Festival celebrates tequila, mezcal

A Tequila & Mezcal Festival -- with the focus on mezcal the first week, tequila the next -- is scheduled for Monday through March 25 at China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South. It will include events such as a public Del Maguey mezcal tasting from 5 to 7 p.m. and reserved dinner ($100) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and a public Casa Noble tequila tasting from 5 to 7 p.m. and reserved dinner ($100) at 7:30 p.m. March 23. China Poblano also will offer special bar antijitos and cocktails in honor of the festival. To reserve: 698-7900. ...

Spiedini at the J.W. Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd., now offers a happy hour in its bar from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays, with bruschetta and Tuscan hummus for $5 each and well drinks and house wines for $5. ...

Saturday is the deadline for applications for the Irish Stew Cook Off planned by the St. Jude Women's Auxiliary as part of this year's Southern Nevada Sons of Erin St. Patrick's Day celebration. The fee is $50; for details or to register, visit www.HendersonLive.com or call the City of Henderson Cultural Arts & Tourism Department at 267-2171. ...

Tickets are on sale for the first Project Dinner Table of 2012, which is scheduled for April 14 on top of the parking garage at the Molasky Corporate Center, 100 City Parkway, with Michel Richard, chef of Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace. Tickets, which are $140 per person, are available at www.ProjectDinnerTable.com. ...

Islands Restaurant, 10810 W. Charleston Blvd., is offering a $10 burger-and-beer special in its bar during NCAA basketball playoff games and the championship game. ...

The one-year anniversary and St. Patrick's Day celebration at Ri Ra at Mandalay Place, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South, will be March 16 and 17, with Irish food and drink, dance and music. It starts at 10 a.m. March 16; the cover March 17 is $10.

Ri Ra also has announced new menu items, such as stout-steamed mussels, Scotch eggs, chicken curry and Irish cheddar mac and cheese. ...

For additional restaurant news, visit lvrj.com/blogs/vegasvoice.

Send information to Heidi Knapp Rinella, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125. You also can send faxes to 383-4676 or email her at hrinella@reviewjournal.com.