Table Talk for April 26

Earn your wings…On April 28, it’s your civic duty to go out and eat. Thursday marks Project Angel Heart‘s 11th annual Dining Out for Life fundraiser and more than 275 metro area restaurants (including 10 in Colorado Springs) will donate 25 percent of your breakfast, lunch, or dinner to the nonprofit. Project Angel Heart provides meals for people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses. Last year diners contributed $300,000 to the cause—this year, the organization is hoping to raise $320,000. For participating restaurants, check www.projectangelheart.org.”.

Raise a glass…The fifth annual DAM Uncorked wine tasting pours the good stuff on April 29. Look for more than 100 vintners, including Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, and Penfolds to crack open the cases for your sipping pleasure. Stroll from table to table and nibble on hors d’oeuvres from Bistro Boys Catering. The event, which benefits the museum’s educational programs, runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Plan on spending $60 if you’re a member, $75 if you’re not, and $30 if you’re the designated driver. This year’s event takes place in the grand ballroom of Lakewood’s Belmar Center event complex (405 S. Teller St.) 720-913-0039 or www.denverartmuseum.org/uncorked/.”.

Go local…Sample more wine on April 30 and May 1 during the Front Range Winemakers’ Barrel Tasting Weekend. Who knew the metro area had a burgeoning grape business? Talk grapes with local winemakers from Boulder, Golden, Evergreen, Denver, Arvada, and Loveland and enjoy the fruit of their labors. Each winery teams up with a chef to prepare cuisine to complement the wines. Tastings run from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday; tickets range from $38 to $120. 303-287-5156, www.balistreri-wine.com/events.”.

All hail the Asparagus Queen…Noodles & Company is on the hunt for someone “fresh and wholesome” to hawk the restaurant’s new asparagus dishes. Visit a Noodles outpost or check www.noodles.com for the Asparagus Queen contest details (and answer clever questions such as “Do you like asparagus?” and “What’s the freshest thing you’ve ever done?). Entries are accepted until May 10—the company will crown its monarch on May 17. It ain’t easy being green so start practicing your queenly wave now.”.

And the winner is…The pressure was sizzling at the second annual Silverton Mountain World Champion Steak Grill Off. Contestants seasoned their New York strips with top-secret ingredients before firing up portable grills in the parking lot. Seven steaks were presented before the three judges (Aaron Brill, steak lover and founder of Silverton Mountain, Dave Zino from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and yours truly, 5280’s traveling food editor) but only one made the cut. The Glacier Club‘s hunk-o-beef was spoon-eating tender, grilled to perfection, and judiciously spiced. As a reward, the Durango restaurant (1-866-375-8300) went home with a check for $100, a trophy, and the highly coveted title of steak champion.