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Food, wine, music and art tempt the senses with Temptations in the Garden at 6 p.m. Friday at the Spray Mercantile Building and Courtyard on Church Street in Eden.

The event, presented by the Eden Preservation Society, features gourmet food and beverages from Eden chefs and caterers, live music, works by local artists and a silent auction.

Admission is $25 and includes 10 taste tickets. Advance tickets of $20 may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce. For information, call 623-3336.

Pizza franchise opens

Johnny Brusco's Pizza (841-0299), has opened at 5815 Samet Drive across from Palladium Cinemas in High Point.

The chain offers New York-style specialty pizzas, including the loaded Johnny's Deluxe, Veggie Deluxe and Hawaiian Luau. Prices range from $10.95 to $21.45 with many available by the slice. Lots of extra toppings are available.

Johnny's offers Italian dinners including the Bronx Bomber ($8.95) with a selection of meats and marinara sauce; Manhattan Garden ($8.95) with a medley of vegetables in marinara sauce; and Cheese Ravioli ($8.95).

Oven baked subs such as the Johnny's Special ($6.25) loaded with Italian meats, the Capicolla ($5.95) with spicy Italian ham and Johnny's Veggie ($5.95), are available. A selection of Parmigiana Subs (meatball, chicken and eggplant, $6.25 each) includes marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

A selection of Calzones and Stromboli, including build-your-own, are also available.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Taqueria opens

Need an authentic Mexican soft taco or torta to go? Drop by Taqueria La Milagrosa (4705 High Point Road, Greensboro; 851-8881) in the old Giacamo's Italian Market location.

The taqueria (taco stand) is adjacent to the Latin market La Milagrosa Tienda Hispana at the intersection of High Point and Groometown roads. The menu is simple and straightforward, offering four tacos ($4), two quesadillas ($4) or a torta ($5) filled with a choice of beef, chicken, Chorizo sausage or tongue. Quesadillas are served with rice and beans.

There's also fajitas ($6.99), sopes ($4.50), a masa cake topped with fixings, and Caldo de Cameron ($5.99), a Mexican shrimp soup.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Hibachi on the run

Tokyo Express (3722-F Battleground Ave., Greensboro; 288-6788) has opened in the Battleground Plaza shopping center at Brassfield Road.

Tokyo Express serves hibachi and Teriyaki specialties to order including Hibachi Vegetables ($4.39), Hibachi Chicken ($5.39), Hibachi Salmon ($6.59) and Hibachi Scallops ($6.99).

Salads include Hibachi Chicken ($5.39) and Teriyaki Steak ($6.39).

Combination plates include fried rice, sweet carrots and shrimp sauce and range from $8.99 to $10.99.

A weekday lunch special ($4.97) includes iced tea and changes daily.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Australian wine dinner

Solaris (125 Summit Ave., Greensboro) is will serve a five-course dinner featuring Loose End Wines from Australia at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Cost is $50. Call 378-0198 for reservations.

Ice cream benefit

From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Cold Stone Creamery stores will offer free ice cream to encourage donations to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Customers who stop in during those hours can get a 3-ounce serving of either Emily's Creation or Jack's Creation, concoctions named after the Make-A-Wish children who created them.

For Cold Stone Creamery locations, visit www.coldstonecreamery.com.

Wine dinner honors artist

Renowned artist of wine-inspired still life paintings Thomas Arvid will be the guest of a wine dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar (3342 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro)

Cost is $100. Call 294-7790 for reservations.

Meals for kids, vegetarians

Let's Dish (2130 New Garden Road, Greensboro), the do-it-yourself meal preparation retailer, has expanded its offerings of kid-friendly meals and has added more vegetarian and side dishes.

"We've always had meals that kids love, but now we have more options so busy families can eat tasty, healthy meals together and everyone is happy," says co-owner Holly Calabro.

For more information, call 540-0222 or visit www.letsdish.com to see the monthly menu.

Wine dinner planned

A wine dinner featuring the likes of Red Pepper Soup with Lime, Grilled Filet Medallions and Roasted Pineapple Gratin will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Steak Street (3915 Sedgebrook St. of N.C. 68, High Point).

Cost is $65. Reserve a spot by calling 841-0222. For information, visit www.steakstreet.com.

Specialty coffees coming

Odds are, if your neighborhood McDonald's isn't offering McCafe Specialty Coffees, it will.

Currently, there are 23 locations in Guilford County offering the gourmet-style coffee beverages with additional locations in Eden, Asheboro, Burlington and Kernersville. But almost 100 percent of McDonald's in the Triad market will be serving the coffee drinks by the end of the month, says a spokesperson with the chain.

Mystery dinner planned

A killer is on the loose at Yancey House Restaurant (699 U.S. 158, Yanceyville), and it's up to the dinner guests to catch him when the restaurant presents a mystery dinner at 7 p.m. Oct. 10.

The Little Theatre of Danville provides the drama and chef Licindy Willis provides the meal. Cost is $25. Reserve your front-row seat by calling 694-4225.

Event facility in the works

By this time next year, downtown Greensboro could have not only a unique new restaurant, but a new event center and another outdoor entertainment venue.

The original concept of SideTrax restaurant, in an old two-story mill house on Barnhardt Street just south of the railroad tracks, has evolved to include a banquet hall, office spaces and the SideTrax Alley Event Grounds, an adjacent open air space for gatherings.

The concept is the brainchild of a group of investors that include local realtor Wrenchel Stokes, Craig Conroy, a hockey player with the Calgary Flames, and others. The project has the blessing of downtown officials. Completion is expected by spring of next year.

Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or carl.wilson@news-record.com