The old Cashew gets a new tenant, Murray’s Cheese opens a counter in Lawrence, and more local restaurant news

The new restaurant in the former Cashew space, at 20th Street and Grand, is closer to opening. Back Napkin Restaurant Group, the entity behind Coal Vines and Westport Ale House as well as RND Corner Grille in Lawrence, took over the building in February, and, after a period of remodeling, the restaurant is hiring. Back Napkin co-founder Zach Marten says he expects to release menu information soon. It looks like Bread & Butter — the other expansion-minded local restaurant “concepts” company — will have someone to play some corporate softball games against.

New York’s famous, enviably stocked Murray’s Cheese Shop is opening a cheese counter at the Dillon’s grocery store at 4701 West Sixth Street in Lawrence. The company says it will stock some 175 different types of cheese, including its popular English cheddar, which basically ruins you for all other cheddar experiences.

Speaking of fine cheese, the Green Dirt Farm Creamery, with a tasting room that features Terra Vox wines, opened this past weekend in Weston. This dream pairing of locally produced wine and sheep’s-milk cheeses in one location will only enhance Weston’s reputation as a food-and-drink getaway. The new location, at 1099 Welt Street, close to Weston’s charming downtown, will also be the first to serve Green Dirt’s new line of cow’s-milk ice cream.

Artisanal Westside bakery Fevere noted via its Facebook page last week that, due to staffing shortages and oven “issues,” it has for now reduced its retail hours. The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. No word yet as to whether this will affect this summer’s Saturday-evening cheese slipper production, an opening date for which has not yet been announced. For anyone addicted to the shockingly delicious, better-than-pizza confections, this is cause for deep concern (but mild carb-overload relief).

This week’s food events:

Friday 6.10
Wanna get lucky in Lee’s Summit tonight? Wine and chocolate might help. From the company Chocolate Cork comes today’s 7 p.m. class at Red Door Wine (229 Southeast Main Street, Lee’s Summit), a 90-minute instruction featuring five chocolate-and-wine pairings. Tickets available at thechocolatecork.com.

Friday 6.10 through Sunday 6.12
On the other end of the pretension spectrum, perhaps, is the Worlds of Fun Food and Wine Festival, which pairs wine with the Mamba. For $25, you can sample wines from Kansas, Missouri, California, Italy, Spain and Argentina, served with such dishes as barbecued shrimp and grits (sounds like a Missouri-wine pairing), Mediterranean antipasto skewers and beef Wellington. For $60, your case of red-wine mouth comes with admission to the amusement park.

Saturday 6.11The Bite is hosting an all-you-can-eat oysters-and-sides party tonight at its City Market shop (23 East Third Street). For $30, guzzle all the slippery mollusks your heart desires, and enjoy specialty sides, live music and a cash bar while you’re at it.

Should you find yourself at the City Market earlier in the day for the farmers market, you can share healthy food with the community by donating any of your fresh produce purchases to Harvesters. Just tell your vendor you want to donate the purchase, and it will be set aside for pickup.

Sunday 6.12
Vaughn Good definitely stays busy. Tonight the Hank Charcuterie chef is collaborating with the talent at Port Fonda Lawrence (900 New Hampshire) for a dinner that is sure to be heavy on protein — and on satisfaction. It’s a ticketed event; see facebook.com/portfondalfk for details.

Enjoy a cocktail demo at Powell Gardens (1609 Northwest U.S. Highway 50, Kingsville), part of the venue’s ongoing Garden Chef Series, featuring Ardis Englezos of Snake Oil KC. She’s here to demonstrate her hand at crafting botanical infusions at 2 p.m. in the Missouri open-air barn. It includes a sampling, so it’s only for the 21-and-up crowd.

Closer in, the Merriam marketplace (5740 Merriam Drive, Merriam) sets up an end-of-the-weekend party at 4:30 p.m., with food trucks set to include Boo Yah, CoffeeCakeKC, Drasko’s, Indios Carboncitos, Pip’s Burgers KC, Plantain District, Polar Oasis, Prairie Fire Oven and more. Part of the proceeds from tonight’s event support Flags for Freedom.

The Sundry in the Crossroads (1706 Baltimore) is also hosting a farm-to-table dinner, highlighting foods from Quite Contrary Farmstead, Karbaumer Farms, and Of the Earthy Farm Distillery Charcuterie Adventure. The four-course meal includes a charcuterie plate, salad, porchetta with snap peas, and crème brûlée. The farmers will be on hand to assist with the meal and to talk shop about their goods. Advance tickets ($50) are required; call 816-844-7878.

Wednesday 6.15
Wellness chef Justin Clark offers cooking demos and tastings each Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the City Market Farm to Table kitchen (21 East Third Street). The kitchen demonstrates meals that are easily made from ingredients available at that week’s market, and is also open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Tonight marks the monthly wine party at Affäre in the Crossroads (1911 Main). Tonight’s theme is lobster, so bring bibs and fancy appetites.