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Manhattan foodies have reason to splurge this weekend. To honor the 20th anniversary of his Upper East Side restaurant Aureole, chef Charlie Palmer is orchestrating two “20 bite”, eight-course tasting dinners—one on October 31st, the other on November 1st. The menu will highlight 20 of the chef’s most popular dishes from the past two decades, including his signature sea scallop sandwich as well as earlier more architectural creations from the 80s and early nineties. Each course will be paired with wines—one is a rare 2006 Rochioli Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley, California—that complement the (self-described) “Progressive American” cuisine. Longstanding Aureole fans, who love the cozy Tihany-designed dining room and its location in a classic, two-story brownstone (the former residence of Orson Welles), should note that this event will not only ring in the restaurant’s anniversary; it will also mark the end of Palmer’s tenure on the Upper East Side. In late spring 2009, the culinary giant will move Aureole into the new skyscraper at One Bryant Park. $300/head.

Read a postcard from a member who took a cooking class with Aureole’s executive chef Tony Aiazzi.