Michael Chiarello's Latest "Experiments," Gay Coffee, an Underground Dinner Face Off, and More!

COFFEE BUZZ - Now, just in time for the weekend, we bring you Gay Coffee . Founder Melissa Krueger has wisely chosen the Castro Street Fair as grounds (heh) for launching her wares. The five fair trade blends: Red Hanky Roast (pictured), Stone Butch Breakfast Blend, Good Morning Mary!, Second Date and Weekend Pass celebrate different aspects of gay culture. The tagline, "brewing history," accurately sends Krueger's message: “I want to take civil rights history and put it on people’s counters,” she tells Inside Scoop. “It’s not a kitsch thing.” Look out for her tent this Sunday at the fair. [Official Site via Inside Scoop]

CHIARELLO WATCH - Bottega chef and Lexus driver Michael Chiarello told GrubStreet he plans to open "a tiny laboratory [probably in Napa] that will serve 'experiments' to no more than 40 people per night." And that's not all. He adds, "I’d also love to do something in San Francisco that’s not Italian,” and he definitely won't be opening anything in New York. That still "scares the hell" out of him. [GrubStreet]

THE UNDERGROUND - You've got two very outside-the-box "underground" dinners to choose from next Thursday—both of them include music as part of the package. The first, Treasure Island SoundBite: A Musical Tasting Menu, is a teaser for next weekend's Treasure Island Music Festival, produced by graffEats and Noise Pop. Each course in the casual tasting menu is paired with a band from the festival lineup. And secondly, Stag Dining Group brings you Mission: Battleship with Mission Chinese Food, 15 Romolo and Reggie Watts all aboard the SS Jeremiah O'Brien. No, we're not making this up. And yes, it will be hard to choose between these guys. [EaterWire]

PREVIEWS - Fresh off a trip to LA, The Feast has a preview of menu items at Umami Burger, slated to arrive in San Francisco next Friday. We're told they'll be subbing in local meat and buns here in the Bay Area, but this should still give you a pretty firm idea of what's in store. [The Feast]

MEAT-FREE - This weekend, the 12th annual World Veg Festival is taking over the San Francisco County Fair Building. There will be oodles of samples, food demos, rabble-rousing speeches, food for purchase and—get this—vegan speed dating. For the record meat eaters are not encouraged to get in on that. [via SF Weekly]

CHEF SHUFFLES - Michael Mina chef de cuisine Jeremy Ravetz is moving to Seattle, and to replace him, Mina has brought Michael Davis by way of Mario Batali's Del Posto in New York. Guess you'll meet him at Michael Mina's big bash next weekend, if you plan to attend. [ISSF]