On February 29, celebrate the Leap Year by rubbing elbows with the fuzziest top lips in the Back Bay at the Mustachio Bashio held at City Table from 6-9p. The third annual fete is a culmination of a full month of brave, clean-shaven folks abandoning their razors in favor of raising funds for Community Servings, a not-for-profit which delivers nutritious meals to those homebound by illness. The participants have been growing ’staches since February 1, so expect some pretty spectacular face rugs. At the Mustachio Bashio, you’ll get the chance to see some of the ‘stache masters in person, a list…

Burrito Bowl at the Rattlesnake Watch some of your favorite Boston chefs duke it out at the 2nd Annual Burrito Bowl at Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake on February 4 at 1p. Each chef will create a signature burrito reflecting the city of their favorite NFL team, so you’ll get to try a Seattle creation from Andy Husbands of Tremont 647, a San Francisco treat from Lolita Cocina’s Brian Roche, and a Dallas concoction from Sweet Cheeks’ Tiffani Faison, among others. You’ll also get to sample and vote on your favorites, so pace yourself. The cost is $15 and you can get tickets here. Davio's Chosen…

Low-Cal Specials at Haru Haru is making it easier for you to keep that resolution to get rid of some of that winter weight AND the one to indulge yourself every once in a while. Check out their new low-cal Shiso Slim skinny cocktail ($6), a blend of Voli lemon vodka, St. Germain, pink grapefruit and yuzu juices, muddled shiso leaf and a splash of soda. And if you need a little nibble, try their Haru-style Sashimi ($15), a carb-free flight of tuna, salmon and yellowtail. Both are available through January and February.  Nuovo You at Via Matta Speaking of a New Year and a new you, Via Matta is …

National Sangria Day Even as the weather gets a little colder, you can pretend you’re on a tropical vacation on December 20, National Sangria Day. Plenty of Back Bay restos are getting in on the action: Avila will have Sangria Rosa (Cave De Cairanne Rose with Stoli Raspberry and Crème de Peche); Davio’s will serve up Rose Sangria (rosé wine with Cointreau, brandy and fresh fruit juices); Poe’s Kitchen at the Rattlesnake’s version will be Spanish-style with fresh fruits; and Towne Stove and Spirits will offer up an Autumn Sangria with fresh apples, peaches and citrus steeped in red wine with …

National Cotton Candy Day Wednesday, December 7 is National Cotton Candy Day, and a few Back Bay spots are getting in on the sweet action. Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar serves up complimentary post-dinner sour apple cotton candy laced with cherry pop rocks, and Towne Stove and Spirits will be offering Lydia Shire’s homage to her past as a candy girl with gourmet Maple Cotton Candy ($6), which is also available atop Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake alongside caramel ice cream ($10). Teddy Bear Tea at the Taj Whether you have little ones at home or you just like fancy hats, head to a Teddy Bear Tea at…

Thanksgiving in the Back Bay It’s almost Turkey Time here in the Back Bay, and while some of us can’t wait to get elbow-deep in giblets and pie dough, the rest of us are more than happy to let somebody else do the heavy culinary lifting for us. If you fall into the latter category, here are some neighborhood restos offering special Thanksgiving menus – just one look at these dishes should be enough to tell you that space at the table will fill up fast, so make sure you call ahead before tucking your napkin into your collar and heading over. Maggiano’s – $36.95/person – The three-course …

Uncle Buck Pancakes at Mass Ave Tavern Remember that scene in Uncle Buck where John Candy (RIP) uses a snow shovel to make a pancake roughly the size of most North End apartments? Well, Mass Ave Tavern is giving you the chance to take on a challenge of nearly the same size. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30a-4p, skip over to Mass Ave Tavern and ask for the Uncle Buck flapjacks, five 14-inch cakes drenched in butter and syrup and weighing in at about six pounds. (After you sign your waiver, of course). While an order of the big guys is a reasonable $19, if you finish them in under an hour, …

Food Day October 24 marks the 1st Annual Food Day, raising awareness about health, sustainability, and farm work justice. Lots of Boston restos are getting in on the action by offering special menu items that feature local produce – Sel de la Terre, Deuxave, Summer Shack, Hamersley’s Bistro, Myers + Chang, Teranga, and Coda are all participating. Home Sweet Home Dessert Tasting Raise some money for the homeless by attending the fourth annual celebration of a sweet soiree called Home Sweet Home on Saturday 10/22 at the Cambridge Hyatt Regency. Come and dance the night away as you sample …

New Fall Drinks at 28 Degrees 28 Degrees is honoring autumn with some new fall cocktails. Get into the swing of the season with sips like the Spiced Pear (Le Poire vodka, muddled pear, and a sprinkling of cinnamon and allspice), the Rosemary Martini (Ethereal Berkshire Gin, rosemary infused simple syrup, lemon and muddled grapes), and the To-Be-Named cocktail (Berkshire Corn Whiskey, Aperol, sage infused simple syrup, and a garnish of lemon garnish and a sage leaf). Bottoms up, indeed. Oktoberfest at Masa Throughout the month of October, diners at Masa can opt for a three-course prix fixe …

Menu Changes at Towne New things are happening and Towne Stove & Spirits, thanks to the culinary minds of Lydia Shire and Mario Capone. First of all, the fall menu is out, featuring some twists on the classics as well as some exciting new dishes – we’re talking Our Towne Waldorf salad with pork belly sous vide and apple cider glaze ($13) and the pepper-seared #1 Tuna with parsnip chips and quince ($33). Plus, you can also take advantage of the Sunday Supper prixe fixe menu – this three-course meal available from 5:30-10p costs $29 per person (make that $38 if you want to add a bottle of wine…

