Quick Bites: In-N-Out insider report, new dinner spot, a closure, a departure and more.

My dreams of becoming an international spy haven't materialized (yet), so I'll have to be content trying to cloak-and-dagger my way to uncovering when In-N-Out will actually open in Seaside.

After posting an unauthorized update citing a March 27 target date and speculating who was behind the Seaside In-N-Out Facebook page (and its at-times bizarre tone), I got a mysterious email, which led to other emails.

The takeaway: I have made clandestine contact with a consultant close to the project—for the long seven years it's been searching for a home, which the consultant calls one of the "most difficult locations for the company to acquire."

The individual requests anonymity and credit for the page.

The insider adds this: 

Unless there is a final glitch in the city issuing the certificate of occupancy, opening will be sometime this week after today. The final inspection is scheduled for this morning [Monday, March 21], so it might be as soon as tomorrow, as has been speculated.

Besides the occupancy permit there are operational issues to consider…

Openings aren't announced in advance...

Customers will know it's open when they see the "OPEN" sign turned on.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• Sea Harvest's Moss Landing location changed ownership relatively recently. A previous version of this report said it has closed, but it's stronger and fresher than ever. 

• Kevin Clark, one of the central forces behind Monterey craft beer at Peter B's BrewPub, is departing to run Urban Moose Brewing Co. in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota. A send-off toast happens at Peter B's 5pm Wednesday, March 23.

• Time-honored Pâtisserie Boissiere (624-5008) on Mission in Carmel is searching for a new home after lease negotiations went south.

• One of the most dynamic lunch buffets rolls on 11:30am-2:30pm Tuesday through Sunday at Monterey Cookhouse (642-9900) with 10 hot dishes, salad bar and soup for $12.95.

• Hofsas House Hotel throws its annual fundraiser for 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).

• Porter's in the Forest is now open for dinner, and it's even paying for your ride there. More on the blog soon. 

• The year 2015 was a record-setting one for Monterey County restaurants. Check out Weekly readers votes for Best New Restaurant of 2015, Best Italian and well over 100 other food, drink and restaurant categories in March 24's Best of Monterey County issue, all 168 pages of it.

• The report on Mountain Mike's in Seaside's City Center from franchisee Robby Basati: "Things are moving forward. We are still working on our improvements in the space. We are still shooting for an early April to mid-April opening."

• On March 15, local catering company A Taste of Elegance won the Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence (CATIE) award at the Catersource Conference held in Las Vegas for The Best Buffet Presentation and Menu. A nice nod in an international contest for ATOE, which won out over organizations as far off as South Africa. 

• In my print column last week I accidentally rooted Scotland native Kenneth MacDonald in Ireland. His response to my apology was both interesting classy response ("We are all the same north of the border"). His burger, sustainable sand dabs and organic salads remain excellent, which is why I ranked his Edgar's (620-8910) one the best "golf course" restaurants in Monterey County.