Like to meet new people?  Like to eat and talk at the same time?  Then Cincinnati E.A.T.S. (Epicureans About Town Society) is for you.  Cincinnati E.A.T.S. is a brand new organization dedicated to supporting Cincinnati's great local, independent restaurants by having fun and eating a lot of great food.  Still with me?  Cincinnati E.A.T.S. will expose a new, younger clientele to the best restaurants in the region via a discounted three-course, fixed-price meal every couple of months.  The goal is to take over an entire restaurant on an "off" night for a night of food, cocktails, and socializing.  But don't plan on making reservations for your friends to sit together at a table.  Seating will be open and we will all eat together at the same time so you're guaranteed to meet someone new. 

The debut event, a benefit for 7 Days for SIDS, will be Tuesday, June 10, at Lavomatic Café, at 1211 Vine St. in Over-the-Rhine's Gateway Quarter. Lavomatic, an urban French wine bar and restaurant, is the latest venture by the Jean Robert French Restaurant Group. Chef Joanne Drilling emphasizes local and seasonal ingredients for her "rustic, full-flavored French fare." Lavomatic offers about 25 wines by the glass for $6-$12, with 75 wines by the bottle. Bottles of wine sell for about $10 above retail, a much lower price point than at other restaurants.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. with drinks on the rooftop deck.  Guests will be seated at 8:00 for dinner.  Chef Drilling will offer a three-course menu at the discounted flat fee of $36 (which includes tax and tip) to Cincinnati E.A.T.S., while sommelier Burke Morton will offer wine pairings for an additional charge.

Space is limited and you must RSVP in advance at www.cincinnatieats.org

Be prepared to pay in cash at the door.

This BuyCincy staffer met Clint Watson, the group's organizer, at the last Bacchanalian Society event at Music Hall. He told me about Cincinnati E.A.T.S., and I told him I'd love to help. This is just what the city needs: A large-scale event to support all of our fabulous restaurants! I'll be there (I'll be having the farro!), and I hope to see you there, too. We'll be there (cameras in hand) to review the event. 

A bit more background: Clint Watson, an attorney at Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey, loves, respects and values food. To him, culinary arts are a medium that deserves the same respect as the rest of this region's diverse arts scene. A city's cultural makeup, he believes, is defined just as much by its local, independent restaurants as it is by the success of its museums and performing arts.