Quick Bites: Food imitates art, life imitates food, and Whole Foods liquor.

The eyes will have it on this night. But the tastebuds will do alright too.

The Monterey Museum of Art (372-5477) hosts an atypical pop-up benefit dinner in the galleries of its MPC-adjacent La Mirada property with gifted vegan-leaning Chef Hyson Epstein.

The five courses are inspired by five modern artists with farm-fresh ingredients and wine pairings by Pierce Ranch Vineyards.

The artists Joan Miró, Georgia O'Keeffe, Mark Rothko, Franz Kline and Jackson Pollock all generate creative fuel for chef's handiwork.

The masterpieces from the museum’s permanent collection come served on the side/on the walls.

The event paints palates 6:30-9pm Thursday, April 6, at 720 Via Mirada, Monterey; tickets ($80) to Art in Food Pop-Up Dinner are available on Eventbrite.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• As Deetjen's reels from the double dose of disaster in Big Sur, its Chef Domingo Santamaria (originally from the Yucatán) teams with Chef Michelle Estigoy of Cultura Comida y Bebida (and Oaxacan heritage) for a special five-course benefit dinner ($115; $160 with wine pairing) 5pm Wednesday, April 5 (grab tickets to Cuisine of the Yucatan Meets Oaxaca on Brown Paper Tickets).

• The Del Monte Center Whole Foods (333-1600) now has a liquor section featuring the likes of Venus Spirits of Santa Cruz, which does some superb craft gins. Bonus S.C. nugget: cult craft beer favorites Humble Seas has finally opened its tasting room at 220 Swift St., open 2-9pm Wednesday-Sunday.

• Poke Watch 2017: The co-owners at Sushi Time (884-5011) tell me their new Poke Time on Lighthouse in New Monterey is on its final inspection and is two weeks away, tops, from opening. 

• Rumors of the demise of Patria in Oldtown Salinas (424-5555) were greatly exaggerated—in other words, flat-out false. **Big sigh of relief**. It carries on 5pm-close Tuesday-Sunday (though no more lunch service, at least for now).

• Monterey Symphony Supper Club ($70, 646-8511) visits Carmel's Porta Bella 5:30pm Sunday, April 23, co-starring Hahn Family Wines.

• The Game of Thrones throwdown that is the battle over counter-service at Carmel Belle (624-1600) has reached resolution: counter service continues, in the area it historically did, but not the back corner that was added a couple years back.

• Hyatt Carmel Highlands is bringing back its conscious-consumption "Forks. Corks. Action!" winemaker series in the redone California Market at Pacific's Edge. A four-course sequence of Exec Chef Chad Minton’s seasonal, locally sourced and plant-based menus paired with Pierce Ranch Vineyards' sustainable wines honors Earth Day a week after it happens: 6pm Thursday, April 27 ($120 inclusive, Forks-Corks tickets at Eventbrite).

• Stone Creek Kitchen hosts an Asian fusion dinner paired with the superlative and adventurous aromatic whites of Claiborne & Churchill Wines. Dishes include fried chilies and grilled Tomahawk steak ($130, 393-1042) at 7pm Friday, May 19.

• 1pm-4pm Saturday, April 8, Cima Collina Winery hosts (620-0645) its second annual “Staves & Steel” Warehouse Party. Ate3one food truck and wood fired pizza go with the wine at 3344 Paul David Drive, Suite 6, Marina ($25).

• Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur (667-2200) has an adventurous reopening happening later this month with which they'll be helicoptering guests in and employees who don't live on site will use an access trail. 

• Historic Hellam’s Tobacco Shop (373-2816) keeps getting better on Alvarado in the heart of downtown Monterey. New cigar lockers are in place, and the remodeled lounge creeps closer to hosting wine tasting to go with the choice selection of stogies.