This week and weekend

Aspire, 311 Westminster St., Providence, (401) 521-3333, aspirerestaurant.com, and Jest Mysteries present “Bullets in the Bathtub,” a murder mystery, Thursday, March 11, beginning at 6 p.m. The fee of $39.99 includes a three-course meal and valet parking. Reserve by calling (401) 490-8144.

Woodridge Congregational United Church of Christ, 546 Budlong Rd., Cranston, (401) 942-0662, holds an Irish & Italian “All You Can Eat Feast” Saturday, March 13, with seatings from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. The menu includes corned beef and cabbage, pasta and meatballs and more. Tickets are $10, $8 for seniors and children 3 to 12, and can be obtained by calling the church or e-mailing feasts@woodridgechurch riucc.com/.

“Spaghetti Dinner with the Psychics” to benefit Brandon Motta (HelpBrandon.com) will be held Sunday, March 14, at 1 p.m. at the Tri-City Elks Lodge, 1919 West Shore Rd., Warwick. Dinner tickets are $15, psychic readings are $10 and raffle items will be featured. For tickets, call The Mindz Eye at (401) 465-8400.

Wine and beer events

Pane e Vino Ristorante, 365 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 223-2230, panevino.net, will hold a multi-course winemaker dinner on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30 p.m. welcoming Valter Scarbolo of Scarbolo Wines in Friuli, Italy. Braised beef over creamy polenta paired with Scarbolo Merlot will be one of the courses. This limited dinner is $63 inclusive of tax and tip; call to reserve.

Castle Hill Inn & Resort, 590 Ocean Drive, Newport, (401) 849-3800, castlehillinn.com, will hold a dinner featuring the wines of Col Solare and Antinori on Saturday, March 20. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30. Marcus Notaro, winemaker at Col Solare, and Aldo Rafanelli, ambassador for Antinori, will lead guests through each selection of wine as they are paired with a five-course dinner. The dinner includes a rosemary-smoked Canadian wild boar loin with Tallegio polenta, foraged mushroom fricassee and balsamic demi-glace (2007 Tenuta Guado Al Tasso II Bruciato); an Elysian Field lamb duo (2006 and 2007 Col Solare); Pecorino Toscano, a classic Tuscan cheese served with dried cherry-New Mexico chili compote and sourdough biscotti (2006 Tenuta Tignanello Super Tuscan); a Napoleon with Vin Santo zabaglione, almond nougat, quince; and an espresso-clove wafer (2003 Tenuta Marchese Antinori Vinsanto del Chianti Classico). The cost is $165; tax and gratuity are additional.

Al Forno, 577 South Main St., Providence, (401) 273-9760, alforno.com, hosts a dinner featuring the classic and modern recipes from David Leite’s cookbook “The New Portuguese Table” on Wednesday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. The Fall River native’s book just earned a nomination from The International Association of Culinary Professionals in the “First Book: The Julia Child Award” category. The multi-course dinner includes Clams in a Cataplana with Homemade Sausage paired with Corte Gardoni Le Fontane Bardolino 2008 and a main course of Duck Breast with Black Olives and Fried Cornmeal paired with Quinta das Baceladas 2005. This cost is $90 and includes wine and a signed copy of the book. It does not include tax or gratuity.

On the menu

Flare, a Brick Oven Bistro, 577 Tiogue Ave., Coventry, (401) 615-8577, celebrates “American Idol” every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, and any night the series is televised. A half-price bar menu of appetizers, including calzones, will be offered from 8 to 10 p.m.

New Rivers, 7 Steeple St., Providence, (401) 751-0350, newriversrestaurant.com, holds a “20/20 Celebration,” offering several of its most popular dishes for the last 20 years for $20, from Monday, March 15, through Saturday, March 20, along with regular à la carte items. Guests on March 20 will receive a complimentary glass of champagne, and dessert sales during anniversary week will be donated to the AIWF Scholarship Fund in memory of Pat Tillinghast.

