Table talk

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jan 26, 2005

Z'Tejas at The Gateway is sponsoring a Bayou Bash Feb. 2-8. During Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the restaurant will offer a special menu featuring traditional New Orleans dishes, including Big Easy Seafood Gumbo, Crawfish Popper Salad, Queen "K's" Jambalaya, Blackened Catfish and Big Daddy's Voodoo Steak.

Bambara, 202 S. Main, is rolling out chef Robert Barker's New Orleans best in a special Mardi Gras dinner Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.. The menu, which draws from some of the Crescent City's best restaurants, features Crispy Crawfish Ravioli and Fried Oysters, Boston bib lettuce salad with black-eyed peas, Pecan Crusted Red Fish and Jumbo Lump Crab. Dessert is Bananas Foster. Local jazz musicians the Salt City Saints will entertain. Cost is $65 per person, not including alcoholic beverages. (363-5454)

Burger King is launching the Western Angus Steak Burger that was part of last Thursday's season premiere of "The Apprentice." On the reality TV show, Donald Trump's management team challenged contestants to name, build, market and sell a new menu item at Burger King. What the Trump trainees didn't know is that Burger King Corp. actually flipped for the winning burger and began serving it nationwide the next day.

Friday morning, BK restaurants nationwide received a shipment of Angus beef, barbecue sauce, onion rings, cheese and instructions for building the new burger, giving BK employees a matter of hours to add the new item to their menus.

The Western Angus Steak Burger features a steak burger patty, Bull's-Eye Barbecue Sauce, lettuce, two tomato slices, three onion rings, and a slice of cheddar cheese on a corn-dusted bun.

Fleming's is hosting a Mardi Gras dinner Feb. 8, featuring South American cuisine and wines, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $60 per person for dinner or $25 for a la carte with wine selections.

The Original Pancake House, 790 E. 2100 South, is now open. The chain restaurant serves breakfast only, from 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays. The menu features pancakes, crepes, waffles, oven-baked German pancakes and omelets, all made fresh every morning. Owners are Tim and Wendy Derusha.

Panda Express is featuring Firecracker Chicken to welcome the Chinese Year of the Rooster, which begins Feb. 9. Panda Express locations will share bright-red envelopes with all guests that features certificates for a free 8-ounce carton of Orange-Flavored Chicken and a discount on Sunkist citrus. Tangerines and oranges to symbolize prosperity for the new year. The restaurant's online celebration, which begins Feb. 1 at www.pandaexpress.com, features e- cards, horoscopes, party tips and special recipes.

Snake Creek Grill in Heber raised $8,500 for the tsunami-relief effort with a fund-raiser dinner Jan. 13. Owners Mike and Barbara Hill served 176 dinners, donating 100 percent of the dinner receipts. Employees donated all their time and tips. The funds will be split between Direct Relief International and Save the Children.

Dairy Queen's Blizzard of the Month is Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. Strawberry topping is blended with rich chocolate chunks and combined with soft serve ice cream, priced at $2.39 for 12 ounces, $2.79 for 16 ounces and $3.19 for 21 ounces. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Dairy Queen Blizzard. Introduced in 1985, more than 175 million Blizzard treats were sold in that first year. Today, the Blizzard is one of the most successful and widely recognized brands and is well on its way to becoming a billion- dollar brand.

Log Haven is participating in "Sweet Relief" during January. A portion of proceeds from every dessert sold will go to the tsunami relief effort.

E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com