This Week in Houston Food Events: Southern Smoke Is Finally Here

All Month Long

Berryhill's Monthly Taco

This month's special taco is The Tailgater, a flour tortilla stuffed to the gills with chorizo, pork meatballs, braised cabbage, sautéed onions, cheese, cilantro and chipotle mustard. You can find it at any Berryhill Baja Grill this month for just $4.25.

Tex-Mex for Charity

When you buy a $1 coupon book at any Taco Cabana location, all of your dollar will go to the Warrior and Family Support Center, which provides services to wounded veterans and their families. If you go on October 6 between 5 and 8 p.m., you can also get a free chicken fajita taco. Pollo Tropical is also selling coupon books for $1 that will benefit the U.S.A. Swim Foundation's Make a Splash program, which provides swimming lessons to children across the country.

All Week Long

Bubbles Week at The Tasting Room

If you like bubbly wines, you'll love this weeklong celebration at The Tasting Room, 1101 Uptown Park. There are special pricing offers, a raffle, a wine dinner, a wine tasting and more. Check out the Facebook event for more details.

Taste of Italy at Kroger

From now until October 13, you can find the flavors of Italy at area Kroger stores, including special events such as "Crack the Parm," where a specialist will crack 78 pounds of parmigiano cheese. Free samples will abound of various Italian specialties, and some special items will be introduced, such as Primzie's Caramelized Garlic with Herb Butter crispbread. Check out the details, including recipes and a chance to win a trip to Italy on the event website. 

Ciao Italia at H-E-B

This is about to sound very familiar; H-E-B is also having a festival of Italian flavors this month, which includes more than 3,000 imported Italian products. You can find specialty pastas, sauces, cheeses, balsamic vinegars and everything else you need to make a true Italian feast, with ingredients right from the source. This festival also ends on October 13, and you can find all the delicious details on the website.

Monday, October 5

Viña Maquis Wine Dinner at Holley's

While their vineyard is more than a century old, the Hurtado family's Chilean winery is a product of this millennium. You can sample some of their wines at Holley's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar, 3201 Louisiana, with this six-course wine dinner. The fare includes Mediterranean mussels, Akaushi tartare, braised pork belly, and king salmon and scallop orzo, while the wines include the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Lien Blend and 2014 Calcu Rose. Make your reservations by calling 713-491-2222. 7 p.m., $125

Wednesday, October 7

Zest in the West

This tasting event at Château Crystale, 2517 South Gessner, has the trifecta: beer, wine and food. There's Bubbles and Brews, a pre-Zesting party with sparkling wine and craft beer, plus light bites, and then the main event — the Grand Zesting, which has samples of all kinds of foods and drinks. The V.I.P. experience is a white-glove affair with first-class service and exclusive wines. Check out the list of participating wineries, breweries and restaurants and get your tickets on the website. 7 p.m., $65 and up

Friday, October 9

Food and Films Series at Quattro

As part of the Friday night cinematic series at Quattro, 1300 Lamar, you can see a film and get a five-course feast for $79, or $145 per couple. This week's feature is The Wall. Beverages are extra, but beverage packages will be offered each evening. Reservations are required, and you can make them by calling 713-276-4700. 7 p.m.  

Stand-Up Comedy at MKT BAR

Every Friday until the end of October, you can find the BETA Bracket stand-up comedy competition at MKT BAR in Phoenicia, 1001 Austin, and, as part of the audience, you can help select the winners. Ten local comedians (or people who think they're comedians) will perform in a five-minute round, then the competition will be thinned out to a ten-, then a 20-minute set, and the winners go home with lots of money. As in, the top prize is $3,000. Admission is free, and you can enjoy MKT BAR provisions while you laugh. 10 p.m.

Saturday, October 10

South Texas Breakfast Cooking Class

Sylvia Casares, chef and owner of Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen at 1140 Eldridge Parkway, is hosting her fall cooking classes again this year, and this one features breakfast favorites like handmade tortillas, migas, chilaquiles and more. The class includes a full meal of the foods cooked in the class, cheese enchiladas, dessert and a margarita or other drink of your choice. Sign up for this class and future classes. 12:30 to 3 p.m., $55.

Sunday, October 11

Southern Smoke

Chris Shepherd of Underbelly, 1100 Westheimer, decided to put on an enormous fundraiser and party for the Multiple Sclerosis Society after learning that his friend Antonio Gianola had been diagnosed with M.S. Chris is bringing in his friends and fellow chefs Aaron Franklin, Sean Brock and Rodney Scott for an outdoor barbecue cookout around Underbelly, Hay Merchant and Blacksmith, with beer and wine donations provided by the likes of Karbach, Saint Arnold and more. Folk Family Revival will provide the tunes. For more information and tickets, check out the Southern Smoke website. 4 to 8 p.m. $200 general, $350 V.I.P. admission