Fresh sheet: Ethiopian dinner, Obon festival, wine winners
Authentic Ethiopian dinner
An authentic Ethiopian vegetarian dinner, served on traditional injera flatbread, takes place Sunday afternoon to benefit the Ethiopian Education Fund.
Dinner runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Queen of Sheba restaurant in the Flour Mill, 621 W. Mallon Ave., Suite 426.
The event includes an auction of Ethiopian items and a presentation by EEF co-founder Jeffrey Ried. It costs $30, or the amount of educating one student for a month in Ethiopia. The EEF serves students from remote tribal areas of the country.
There’s only room for 40, and organizers encourage pre-payment to guarantee a place. For more information, visit queenofshebaspokane .com or call (509) 328-3958. To pre-pay, visit the ethiopianeducationfund.org, click on the donate button and pay via PayPal.
Obon Festival
Spokane Buddhist Temple is holding its Obon Festival Saturday and Sunday – and Japanese food is on the menu.
The Buddhist cultural event takes place from noon to 7 p.m. both days, and everyone’s welcome. Admission is free. Menu items run from $1 to $7. Senbei crackers, made by temple members a weekend before the fest, are $4. So are edamame, green tea smoothies and sushi. The chicken rice bowl is $7.
The event takes place at the temple, 927 S. Perry St. On the Web: www.SpokaneBuddhist Temple.org.
Wine awards
Four Spokane-area eateries won a 2014 Restaurant Award from Wine Spectator magazine, which recognizes dining establishments for their wine selections.
Local winners are Masselow’s Restaurant at Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Airway Heights, Max Restaurant at Mirabeau Park Hotel in Spokane Valley, and Churchill’s Steakhouse and Palm Court Grill at Davenport Hotel and Tower in downtown Spokane.
Nearly 3,800 restaurants were honored this year. Most – nearly 2,800 – were entry-level Award of Excellence winners, recognized for wine lists with an “interesting and diverse selection of wines that are well-presented and thematically match the restaurant’s cuisine in price and style.” A full list is included in the Aug. 31 issue, which hit newsstands Tuesday.
On the Web: www.winespectator.com.