January may be cold, but it’s full of hot local food events

Thisyearc ame in smoking hot when it comes to food events, with a bevy to consider.

Here is my list of January food events happening this month that look pretty tasty.

Jan. 9-13: Oyster Fest Lily’s Bistro, 329 E. Fifth St., Dayton lilysbistro.com

Lily’s Bistro will be throwing its first annual Oyster Fest featuring a special m enuof$2fresh oysters, oyster shooters and other special preparations of oysters all week. Reservations are recommended for this h ighlya nticipated week of oyster specials. Call (937) 723-7637 or book through open table at: http://lilysbistro.com/reservations-2

Jan. 13: Winter Wine Festival

Citilites Dayton, Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton www.victoriatheatre.com Visit themed stations and explore wines with experts at each station, including representatives from Banfi Wines, Terra D’Oro Winery, Prisoner Wine Company, Napa Cellars, Neyers Vineyards, Conn Creek, Piatelli, and many more. A buying guide will be provided for atte ndeesto make notes on the more than 50 wines that will be featured, and retail purchases will be available at the end of the event. Tickets include samples from each wine sta- tion, an artisan cheese and charcuterie station and parking in the Arts Garage.

Jan.14:BloodyMary Showdown

Montgomery County Fair & Fairgrounds, 1043 S. Main St., Dayton

www.daytonmostmetro. com

The Bloody Mary Showdown returns for a third year. First-year defending champ MacKenzie Manley from Mack’s Tavern tied last year with Scott Conrad from Vue Ultra Lounge. Who will take home the prize this year? The audience judges this event — purchase your judging credentials for $25 which gives you the chance to ta stee ight 4-ounce Bloody Marys and one vote for your favorite. Up gradetoVIP tickets for $40 and you’ll get early entry at 11 a.m. and 12 tasting tickets as well as two votes for your favorite.

Jan. 16-21: Eat.Drink. Arts! A Taste and a Toast for Culture Various locations cultureworks.org

This new collaborative effort spearheaded by Cultu re Works will bring together culinary, visual, and performing artists to cultivate and enhance resources for the visual and performing arts community. Enjoy creative cocktails, inspired menus, and one-of-a-kind arts experi encesatsome favorite Dayton-area restaurants — all while supporting local arts organizations.

Here’s some of what’s being planned:

■ Blue Note Bistro & Lounge: Tues, Jan 16: Enjoy a meat and cheese plate and bottle of house wine for just $35 per couple while you enjoy Deron Bell & Daniel Cook in a dueling piano battle. Requestyourf avori te song and be prepared to sing along.

■ Brixx Ice Company: Tues, Jan 16: Dine on an 8-ounce premium center cut sirloin grilled to perfection with your choice of two sides while enjoying live entertainment for just $15 per person.

■ Mudlick Tap House: Wed, Jan 17: A private four-cou rseelements theme ddin ner with select wi nepai rings for $55 per person will offer hungry diners a sneak peek of the upcoming DVAC exhibition, Stratum, the artists Amy Kollar Anderson and Kate Huser Santucci will create a paint ingdur ing the dinner in a lightning round collaboration.

■ Texas Beef and Barbecue: Thurs, Jan 18: Dine on real Texas BBQ while watching The Mural Machine in action. A brisket, sausage or pulled por k plate (comes with 2 sides) for dinner for with banana pudding and te aorle monade will be priced at $20 per person.

■ Amber Rose Restaurant: Jan 19: Enjoya four course dinner with Human Race Resident Artist Jennifer Joplin, performing a portion of the show “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End.” The $35 per person meal will feature a charcuterie board, butternut squash soup, smoked bone-in pork chop topped with cinnamon apple chutney served with savory smashed sweet potatoes and chocolate mousse with fresh berries to wrap things up.

