Several noteworthy dining events are on tap this month.
The Munich Haus in Chicopee.The Comical Mystery Tour and the Munich Haus will be teaming up to present a murder mystery dinner theater evening on March 16.
The evening begins at 6 p.m., with a buffet dinner that includes many Munich Haus favorites such as schnitzel, chicken Francaise, and sauerbraten. A Vienna-style dessert table will also be part of the dinner presentation.
Price for the dinner and performance package is $35 per person, and advance purchase is required.
On March 21, the Munich Haus Hops Club session will be held with Paper City Brewing Company's "Riley's Irish Stout" the featured brew.
Riley's, a classic Irish style dry stout, is named in honor of one of the first families to settle what is now the city of Holyoke.
The Hops Club evening includes a stein of the featured beer and a complete buffet dinner; this month, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, corned beef and cabbage will be included in the menu along with the traditional oven-roasted pig.
The dinner is priced at $15 per person, which includes gratuity. Tickets should be purchased in advance. Call (413) 594-8788 for reservations or information.
On March 12, the Amherst Survival Center will be holding its annual "Empty Bowls" Fund Raising Dinner.
Those attending get to choose from among handmade bowls donated by local potters before using those bowls to dine on soups, salads, and breads contributed by Amherst-area restaurants.
The service staff is unique as well; it's recruited from a Who's Who of local notables.
The Dinner is held from 4 until 8 p.m. at The Pub on East Pleasant Street, which donates its facilities for the event. Tickets, which are $30 per person, can be purchased in Amherst at The Pub or A. J. Hastings; they are also available on line at http://amherstsurvival.org
A note from Rich DeMattia of La Cucina di Hampden House in Hampden sent a reminder that March will be "Wilbraham month" at the restaurant.
Every Wednesday and Thursday evening during the month Wilbraham residents can enjoy a free appetizer with the purchase of two entrees.
Monday evenings continue to feature half-price pizzas (dine-in only) from 4 until 9 p.m.
For more information, contact La Cucina di Hampden House at (413) 566-8324.
Best known for being served "stuffed" in Greek restaurants, grape leaves have been given a new role by Ryan Skeen, the chef of Pera Soho in New York City.
Skeen breads the leaves in a chickpea flour batter, deep fries them, then serves them as an appetizer "chip," either in combination with pita chips or separately, along with a special dip he's developed to go with them.
As part of this weekend's WGBY Wine Tasting Weekend event, to be held Friday at the Springfield Marriott, Panther Distributing of Wilbraham will be pouring some of the South African wines it carries.
Panther handles a number of South African labels on an exclusive basis, and those bottlings have already been afforded "featured" status at several well-known restaurants in the Boston area.
More information on these wines, which feature an attractive combination of price and quality, can be obtained at the WGBY wine tasting or by contacting Panther Distributing at (413) 596-0001.
Seafood lovers looking for a brunch at which their briny favorites take center stage should check out the new Sunday brunch at Max Fish in Glastonbury, CT.
Executive Chef David Sellers has created one of the most interesting Sunday morning menus in the region, while Bar Manager David Bouchard has pulled out all the stops in dreaming up a Bloody Mary garnish station that features more than 30 flavorings, garnishes, and topping to customize the drinks his staff prepares.
The brunch menu includes clam chowder, lobster bisque, crab cake eggs benedict, shrimp and grits, and lobster hash.
Also featured on the new brunch menu is mascarpone stuffed French toast, steak and eggs, a daily quiche, and a selection of "market catch" options.
Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Max Fish answers at (860) 652-3474.
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.