A Columbia contest for the best mac ‘n’ cheese – with a twist

Who has the best vegan mac ’n’ cheese?

Time to sample and vote for your favorite.

Vegan Outreach has gathered some of the region’s best chefs to create their recipes. Included are David Wright, Good Life Cafe, Columbia; Shawn Harrison, Tephra Vegan, Savannah; Folami Geter, Lamb’s Bread Vegan Cafe, Columbia; Matt Martin, Fern, Flavors from the Garden, Charlotte; Stephanie Bridgers, The Local Buzz, Columbia; Gloria Clay, independent chef, Columbia; Benoit St Jacques, Meet Your Cremator Hot Sauces, Columbia; Yvette Garcia, Lady Go-Go’s, Charlotte; and Chef Saa, Rawtopian Bliss Raw Vegan Diners Club, Columbia.

Noon-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10 at The Venue on Main, 1620 Main St. $8 at eventbrite.com, with proceeds benefitting Vegan Outreach’s programs. www.facebook.com/veganoutreach

RELATED: Columbia has fantastic mac ’n’ cheese dishes. Here's how we rate them

September Harvest Beer Dinner: Enjoy five house ales paired with a four-course meal inspired by local game. Menu includes cured meat and pickle board; venison confit, duck breast prosciutto, venison rilletes, sweet pepper jelly, 12 Mile Porter mustard, pickled red onion, pickled quail eggs, hop-pickled okra; buttermilk-fried Manchester Farms quail, hop vinaigrette, poached egg; rustic mushroom and rabbit stew; watermelon granita with lime and mint.

7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12 at Old Mill Brewpub, 711 East Main St., Lexington. $50 at eventbrite. www.facebook.com/OldMillBrewPub

Indian Summer Rose Dinner: Danielle Robinson of AdVintage Wine presents rose wines paired with a multicourse dinner.

6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 at Gervais & Vine, 620-A Gervais St. (803) 799-8463, www.gervine.com

Columbia’s Greek Festival: This favorite annual festival is set for Thursday, Sept. 14, through Sunday, Sept. 17, at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1931 Sumter St. Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. the first three days, noon-8 p.m. on the final day. Enjoy Greek food, arts and crafts, market, tours of the church, dancing and more. www.columbiasgreekfestival.com

New restaurants

Less than five months after opening its first Midlands-area location on Greene Street in Five Points and a location on Sunset Boulevard in Lexington, Poke Bros. “Fresh Fish Hawaiian Style” restaurant has announced it will open another Columbia location at 1211 Lincoln St. in the Vista. The location was previously home to Doubletakes vintage clothing shop. Poke Bros. also has released announced the address for its Irmo location: 1230 Bower Parkway off Harbison Boulevard. Poke Bros. describes itself as a fast casual restaurant serving poke, which is pronounced POH-KAY – a type of fish salad that originated in Hawaii and features cubed-cut raw fish mixed in a bowl with rice, veggies and toppings.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 5:24 PM with the headline "A Columbia contest for the best mac ‘n’ cheese – with a twist."