Absinthe Tasting in Hillcrest; Ocean Pacific Grille Grand Opens

HILLCREST— VOM FASS, the specialty food store that lets customers sample everything from spirits to oils and vinegars, is kicking off a month of tasting events with an absinthe party scheduled for Thursday, June 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. that'll take you through the fascinating history of the liqueur and sample you on all the absinthe available in the shop, with food pairings included. Tickets are $30. Future sessions include a $10 oil and vinegar tasting on June 30, a $15 summer cocktail event on July 2 and a $35 scotch tasting on July 9. [EaterWire]

GASLAMP— The modern Filipino cuisine-inspired Ocean Pacific Grille is officially grand opening on Thursday, June 25 with a performance by traditional Filipino dancers and a special $70, four-course dinner prepared by executive chef Charles Andres; course choices include lemongrass-crusted scallops with black rice, crispy-skinned sea bass in tomato tamarind broth and slow-braised short ribs in coconut peanut butter sauce, each paired with wine. [EaterWire]

VALLE DE GUADALUPE— Chef's Plate, the roving culinary competitionseries sponsored by Chef's Roll, has its fourth event scheduled for Saturday, July 25 that is shaping up to be an epic day. Held at Deckman's En El Mogor at Mogor Badan Winery, three of Baja’s top chefs — host chef Drew Deckman, Benito Molina, Miguel Angel Guerrero — will be cooking up whole local lambs for a family-style feast, with each chef also mentoring an up-and-coming chef in a live culinary competition. Five of the region's wineries (Lomita, Monte Xanic, Viñas de Garza, Lechuza Vineyards and Aborigen) will be on hand, plus Baja's rising star craft brewery Agua Mala.Tickets are $75, with a $50 transportation option provided by Baja Wine + Food. [EaterWire]