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A couple of culinary event benefits are coming up.

The annual Chef's Charity Ball will be at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Embassy Suites, 204 Centre Point Drive in Greensboro.

The event is a benefit for the Chef and Child Foundation, a nonprofit branch of the American Culinary Federation and is sponsored by the Triad ACF. Money raised will go for culinary scholarships at GTCC.

Tickets are $60 per person for $100 per couple. Call 399-6774.

Corks for Kids Path, a wine-tasting benefit for Kids Path of Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Regency Room, 203 S. Elm St. in Greensboro.

This year's event features wines from Zeto Wine and Cheese Shop (which is donating net profits from all wine orders that night), chocolates from Loco for Coco, brews from Natty Greene's Brewing Co., hors d'oeuvres from Pepper Moon and a silent auction.

Admission to the event is $50. Call 621-2500 or visit www.corksforkidspath.org.

Chicago-style dogs

One way that some restaurants seem to be coping with the recession is this: If the concept isn't working, try something different.

Such is the case for Armando Soto. Soto opened Jibaro and served the Puerto Rican cuisine of his heritage. But the food never seemed to catch on. So, he turned to another concept he knows well: the Chicago-style hot dog.

He closed shop at the end of last year and reopened shortly thereafter as Windy City Hot Dog and Grill (401 S. Tate St., Greensboro; 273-9788) at the corner of Walker Avenue and Tate Street.

Soto is a Chicago native and lived the better part of his life there. He worked for hot dog stands there including Tastee Freez and Jimmy's Hot Dogs. So he knows Chicago dogs.

What makes a Chicago dog ($3.49)? A Windy City dog starts with an all-beef dog (Soto offers Vienna brand) and is topped with relish, sliced tomato, pickle spear, hot pepper and a sprinkle of celery salt.

Windy City also offers a Carolina-style dog ($3.49), a Chili Cheese dog ($3.49) and Polish sausage ($3.79).

The shop also offers burgers ($4.49 for a regular to $5.29 for a Carolina, sandwiches ($5.19 for a Steak and Cheese, $5.79 for an Italian Beef and Sausage) and wraps ($6.59 for steak, chicken or veggie).

Meals with fresh-cut fries include Chicken Tenders ($5.79) and Fish and Chips ($5.99).

But Soto hasn't totally abandoned his Latin menu. He still offers a Cuban Sandwich ($6.99) and empanadas ($5.49) stuffed with beef or chicken.

Windy City also offers soups, salads and sides.

A $4.97 meal deal is a steal that includes a hot dog, fries and beverage.

Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Another new concept

Another restaurant, Aquaria Seafood Grill (3800 Tinsley Drive) in High Point, is reinventing itself as well.

Owner Sammy Gianopoulos says he plans to reopen next month with a new concept, new look and new hours.

The concept evolution comes on the heals of another restaurant transition. The Black Pearl in Greensboro, a predominately seafood concept, recently became the more casual Gate City Tavern.

Deal on new menu items

Steak Street (3915 Sedgebrook St.; www.steakstreet.com) off N.C. 68 in High Point is offering a special deal from the restaurant's new Low Country Duo menu.

For $29, get a choice of two entrees from the menu that includes items such as Grilled Voodoo Shrimp Skewer, Center Cut Sirloin, Grilled Chicken or Lobster Tail. The deal includes a cup of soup or salad and a choice of side.

Steak Street has also added some other items to the menu, including Tuscana Vegetarian or Seafood Pasta, Voodoo Lobster Tail, Fried Green Tomatoes and even Paella.

And Friday and Sunday are half-price wine nights from the restaurant's award-winning list. Call 841-0222 for reservations.

Eat pancakes for benefit

In celebration of National Pancake Day, International House of Pancakes restaurants will offer guests a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The promotion is to raise awareness and funds for Children's Miracle Network hospitals such as Duke Children's Hospital and Health Center in Durham.

To find the nearest IHOP or to make a donation, visit www.ihoppancakeday.com.

Coffee shop opens Sunday

Greensborough Coffee (400 State St.; 274-1308) in Greensboro is now open on from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday.

Owner Luke Whitten decided to start opening on Sunday after requests from nearby churches and neighborhood residents.

The decision was galvanized two weeks ago when one of his regular patrons approached him about holding an impromptu farmers' market at the shop. The market was made up of independent vendors and vendors from the Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market who were frustrated over the closure of the market for two consecutive Saturdays because of weather.

That makeshift market was a success, and Whitten says he's considering making it a regular part of his Sunday shop hours.

New menu items

T.G.I. Friday's (4423 W. Wendover Ave.; 294-3707) in Greensboro has added Black Angus steaks to the menu along with Norwegian salmon and Shell-on Tiger shrimp. The new items are a part of the restaurant's menu overhaul that includes 20 new items.

Sales benefit relief

Great Harvest Bread Company (2715 Grandview Ave., Greensboro; 855-3853) is offering Hot Cross Buns for Lent until April 3.

The store is also donating 5 percent (minus tax) of sales for Haitian relief through Doctors Without Borders until the end of the February.

New hours

OPA! Taverna (200 S. Elm St., Greensboro; 378-9876) is now open on Sunday.

Trish Lazakis, who owns the Greek restaurant with her husband, Saki, says they are now serving lunch from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant continues to serve 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. until at least 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, sometimes later.

In addition to the traditional, Avgolemono Soup, the restaurant offers a daily soup. Check the board.

Cookbook celebs return

Maybe you've read their articles in "Travel + Leisure" or "Martha Stewart Living." Or perhaps you've seen them on the Food Network. Maybe a copy of their 2007's "The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook" sits on your shelf.

Since starting a catalog on hard-to-find Southern staples such as stone-ground grits and boiled peanuts, Matt and Ted Lee have taken the food world by storm.

Now The Lee Brothers have released the sequel, "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern."

The Lee Brothers will be signing copies of the book from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at the bar at Lucky 32 (1421 Westover Terrace) in Greensboro.

Books will be available for $32.

Or join Matt and Ted Lee for a special four-course dinner, featuring recipes from the book prepared by Chef Jay Pierce, at 7 p.m. Cost for the dinner is $45. Call 370-0707 for reservations.

Ice cream treat added

Scoops Ice Cream (5605-A W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; 299-8744) in Quaker Village Shopping Center is now offering seasonally appropriate Snowballs ($3.29), ice cream rolled in a choice of coconut, peanuts, cookies or sprinkles. Snowballs come in a waffle cone or cup.

The shop has brought back Red Velvet Cake ice cream and continues to offer Nathan's hot dog with homemade slaw.

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