Also this issue:

Northern Light
Chef David Cunningham has made the Yardley Inn worth the drive.
-Maxine Keyser

October 31-November 6, 2002

food

offthemenu

by Frank Lewis

Imbibery charges: Sommelier Marnie Old leads wine tastings at Ristorante Panorama (Penn’s View Hotel, North Front and Market streets), beginning Nov. 11 at 7 p.m., with “Introduction to Italy and the Wines of Tuscany,” the first of a three-parter on Italian wines. The tastings are $45 per person. To register, e-mail marnieold@aol.com or call 215-351-9985.… Brasserie Perrier (1619 Walnut St., www.brasserieperrier.com) and Vine Street Imports are teaming up for a night of delicacies and fine French wines, Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.… Chef Ben McNamara of New Wave Café (784 S. Third St., www.newwavecafe.com) has added a tasting menu, with recommended, by-the-glass wine pairings, $45 per.… Maggiano’s Little Italy (12th and Filbert sts., Philadelphia, and 205 Mall Blvd., King of Prussia, www.maggianos.com) has two wine dinners coming up, on Nov. 7 (European cuisine with American influences served with Mondavi wines, at the Philly location) and Nov. 13 (seasonal dishes and Franciscan wines, King of Prussia). Each is $75 per person.… Nodding Head Brewery (1516 Sansom St., www.noddinghead.com) came home from the recent Great American Beer Festival in Denver with gold and bronze medals for head brewer Brandon Greenwood’s Grog and BoHo Pilsner, respectively. Iron Hill Brewery (West Chester and Media, Pa., and Newark, Del., www.ironhillbrewery.com) picked up bronzes for its Pig Iron Porter and Triple.… Fork (306 Market St., www.forkrestaurant.com) resumes its beer series with a $65-per-person meal of Thai food and offerings from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery of Delaware on Nov. 11, 6:30 p.m.

Eat for a good cause: MANNA -- the Metropolitan AIDS Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance -- is back with its annual Pie in the Sky benefit. It's simple -- donate $20, get your pick of five gourmet pies (personally, I'm dyin' for a hunk of the sweet potato from Delilah's Southern Café). For details or to place an order, call 866-SKY-PIES or visit www.mannapa.org.

Specials: Tir na Nóg, Bar & Grill -- billed as "New American with Celtic Influence" -- has opened in The Phoenix, 1600 Arch St.... Reading Terminal Market this week introduces two new merchants, Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars and Caviar Assouline, and two newly expanded shops, Andro’s Fine and Prepared Foods and Foster’s Gourmet Cookware. For info about the ongoing First Wednesdays at The Market program, visit www.readingterminalmarket.org.... There's still time to partake in the Halloween-themed dinner-and-a-tour deal at London Grill (2301 Fairmount Ave., www.londongrill.com): $50 gets you a three-course meal and tickets to the seasonally scary doings in nearby Eastern State Penitentiary. Reservations required.

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