Wildfire Brick Oven Pizza, 1874 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence, (401) 353-7110, wildfirenp.com, has added three new appetizers: Roasted Tuscan wings seasoned with fresh Italian herbs, lemon zest and crushed red pepper ($8.99); spinach and artichoke hearts simmered in a three-cheese sauce topped with diced tomatoes served with baked flatbread ($8.99); and Giovanni’s salumi board, a selection of cured meats, cheese and vegetables ($12.95).

Z-Bar and Grille, 244 Wickenden St., Providence, (401) 831-1566, will offer Wednesday Wine Nights featuring a glass of red or white wine, soup or salad, and a choice of entrée for $19.95.

St. Patrick’s events and foods

Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant, 708 Succotash Rd., Wakefield, (401) 789-4556, capnjacksrestaurant.com, will offer an all-you-can-eat corned beef and cabbage dinner for $8.95 on Wednesday, March 17.

Central Baptist Church, 99 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown, (401) 423-1651, will offer a traditional Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage Friday, March 12, at 6 p.m. A concert featuring vocalist and guitarist Jordan Cannady will begin at 7. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased at the church weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon, or by calling the church.

The Coast Guard House Restaurant, 40 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, (401) 789-0700, offers a special corned beef and cabbage dinner for $7.99 on March. 17. The restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m. for lunch. There will be Irish music.

DeLuise Bakery, 1251 Chalkstone Ave., Providence, (401) 351-5826, sells rice and pineapple rice pies in addition to ricotta and chocolate ricotta pies during the Lenten season. Traditional baked and fried zeppoles, made from a 70-year-old recipe, are also available.

Ferns and Flowers Bistro, 1094 Centerville Rd., Warwick, (401) 821-1447, fernsandflowers.com, offers Irish selections for March including a breakfast plate of eggs, bangers, grilled tomatoes, potatoes, bacon and grilled Irish soda bread and lunch items of potato soup, bangers and mash, Guinness stew and corned beef plate. Irish beers, coffee and whiskey are also available.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, One West Exchange St., Providence, (401) 533-9000, FlemingsSteakHouse.com, will host a “Go Green” wine dinner Friday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. The menu is passed hors d’oeuvres; an appetizer of citrus-cured Celtic salmon on potato boxty with chive sour cream; an entrée of Irish-style filet mignon served on a deconstructed sauce with bacon, carrots, new potatoes and thyme; and Guinness Stout chocolate cake with Chantilly cream for dessert. The fee of $55, excluding tax and gratuity, includes wines.

Greenwood Inn Restaurant, 1350 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, (401) 738-3334, greenwoodinn.net, will offer a corned beef and cabbage dinner (junior and full portions), corned beef sandwiches and Reubens on Wednesday, March 17, and Thursday, March 18, from 11 a.m. to midnight. Its full bar features over 15 varieties of beer on tap.

LaSalle Bakery, 993 Smith St., Providence, (401) 831-9563, and 685 Admiral St., Providence, (401) 228-0081, lasallebakery.net, offers Irish soda bread, Bailey’s Irish Cream pies and other St. Patrick’s Day favorites now through March 17. An assortment of baked or fried zeppoles will be featured on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19, and throughout the month.

One Bellevue at the Hotel Viking, 1 Bellevue Ave., Newport, (401) 848-4824, HotelViking.com, will offer a fixed-price dinner for $25 in the lounge and restaurant Saturday, March 13, through St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. It begins with a choice of soup or appetizer; the entrée choices are braised lamb and Guinness stew with buttered brown bread; classic corned beef, boiled potatoes, herbed baby carrots, cabbage and grain mustard cream; seared salmon and prawns with roasted fingerling potatoes, shaved asparagus salad and sauce Bearnaise; and beer-battered fish and chips with coleslaw and tartar sauce. Warm Guinness brownie with Bailey’s ice cream and Jameson caramel or buttermilk scones with fresh berries and cream are offered for dessert. The lounge also features tap beer for $5 with the purchase of any entrée.

