February 24, 2015 | Detroit Free Press

With Detroit’s dining scene enjoying a new restaurant debut nearly every week, it’s easy to forget about suburban destinations. Royal Oak Restaurant Week kicks off Friday, and aims to entice diners with more than two dozen participating restaurants. The deal is $15, $25 or $35 for a three-course meal, and the specials run through March 8. Some of the highlights are Bastone’s $25 dinner, with your choice of onion soup, cod or baked goat cheese for a first course. Entrees offered are seafood waffle, grilled strip loin or wild mushroom tortellini. You can’t choose incorrectly with dessert: toffee pudding, banana fritters or cherry cheesecake. Everything should pair well with the house-brewed beer. Love wine? Vinotecca has a great selection and a $35 fixed price dinner that will attract seafood-lovers with choice of cod tostada, scallops or a goat cheese-stuffed avocado to start. Entree choices are vino filet, sushi sampler or seafood risotto. Dessert choices are the same as sister restaurant Bastone. The accoladed Bistro 82, which just celebrated its first anniversary, has a $35 fixed price dinner that features french onion soup dumplings, vegetarian stuffed peppers, wagyou hanger steak and cinnamon-sugar beignets. Also new, beer bar Ale Mary’s has a $15 lunch menu for Royal Oak Restaurant Week that is stocked with comfort foods like Gouda ale soup, drunken chicken Philly and a chocolate stout cake. Visit rorainfo.com for more details and menus. Vivio’s says goodbye to longtime friend If you’ve visited Vivio’s Food and Spirits in Eastern Market in the past decade, chances are good that you conversed with affable manager Willis Davis Jr. A big Detroit Tigers fan with a unique sense of humor, Davis passed away this month. Vivio’s will celebrate Davis’ life with a memorial from 1-5 p.m. March 8 with a “story and legend” time at 3 p.m. mbaetens@detroitnews.com twitter.com/melodybaetens Food and beverage events Journey through Pilsners at World of Beer: A look at artisan takes on pilsners from around the world, this beer bar chain hosts a monthlong event highlighting brews from Pilsner Urquell to local craft beers. Unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell will be tapped March 12. Event runs through March 15. 1300 S. University, Ann Arbor. (734) 913-2430. Cooking with Slow Ride at Mirepoix Cooking School: Cook with New Belgium’s Slow Ride Session IPA and learn about beer pairing and using beer as an ingredient. 6-8 p.m. Thurs. $69.99. 1203 S. Main, Royal Oak. mirepoixcookingschool.com. Mac ‘N’ Brews and Comfort Food at Royal Oak Farmers Market: Enjoy gooey, savory macaroni and cheese from 20 area restaurants, plus desserts, craft beer and other beverages. Ticket includes food samples and 10 beer samples, VIP tickets get you 20 beer samples and early entry. 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Early bird tickets are $35, $50 VIP. 316 E. 11 Mile, Royal Oak. macnbrews.com. Michigan Winter Beer Festival at Fifth Third Ball Park: One of the biggest beer events in the state, this 10th annual festival features 800 craft beers from 88 Michigan breweries. 3-7 p.m. Fri. and 1-6 p.m. Sat. $45 in advance. 4500 West River Drive Northeast, Grand Rapids. mibeer.com. Fire and Ice Dinner at Rattlesnake Club: Chefs Chris and Jeff created a menu of flaming sausages, icy oysters, chilled seafood carpaccio and grilled beef for their “fire and ice” themed meal. 6:30 p.m. Fri. $80, includes wine pairings. 300 River Place Drive, Detroit. (313) 567-4400, ext. 6226. Belgian Beer Tasting Dinner at Monk Beer Bar: Belgian dishes like mussels and waffle sandwiches will be paired up with beers from the same country. The four-course dinner is 25% off for members of the Monk Beer Abbey Club. 7 p.m. March 4. $25. 109 E. Fifth, Royal Oak. Call (248) 544-6250 to RVSP. Melody Baetens