Upper West Restaurant

Visually impaired from birth, Executive Chef Nick Ship is hosting a special multi-course dinner on Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. Chef Ship is donating 100 percent of the proceeds to benefit the Junior Blind of America. Chef Ship will guide seven visually impaired, aspiring chefs in making a multi-course meal. The dinner is $55, plus tax and tip. Chef Ship vows to help visually impaired kids achieve their dreams and aspirations. Call now for reservations. 3321 W. Pico Blvd. (310)586-1111.

Epicure.SB from “A-V”

As part of he Epicure.SB culinary extravaganza held during the month of October, and featuring “the best of Santa Barbara from A to V”, Chef Alessandro Cartumini of Bella Vista restaurant at the Four Seasons Biltmore resort is preparing a unique five-course dinner paired with wines. Abalone ceviche with finger limes is paired with a sparkling rose. His late harvest tomatoes are paired with Santa Barbara fresh cheese and a Gainey riesling. The sublime miso black cod on a bed of avocado puree and sea urchin goes nicely with a Foley Estate chardonnay. The savory braised Zaca Farm short rib ravioli is paired with a glass of pinot noir from Inception. Dessert is a pistachio cake with passion fruit sorbet and a 2004 Core grenache. The dinner is served daily at 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for $75 per person. 1260 Channel Dr. (805)969-2261.

Casa Vega

Call your friends to Celebrate National Taco Day for lunch today. Mention “It’s National Taco Day” to your server and receive an `a la carte Casa Vega beef or chicken taco for $1. Limit one taco per customer. The taco goes great with a blood orange margarita and side of table-side guacamole. 13301 Ventura Blvd. (818)788-4868.

More Taco Day

Celebrate National Taco Day at Tortilla Republic – West Hollywood’s Modern Mexican Grill and Margarita Bar – with 2 tacos for $6, house margaritas for $6 or pitchers for $30 and Coronas for $4. This is where you can enjoy a cucumber lavender margarita or spicy jalapeno one. Both go nicely with the signature Baja rock shrimp taco, with beer-battered shrimp honey jalapeno cabbage slaw, chipotle aioli and pico de gallo. Open for lunch from Tues. to Sun. at 11:30 a.m. and dinner from Mon. to Sun. at 5:30 p.m. Everyday Happy Hour begins at 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. 616 N. Robertson Blvd. (310)657-9888.

Think Pink Tea at The Peninsula

“Think Pink” afternoon tea is now being served through Oct. 31 to raise funds to fight against breast cancer. The rose-tinted Afternoon Tea includes a $50 Trina Turk promotional card. Start with a flute of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rose champagne with freshly sliced strawberries and whipped cream and a decadent caviar cake. Next, choose from over 20 loose-leaf teas to sip while nibbling on an assortment of sandwiches, scones and rose-colored pastries. Take home a traditional Peninsula Page “Cap Cake.” The Peninsula Beverly Hills’ car and driver will escort guests to the West LA Trina Turk boutique for a post-tea shopping spree. This unique event is $70 per person with a portion of the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd. (310)975-2736.

Interactive Dinner at The Charleston

On Oct. 8, Chef Jet Tila collaborates with General Manager and mixologist Myke Ramos to create Pan-Asian cuisine paired with new signature cocktails. The four-course dinner includes Panang chicken, 5 spiced pork belly buns, drunken noodles and Thai papaya salad. $70 per person, 7 p.m. 2460 Wilshire Blvd. (310)828-2115.

Napa Valley Grille

Chef Taylor Boudreaux has created a new seasonal fall menu for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. His dishes are presented as “Napa wine country cuisine with a cultural spin”. Some of the highlights on the menu include an Indian garam masala rack of lamb served with cilantro-mint and raita. Another is a Greek phyllo-wrapped baked brie with quince. His Spanish mussels are flavored with chorizo. For the Fall season, he includes warm Brussels sprout salad, butternut squash soup and beer-braised short ribs. Finish with a red wine poached pear in puff pastry with vanilla ice cream. Dishes range from $3 to $42. 1100 Glendon Ave. (310)824-3322.

Canadian Thanksgiving

This Sun., Oct. 7 and Mon. Oct. 8, the charming French bistro Soleil in Westwood is preparing an early Thanksgiving, Canadian style. Chef and Owner Luc Alarie will include a traditional Tourtiere (Canadian Meat Pie) in addition to the roasted turkey and all the trimmings. The fourth course is a choice of pumpkin pie or tarte au sucre. This four-course feast is $28.95 per person. Reservations requested. And join them every Sunday for their “Bottomless Champagne Brunch” 1386 Westwood Blvd. (310)441-5384.

Oktoberfest at Auntie Em’s

Now until Oct. 7, the restaurant is offering classic Black Forest cakes and Germanic sweets, including the traditional Nussecken (triangle-shaped bar made of a shortbread cookie-like crust, a ribbon of fruit jam, topped with sweetened-chopped nuts and dipped on the side in chocolate). “Dang! That’s Good” Butterscotch Beer will be available. The Black Forest cake is great to take home for your own Oktoberfest celebration for $50 or $5 a slice. Orders must be placed 48 hours before pick-up. 4616 Eagle Rock Blvd. (323)255-0800.

Café del Rey

Tonight, one of the world’s oldest wine producers, the Antinori Vineyard from Florence, Italy will collaborate with Chef Daniel for a four-course prix fixe menu for $75. The dinner starts at 6:15 p.m. The menu is filled with robust Italian flavors complemented by a rare selection of fine varietals. Many of the wines are rarely seen in the US. The menu includes black and white fennel ravioli, zatar-crusted sole and braised rabbit. Finish with a tiramisu paired with a 2007 Antinori Vinsanto. On Oct. 10, Chicago-based curator, Lezzet Spices will showcase a four-course dinner at 7 p.m. for $65 per person. Chef Daniel will prepare a one-of-a-kind Mediterranean menu. Each course is paired with a different wine. 4451 Admiralty Way, (310)823-6395.