Seeing as I'm English, it's only right that it's me who brings you news of free tea. More specifically, a free 12oz Over Ice Tea Latte, at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, next Thursday, March 5, from 2 to 6pm.

It's at participating locations (duh) in California, which I'm told means most of them, just not franchise-owned ones. If you go to the website you can see which ones are franchises and which ones aren't.

Personally, I prefer to live life dangerously and try whichever branch is handy. 

Here's hoping that the weather picks up enough by then that said beverage does what it's supposed to--cool us down. Otherwise it'll be hot chocolates all round, free or not.

If you don't already know (WARNING: SPOILER) on the Top Chef finale the other night; Hosea won. Stefan got his comeuppance. 

Thanks to the runaway success of Slumdog Millionaire at last weekend's Oscars (really, were there any surprises?), the Royal Khyber has decided to extend its tie-in package, whereby $29.95 gets each diner a three-course meal and a ticket to the film at the nearby Regency Theatre.

So in addition to some decent Indian grub (menu choices include stalwarts onion bhajia and chicken tikka masala), you now have an excuse to go and see if the movie lives up to all the hype. Now that's what we call a deal.

Reservations are recommended: call (714) 436-1010.

OK, so Marché Moderne's cooking classes are all booked up - as I noted last week. But if you're quick off the mark you can sign up for one of the "kitchen technique" classes at Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's, South Coast Plaza. According to our sources, they're likely to sell out very quickly.

Running from April through August, the classes--which have marvelous names such as "Poaching--The Lost Art"--cost $75 per person, but that also includes a three-course meal in the restaurant. Two are being taught by Palmer himself, the rest are with Executive Chef Amar Santana.

But if you're too slow off the mark with those, it's worth considering a Winemaker Dinner ($130; the next ones are Roar Vineyards on March 23 and Cakebread Cellars on April 27) or, if your budget doesn't stretch that far, a regular wine tasting, held on Tuesdays from 5 to 6.30pm ($35). These also have interesting themes, among them "New Zealand--
Not Just Sauvignon Blanc" and Unusual Whites--Off the Beaten Path and Truly Worth the Journey".

For further details on the cooking classes, click here. For the Winemaker Dinners and wine tastings, click here.

Reservations are required for all classes, dinners and tastings - call (714) 352-2525.

Last night, I took my own advice and attempted to get the $5 special at Curry House in Irvine. But evidently so did everyone else. 

Not me. But its quality is something I wonder about every time I pass by the OC steamed hams icon. I've seen the Carl's Jr. truck in action, eaten at an In-n-Out version, and virtually live at taco truck. But I've only seen the TK truck in person at their Costa Mesa location, loading up to service some weekend party no doubted hosted by smart folks. However the experience is, I'm sure the burgers remain as delicious as at their brick-and-mortar locations: egg bun, sweet meat, with a special sauce somewhere between Thousand Islands and ranch. Just ate one today, and now that the Weekly world headquarters is back in Costa Mesa, will be eating there much more frequently. Who knows? Maybe I'll finally try something other than their burgers.

TK Burgers, 2966 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, (714) 662-2572; other locations listed at tkburgers.com.

So, did ya get your fill of $3 ramen from Shin-Sen-Gumi this past weekend? Now, how's about some $5 Japanese katsu curry rice?

Today only (February 25, 2009), both Curry Houses in Orange County (Cypress and Irvine) will sell their "Katsu Curry Rice" for $4.99. Normal menu prices are usually twice that.

You get your choice of chicken, beef or pork. Only these three items are available for the discounted price, but take-out is allowed.

To save money on tips and drinks, et cetera, I plan on ordering it to-go. But if you follow my lead, Curry House encourages you phone ahead, and I intend to do just that.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

10953 Meridian Dr., #P, Cypress, CA 90630, (714) 527-6224
14407 Culver Drive, Irvine, CA 92604, (949) 654-1449
http://www.house-foods.com/CurryHouse

Today is Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday), so it's fitting that I'm writing about how unhealthy we're becoming as a nation - indeed, as a planet. According to the Guardian, the number of new cases of diabetes being diagnosed in the UK is growing at a faster rate than in the US. Now that is depressing. And when I read the headline in the LA Times yesterday--"Fast food restaurants and stroke--a link?"--I was so bummed I nearly reached for a second tub of Ben & Jerry's.

We could soon see more panic-inducing health-related stories if the current boom in fast-food joints continues. Last week, KFC announced the creation of 9,000 new jobs in the UK (which brings a whole new meaning to the term 'credit crunch'), while, closer to home, El Pollo Loco continues its nationwide expansion. Everyone's weighing in on the topic: According to a Wall Street Journal article, sales in quick-service restaurants are expected to rise by 0.4% this year, while full-service restaurant sales are expected to decline by 2.5%. Hell, McDonald's has even been declared 'recession proof', as Edwin mentioned in a recent post.

OK, so we've known for years that fast food is, on the whole, bad for us, and that sales increase when the economy is faltering because it's cheap. But while we're stuck in this godforsaken recession and until there are better healthy fast-food options, what are we to do? Right now, we're worried about paying the mortgage and hanging on to our jobs, not about how many grams of saturated fat this or that burger has. But it's not just that... To me, fast food means comfort food. That's why gourmet burger joints are as popular as Michelin-starred bistros. Put it this way: If I'm going to the golden arches, it ain't for a salad.

I'm not saying we should go all out and forget about our bodies entirely - or that we should have carte blancmange to stuff our faces from dawn till midnight. I'm just saying that these kinds of headlines don't do much except increase our stress levels. And, frankly, we could do without that right now.

As a young cabrón, I loved nothing more than to gorge on AM/PM hot dogs, to unwrap each from its foil and pile on onions, relish, chili, mustard, and jalapeños. For nostalgia's sake, I bought two on the way back from Los Angeles last week, at an AM/PM-Arco hybrid off the I-5 Freeway South Carmenita Road exit in Santa Fe Springs. Isn't it funny how memories warp the truth? Too much salt inside each processed wiener and crappy chili made for an unpleasant taste, and while the bun maintained its structural integrity under the weight of the toppings I crammed inside, they just didn't compare to what they sell at PCH Hot Dogs or Jerry's Wood-Fired Grill. Even at two for $2. You're better off boiling Farmer John's franks and rolling them around a bit in dirt.

Nevertheless, I'll return to this location again and again. See, this is one of the cheapest places to find gas in Southern California I've yet to discover, almost always at least a nickel less than Orange County's lowest prices at any given moment. Better yet, the gas station is right off the freeway exit and entrance, meaning you can pop in and out really quickly. Finally, a reward for having to endure the hell that is Los Angeles!

AM/PM Arco, 13460 E. Firestone Blvd., Santa Fe Springs, (562) 404-1018.

One of the hottest sites tagged on delicious.com right now is the aptly named food blog called "This is why you're fat."  It only began this month, but so far it's got the momentum of a greasy chili dog racing through a fat man's digestive system.