Culinary Meets Capillary: Employees, friends, families and possibly customers of 24 downtown restaurants and the Peery Hotel will donate blood, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday at the hotel, 300 West and South Temple. The blood drive is open to the public, with a barbecue at Squatters Pub Brewery afterward for all donors. Donations benefit patients at Primary Children's Medical Center, Shriner's Hospital for Children, University of Utah hospital and clinics, and The Huntsman Cancer Institute. Information, 584-5272. Participating restaurants are Baci Trattoria, Bambara, Buca di Beppo, Cafe Molise, Cafe Pierpont, Christopher's Steak House, Cucina Toscana, The Globe by Moonlight, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Market Street Broiler, Market Street Grill, Market Street Oyster Bar, Martine, McGrath's Fish House, Metropolitan, New Yorker, Oasis Cafe, Peery Hotel, P.F. Changs, Red Rock Brewing Co., Squatters Pub Brewery, Third & Main and Tony Caputo's Deli.
Gandolfo's New York Delicatessen opens its 12th franchise at 7800 South 7th East, offering nearly 40 different deli sandwiches, soups, salads, desserts, as well as a breakfast menu. Mark and Randi Pyper are franchise owners. The 15-year old Provo-based company was founded by Craig Gandolph.
Inn on the Creek in Midway hosts a Jazz Dinner and Dance Night on June 6. A four-piece jazz band will entertain guests after a meal prepared by executive chef Charlie Perry. Dinner begins at 5:30, with entertainment and dancing at 8:30 p.m. Cost is $45 per person. (800-654-0892 or 435-654-0892)
Metropolitan, 173 W. Broadway, is hosting a "Come to the Casbah" party June 6 at 7:30 p.m. Diners can park their camels and enjoy the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of Morocco. The six-course menu includes smoked octopus, fresh grilled sardines, braised rabbit and lamb shank, using north African-style ingredients, such as fresh purslane, yogurt sauces, eggplant, tyropita, cannellini beans, olives, ouzo, rose water and harissa sauce. Cost is $70 per person, Italian wine pairing an additional $45. (364-3472)
Wendy's offers a new Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad all summer, featuring romaine lettuce, roasted corn, black beans, grape tomatoes, chicken breast, Parmesan cheese and homestyle garlic croutons with a southwest-style dressing.
McDonald's restaurants in Utah raised over $26,000 during Mother's Day weekend to help fight breast cancer. From May 9—11, proceeds from the eatery's cookie sales benefited the City of Hope, one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer. Restaurants also sold pink paper ribbons for one dollar as part of the fund-raising effort.
Mimi's Cafe is opening it's third Utah restaurant, this time in Orem. The bistro-style family dining restaurant will open in June at the University Crossing Shopping Center. The 203-seat restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, featuring items such as pasta Jambalaya, slow-cooked pot roast, chicken pot pie, shrimp cappelini and BBQ chicken salad. Other Mimi's cafes in Utah are in Sandy and Murray.