• The (cursed?) East 18th Street space that formerly housed Japonais and Kibo is the confirmed new home of Ainsworth Park, an upscale steakhouse from the Ainsworth team. [Eater NY]
• Word on the street is La Churreria is now offering free churros with the purchase of a coffee drink. [Local EV/NYT]
• Ian Chalermkittichai, recently crowned Iron Chef Thailand and kitchen-master at the Ember Room, is hosting a five-course dinner this Thursday to re-create some of his winning dishes from the show. His Iron Chef team will be on-site, and there will be two seatings — at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased by calling 212-245-8880. [Grub Street]
• East Village comfort-food staple Mama’s Food Shop told the Local EV it’s done, citing increasing rents and taxes. Another vestige of the old East Village bites the dust. [Local EV/NYT]
• Tickets are now on sale for Brooklyn Shaken & Stirred, a boozy evening in Carroll Gardens this fall that will bring together some of the borough’s best bars and restaurants. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. [Grub Street]
• Bushwick’s Northeast Kingdom is having a 23-course, nose-to-tail feast next Friday made from King Arthur, the pig the restaurant has been raising for nearly a year. Appetizers, entrées, and desserts will be incorporated into this “zero-waste” meal, the restaurant says. All-inclusive tickets are $130 and can be purchased by e-mailing contact@northeastkingdom.com. [Grub Street]
• Asellina, the Gansevoort’s upscale Italian eatery, is aiming to re-create the Italian picnic experience with their new summer baskets. At $150 for four, the basket contains a selection of meats, cheeses, breads, salads, desserts, and wine. Call 646-380-5315 to reserve a basket at least 48 hours in advance. [Grub Street]
• City Grit is bringing a taste of “PDX” to Manhattan with a three-night event next month dubbed Feast Portland, a festival of Oregon-inspired food, wine, and beer that brings together four of the state’s most acclaimed chefs. Tickets are $85 and can be purchased online. [Grub Street]
