othing works as a better appetite suppressant for me than even catching a brief glimpse of a beer belly. Sorry if I’m offending anyone, but, well, ick. And, sadly, they aren’t that hard to find in our society these days. But oddly enough, it’s also possible to channel the positive side of that lump o’ love. That round middle can create a comfy sense of longing. For food. And lots of it.

Bambara in Cambridge celebrates the beer belly with the appropriately named Beer Belly Dinner ($35) Saturday (July 31) at 7 p.m. Each course will be paired with a beer from a craft local brewer. Not only beer bellies need apply (although all are welcome), but calorie conscious be warned: The food on this prix fixe isn’t exactly slimming. Think savory and sumptuous, not an every-night experience (or, if it is, that would explain your midsection, my friend).

The enticing menu includes a mini grilled Rueben, a bucket of lager-steamed clams with drawn butter, local corn chowder with crispy bacon and chives, and a sirloin and foie gras burger with toasted brioche, housemade ketchup, and Idaho fries. I may have just gained two pounds typing that. Top it all off with a light (just kidding) Guinness and malt float with housemade graham crisp.

Wear an elastic waistband to this bombastic feast and let it all hang out. Well, not all of it. We want to keep our appetite, now, don’t we?

Small Bites

Towne Stove and Spirits is the newest addition to the Hynes Convention Center restaurants, opens Friday (July 30), with global fare and favorite local delicacies (including lobster prepared 15 different ways). The two-floor restaurant will feature three bars, an outdoor patio, and three dining rooms.

Delis and sandwich shops catering to Asian cuisine are few and far between, but here's one you might want to try: Foumami, which just opened in the Financial District. Traditional Chinese ingredients and seasonal foods fuse in sandwiches and salads that cross cultural lines and tickle taste buds.

On Monday (August 2), the Halfway Café hosts its 11th annual golf tournament at Canton’s Brookmeadow Country Club, followed by a special Sam Adams beer dinner at the Halfway Café in Holbrook. Proceeds benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund. From now until the tourney, $2 from every sale of a dish on the "Summer Classic" menu at all seven Halfway Café locations will go to the Jimmy Fund. To register for the tournament visit the website.

Additional reporting by Jackie Herder.

Also read Cheryl Fenton’s health and beauty blog, Easy Peasy.