Several dining events are scheduled this month.
April 17 is the date for the next Hops Club session at the Munich Haus in Chicopee. As always the evening includes a buffet dinner and a stein of the featured beer, which in April is Schwaben Brau Heller Bock, a strong, full-bodied spring season beer. Ticket price for the event is $14.95.
On April 27, the restaurant will be presenting its last Wild Game Dinner of the season. Planned to start at 6:30 p.m., the meal will feature a carving station stocked with an array of wild viands, including bear, venison, kangaroo, and more. The accompanying buffet will include wild game sausage, pheasant schnitzel, and an array of appropriate sides.
Tickets are $45 and must be purchased in advance. Contact the Munich Haus at (413) 594-8788.
On April 18, Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer will be hosting a "Meet the Engineer" event. The Lamothe family, which runs Steaming Tender, has arranged for a New England Central Railroad locomotive to stop at Steaming Tender. The locomotive's operator will talk about his work and take questions.
The event is free, but reservations are required. Contact Steaming Tender at (413) 283-2744 for more details.
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store introduced a new springtime menu this month; the new items will be available until June 2.
New breakfast items include a multi-berry pancake breakfast of blueberry pancakes served topped with strawberries and a cinnamon pecan crumble skillet, a served-warm coffeecake offering.
The lunch and dinner menu has been enhanced with buttermilk oven fried chicken with a cornflake crumb crust and a mushroom Swiss chopped steak topped with melted Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and brown gravy. Both dinners come with sides and biscuits.
Rounding out the new season's menu are cider BBQ chicken and a grilled chicken and strawberry salad. The latter includes baby spinach, Gala apples, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, chopped onions, and chicken tenderloins. Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores operates locations on Whiting Farms Road in Holyoke and Route 20 in Sturbridge.
Table 3 Restaurant Group's Executive Chef Enrico Giovanello will presenting his next "Cooking with Rico" event on April 18.
This month's class, which will be held at Avellino in Sturbridge, will deal with Italian cheeses. Chef Rico will demonstrate the techniques for making homemade ricotta and mozzarella as well as conducting a tasting of some of Italy's lesser-known cheeses.
The event is $49 with wine pairings or $37 without.
The Duck, a Table 3 property in Sturbridge, will be holding a British Isles Beer Dinner and Pub Night on April 24. The five-course dinner will incorporate some of the United Kingdom's favorite beers and ales. Menu selections will showcase the traditional pub grub of rural England, Scotland, and Ireland. Cost to attend is $45 per person not including tax or gratuity. Reservations for either evening can be made by calling (508) 347-2321.
Parents and grandparents in the market for school vacation week diversions can turn to Chandler's Restaurant at the Yankee Candle Flagship in South Deerfield for inspiration.
On Saturday at 11 a.m. Chandler's will be presenting a Fancy Nancy Luncheon, an event at which mothers, daughters, and grandmothers can come together for a special girl's afternoon out.
Lunch can be ordered from the restaurant's regular menu; special cupcakes and a reading of Jane O'Connor's "Fancy Nancy" will follow. "Fancy" attire is encouraged.
On April 20 a Superhero Luncheon will be held, with Casey Coller, who is known for his work with the Transformers, as guest of honor. The restaurant's regular lunch and kids menus will be available; a special superhero dessert will be served. Young caped crusaders are encouraged to appear in their superhero "working attire."
Adults won't be neglected next week, either. The period from April 13 through 21 is a Wine Down Week, with all bottles of wine 50 percent off. Chandler's will also be holding a Berkshire Brewing Beer Dinner on April 19. For more information or reservations, call Chandler's Restaurant at (413) 665-1277.
The Pizza Hut division of Yum! Brands, Inc. recently introduced a new, limited-time-only Crazy Cheesy Crust pizza. Described as "sunflower-shaped", the pie comes with 16 pull-off crust pockets filled with a blend of five cheeses.
A spinoff of the chain's popular Stuffed Crust pizza, the Crazy Cheesy pie has been offered in international markets with the crust pockets containing both hot dog slices and mini cheeseburgers. Suggested price for a Crazy Cheesy Crust pizza with one topping is $12.99; additional toppings can be added for a dollar each.
Hugh Robert is a faculty member in Holyoke Community College's hospitality and culinary arts program and has over 35 years of restaurant and educational experience. Please send items of interest to Off the Menu at the Republican, P.O. Box 2350, Springfield, MA 01102; Robert can also be reached at OffTheMenuGuy@aol.com