Around Town:
The fish connoisseurs at Weird Fish (2199 Mission at 18th St.) are getting ready to spawn! The former Wang Fat Market next door is undergoing a transformation into what will soon be a wine bar and cafe called The Corner. The Dish caught up with Timothy Holt, Weird Fish's man with the plan, before he headed to Italy for a little research and development. "The cafe will be very influenced by my trip," says Holt, who expects The Corner to open at the end of summer. "We'll have a baker, small plates, cheeses. There's going to be music, outside seating."
"I want to have a kind of winebar feel," he continues. "I hate calling it that, but in terms of the crowd, in terms of making people feel comfortable... but I don't want to call it lowbrow either. It's going to be for everyone. The music is going to be there - something real mellow - the vibe is going to be there. The music and the nighttime are definitely going to be a huge part of it."
Join the godfather of contemporary Italian cuisine and American Iron Chef, Mario Batali, and local bookseller Book Passage for a luncheon at Il Fornaio (1265 Battery at Greenwich) this Monday, May 5. The superstar chef and author of Molto Italiano will be plugging Italian Grill, his newest creation, while participants tuck into a special meal with selections from Il Fornaio's menu. All guests also receive a copy of the book. The event kicks off at noon. $125 per person. For reservations, visit www.bookpassage.com.
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While I'm not much of a wine drinker myself, I do know one thing for sure: I like white wine, and among all the whites that I've flirted with, I like Sauvignon Blanc the best. Why, exactly, I couldn't tell you. Something about the crispness and the flavor of muscat -- to gauge just how much of a wine idiot I am, every time I drink a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, I can't help but crave those awesome Kasugai Muscat Gummy candies. If you like those, you'll probably like the wine. And, in turn, you'll probably like South Food + Wine Bar's upcoming ABC (anything but chardonnay) blanc party, this Sunday May 4 from 3:00 -- 6:00 p.m. It will be an afternoon chock full of white wines, including Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewuztraminer and of course Sauvignon Blanc -- all of them hailing from South's home turf in Australia. Tickets run $35 a piece and include nibbles. RSVP to events@southfwb.com and don't forget to leave a contact number and drop "ABC" in the subject line.
-- Brian Bernbaum
