The Patio's Mezcal & Sotol Dinner; North Park Spirits & Shop

MISSION HILLS— The Patio on Goldfinch continues its Tequila Dinner Series on Tuesday, December 1 with a multi-course meal that highlights two other agave-based spirits, the super hot mezcal and the lesser-seen sotol. Resident certified catador (tequila sommelier) Chris Simmons will be pouring selections from boutique distilleries El Jolgorio Meszal, Nuestra Soledad Mezcal and Per Simper Sotol while The Patio Group executive chef John Medall shares the kitchen with notable names from the Baja food movement, chefs Miguel Angel Guerrero and Martin San Roman. The six course dinner is precluded by a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. and includes stingray cake with mussel sauce and grilled duck breast with French lentils and a sauce made from mezcal and another fermented Mexican beverage, pulque. [EaterWire]

NORTH PARK— Do some holiday shopping while sipping local spirits during North Park's Spirits & Shop event on Saturday, December 12 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Members of the San Diego Distillers Guild, including Malahat and Old Harbor, will be offering tastes at area boutiques while several local restaurants, including The SafeHouse, Saiko Sushi, Cardamom Cafe & Bakery and the soon-to-open Encontro will be serving up small bites. All food and drink is included in the $20 pre-sale ticket price. [EaterWire] 

FASHION VALLEY— True Food Kitchen has updated its seasonal brunch menu and added lots of new good-for-you dishes, including housemade granola enriched with hemp and chia seeds, served with in-season fruit and Greek yogurt sweetened with sea buckthorn syrup, a smoked salmon pizza topped with egg and tzatziki cream and a market egg scramble with vegetables and options chicken breakfast sausage or a twist on machaca made with lean bison. [EaterWire]