LONG BEACH, CALIF.- It was no surprise to fans of the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach that Sir Winston's fine dining restaurant recently received a five star rating and Golden Bachus Award by Southern California Restaurant Writers. Add to that the newest offering of special themed dinner pairings and you'll find plenty of reasons to visit and celebrate the beautiful Long Beach skyline with some of the finest meal preparations in Southern California.

Sir Winston's is hosting a New Orleans-themed wine-pairing dinner featuring French wines and cocktails, traditional Creole and Cajun cuisine, and live bayou beats on Thursday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in Long Beach. The event begins with a cocktail reception featuring Champagne and hurricanes, the favorite rum-spiked punch of New Orleans'French Quarter. (Dinner guests can enter to win a two-night stay at the Omni Royal Crescent in New Orleans and two roundtrip airline tickets courtesy of JetBlue!)

Next, a four-course dinner with locally-sourced cuisine highlights the flavor of New Orleans. Expertly paired French wines will showcase the Loire Valley as well as the Rhone and Bordeaux regions.

* Fried oysters with Cajun remoulade
* Duck and andouille sausage gumbo
* Seared filet Delmonico-style with Creole butter and crab Sardou.
* Traditional beignets served in the Observation Bar along with live Zydeco music and dancing.

Six special pairing dinners take place in 2011 with themes varied and enticing. The next event on May 19, 2011, is a Beer Pairing Dinner at Chelsea Chowder House.

TIME: 6 p.m. Cocktail Hour, 7 p.m. Dinner
COST: $75 per person (tax and gratuity not included) and seating is limited.
RSVP: (562) 499-1657, queenmary.com
LOCATION: 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, CA