Hot Dish

Have a good time and do a good deed, all at once. Share Our Strength's "Taste of the Nation" is the restaurant industry's effort to stamp out hunger. Every year, in the same week, food and wine tastings take place in more than 100 cities nationwide, with the proceeds going to each community's food banks and charities. At the Dallas event, you can sample the best work of more than 40 of Dallas' top restaurants, prepared on the spot by each establishment's chef, along with a full selection of fine wines, live entertainment, and a silent auction. Altruism never tasted so good. "Taste of the Nation" happens in Dallas on April 30, 4-7 p.m., at the Shops and Galleries of the Crescent. Tickets are $40 in advance and may be purchased from the participating restaurants, or $45 at the door. For more information, call 1-800-955-TASTE.

--Mary Brown Malouf