Morsels: No rueing Bistro Roux, from Sur with love and much more.

Some bittersweet news for Pacific Grove’s restaurant scene. Pacific Grove’s Bistro Roux has closed. Owners Fabrice and Jennifer Roux have shuttered the restaurant to focus on their projects in Carmel Valley (Roux and Carmel Valley Chophouse restaurants, plus a wine society). But the restaurant—formerly the famous French favorite Fifi’s Bistro Cafe—will be in good hands: Chef Soerke Peters will take over the space and open Mezzaluna Pasteria and Mozzarella Bar next month. Peters plans handmade pasta, mozzarella, gelato and more Italian favorites.

Salt Wood Kitchen and Oysterette has announced the arrival of a new executive chef—and he’s a familiar face for local foodies. Chef Paul Corsentino will helm the kitchen at the Marina seafood spot later this month. Corsentino was most recently executive chef for Ventana Big Sur, where his meals at The Sur House restaurant were favorites.

The Poke Lab has reopened under new ownership with the Folktale Wine Group. The focus remains on poke and all of the lab’s signature selections remain, plus some new additions from chef Todd Fisher. Three new options include the Napa wrap (rice, two scoops of protein, avocado, onion, masago fish roe, edamame, umami mayo, sweet soy, crispy garlic and macadamia nuts, all wrapped in leaves of Napa cabbage, $13), the Big Fish bowl (island slaw and rice, four scoops of your choice of protein, black vinaigrette, miso-sesame dressing, kimchi, cucumbers, scallions, masago, sambal mayo and everything crunchy, $18) and the lomi lomi beet bowl (rice, roasted beets, tofu, Maui onions, rainbow radishes, edamame, avocado, ginger, sweet soy sauce, umami mayo, crispy onions, macadamia nuts, $13). Also look for two new desserts: coconut rice pudding with mango ($4) and sesame brown butter mochi ($4).  

Word has it chef Mike Jones and his famous—or infamous, depending on who you talk to—Cachagua General Store Monday Night Dinners are back. When the Cachagua General Store shuttered in 2016, Jones’ signature Monday Night Dinners moved to Lokal. That is, until that restaurant was sold to make way for Carmel Valley Chophouse. Foodies first got word of a Cachagua revival in 2018, when Jones announced he was working on securing a new location for his popular popups at Douglas Ranch. It took longer than expected to sort things out, but looks like Monday Night Dinners will soon be back. For now, dinners are locals only and reservations are required.

Executive Chef Gus Trejo has debuted a new dinner menu at Estéban Restaurant inside Monterey’s Casa Munras Garden Hotel and Spa. Trejo’s new menu is rooted in modern Spanish cuisine, with local California ingredients. New shareable small bites include grilled octopus ($15) and plantains ($5). And savor new entrees like the grilled half chicken ($27) and prawns and pasta with truffle ravioli ($28). And don’t worry, favorites like pork empanada ($12), burger ($19), hanger steak ($29) and paella ($28-38) are still on the menu. Dinner is served 5-9pm Sunday-Thursday and until 10pm on Friday and Saturday.

Pacific Grove’s Bagel Kitchen has rolled out new additions that push the menu beyond bagels. Lunch now features a lineup of new burgers and sandwiches, like the house cheddar cheeseburger ($10), Bixby burger with mushrooms and onions ($13), crispy chicken pesto sandwich ($10) and more. Other new lunch items include a battered fish sandwich ($10), fish tacos (two for $8) and bacon cheesy fries ($7). Keep an eye out for Korean fried chicken ($12) hitting the menu soon too.

Heartbreak hit the resident wild barn owls Teco and Lotte at The Haute Enchilada Cafe last fall when Lotte was struck by a car. But love is in the air and he’s now found a new mate: Valentina. To celebrate the new couple, the restaurant will welcome owl experts from Humane Animal Control and Wildlife Emergency Services on Feb. 13 to share more about the natural history of barn owls and how these birds can help with natural pest control. They’ll also demonstrate how to build an owl nest box. 5pm silent auction and no-host bar, 6pm presentation. $20, includes complimentary chips, salsa and guacamole, purchase at wildlifeservices.bigcartel.com. Proceeds will help fund purchase and installation of barn owl nest box cameras at local schools. Email hauteowls@gmail.com for more information.

 Get a head start on Valentine’s Day at Stationæry. The cool Carmel cafe and restaurant will throw a Valentine’s Soiree on Friday, Feb. 8. The evening will feature complimentary passed appetizers and wine for purchase, plus local artisans with gifts and goods for sale for V-Day. Look for kids apparel by Swinging From Trees, sweets from Bread & Butter Caramels and letterpress cards by Stationæry’s own Alissa Bell. 5-8pm, reservations not required.

And on Saturday, Feb. 9, wineries along the River Road Wine Trail team up for Valentine’s Passport from 11am-4pm. Collect stamps along the trail from nine wineries: Odonata, Pessagno, Manzoni, Puma Road, Hahn, Smith and Scheid, plus Chalone will be pouring at Hahn and Michaud Vineyard at Scheid. Each will host its own wine and food pairing. The passport also includes a souvenir glass, entry into a grand drawing, special discounts, food and more. $50, designated driver $25, purchase tickets at riverroadwinetrail.com.

Baum & Blume Café celebrates the Lunar New Year on Saturday, Feb. 9, with a dim sum dinner featuring Chinese favorites to ring in the Year of the Boar. Start with shrimp beignets and chilled sesame noodles, then ginger watercress soup and choice of entree (garlic pork skewers or roasted five-spice chicken), with mandarins, almond cookies and lucky coins for dessert. Seatings at 5 and 6:30pm. Call 659-0400 for reservations.

Are your kids looking to give their Valentine something? Cantinetta Luca hosts a kids cookie decorating class on Sunday, Feb. 10, from 3-4pm. $25 (inclusive), parental supervision required, parents may join at no additional cost. Call 625-6500 to sign up.

Seventh & Dolores Steakhouse kicks off the semifinals for its “7D Mixology Throwdown” on Monday, Feb. 11 at 8pm. The first round of semifinals sees previous winners Olana Sullivan (Pour Girl Bartending) and James Wall (Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill) competing in three cocktail challenges for a chance to move onto the finals in April. $20, tickets via Eventbrite.