A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That . . . Great Days for Grazers

Orange County’s got sampling fever!

The South Coast Plaza Summer Food & Wine Festival tonight at Crystal Court includes samples of food from 32 area restaurants including Bangkok Four and Morton’s of Chicago, as well as wine from such properties as Acacia, Chalone and Caymus and entertainment by a steel drum band. It takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Admission is $30; all proceeds benefit the Food Distribution Center and Someone Cares Soup Kitchen.

There are more than 100 items from 35 restaurants to sample at the Taste of Orange County, but hard-core food lovers at the festival might also want to head to the Chefs’ Pavilion, where local culinary notables will present hourly cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend.

Among highlights, Lasse Sorensen of John Dominis in Newport Beach makes salmon carpaccio Friday at 7 p.m.; Cliff Huffstetler of the Ragin’ Cajun Cafe in Newport Beach shares his recipe for jambalaya Saturday at 7 p.m., and Tim Goodell of Aubergine in Newport Beach prepares warm chocolate souffle cake with prune and Armagnac ice cream Sunday at 6 p.m.

(See story on Page 3 for Taste of Orange County information.)

Those most interested in sampling wine will head for “A Date With a Grape,” Monday at Hotel Laguna. Thirty wineries will participate; chef Todd Clore of the hotel’s Claes Seafood Etc. will prepare hors d’oeuvres to complement wines from around the world by country.

It’s $55 in advance, $65 at the door; wines will be poured from 6 to 9 p.m. Most proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Crystal Court, corner of Bear Street and Sunflower Avenue, Costa Mesa. (714) 435-2160.

Hotel Laguna, 425 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. (714) 494-1151.

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More wine on Monday:

LaFayette French Restaurant salutes the wines of Sonoma County’s Jordan at a six-course dinner. It starts with “J” sparkling wine and moves through Chardonnay courses (including monkfish americaine with a couscous garnish) to 1988 Cabernet Sauvignon with rack of lamb ratatouille and ’91 Cabernet with petit filet in Choron sauce. The $65 cost is all-inclusive.

Sfuzzi Bistro pours 1978 and ’88 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignons from Robert Mondavi, plus three other top-of-the-line reserve wines, at a five-course dinner.

Courses include quail salad with crispy pancetta , chive capellini with hot smoked salmon and caviar butter sauce, and “palette” of three lambs: roasted lamb rack, grilled lamb garlic sausage and braised lamb shank with caramelized pearl onions and parsnips. It’s $70 without tax or tip.

Both dinners begin at 7 p.m.

LaFayette, 12532 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove. (714) 537-5011.

Sfuzzi, 1870A Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa. (714) 548-9500.