Summer Dining Deals, and Chickens in Your Backyard

Quick: During what month can you learn how to raise urban chickens in your own backyard and get $2 million in free food and wine from Jeff Ruby? Yep, it could only be August in Cincinnati.

If you’ve always longed to raise chickens but never knew where to start, there’s no longer anything stopping you from fulfilling that dream. Park and Vine is offering a “Chickens in Your Backyard” workshop on Aug. 29. You’ll find out how to handle “chickens in the city,” how to deal with neighbors’ reactions and more. Other events Park Vine offers include the “Eco Book Club,” which will discuss The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply, “Canning 101: Preserving the Harvest” and “Rain Barrels,” which will outline ways to reduce storm water runoff. Go to www.parkaandvine.com for dates and times.

If you’d rather eat your food than grow it, there are some great dining deals being offered this month. Jeff Ruby is giving away $2 million at Bootsy’s. If you spend $15 on lunch, you’ll receive a $25 dining card to any Ruby restaurant; drop $25 on dinner, and you’ll receive a $50 dining card. The promotion ends Sept. 21.

Downtown’s The Palace is also offering a deal: a two-course dinner for two and a bottle of wine for only $60. Meanwhile, Chalk Food and Wine in Covington is offering an ongoing Happy Hour deal: starting at 4:30 p.m. you get $3 off new bar food items, $4 house wine (which is superb) and $5 specialty cocktails.

Also in dining, the much-talked-about World Food Bar at Findlay Market will kick off its first dinner club Saturday at 7 p.m. Chef Joshua Campbell will present a five-course prix fixe dinner with wine pairings titled “Pinot & Pig,” which will feature pork in some form for each course and will be accompanied by various Pinot varietals. The price for the dinner is $75 per person. Contact [email protected] or call 513-668-7676.

If you’re watching your money and opting for fast food these days, you might be happy to hear that Chipotle opened a new location in Bridgetown (6455 Glenway Ave.) and White Castle opened a new location in Hamilton (851 High St.). According to the press release, the new Castle “features a ‘drive view’ window where customers can see their favorite Castle items such as The Original Slider being prepared!” So if you’re really into your Castles, you know where to go.

If you prefer your fast food local, stop by Gilpin’s Bagel & Deli (37 E. Seventh St., Downtown, 513-421-4223). Not only do they buy their vegetables locally from Findlay and support local artists, they’re also now offering lunchtime Segway delivery, outdoor seating and beer and wine sales. This is in addition to some new, lively customer-invented (and clearly named) sandwiches, including Pizza with Balls, Hung Like a Horse and the Playboy Club. Have fun ordering.