Tequila and Wine Dinners at Masa and More on the Food & Dining Scene

Tequila and Wine Dinners at Masa

• Add a little spice to your life next week at one (or both) of Masa’s pairing dinners. On Jan. 24, celebrate all things tequila with courses like sweet corn tamale with grilled shrimp paired with an unsmoked mescal and platanos en Gloria paired with an ultra-aged anejo. Then on Jan. 25, Masa features a three-course red wine dinner, with dishes like Colorado lamb stew paired with pinot noir and a pan-roasted quail and habanero sausage paired with cabernet sauvignon. Both meals start at 7 p.m. and tickets are $55 each – call 617-338-8884 to make your reservations.

New Organic Menu at Mela

• The local food movement in gaining momentum every day, and the folks at Mela have gotten in on the action with their new organic menu featuring seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. You can choose from modern Indian dishes like chicken tikka masala made with Wilson Farms free range bird and Butter Brook farms heirloom tomatoes ($24), paalak tofu stir fry with Moringa Farms tofu ($20), and the veggie korma of the day featuring the latest seasonal vegetables braised in a spicy sauce ($20).

Don Ricardo's Closed, Vejigante Coming

• Our sources report that Don Ricardo, the Brazilian and Peruvian restaurant on West Dedham Street, closed back in December. Taking its place will be Vejigante, offering up affordable Puerto Rican cuisine. No opening date has been given as of yet, so stay tuned.

Congrats to Oishii and Toro

• Two South End favorites were recently chosen for Find.Eat.Drink’s Top 50 for 2012, featuring nationwide recommendations from their panel of expert chefs. The restaurants selected represent places with consistent and delicious food – Oishii and Toro were two of four in Boston, along with Gourmet Dumpling House in Chinatown and Neptune Oyster in Haymarket. You can view the entire list broken down by region here.

Super Hunger Month

• Each January, The Greater Boston Food Bank organizes tasty events for Super Hunger Month, raising awareness and funding to help end hunger in eastern Massachusetts. Super Hunger Chefs, held on Jan. 25 at the Four Seasons, features a culinary trip around the world thanks to some of Boston’s top chefs, including South End representation by Hamersley’s Bistro, Mela and El Centro – you can buy tickets here. Then on Jan. 28 and 29, start your day with a great meal for a great cause with Super Hunger Brunch, when local restos offer up gift certificates in $25, $35 or $50 increments with proceeds going to GBFB. Lots of restaurants are participating this year, including Stella and Hamersley’s – you can purchase your certificates here.