Quick Bites: Foragers Fest, chowder fries and $500K wine theft verdict.

The annual Big Sur Foragers Festival, happening Jan. 13-15, will not happen in iconic Big Sur.

But it will occupy the closest thing, figuratively and geographically.

Just over the Santa Lucia Mountains, Carmel Valley Ranch subs in as primary host because Ventana Inn & Spa is undergoing upgrades.

There are lots of reasons that works, including CVR Exec Chef Tim Wood's long-held affiliation with the festival, and the fact 500-acre CVR embraces the spirit of self-sustenance: The grounds produce their own honey, lavender, wine, salt, produce and more.

It was also just named the No. 1 resort in Northern California in the Conde Nast Traveler 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards.

That said, foraging hikes, a “Wild Mushroom Walk and Talk” and Friday Night Winemaker Dinners still happen in Big Sur.

Tickets, more on those and insight on the Grand Chef's Foragers Dinner and Fungus Face-off—with chefs like Matt Glazer, Chad Minton, Soerke Peters, Angela Tamura and Cy Yontz—can be found at the Big Sur Forager's Fest website.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• The new mug club at Trailside Café (298-7453) already has more than 55 members. With $50 annual sign-up fee, they get an 18-ounce mug (instead of a pint) kept cold that gets filled for $1 less than normal and $2 off Tuesdays.

• Loco and lively Chef Todd Fisher has some new small plates to keep Tarpy's Roadhouse 2-6pm weekday happy hour roaring. The options include "torpedoes" ($8) with brisket and cream cheese stuffed in jalapeños and wrapped in bacon and some spot-on spicy tuna tacos with scallions, sesame seeds, soy-yuzu and tobiko ($6). A botanical Bees Knees with Barr Hill Honey Gin and a house shrub made of orange, lemon and verbena is just $6, too.

• Places like Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Hotel 1110 and Bon Ton L'Roy's Lighthouse Smokehouse are doing fun New Year's Eve stuff. Jump over to NYE on the Weekly Arts & Entertainment Calendar for more. p. 28.

• Executive Chef Boris Ilabaca of La Playa Carmel and The Carmel Foundation present Philanthropic Foodies, a gourmet dinner—lobster bisque! wild mushroom salads! center beef filet!—Thursday, Jan. 19 ($120) to benefit hunger relief (620-8702, www.carmelfoundation.org, RSVP by Jan. 6).

• One thing to look forward to in 2017: Fish 'n' Chips Café on Fisherman's Wharf by sister spot Abalonetti will be launching…chowder fries.

• A California man named Davis Kiryakoz just pled guilty to a charge generated from the theft of more than 100 wine bottles—eclipsing a half million in value—from storied French Laundry restaurant in December 2014.

• The Carmel Residents Association continues to think having handy counter ordering at places like Carmel Belle will turn the crazy-regulated food scene there into McDonald's-by-the-Sea. They miss the fact the Third Restaurant Category has so many controls in place—and is supported by many residents, visitors, restauranteurs and business owners. After all, the category was created by a committee made up of Carmel restauranteurs, planning commissioners, and an association rep. Give progress a try.

• Lucia Restaurant & Bar (658-3400) and Cal Stamenov are doing some insane sandwiches for grilled cheese Wednesday with things like onions and bacon. The heavyweight champ, though, comes with truffles and chanterelles on chestnut bread.