18 in the U.S. for love of green bean casserole, according to the Del Monte Green Bean Index.

Del Monte, the country's prominent grower and distributor of green beans, asked 3,000 Americans to "go green bean" and rate whether or not they plan to eat the classic green bean casserole side dish this Thanksgiving. Del Monte also asked U.S. and Ohio residents to rate their favorite "secret ingredient" that makes their green bean, cream of mushroom and fried onion casserole unique and different.

In Ohio, 38 percent of residents surveyed said they expect to dine on green bean casserole this Thanksgiving. The #1 lover of green bean casserole is the state of Louisiana, with 60 percent surveyed expecting to put green bean casserole on the holiday table.

Secret ingredients used to spice up the flavor of the classic dish include, in order of voted preference: bacon, mushrooms, cheese, grilled onions, almonds, sausage, bread crumbs or crushed crackers, garlic, jalapenos or hot sauce, and sour cream

Quaker Steak and Lube to be acquired by TravelCenters

Quaker Steak and Lube, the Sharon, PA-based restaurant chain, has filed for bankruptcy protection, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The chain expects to be acquired by TravelCenters of America for $25 million. The deal calls for Quaker Steak, with more than 50 locations nationwide, to retain its brand and possible expand under the new owner.
TravelCenters of America has more than 500 quick and full-service restaurants in 43 states. The company said it will convert some TravelCenter to Quaker Steak and Lubes.

According to a statement from the companies, a bankruptcy filing Monday by Quaker Steak included details of the proposed acquisition. TravelCenters has already made a deposit on the acquisition and has agreed to offer jobs to "substantially all" of Quaker Steak's current employees.

In other chain restaurant news, McDonald's Corp will start the new year by introducing a new value menu that it hopes will attract cost-conscious customers.

According to a report by the National Restaurant Association, the new "McPick 2" menu, starting on Jan. 4, will allow customers to pick a pair of items for a total of $2 from among four choices: the McDouble and McChicken sandwiches, a small order of fries and mozzarella sticks.

Finding the right value offering has been a trouble spot for the company. McDonald's has struggled for year to find the right formula, with precious tweaks that included the "Extra Value Menu" in 2012 and the "Dollar Menu and More" the following year.

Other fast-food chains have also struggles to find the right pricing balance on their menus. Last month, Wendy's introduced a "4 for $4" deal, consisting of a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger, chicken nuggets, fries and drink.

McDonald's McPick menu will be available for five weeks, after which time the company might alter the items, the National Restaurant Association reported.

Reserve your place at the Amp 150 harvest table

Welcome the winter season by dining family style with other local food lovers.

The final harvest dinner of the year takes place at Amp 150 this Friday, Nov. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The chefs were inspired by the bounty of squash, apples and sweet potatoes to devise a hearty and delicious menu.

The meal will begin with appetizers of sausage-stuffed peppers with tomato ragout and arancini served with squash, Fontina and beet chips. The second course is squash soup with pumpernickel croutons and roasted squash salad with pumpkin seed brittle, Lake Erie Creamery goat cheese and apple vinaigrette.

Entrees include scallops with farro and brussels sprouts, pork tenderloin with cabbage and apples, and ricotta gnocchi with sweet potato, pecans and sage brown butter. Dessert is pumpkin panna cotta with five-spice ice cream and apple pie with salty caramel.

The cost for the dinner is $45 per person. Phone 216-706-8787 to reserve your place at the harvest table.
Amp 150 is at 4277 W. 150th St.

Eat, drink and be scary at Playhouse SCARE!

Get in the Halloween spirit and join the "Creepy Crawl" through the Playhouse Square district on Oct. 29 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Participating restaurants and bars will be featuring some great food and drink specials. Attend free seances in the Connor Palace with psychic medium Marianne Goldweber, beginning at 7 p.m. and running until 11 p.m.

Register to win restaurant gift certificates at every location and qualify to win the grand prize of a luxury Playhouse Square gift package.

Haunted happy hour specials can be enjoyed at the following establishments: Bin 216, Cibreo, Cowell & Hubbard, District, Encore and Blue Bar, Hofbrauhaus, Parnell's, pHuel Cafe and Sung's House.

No tickets are required. This event is free. Visit www.playhousesquare.org for details, or phone 216-771-4444.

'Tis the season for Great Lakes Brewing Company Christmas Ale
Ale-leluia!
Great Lakes Brewing Company taps the first keg of this season's Christmas Ale at its Ohio City brewpub on Oct. 21.
The brewpub will open promptly at 11 a.m. and Brewer Santa will deliver the keg of Christmas Ale at 11:30 a.m. Steve Ormiston, winner of this year's Christmas Ale First Pour Poetry Contest, will read his poem right before receiving the first taste of the season.
Admission to the First Pour Party is free and open to the public. In addition to fresh Christmas Ale, the party will feature a new winter seasonal Ohio City Oatmeal Stout on tap, cinnamon sugar barley pretzels and Christmas Ale sausage, treats from Brewnuts and Ohio City Oatmeal Stout beer floats. DJ Misfit Toy will play holiday vinyl from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Make a wish and take your picture with Santa. Donate to the Domestic Violence & Child's Advocacy Center and receive a cinnamon yule log made from recycled materials. Get a head start on your holiday shopping in the gift shop featuring new Christmas Ale merchandise.
Christmas Ale bottles and kegs will be available in the gift shop and throughout the Great Lakes Brewing Company distribution market beginning Oct. 26.

"A Taste in Strongsville: Savor the Flavor" benefits local food banks 
Sample the culinary creations of some of Northeast Ohio's top chefs at the annual, "A Taste in Strongsville: Savor the Flavor" on Oct. 8. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
The event takes place at Petitti's Garden Center, 18941 Pearl Rd. Tickets are $85 each and include food samples, wine and craft beers and an array of desserts. Tickets to the VIP lounge, with a private reception at 5:30 p.m., are $150 each. Valet parking is included. Some of the restaurants that will be represented are: Barrio, Blue Point Grille, B-Spot, Butcher & Brewer, Tremont Tap House, DC Pasta, Don's Pomeroy House, Fahrenheit, Johnny's Little Bar, Lager and Vine, Old Carolina BBQ, Press Wine Bar, Market, Rosewood Grille, Triv's and Zack Bruell Restaurants.
A highlight of "A Taste in Strongsville" is a raffle for a red carpet tour of the Napa Valley for four people. The adventure begins with a welcoming reception at the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.The winning ticket holder will stay in Yountville at the Villagio Inn and Spa for three nights with a champagne brunch each morning. A wine dinner at Bottega with reserve wines is included. Two days of limousine service is provided to escort you to and from the wineries. There is a stipend of $2,500 to defer the cost of airfare and ground transportation. Also included are four private tours and luxury tastings at Far Niente, Frog's Leap, Duckhorn and Silver Oak wineries. Raffle tickets are $100 each. The winning ticket will be drawn the evening of the benefit event.
Proceeds from "A Taste in Strongsville" benefit local food banks. Visit www.tasteinstrongsville.com for details.