Quick Bites: Schnitzel dreams, Giant Artichoke deals, $1 coffee and more.

Oh just look at all the truffle pâté and onion pâté and pâté pâté.

The bratwurst, knockwurst and liverwurst, the teawurst and blutwurst.

The pig "OPEN" sign and the pig on the wall with the Santa beard.

The spaetzle, rösti and knödel.

It had been way too long since my last pilgrimage to the incomparable land of German import, Mecca Delicatessen in Marina (384-7821), but that just made the schnitzel sandwich all the more glorious.

(For the uninitiated, that's pork, pounded, breaded and fried, then layered with mustard, mayo and pickles on a nice crusty-but-soft-roll.)

Through Dec. 23, they're dishing free dessert like the caramel leche cake or lush carrot cake in exchange for an unwrapped toy.

Next door at A Plus Marina Quality Water (883-3915), the only place where you can keep a P.O. box, get filtered water and acquire a delicious milkshake—or other Marianne's ice cream, including Northern Oregon blackberry and the 1020 with caramel ice cream, fudge swirl and Oreos—a gift gets you a kid's scoop.

More food news nibbles appear here:

• Ed Shedlowski of Pacific Grove took issue with the fact that the Dagwood by Blondie at Stone Creek Kitchen (393-1042)—and its five or six meats and five cheeses—didn't make my list of seven most absurdly big sandwiches in Monterey County. It's not always on the menu, but its Stone Creek ringleaders promise a return in January at the latest. 

• Evil Twin Brewing tap takeover 3pm-midnight Friday, Dec. 18, at Post No Bills in Sand City (324-4667).

• Giant Artichoke above Starbucks on Cannery Row (643-9524) has some solid promotions going:10am-7pm daily happy hour, $3.50 pints 4-6pm, $1 taco Tuesdays after 8pm (with drink specials), country music Friday with $3 beers and $5 shots of jack.

• Buy one half gallon ($24) and get one 50 percent off through Dec. 25 at all the Perfectly Pressed Juice joints.

• Alvarado Street Brewing Co.’s Brewer J.C. Hill has something special in his new Saboteur Saison and Super Rad pineapple-laced kettle sour.

• Carmel Coffee House (626-2095) on Ocean between San Carlos and Dolores does $1 coffee 7-8am Monday-Friday.

• One of the best happy hours in downtown Monterey belongs to Esteban. Another solid element: Wine Flight Wednesdays ($13) for three different small-batch producers’ takes on complementary varietals.

• Georis’ new tasting room (659-1080) proves as pretty in person as it does in pictures, with a Left Bank-style Sauv Blanc and estate La Chapelle and Clos des Moutons blends to match the stately setting with balance, depth, earth and a pleasantly chalky finish that invites additional sipping. Apparently Damien Georis knows what he’s doing.

• If you haven’t tried la Balena spinoff il Grillo (238-9608), that’s OK. All the more short-rib strozzapreti, wild mushroom tagliatelle and marinated steak for me.

• El Charrito (424-9446), the W. Market Salinas home of epic burritos, quit its liquor license because of so much beer theft. Fortunately the deli counter remains in full swing, and busy as ever, with lines frequently out the door for crave-ready chili verde burritos. 

• Carmel Road's new tasting room at Lincoln between Ocean and Sixth gives free tastings in exchange for canned food or other nonperishable food items during the holidays.