Beer dinner at Urbanite, wine dinner at Oceanaire

Urbanite Bistro, 62 NE 14th St., Miami, inaugurates a series of craft-beef dinners hosted by Chris Montelius of South Florida's Fresh Beer at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The six-course menu includes Woodpecker Pear Cider with wild mushroom empanadas, Ayinger Hefe Weizen with wild mussels, Victory Pilsner with alligator egg rolls, Victory Smoking King Stout with Moroccan lamb sliders, Rogue Chocolate Stout with short ribs and Seadog Wild Blueberry Ale with pear cobbler. Cost is $35 and reservations are required; 305-374-0662.

Free Cuban coffee, charitable hotdogs and more

International Finance Bank (IFB) is sponsoring free cafecitas for all comers at the walk-up window of Versailles, 3555 SW Eighth St., Miami, from noon to 3 p.m. weekdays through the end of the month; www.intlfinancebank.com.

Slow Food Miami at Fairchild Ramble

Slow Food Miami hosts a Greenmarket Tent at this weekend's Ramble at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden featuring Asian food with Thi Squire, ``What's in Your Lunchbox?'' with Adri Garcia and Hunter Reno, goat-cheese making with Hani Khouri and heirloom tomato starts from Redland Organics. Admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for children 6-17 and free for children 5 and under and members of the garden, which is at 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables; 305-667-1651, fairchildgarden.org.

Greek Festival in Kendall this weekend

St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, 7901 N. Kendall Dr., Miami, hosts its 32nd annual Miami Greek Festival from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday with homemade Greek specialties, traditional music and dancing. Admission is $4 for adults and free for children under 12. Fairgoers who use shuttles from Dadeland Medical Plaza, 7400 N. Kendall Dr., and Galloway Plaza, 9095 SW 87th Ave., also get in free; 305-595-1343.

11th Street Diner makes Playboy Top 10 list

The 11th Street Diner, 1065 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, made Playboy.com's Top 10 list of late-night diners. Chef Jean Lysius' menu ranges from jalpeño poppers and Argentine-style skirt steak to blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes. Housed in a vintage dining car, the eatery is open around the clock Thursday through Sunday, closing at midnight the rest of the week; 305-534-6373.

Deals at 8 oz. Burger, Brio; new products from Gaucho Ranch

8 oz. Burger Bar, 1080 Alton Rd., Miami Beach, has eight new burgers ($11-$16), from andouille sausage to Maryland crab, plus a Suds and Slider special: a four-brew beer flight with short rib, bison, boar and lamb sliders ($20; $15 without beer); 305-397-8246.

Por Fin chef to Solea; Ken Lyon at Bath Club

Marc Vidal, who opened Coral Gables' Por Fin to acclaim two years ago, is the new executive chef at Solea at the W South Beach. The 32-year-old Barcelona native's impressive resume includes stints at Ferran Adriá's El Bulli and a pair of three-star Michelin restaurants in Paris. Vidal will roll out his new menu for Solea Nov. 23. Michael Gilligan remains the W's executive hotel chef.

New home for farmers market; charitable drinks at Area 31; Foodie Gurus seek recipes

The South Florida Farmer's Market moves to Pinecrest Gardens this season, reports Elizabeth Gardner Adams, who launched it at Gardner's Market in 1996, a decade before Farm Stores bought her family's specialty grocery stores. Opening day is Dec. 6.

Taste of NFL tickets available; classes at Chef Allen's

Taste of the NFL, a hunger-relief fundraiser held in conjunction with the Super Bowl. The 2010 edition takes place Feb. 6 at the Broward County Convention Center, with Allen Susser of Chef Allen's and Shula's Steakhouse corporate chef Peter Farrand representing the home team. All proceeds go to food banks in NFL cities, according to announcement, with Daily Bread Food Bank in line to receive the lion's share this year. Cost is $500 ($600 VIP); 888-695-0888, www.tasteofthenfl.com.

Chubby pairs -- especially chefs -- sought for weight-loss TV show

The casting producer for a new reality weight-loss show is in Miami this week looking for pairs of people -- spouses, colleagues, pals, whatever -- who between them need to lose 100 pounds or more. He's particularly interested in culinary professionals: ``Ideally, we would have two chefs and/or aspiring chefs on a team,'' Jonathan Groce writes.

Classes at Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Azul

Philippe Pinon, executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove, leads a series of classes on hosting a posh potluck party for $10 or less per guest. They begin Saturday with the appetizer course, toasted orzo salad with grilled garlic shrimp, followed by a pair of entrees, gourmet meatloaf on Nov. 15 and chicken and gnocchi ``pot pie'' on Dec. 12, and dessert, trifle tiramisu and berries Romanoff, on Dec. 19. The 4-6 p.m. classes include a glass of wine, an apron, a Whole Foods shopping bag, recipe card and tastings. Cost is $52 per session; 305-644-4680.

