Annual Oliveto Beast Feast

Oliveto

Where: Oliveto, 5655 College (at Shafter), 510-547-5356

When: Wed., Mar. 9-Sat., Mar. 12

Cost: A la carte prices approximately $9-$28 per dish

The rundown: Oliveto's yearly head-to-tail series is a touchstone. When the dinners launched early last decade, whole-beast cooking was rare enough to attract national press. In recent years ― when in-house butchery has invaded even neighborhood bistros ― Whole Hog has taken on the feel of fan appreciation nights for Oliveto regulars. This year, though, there's new blood in the form of chef Jonah Rhodehamel, who's replaced Paul Canales. Rhodehamel's pledged to keep Whole Hog favorites intact (choucroute garni, smoked and brined cuts, chops, meatballs, offal, braises, long-aged prosciuttos, and myriad salumis) while trotting out something new ― a whole wood-oven roasted pig, one from a different ranch each night. The Whole Hog hardcore will want to tick all four off their menu cards.

Reservations via OpenTable, or call 510-547-5356