Quick Bites: A major restaurant honor happens and a great chance to give.

The equally old-school and heartfelt Spud Spadaro Hospitality Award voting is in its final stages.

Each of the finalists, all longtime restaurant linchpins nominated by his or her peers, more than deserves the honor, which makes the nomination and the ultimate prize that much more meaningful. 

The finalists:

1. Rose Russo, proud graduate of Pacific Grove High School and point person at The Golden Tee Restaurant at The Monterey Regional Airport.

2. Jerry Ogle, former bartender at Segovia's, current Golden Tee barkeep and everlasting comedian.

3. Paula Scanlon, Monterey native and daughter of an Italian fisherman, who is the emperess of good vibes at La Mia Cucina Ristorante, where she greets like the old or new friend you are.

4. Marie and Nino Favaloro, benevolent owner-operators of Favaloro’s Big Night Bistro and Café Ariana in Pacific Grove, doing that hand-prepared thing that makes the Monterey Peninsula one of the best Italian food destinations anywhere.

More food news nibbles follow:

• Monterey County is special for many reasons. One of my favorites: The way its people have responded to the MCGives! local nonprofit fundraising push. As we head into the last 48 hours to give, the generosity approaches $3 million. Jump over to the MCGives! website for easy click participation and join me in thanking all the kind souls who helped make it happen, including one Linda Maceira, the woman who sorts and makes sense of all the outpouring of compassion as the Weekly's office manager/house mom/undercover rockstar.

• New Year deals at Zeph’s One Stop on NYE bubbly roll from 5 percent off first three bottles to 15 percent off a case. ZOS closes 4pm Dec. 31.

• River Road and Santa Lucia Highlands pioneer Rich Smith died at 69 last week surrounded by family. As his son wrote in an open letter to his dad, “You have done an incredible job raising, teaching, loving and giving to your family and to literally hundreds and thousands of people you were able to touch in your lifetime.” 

• Chef Evan Lite does a new soup every day for winter—like velvet asparagus—pledging not to repeat a recipe all month long, at Beach House at Lovers Point (375-2345).

• The big new sign is up at River Road Grill in the former Element Wine Bar on the way into the thick of River Road Wine Trail outside Salinas. A peek through the hole in the plastic reveals the interior has a redone and repositioned bar area in the works, but other details are hard to come by.

• Too many consider Fish Hopper and Old Fisherman's Grotto purely tourist traps. But like their new sibling Scales Seafood & Steaks, one of Monterey County's best new restaurant of 2015, they do sturdy three-course locals meals with best chowder in the area (or salad) and a chef’s dessert with stuff like porcini ravioli, maple soy skirt steak and coconut prawns, plus dessert, for $14-$18. Locals free parking with ID at the nearby lots and garages too.

• Bruno's Market has earned business of the year from Carmel Chamber, in a well-deserved way.

• Bloody Mary Day comes with Jan. 1. Abalonetti Bar and Grill on Fisherman’s Wharf celebrates with $7.75 chipotle-bacon version. Also at ABG: The locals menu continues to do specials like flame-broiled pork loin and grilled calamari steak for $9.95.

• Moon Monterey & Carmel book release party goes boom 7-11pm Jan. 14 at Cannery Row Brewing Company. As author-ringleader Stuart Thornton reports: "There will be Monterey trivia, book signings, free food (!?), a raffle benefitting the Ventana Wildlife Society, a cash bar, your favorite Monterey County residents, and music by Sky Country along with a psychedelic light show courtesy of Lumiere Alchemical."