Next Thursday night, yoke up your oxen and head down to East Passyunk. Townsend, chef Tod Wentz’ Francophile restaurant and bar, is hosting The Oregon Wine Trail — a dinner that will highlight the best of the state’s wines. The dinner will feature five courses of Townsend’s seasonal, always-exquisite French cuisine paired with bottles from Day Wines, Ross & Bee Maloof Wines, Fossil & Fawn, and Franchere Wine Company. Hopefully, no one contracts dysentery while transporting the wines to south Philly. Spots for the “greetings and libations” portion of the evening, which begins at 6:30, and the prixe fixe dinner are going for $95 (including wine). Snag a reservation by calling 267-639-3203. Be respectful of our online community and contribute to an engaging conversation. We reserve the right to ban impersonators and remove comments that contain personal attacks, threats, or profanity, or are flat-out offensive. By posting here, you are permitting Philadelphia magazine and Metro Corp. to edit and republish your comment in all media.

The comprehensive guide for an elegant entertaining event.Preserve everything from your finest vintage to more mainstay wines with these indispensable tips on keeping wine fresh. Set the (wine) bar high!  Wine knowledge comes easy when your personal taste determines the fundamentals. Talk taste and tannins with this elegant party idea tailored to educate, enliven and entertain. Place this handy scorecard with a golf pencil at each guest's table setting. Spice up your next meaty meal with a zesty, bright red wine from this uniquely American grape. Cool off with wine from the colder climes of Alsace.   A rich, buttery body and a sweet tinge make this white wine perfect for late summer afternoons or Asian fare. Taste it all with this versatile, luscious red.  Native to Spain, it's a standby for tapas and blends well with a range of flavors. This unique Sauvignon Blanc varietal comes out of the gate with fruity gusto and a crisp, tangy personality.

Dinner Party Plan & Prep Worried about what you'll need to do two weeks, two days, or two hours before your dinner party? Check out our step-by-step strategy. Music Tips and Exit Strategies Details, details: Here's how to take care of the soundtrack, the clean-up crew, and that last, lingering guest. Musical Tips and Exit StrategiesBlow Your Paycheck on Dallas's Nine Finest Tasting Menus Looking to splurge on a fancy dinner for a birthday, an anniversary, or just a random Tuesday night? An elaborate multi-course tasting menu might just fit the bill. These extra-special — and extra-expensive — menus allow diners to experience a more focused culinary experience based on the chef's vision. Next time you're looking to drop some coin on a memorable meal, these nine Dallas restaurants and their ever-evolving tasting menus won't disappoint. Kent Rathbun’s ritzy McKinney Avenue mainstay has several options for tasting menus to suit a variety of budgets. A five course tasting menu is $65, and includes two land dishes, two sea dishes, and a dessert.

The eight course tasting, at $95, adds two extra land and sea courses. Making your reservation at Abacus may be a little tricky – on Monday through Thursday, parties of all sizes can order the tasting menu throughout the evening, and Friday and Saturday the menus are only available for 6:30 or 9:30 seatings for parties of 8-12 people. Bijoux offers two tasting menu options, one of which is unlike any other in the city. best wine in a box canadaFor $90 or so per person, you can indulge in a six-course tasting menu that is prepared entirely with vegetarian ingredients. best wine for your dietBijoux also offers a tasting for omnivores, available at the same price, and full of delicious animal proteins. best wine bottles 2015

Wine pairings are an additional $50, and the menu is only available Thursday through Saturday. Make sure your reservation is made 24 hours in advance. 3 The French Room If you live in Dallas, going to The French Room for a tasting menu at least once is a requirement. You won’t find the most inventive cuisine or modernist techniques, but you will find French food that is fabulously prepared every night of the week. best red wine accessoriesMake a reservation for the tasting menu, which will run you $110 per person. wine red makeupAdd wine for $55, and pretend that you’re actually not maxing out your credit card in order to dine here. good wine with high alcohol content Chef Matt McCallister’s produce-based $110 tasting menu is available by reservation only, and you can expect that each seasonal, locally-grown garnish will be beautifully -- and deliciously -- tweezed into place.

Add $55 sommelier-chosen wine pairings if you’re really looking to round out the experience. Note that you can only reserve a seat for the tasting menu on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. Dallas’s best-kept secret has a fantastic tasting menu that's heavily influenced by the fresh bounty of the region’s local farms. Seven “petite courses” make up the tasting menu at Local, and you’ll need to make a reservation for your tasting in advance. At $70, this tasting menu is also a bargain, especially when you consider that chef-chosen wine pairings are only an additional $30. 6 The Mansion Restaurant If you’re looking for a truly luxurious tasting menu experience, The Mansion is your best bet. Each of the four menus on offer highlight a specific ingredient or dining category, which means that everyone at your table can choose their own experience. Your entire party will need to partake in the $95-per-person tasting, and wine pairings are an additional $50.

Chef Bruno Davaillon also does an occasional “carte blanche” tasting menu for $151 that gives the chef full creative license. (Do note that tasting menus won't be available during Restaurant Week.) 7 Spoon Bar & Kitchen While chef John Tesar’s new steakhouse is the talk of the town, his seafood restaurant in Preston Center is still one of the best places in town to dine on the fruits of the sea. Tesar’s $125 tasting menu is available every day of the week with a reservation, and diners can add wine pairings for $75. As a bonus, Spoon's tasting often includes caviar, truffles, and other indulgent accoutrement that most other restaurants typically charge a supplemental fee for. Chef Stephan Pyles’s self-named restaurant has been pleasing discerning diners in Dallas for decades, and the tasting menu is equally diner-driven. Executive Chef Kyle Barham “tailor-makes” six-to-ten course tasting menus for each guest, starting at $95, or $120 with wine pairings. Reservations aren’t even required, so it’s possible that you could spontaneously breeze in for a tasting at Stephan Pyles after a night out in the Arts District.