Miami's Best Eats and Drinks This Week: Free Beer, Dark Dining, and More UPDATED

Yesterday was one hell of a washout. And Saturday, there was more humidity than we thought was physically possible. So, basically, what we're trying to say is we can't wait for fall to arrive so we can at least enjoy, like, two "cold fronts" and wear boots or something. #MiamiProblems

Unfortunately, fall doesn't officially start for another few days -- despite Starbucks already putting out its Pumpkin Spice Latte, which totally throws us off ever damn year.

In any case, hope you've got a cup of java at hand to calm the weekday jitters. We have some cool events lined up to help hold you over until the weekend.

Update: The Sizzling History of Miami Cuisine dinner at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar has been cancelled.

The Dark Side of the Brew

On Monday at 6 p.m., OTC will host a Grovetoberfest beer tasting. The best part: It's completely free. The second best part: It's Pink Floyd-themed. The final best thing: It features all dark beers (think black IPAs, Belgian quads, dark ales, dark brown ales, and so on). Sample mysteriously dark suds, cash in on the swag giveaways ("Dark Side of the Brew" logo tees might be the best thing we've seen -- ever), and score free tickets to Grovetoberfest. It's an awesome event, but there's a catch: You must RSVP and get there early or on time, because only the first 50 people to arrive will be admitted.

Doraku Tweet-Up

Not to stroke our own ego or anything, but the New Times crew is a pretty fun bunch of characters. We like hanging out with you guys, and we like hearing your stories, and like you, we like to get our drank on. Fortunately, when we do it at events that we host, we drink for work. Sigh -- occupational hazards at their best. Anyway, we'd like to see you tonight at Doraku for a happy-hour tweetup. We'll sip cocktails and munch sushi rolls and take pictures to post on Instagram and do all the fun things that people do when they're hanging out with friends. So join us from 7 to 9 p.m. -- you need not be shy.

The Sizzling History of Miami Cuisine (Cancelled)

Ever read a book that was so descriptive you could taste the tastes and smell the smells? It's pretty awesome when that happens, but now you can actually experience it in real life. On Thursday at 7 p.m., local author of The Sizzling History of Miami Cuisine and Wynwood Kitchen & Bar chef Miguel Aguilar will team up for a six-course dinner celebrating the evolution of Miami's food scene. The menu starts in the 1940s with "Classic Americana" consisting of latin meatloaf, boniato puree, and chipotle Brussels sprouts. Move through "The Italian Influx" of the '50s and "The Jewish Diaspora" of the '60s which offers smoked tuna fricassee empanadas. Enter the '60s and '70s with "The Latin Explosion" and pabellon criollo and then the '80s with "Nuevo Latino" and malanga gnocchi, pulled pork, and sweet Southern barbecue sauce. Dinner is $70 per person, and includes a cocktail, tax, and gratuity.

Dark Dining Eyes Wide Shut Masquerade

A masquerade ball at Coral Gables Country Club awaits you this Friday -- are you in for the tantalizing mystery? Dress to the nines (the event attire is formal black tie), and throw on your finest mask. Nibble hors d'oeuvres by chef Adrianne Calvo. Then comes dinner (two seatings, one at 8 p.m., one at 10), where you'll be blindfolded while you eat. It's a little messy (as we learned the first time we tried it) and kind of kinky, so bring a good date to get the full experience. Enjoy an open bar, dancers, performances, and oddities. Tickets for the full experience cost $250 per person. Tickets for the experience minus dinner and access to VIP cost $200 per person, and tickets for the experience without the VIP and dinner frills cost $150 per person.

Follow Alex on Twitter @ARodWrites.

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