Eating House's 420 Dinner Party Returns

There's a famous story behind "420." According to modern legend, years ago, a group of teens in San Rafael, California, met daily to search for an elusive and abandoned cannabis crop. The enterprising teens named their plan "4:20 Louis" for the time and meeting point: a statue of Louis Pasteur.

The code was shortened to "420" and was later adopted by High Times magazine as the socially acceptable time of day in which to get lit. 420 has caught on and remains code for getting high. That being said, when it's not quite half past 4 on April 20, the world will go up in smoke. And at 5 p.m., all of those people will get very, very hungry.

Leave it to Eating House's Giorgio Rapicavoli to save the day with his annual 420 dinner party. The event, which happens April 20 (duh), is a special stoner-themed event filled with munchies, music, and surprises.
For $42 (excluding tax and gratuity), partake of an eight-course feast of 420-themed dishes. The dinner is served family-style, and menu items include a T-bone steak with cheese, eggs, and Welch's grape jam; cold peanut butter and jelly noodles; gyro nachos with tzatziki and chicken thighs; tater-tot poutine with soft egg "gravy," smoked bacon, and cheddar; croquetas and plantain waffles with guava and garlic butter; short-rib Phillies with Cheez Whiz, black truffle, and onion; and a "special blondie" with Dutch Master caramel and roasted banana.

In addition, Eating House will offer $4.20 drink specials, stoner music, and movies on constant rotation. Expect to hear a lot of Snoop Dogg and the Grateful Dead.

The dinner isn't all fun and games, however. Though technically 72 percent of Florida voters approved amending the state constitution to legalize medical marijuana for people with extreme illnesses, the Florida Legislature has yet to adopt any rules. In fact, the first plan on the table would ban the use of edibles and would allow only the terminally ill to vape.

Rapicavoli, an advocate for the legalization of medical weed, says his 420 dinner is a playful way to shed light on the subject. "The legalization of medical marijuana in Florida has been a long and hard-fought battle. Instead of doing Miami Spice, we did a Miami Munchies menu and donated $4.20 from every dinner to United for Care, so I like to think we had some part in winning the fight! As always, we try to reinvent and present those classic munchies in a delicious and fun way."

Eating House's regular à la carte menu will not be served April 20, and reservations are strongly suggested. The 420 dinner will be served from noon to 10:30 p.m. Reserve by calling 305-448-6524 or visiting eatinghousemiami.com.