Sakonnet Vineyards, 162 West Main Rd., Little Compton, (800) 998-8486, sakonnetwine.com, offers mulled wine with complimentary corned beef sliders and shamrock cookies by Gerry Dupont Saturday and Sunday, March 13 and 14, from noon to 4 p.m.

St. Charles Borromeo Church, North Main and Daniels streets, Woonsocket, (401) 766-0176, will hold a traditional St. Patrick’s dinner Saturday, March 20, at 5 p.m. in the church hall. The menu features corned beef and cabbage, turnips, carrots and potatoes, onions, pickled beets, Irish soda bread and dessert. The Keohane Irish Step Dancers will perform. Tickets purchased in advance at Mass or at the rectory are $11, $6 for children under 12, and $27 for a family (two adults and two children). They are $13 at the door ($8 for children); no family tickets will be available.

The Sister Mary Reilly St. Patrick’s Bash, an annual event to benefit the Sophia Academy scholarship fund, will be held Sunday, March 14, with seatings at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. at 195 Franklin in Bristol. Corned beef and cabbage, vegetarian Irish stew, breads, dessert, cash bar and Irish tunes will be featured. Tickets are $25 and must be reserved by calling Cathy Cranston at (401) 784-0021.

T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants (Fridays.com) will feature two new Irish-themed drinks, an “Irish ‘Rita” and a “St. Paddy’s Peach” and will reward members of its “Give me More Stripes” guest recognition program with double stripes with any purchases that include food, valid all day long on Wednesday, March 17.

Village Haven Restaurant, 90 School St., North Smithfield, (401) 762-4242, thevillagehaven.com, will offer all-you-can-eat corned beef and cabbage and chicken family-style dinners from 4 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, in addition to its full menu.

Coming up

Savoring Rhode Island will conduct Federal Hill Easter Food Tours Saturday, March 20 and 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. The fee is $50. Sign up at SavoringRhodeIsland.com or call (401) 934-2149.

Radisson Hotel Providence Airport, 2081 Post Rd., Warwick, (401) 739-3000, Radisson.com/warwickri, will hold a children’s breakfast buffet featuring the Easter Bunny and entertainer Lon Cerel Saturday, March 20, from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in the Gaspee Room. The menu features Easter Parade pancakes, Peter Cottontail French Toast sticks, Hippity Hop hash browns, bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs, fruit platter and mini breakfast pastries. Children will have the opportunity to decorate their own Easter cookie. Tickets are $9 for children and $12 for adults, tax included. Reserve by Monday, March 15, by calling (401) 598-2114.

The American Celiac Family Support Group meets Saturday, March 21, at 1:45 p.m. in St. Robert Bellarmine Church hall, 1804 Atwood Ave., Johnston. The meeting is free for members, $5 for nonmembers, payable at the door. Two speakers are scheduled. Members will be served gluten-free fish and chips Saturday, March 27, at 4 p.m. at Alice’s Diner, 2663 South Main St., Fall River. There is limited seating; RSVP with how many will be attending and your phone number to (401) 826-0363. For more information, visit CeliacSupportGroup.com.

The Richmond Farmers’ Market will present a seminar on Sustainable Agriculture on Wednesday, March 24, at 7 p.m. at Clark Memorial Library, 7 Pinehurst Drive, Carolina. Local farmers will discuss crop diversity, pest management, organic fertilization and organic farm certification with a focus on how to make your garden organic. Guests include the Coulter family of Stoney Hill Cattle Co., which has been producing beef for several decades in Rhode Island; Tom Meade, who will discuss the challenges and advantages of backyard beekeeping; and master composter Lynn Thompson. The event is free but seating is limited. Applications to become a vendor at the 2010 Richmond Farmers’ Market will be available; the market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from May through the end of October at the Richmond Town Hall.

