Quick Bites: $450 margarita, St. Paddy's parties, In N Out "update."

When Vaughn Taylor won the 2016 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after nearly drowning—not winning anything for years and barely qualifying for the field—it made for a great story.

Here's another to go with it: He celebrated by filling the crystal trophy with margarita—$450-worth of margarita—at Barmel (626-3400).

He picked a good spot. Caesar, Jackson and company make a mean cocktail.

And he was good to pick up the tab. His win meant a $1.2 million payday.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• The Perfect Crumb (444-2430) and its incredible cookies open on the 300 block of Lighthouse in New Monterey 8am Sunday, March 13, after rave reviews at a number of farmers markets. Pictures and more on the blog soon.

• In N Out update: The corporate office in Irvine says the Seaside location still doesn't have an opening date. The customer service official I spoke with said she's hoping for the end of the month but resolutely refuses to be any more specific. "We never tell the date until maybe a day before it opens," adds a marketing rep, requesting anonymity because she's not an official spokesman. "We know people in Seaside are really excited and anxious."

• The Whaling Station (373-3778) hosts a three-course dinner 4-5:30pm Sunday, March 13, ($30++) to tempt people with a seven-stop cruise around Italy and Croatia with John Pisto. Prices start at, oh, $5,740. But that does include butler service and an open bar (659-0151).

• Carmel's Surf N Sand (624-1805) does another big bargain wine dinner Thursday, March 17, with five family-style courses from Chef Selene Johnson paired with Robert Mondavi wines ($49).

• Folktale Winery and KRML radio put together their latest barrel-room concert with Irish heartbreaker Gavin James this week. Get more on the blog tomorrow.

• Cannery Row Brewing Company (643-2722) does a clever black-and-tan beer menu for St. Paddy's March 17-19 plus themed food. 

• Tarpy’s Roadhouse (647-1444) parties for St. Patrick’s with housemade corned beef, green beer and free dessert for peeps wearing green (one per table).

• Saturday, March 19, Carmel Valley Ranch’s Valley Kitchen welcome Kane Flanagan and Master of Scotch Josh Gelfand to taste, talk and teach everything whiskey, with a tasting and three-course dinner ($85, $65 food only, RSVP 626-2599).

• Flanagan’s Irish-American Pub in Carmel's Barnyard Shopping Village is planning the luckiest St. Paddy's night party 4pm-midnight March 17 (625-5500), $39 includes Jameson and Guinness glassware and shirts plus a drink token and raffle ticket).

• For a sexy Mexy St. P's: March 17 with Rio Grill + Don Julio dinner: five courses, paired with food and tequila insight (625-5436, $90 includes gift).

• Trio Carmel (250-7714) celebrates the release of its always popular Rosé and Albariño wines from Ian Brand & Family Winery with a complimentary tasting March 11-13. 

• Hofsas House Hotel throws its sixth annual fundraiser for the Food Bank for Monterey County Thursday, March 24, with help from TusCA Ristorante’s Steve Johnson, A Taste of Elegance’s Annie Hobbs and Mundaka’s Brandon Miller, plus goodies from Lula’s Chocolates and Sweet Elena’s; Scheid Vineyards and Mad Otter flow wine and beer ($50, RSVP 624-2745).

• Third annual Taste of Spain ($79) with authentic paella and a ton of bocadillos and pintxos by Executive Chef Tom Snyder plus local wines from Morgan Winery, Spanish varietals, beer from North Coast Brewing and classical Spanish guitarist Catherine Broz, all happening at Esteban (1-800-222-2446).