Schwartz on Food Network, Texas de Brazil in Hallandale and more

Catch Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Friday on Rachael Ray's Rachael's Vacation. The farm-to-table-themed show, which airs at 11 p.m. on the Food Network, was shot in part at Homestead's Paradise Farms and Schwartz's Design District restaurant during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Bova names Casa Casuarina chef

The Boca Raton-based Bova Group is taking over the restaurant at South Beach's storied Casa Casuarina, the one-time Versace mansion, installing a ``modern Italian menu'' overseen by Wolfgang Birk, who will serve as both executive and corporate chef. Birk comes to the job from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in suburban Washington, D.C., where he was executive chef and general manager of two dining venues. On Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard, a cigar and martini bar called Bova Smoke will join the company's Bova Prime. Both openings are expected ``before the end of the year,'' a spokeswoman says.

Deals at Chef Allen's, 5300 Chop House

Chef-owner Allen Susser has added a sea-themed $42 tasting menu at Chef Allen's, 19088 NE 29th Ave., Aventura, featuring conch ceviche, yellowfin tuna poke, stone crab salad, blue crab cake, wild Florida shrimp bisque shooter, cucumber melon gelee, sesame-crusted Indian River soft shell crab, rock shrimp lo-mein, wood-grilled wild wahoo and chanterelle and lobster mushroom faro risotto with aged sherry vinaigrette; 305-935-2900.

Special events at Siam Palace, Flamingo Gardens, Sushisamba, Mariposa

Marc Buoniconti hosts 20th anniversary festivities Thursday evening at Siam Palace, 9999 Sunset Dr., Miami. Buoniconti, president of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, will join founder-owner Cynthia Halelamien in launching the restaurant's sushi bar. New specials include two-for-one beer and wine on Mondays, half-price Miami and California rolls on Tuesdays and $4 sake bombs on Wednesday. Through Nov. 12, customers will be offered free sushi samples; 305-279-6906, siampalacemiami.com.

Promotions in Gables Thursday, Upper East Side Saturday

It's heartening to see communities support their restaurants in these tough times, to wit:

The Coral Gables Business Improvement District launches its Get Your Gables on Thursdays promotion this week, featuring happy-hour and other specials at more than 70 eateries. From a glass of sangria and two beef empanadas for $10 at Novecento to free wine and chocolate samples at Peterbrooke Chocolatier, you'll find the details at www.shopcoralgables.com.

Deals at Archie's, Azul, Ishq, Urbanite and more

Archie's Gourmet Pizza, 166 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables, will take 30 percent off your tab on Tuesdays if you pay cash; 305-444-1557.

Salsa Fiesta opening; Sushi Maki, Primo Pizza, Don Pan expand

Salsa Fiesta Urban Mexican Grill plans to open this week at 2929 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, boasting a fast-casual menu in a full-service setting. Tacos, burritos and fajitas are joined by salads, soups and Caribbean sides like tostones (twice-fried plantain slices). Sauces and dips are made fresh daily, according to an announcement, and whole wheat tortillas are available along with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Beverages included imported beers. Salsa Fiesta, which has its own parking lot, is open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; 305-400-8390.

Chefs in the news: Van Aken, LoSasso, Jacobs, Rothschild, Sinclair

Norman Van Aken's much-anticipated return to the South Florida dining scene with Norman's 180 at the Westin Colonnade Hotel, 180 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables.

Learn business etiquette at Bankers Club dinner

It actually is OK to put your elbows on the table -- but only after you've finished eating. So says Sonia Jacobson, who will lead a dinner seminar on business etiquette at the Bankers Club, One Biscayne Tower, Miami, on Wednesday. Jacobson will cover such fine points as who should be seated where and who orders first and such faux pas as what to do if you spill wine on your guest. Cocktails (cash bar) are at 6:30 p.m., with the three-course meal at 7:15 p.m. Cost is $39.95 for Bankers Club members, $49.95 for others. Reserve at 305-374-1448, or reservations@thebankersclub.com.

Publix launching `Redland Raised' branding campaign for local produce

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez is set to attend the kickoff for Publix Super Markets' Redland Raised branding initiative for locally grown produce at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Tropicaire Shopping Center Publix, 7805 SW 40th St., Miami; 305-375-5071.

Family Circle's Food University comes to Ikea

Cafe Maxx chef-owner Oliver Saucy leads a free session of Family Circle's Food University from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Ikea, 151 NW 136th Ave., Sunrise. Saucy will demonstrate recipes from the magazine, talk about local produce and offer tips for easy entertaining. Also on the program: Adriana Martin, founder of Fit Mom For Life. Details: www.myfoodu.com.

Tidbits from Todd English, Bin 18, Crazy Pianos, Cacao, Schnebly's

Miami.com's Sara Liss reports that chef Todd English guided more than 50 guests through a wine-soaked feast of house-made burrata caprese salad, suckling pig ravioli with white truffles and braised short ribs with black truffles at his Fort Lauderdale restaurant, da Campo Osteria, last week. ``The more wine you drink, the funnier I get,'' joked English, who was joined by Ruffino Wines CEO Adolfo Folonari.

Eat well, do good for March of Dimes and more

The 12th annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs & Wine Extravaganza takes place Thursday at Jungle Island, featuring the talents of more than 30 South Florida chefs led by chair Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. event are $150 in advance, $175 at the door; $250 VIP admission includes a 6:30 p.m. reception. Call 305-477-1192 or visit marchofdimes.com/florida.