Get tickets to Ivy Tech's culinary showcase, reservations best on IU graduation weekend

Want to get some samples from potential chefs while helping students further their education? You can by purchasing a ticket to the second annual Hospitality Showcase at Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington.

The showcase, 5:30-7:30 p.m. on May 9, will also be a celebration for the Ivy Tech campus, which is graduating its largest class of students in the hospitality administration program −14.

The students will serve food they've prepared (as their final project) at various stations inside and on the outdoor patio of The Yellowwood, Ivy Tech's student-run restaurant. There will be a buffet, mocktails and a cash beer/wine bar provided by Upland Brewing. Fare will range from short-order cuisine to classical French as well as breads and pastries and dessert.

In addition to food, people will be able to tour the program's kitchen and labs − an ice cream bar will be in the baking lab with students making waffle cones.

The showcase is a fundraiser, so tickets are required. Proceeds will be used for field trips, including an out-of-state trip. Tickets are $40 per person; youth ages 10 and younger do not need a ticket. Purchase tickets online at  yellowwoodrestaurant.com.

Indiana University graduation ceremonies bring specials, busy restaurants

Speaking of graduations, Indiana University will conduct its spring commencement ceremonies on May 3 for graduates and May 4 for undergraduates. That means lots of people coming to Bloomington to celebrate and eat at area restaurants. Before you go to your favorite restaurant that weekend it would be best to call and possibly make reservations.

Here are a few Bloomington restaurants' specials for graduation weekend and beyond:

Hours and menus at Uptown Cafe, 102 E. Kirkwood Ave., will change slightly. On May 2, the normal breakfast menu will be served 8-11 a.m. with lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., when the restaurant will close. It reopens at 4 p.m. serving a special graduation dinner menu until 9 p.m. From 9 a.m.-2:59 p.m. May 3, Uptown will offer a graduation brunch menu. Then 3-10 p.m. it will offer at graduation dinner menu. The graduation brunch menu will be available 9 a.m.-2 p.m. May 5 as well. The special menus can be viewed at the-uptown.com/menus.

The Elm, at 614 E. Second St., will serve a special graduation menu with reservation-only seating for dinner on May 3 and 4. Limited reservations are open; make a reservation by contacting events@elmbloomington.com.

Phat Daddy's BBQ, at 4747 Indiana 46, has a couple of options for people who want to pick up something for a graduation party elsewhere. A 25-person pulled pork bundle, with two sides, costs $200. A 50-person pulled pork bundle with two sides, is $375. For more information or to place an order, call 812-908-2196.

Chef's Table Catering, 3860 W. Third St., has a special graduation menu. Customers can choose from menus: wings, taco bar or Mediterranean bar. The wings come in three ways ― with Chef Clard's dry rub, Frank's Hot Sauce or barbecue. An order of 25 wings is $30. The taco bar is $15.50 per person and has a choice of beef or chicken, as well as a two sides (corn, rice or black beans), lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese and pico de gallo. The Mediterranean bar is $17.50 per person and includes naan bread, choice of chicken or hummus, onion, tomato, lettuce, cucumber, feta cheese and tzatziki sauce. Sides are $3 per person and include cucumber, tomato and onion salad as well as chickpea salad. Desserts ($30 for a dozen) are red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing and chocolate chip cookies. For more information or to place an order, call 812-287-8016 or email chefstablecater@gmail.com.

Everbowl adds three bowls for spring

Everbowl, at 518 E. Kirkwood Ave., has added three new bowls to its menu, available until June 30. All three begin with a base "Coco Lemon," made from the butterfly pea flower. The springtime bowls are:

Butterfly Acai Bowl: with Coco Lemon, acai and granola as the base with strawberries, kiwi, banana all topped with coconut.

Butterfly Pitaya Bowl: with Coco Lemon, Pitaya and granola as the base, topped with strawberries, kiwi and blueberries and coconut.

Butterfly Coconut: with Coco Lemon, Coco Love and granola as the base, topped strawberries, kiwi, pineapple and coconut.

Spring cocktails at Cardinal Spirits

Cardinal Spirits, at 922 S. Morton St., has four new spring cocktails:

Cucumber Terra and Tonic is created with cucumber-infused Terra Botanical Gin, housemade tonic, lime, black pepper, soda water.

Blueberry Sour has vodka, blueberry, lemon, egg white and lavender.

Coconut Mojito is made with Tiki Rum, lime, mint, coconut cream, orange blossom water and soda water.

Thin Mint Expresso Martini is created with Songbird Coffee Liqueur, vodka, mint, cold brew, housemade creme de cacao and Madagascar vanilla.

Contact Carol Kugler atckugler@heraldt.com.