International Sake Day at Haru Saturday, October 1 is International Sake Day (a.k.a. “Nihonshu no Hi”), which marks the day when brew masters traditionally begin the process of producing sake for the upcoming year. Lucky for us, a bunch of Boston restaurants are getting into the “spirit” (get it?), including Haru right here in the Back Bay. In addition to offering 15 types of sake by the bottle and eight types of chilled sake by the glass or bamboo, Haru also features sake flights and specialty cocktails, such as the Ultimat Saketini (Ultimat vodka, sake, and plum wine served “up”), Cherry …

New England Dessert Showcase Do you and your sweet tooth need something to do this weekend? Then hit up the 3nd Annual New England Dessert Showcase, being held this Saturday at the Sheraton Boston. Featuring desserts, chocolates, ice cream, and more from a host of decadent distributors, the Showcase also offers you a glimpse of the World’s Largest Cannoli (note: not a euphemism). We’ll be there to cover the event, so stayed tuned for a recap and lots of great photos. Tickets are $30 per session or $40 for all day if you want to be there, too, and you can buy them online here. L.A. Burdick …

Lunch and Brunch Arrive at Forum Forum, the new spot at 755 Boylston that we reviewed earlier this month, has begun offering lunch menus as well as Sunday brunch. From Monday-Saturday from 11a-3p, you can break up your midday routine by indulging in highlights like a panazella salad with corn bread, cucumbers, pickled onions, avocado, tomatoes, goat cheese vinaigrette ($14) or a PBP Sandwich (that’s peanut butter, bacon, and plantain) on honey sourdough ($14). Or, start off your lazy Sunday right from 10a-3p with brunch items like deep fried bananas with chocolate and mint ($10) and brioche …

Restaurant Week 2011 Foodies rejoice, because Restaurant Week is here again! The first week kicks off August 14-19, but keep in mind that some restaurants offer extended dates. Some Back Bay standouts who are offering up a variety of two-course lunches for $15.11, three-course lunches for $20.11, and three-course dinner for $33.11 include Avila, Davio’s, Brasserie JO, La Voile, and Kashmir, just to name a few. Check out all of the participants, read menus, and make reservations here. Beer Tuesdays at Sel de la Terre Join Sel de la Terre every Tuesday as they invite the hopheads among us to …

Tico Recognized by Zagat, USA Today Congratulations to Chef Michael Schlow’s Tico, which was selected by a Zagat Survey as a destination for business travelers looking to avoid the dreaded chain restaurant doldrums while on the road. You can check out the full list on USA Today (with a minor typo in our hometown spot’s name), and read our review of Tico from when they opened back in February. The Blind Tasting Wine Dinner at Taj Boston Join fellow oenophiles on July 28 at Taj Boston for their monthly wine dinner and show off your varietal identification skills at The Blind Wine Tasting. For $…

Confusion over Mass Ave Closing Mass Ave, which we reviewed when they opened back in January, gave us a bit of a scare when sources reported earlier this week that they would be closing their doors. Turns out, it’s a simple rebranding – they are now known as Mass Ave Tavern and reopened at 6:00 p.m. this past Wednesday sporting some new interior decorating and a menu redesign. New Chef at Sel de la Terre Sel de la Terre Back Bay is boasting a new chef these days – say hello to Franco Carubia, formerly of spots like Chatham Bars Inn in Cape Cod, Barbara Lynch’s Sportello, and the Back Bay’s …

Food Trucks in the Back Bay Take a break from your day to visit one (or more; we won’t tell) delicious food trucks as they stop in the Back Bay. For starters, City Hall Plaza is home to Bon Me, the Vietnamese sandwich phenom, Mon-Fri from 11:30 a.m. -3 p.m., and Clover, focused on local food and with lots of veggie-friendly options, on weekdays from 8 a.m. -3p.m. for breakfast and lunch.   Cooking Channel Food Truck on July 4th Speaking of food trucks, with everything else you probably have planned for the long weekend, be sure to swing by City Hall Plaza from 12 p.m.- 6 p.m. on Monday to see…

Father's Day is Sunday It’s time again to celebrate dads – but this time leave the not-so-great ties at the department store and take Dad out to a fancy meal to show your thanks on Father’s Day. Lots of Back Bay restos are getting in on the act, including a four-course Bourbon & Steak pairings dinner at Asana for $48, an a la carte brunch at Sel de la Terre, and a special three-course prix fixe at Morton’s for $69, as well as special menus at Atlantic Fish Co. and Joe’s. Two More Restos Coming… The Back Bay is jumping these days when it comes to restaurant openings. It was recently announced …

Two Resto Openings As we mentioned last month, Red Lantern is coming to the Back Bay at 39 Stanhope Street and officially opened its doors on June 8 – look for a review from us next week. We also just received word that The Salty Pig will be opening June 15 at 130 Dartmouth Street, featuring charcuterie, flatbread pizzas, sandwiches, and a craft beer menu, as well as patio seating (yay!). Summer-themed Classes at the BCAE This week is jumping at the BCAE, with three classes with warm and sunny themes featuring some Boston chefs – classes are in the evening and cost $35-$55, plus $18-20 for …

BerryLine Open on Newbury Street The next in the burst of frozen yogurt stands that have converged upon Boston in recent months, local chain BerryLine opened a Back Bay location at 303 Newbury on June 1 to accompany their Harvard Square, Porter Square, and Fenway locations. Stop by to enjoy some treats that use only ingredients that are free from antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, or toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Tasti D Lite Also Open It's not icecream. It's not frozen yogurt. The New York City franchize is what we call a "frozen dessert alternative," and it's been …