Holiday Tamales; Beer Pairing Dinner; Pappy Van Winkle Event

CHULA VISTA— Traditional holiday food will be on the menu at La Tequila through the month of December, including the Karina's Group family recipe for tamales in flavors that range from beef tamales with a homemade mole sauce and chicken tamales with spicy tomatillo to sweet pineapple and raisin tamales. Festive beverages run from champurrado, a warm masa-based spiced chocolate milk drink, to a hot fruit-infused tequila punch. [Eaterwire]

LITTLE ITALY— Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen's next beer dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 3 and helmed by sous chef Travis Clifford, who previously cooked at MARKET in Del Mar. Clifford's menu for the six-course dinner includes duck confit, butternut squash and housemade ricotta ravioli and baby lamb chops paired with a beer selection curated by exec director/specialty brewer Colby Chandler. Call 619-255-7213 for reservations. [EaterWire]

LITTLE ITALY— Members of the cult of Pappy Van Winkle must check out Craft & Commerce's "Pappy's Coming to Dinner" event on Thursday, December 4 which will pair a three-course meal with pours of 12, 15 and 20-year vintages of the wildly popular bourbon, plus a flight of San Diego beers. Tickets are limited, and include a welcome cocktail. For those who don't want to commit to the whole dinner, shots of various Pappy vintages will be available purchase at the bar on the same evening. [EaterWire]