Quick Bites: Carmel Belle throws down some fresh takes, and a handful of other nutritious nuggets.

Those wondering what ambition would next come to fruition at progressive eatery Carmel Belle (624-1600) have several answers at once.

First answer: Several months after it debuted dinner, Carmel Belle has a new winter seasonal menu from no-longer-brand-new-but-still-shiny Chef Kyle Odell, alum of standout Bay Area spots including Parallel 37, Michelin-starred Murray Circle and Oakland's trendsetting Commis.

Several items catch my eye on the current and increasingly spendy menu, like the free-range chicken salad ($13) with avocado, roasted tomato, bacon and mixed greens and the wild arugula-bacon lardon salad ($11) with soft Glaum Ranch egg.

And pretty much all of the winter specials, whether we're talking the sweet potato squash ravioli with carrot pasta and brown butter sauce ($18), roasted local cod with braised cabbage ($25) or crispy pork belly ($20).

Second answer: The still-fresh juice bar, which started in concert with dinner, enjoys updated options, including the Omega-tron! (with date, avocado, chia and more) and Apple Jack (apple, pineapple, pear and mint).

Third answer: curbside service.

Fourth answer: upcoming events like a Feb. 20 pop-up at Monterey Museum La Mirada ($60, www.montereyart.org), Jan. 5's Ramen Night and a PigWizard pop-up some time in February.

More info at the Carmel Belle website. More news notes you can eat appear here:

• Celebrate New Year’s Eve Wednesday, Dec. 31 with Bubbles and Brews—award-winning Caraccioli sparkling wines and favorite barrel aged brews by host venue Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill (655-2337). Four course dinner ($95) begins with reception at 7pm; dancing starts at 10pm ($25 for general admission).

• Cioppino with local dungeness crab is a featured dinner special at Cantinetta Luca (625-6500) in Carmel starting Dec. 20. Get a half-gallon to go for $50.

• Mark the calendar for this one. Chef Brad Briske of La Balena and Mark Shelley of Tassajara Natural Meats do a grass fed nose-to-tail cooking demo 6pm Wednesday, Jan. 21, part of Holman Ranch’s “In Your Backyard” culinary series (659-2640; $10-$25) to benefit MEarth.

• Local Catch Monterey will soon be renamed Real Good Fish, and aiming to expand its CSA-of-the-Sea network of seafood subscribers to 1,200 with the help of new grant funds. Stay tuned here for a wider update in January. 

• For Christmas my brother-in-law is getting a bacon-scented pillow (!) from J&D’s Foods, the same people that helped me gift him bacon shaving cream. They also just debuted trademark-protected Naked Bacon Cooking Armor.