On the Plate: Upcoming Food and Wine Events

Tonight: TONY's 10th Birthday
And the drinks are on them! We can't think of a better way to celebrate, really. Time Out New York and the IN:NYC Card will treat patrons to a complimentary cocktail during dinner service at nine select IN:NYC restaurants: Calle Ocho (212-873-5025; 446 Columbus Ave between 81st & 82nd Sts), 6-11pm; Django (212-871-6600; 480 Lexington Ave @ 46th St), 5:30-10:30pm; Kitchen 22 (212-228-4399; 36 E 22nd St between Broadway & Park Ave S), 5-10:30pm; Kitchen 82 (212-875-1619; 461 Columbus Ave @ 82nd St), 5-10:30pm; Ono (212-660-6766;18 Ninth Ave at Gansevoort St), 5-11pm; 66 (212- 925-0202; 241 Church St @ Leonard St), 5:30-11pm; SushiSamba 7 (212-691-7885; 87 Seventh Ave S between Grove & Barrow Sts), 5:30-11pm; Underbar (212-358-1560; 201 Park Ave S @ 17th St), 6-8pm; and Brasserio: Caviar & Banana (212-353-0500; 12 E 22nd St), 5-10pm.

August 11: Tasters' Guild New York's The Gold Standard: Double Gold and Gold Medal Winning Wines
One of the most respected wine judging events in the US is sponsored by Tasters Guild International. The 2005 Competition involved over 1,820 entries from 17 countries and 31 states, but only the top billers will be featured at this event. That still leaves you with over 65 wines to taste, though, so pace yourselves. Hotel Shelburne, 37th Street and Lexington Ave., 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., $60. Tickets available online.

August 11: American Cheese Society Winners 2005
Each year, the American Cheese Society (ACS) holds its conference and competition, where hundreds of American-made cheeses duke it out to be crowned the big cheese (bad pun -- couldn't help ourselves). Last month, three of Murray’s Cheese staff members attended the 2005 ACS Conference in Louisville, Kentucky: manager Sarah Zaborowski, affineur Sasha Davies, and, as a judge in the competition, cheesemonger Diane Stemple. At this class, each will present their unique, “insider” views of the event while you sit back, sample some of the winners, and sip some wine. 6:30 - 8pm, 54 Bleecker Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, $50. Register online.