Avellino in Sturbridge will be featuring a new Mid-Week Menu beginning June 11.
Villa Napoletana in East Longmeadow will be celebrating its 15th anniversary on June 12. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a blessing and ribbon cutting ceremony. A reception including an assortment of hot and cold tapas, a wine and custom martini sampling, and live entertainment will follow at 7 p.m.
More information can be had by calling Villa Napoletana at (413) 732-9300.
The Kitchen Garden in Sunderland will be putting on an al fresco Farm Dinner on June 15.
The menu theme is country French and dishes prepared for the dinner will feature produce harvested from the Farm's own garden.
Reservations for the dinner, which will start at 7 p.m., are $50, and can be made on-line at kitchengardenfarm.com or by calling (413) 387-5163.
The East Mountain Country Club in Westfield is offering a Father's Day Brunch on June 16.
Served from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., the brunch is $24.95 for adults; kids 10 and younger are $12.50. Prices include tax and gratuity.
Call (413) 568-1539 for reservations or book on line at www.eastmountaincc.com
Avellino in Sturbridge will be featuring a new Mid-Week Menu starting June 11. Calibrated for summer appetites, this new menu also features deals on some classic Avellino entrees.
On June 20, Avellino will be presenting its June edition of Cooking with Rico. Executive Chef Enrico Giovanello's presentation will focus on the cooking of Calabria, one of Italy's most diverse food traditions.
Participants get to sample everything Giovanello prepares and, if they wish, sample special wine pairings. Recipe cards are also provided.
The event is $52 per person with wine, $39 without. Reservations may be made by calling (508) 347-2321.
June 13 will be the opening day of the 2013 Taste of Amherst. One of the last local editions of this type of event, the Taste of Amherst will feature over 20 Amherst area restaurants as well as its always-popular beer and wine tent.
A potpourri of live entertainment will be dished up during the Taste, which runs through Sunday, June 16; a number of cooking demonstrations will be conducted by local chefs and culinary "celebrities."
The 2013 Taste of Amherst is being organized by the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, which answers at (413) 253-0700.
The Pioneer Valley's other "taste" event, West Side's Taste of the Valley, is underway this weekend.
Sponsored by the City of West Springfield and the Rotary Club of West Springfield, the event is held on the Park Street Common and runs from June 6 through June 9.
Music, food tastes from area restaurants, and a Saturday "Cruise" night featuring classic, antique, and special interest cars are all Taste of the Valley traditions.
The Taste of the Valley 5K Road Race, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 9, will be donating all proceeds to The One Fund Boston, which benefits victims of the tragic events on April 15. Details about the Taste's program can be found at www.westsidetaste.com
Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer will be honoring area teachers with a Teachers' Day promotion -- teachers will receive a 10 percent discount on their entrée on Friday.
On June 9, Steaming Tender will be honoring a springtime dessert classic as the restaurant features strawberry rhubarb pie. More information on either of these events can be had by contacting Steaming Tender Restaurant at (413) 283-2744.
Chandler's Restaurant at the Yankee Candle Flagship in South Deerfield will be hosting another of its periodic Berkshire Brewing Company beer dinners on June 21.
Priced at $45, the evening includes a brewery tour and a four-course dinner at Chandler's Restaurant.
Other upcoming events at Chandler's include a Fancy Nancy Luncheon on June 6 and Afternoon Tea on June 15. Call Chandler's at (413) 665-1277 for more details.
The June session of the Hops Club at the Munich Haus is planned for June 19 and will feature Hofbrau Hefe Weizen, a special summer-style white beer.
As is customary for this event, the $15 admission price includes a German buffet and a stein of the evening's featured beer; live accordion music will set the mood.
On June 25 at 6:30 p.m. the Munich Haus will be offering another of its Lobster Fest events, a clambake-style extravaganza that include a 6- to 9-pound lobster along with an array of traditional sides. Price for one is $90; two people can split a lobster for $55 each.
Advance ticket purchases for both evenings are required; call (413) 594-8788 to make reservations.
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