Food briefs | Election-night noshing, Day of the Dead dining

Political parties

Election Day is around the corner and many local restaurants are vying for big crowds election night. Skillet (www.skilletstreetfood.com) will cater an event at Capitol Hill's War Room. The Triple Door's Musiquarium lounge will offer drink specials until CNN calls the results. Counting returns at home? Jones Soda offers McCain and Obama-themed colas at Metropolitan Market stores and at www.jonessoda.com. Cookie lovers can visit www.familycircle.com/cookievote for Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama's favorite cookie recipes.

Day of the Dead

At least two local eateries are marking the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead with special foods. Flying Fish (2234 First Ave., Seattle, 206-728-8595) is hosting a $65, 6:30 p.m. dinner Nov. 1 with whole snapper, potato and green-chile empanadas, roast Yucatan chicken, fresh corn and poblanos in cream, tamales and more. The Essential Baking Company (206-545-0444 or 206-328-0078) will bake pan de muerto, a traditional bread served during the Mexican holiday.

Aw, shucks

Enjoy more than 30 oyster varieties on the 90-foot oyster bar at Elliott's Oyster House (1201 Alaskan Way, Pier 56, Seattle, 206-623-4340) as the waterfront restaurant celebrates its 16th-annual Oyster New Year Party 5-10 p.m. Saturday Also on the menu: chowder, desserts and more than 50 Northwest wines, live music and dancing. Tickets are $75 per person in advance or $85 at the door and available at www.oysternewyear.com or by phone at the restaurant. The event benefits Puget Sound Restoration Fund's Henderson Inlet Community Shellfish project.

Other morsels

Hot potato: Catch a second potato-focused episode of the popular cooking series KCTS 9 Cooks. KCTS 9 Cooks with Potatoes II features hosts George Ray and Chef Carol Dearth of Bellevue's Sizzleworks cooking school and airs 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. Saturday and at noon Sunday. Recipes include Rosemary and Thyme Potato Galettes, Patata Chop, Sweet Potato Toffee Pie and Not Your Mamma's Moussaka.

On the move: Josh Green is the new executive chef at The Virginia Inn (1937 First Ave., Seattle, 206-728-1937, www.virginiainnseattle.com). A graduate of Seattle Central Community College's culinary program, Green apprenticed under Ludger Szmania at his Magnolia restaurant, then spent the past six years at Ponti Seafood Grill, most recently as executive chef.

Coffee talk: Look for Starbucks' first Thanksgiving Blend, created by Seattle restaurateur Tom Douglas, available Nov. 4-28.

Got food news? Send it to kgaudette@seattletimes.com

Karen Gaudette, Seattle Times staff reporter