Jan. 17: Sneak to Winter Restaurant Week

Prime Time Party Rental, 5225 Springboro Pike, Moraine www.dineoutdayton.com Be the first to sample the Winter Restaurant Week menus from over10par ticipating restaurants at Prime Time Party Rental on Jan. 17 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are just $20.18 in advance and include one drink ticket. Restaurants include Amber Rose, Basil’s on Market, Coco’s Bistro, Dewberry 1850, ele Cake Co and Wine Bistro, El Meson, Lily’s Bistro, Meadowlark, Roost, Salar Restaurant, Watermark, Wheat Penny and more.

20: Premium Barbecue Menu

Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E. Fourth St., Dayton

www.yellowcabtavern. com

Guests will get to try seven different types of premium cut barbecue along with sides and dessert. Here’s what’s on the menu: Brisket, burnt ends, pulled pork, smoked chicken, shaved smoked prime rib with a horseradish sauce, smoked lobster with fresh homemade pasta and a saffron brown butter cr eamsauce, mac and cheese, rainbow carrotc oleslaw, roasted red pota toes, green beans, corn muffins and for dessert a pumpkin honey rum bread pudding. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/premium-barbecue-tasting-menu-tickets-41603360772. They will be offering two seatings at 6 and 8 p.m. A cash bar will be open with drinks for purchase.

Jan. 20: Trudi’s Famous Schnitzel Dinner and Dance

Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club, 1400 E. Fifth St., Dayton

www.daytongermanclub. org

If you just can’t wait for the Germanfest Picnic in August to get your schnitzel fix, Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club has an event just for you. They are fixing panfried schnitzel with all the trimmings and will have dancing afterwards featuring the Alpen Echoes. Dinner is by advance reser- vation only. Pre-paid reservat ionscanbemadeby contacting Heidi Gasper at 937-510-1662 by Jan. 13.

Jan. 20: Healthy Eating on a Budget

Wright Memorial Public Library, 1776 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood

This interactive presentation will teach you how to be a savvy shopper and follow basic steps for healthy eating on a budget. Get practical tips, tools, and hacks on how to eatlikeak ing (or queen), choose healthy foods, and spend like a pauper. Topics will include meal planning, ideas for re-makeovers, (commonly known as leftovers), and saving money at the grocery. Bring your watches as a 15-minute dish will be created with a lively discussion of the technique, nutrition ,andhowthis dish and other recipes can save yo u m oney led by Dietitian, Juanita WeaverReiss.

Jan. 21-28: Winter taurant Week

Various locations www.dineoutdayton.com Restaurant week is a bright spot in January dining offering participants the chance to discover something new — whether it’s a new restaurant or a fresh dish at an old favorite. The seasonal promotion presents an opportunitytos ample the best that local restaurants have to offer in the form of three-course meals priced at $20.18, $25.18, or $30.18 at a variety of restaurants all over town.

Visit the Miami Valley Restaurant Association’s web site, dineoutdayton. com, to purchase tickets to the Restaurant Week sneak peek or to find out the most up-to-date information about Winter Restaurant Week.

24: Cook the Book: The Barefoot Con-

Market, 6177Far Hills Ave., Centerville www.dorothylane.com Celebrity chefs are famous for a reason — their recipes work and the food always looks amazingly appetizing. Are these recipesreallyase asy to prepareastheymake themlookonTV?Dorothy Lane Market’s Culinary Center team will show you afe w of their favorite recipes from cookbooks they love. This $50 class will be paired with wine.

Jan. 25: Dewberry 1850 Toxic Brew Company Beer Dinner

1414 S. Patterson Blvd, Dayton http://dewberry1850.com Dewberry 1850, the newly remodeled restaurant inside the University of Dayton Marriott, will host its first beer dinner of 2018 in collaboration with Toxic Brew Company on Jan. 25 . Tickets are $40 and must be purchased in advance.

Jan. 27-28: Baconfest All three Dorothy Lane Markets www.dorothylane.com

It will be all about bacon at the end of the month at DLM, when bacon-infused goodness will reign supreme with more than 25 products showing this porky pleasure. Look for the Baconfest insignia and taste more than 10 specialties throughout the store.

Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? Email Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com

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