Jacques Pepin, the award-winning chef, television personality and author, will host a panel discussion and viewing of “Julie & Julia” in Metcalf Hall of Boston University, 775 Commonwealth Ave., Thursday, March 25, at 6 p.m. The panel, moderated by food writer Corby Kummer, includes Judith Jones and Alex Prud’homme. The fee is $25. To register call (617) 353-9852.

Troop 2, East Greenwich, will hold a fundraiser breakfast on Sunday, March 28, at East Greenwich Fireman’s Hall, 80 Queen St., from 8 to 11 a.m. The menu features scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, home fries, toast, baked beans, jonnycakes and beverages. Tickets, $8 ($5 for children 5 to 12) will be available at the door, from the East Greenwich Chamber of Commerce, or by e-mail to friendsoftrooptwo@yahoo .com (give your name, phone number and the number of tickets needed). Have your photo taken with the Easter Bunny for $5.

King Arthur Flour and the Norwich Inn will host the first Norwich Culinary Weekend April 16 to 18 in Norwich, Vt. The package includes two nights accommodation at the Norwich Inn, a beer and cheese reception on Friday evening, a Saturday morning country breakfast, a choice of two classes at the King Arthur Flour Baking Education Center, and a Saturday evening reception and wine dinner. The package is $799 per couple or $479 per person. For more information and to register, contact the Inn at (802) 649-1143 or e-mail innkeeper@norwichinn.com.

News

Al Forno made Playboy’s A List: Best Pizza in America, a list of the country’s 10 best pizza joints. This list is featured on Playboy.com. The final list of 10 includes pizzas whose styles are as varied as their toppings. Also on the list Modern Apizza, New Haven, Conn.; Ken’s Artisan Pizza, Portland, Ore.; Tacconelli’s, Philadelphia, Pa.; Pizzeria Mozza, L.A.; Di Fara, New York City; Pizzaiolo, Oakland, Calif.; Serious Pie, Seattle, Wash.; Pizzeria Blanco, Phoenix, Ariz.; and Coal Fire, Chicago, Ill.

Contest

Sutter Home’s Build a Better Burger Recipe Contest & Cook-Off, a national search for the best-tasting, most-creative burger, features $100,000 in prize money. Ten finalists will be flown to Napa Valley to compete in the burger grilling on Sept. 25; entries will be accepted until July 31. For contest rules, visit sutterhome.com or send a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope to Sutter Home Winery’s Build a Better Burger Rules, P.O. Box 248, St. Helena, CA 94574-0248.

Demonstrations

Wrentham Village Premium Outlets and Whole Foods Market will present a free “What’s Cooking” demonstration of corned beef and traditional holiday side dishes Friday, March 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Calaphalon, Suite 642.

Whole Foods Market, 601 North Main St., Providence, (401) 621-5990, wholefoodsmarket.com, is hosting the author of “Raw Energy” for a raw foods cooking demonstration on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. Pre-registration is required as seating is limited. The fee of $5 will be donated to Whole Planet Foundation.

Belmont Market, 600 Kingstown Rd., Wakefield, (401) 789-4656, presents “Becoming Italian Today,” a free Italian Cooking demo every Friday at 6 p.m. in the café.

Industry news

Warwick Adult Learning Center will offer a Food Manager (Sanitation) Certification course at the Warwick Career & Technical Center at the Toll Gate High School campus beginning Monday, March 29. The 18-hour program will be given in six sessions. Tuition is $120 and includes text, testing and certificates. Call (401) 734-3156 and leave a message; calls will be returned after school vacation.

On radio

“Dining Out with Bruce Newbury” broadcasts live on AM 790 Saturday, March 13, from noon to 2 p.m. from Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, 125 Tower Hill Rd., Wickford. The show is also streamed live at 790business.com.

On TV

“Cooking With Class” features chef Frank Terranova, an associate instructor at Johnson & Wales University, who prepares “March Madness” recipes next week during the noon and 5 p.m. newscasts on WJAR, Channel 10.

MIKKI CATANZARO

and GAIL CIAMPA

gciampa@projo.com