The Farmer's Board at Margaux at The Marlton.
Margaux Marries French and Mediterranean Flavors: The Marlton now has a serious restaurant for its stylish clientele with the opening of Margaux last week. Michael Reardon is leading the kitchen, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu is a mash-up of comforting French classics with a nod to Mediterranean ingredients and a California-style sense of healthy eating. A Farmer’s Board packs avocado hummus, red quinoa tabouli, spicy sweet potatoes, and roasted beets; rotisserie chicken is laced with urfa biber (a smoky, Turkish chili pepper) and accompanied with sweet potatoes and green harissa. The 98-seat café, designed by hotel co-owner Sean MacPherson, is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. 5 West Eighth St., 212-321-0111
Oceana Launches Breakfast: Seafood and breakfast aren't necessarily synonymous, but they go together well. At Oceana, chef Ben Pollinger’s renditions of Maine lobster Benedict and house-cured gravlax and bagel, as well as more traditional morning dishes like orange-scented French toast and banana pancakes, highlight the restaurant's new breakfast menu. 120 W. 49th St., 212-759-5941
Winter Hot Pot at MaisonO: Who can resist a bubbling clay pot of savory broth, hearty meats, and root vegetables on a chilly winter night? One of our favorite cold weather meals, Japanese hot pot is a specialty of chef Tadashi Ono, who has literally written the book on hot pot. Stop by Ono's MaisonO from 6 to 8 p.m. daily (excluding Sundays) to try his new winter hot pot menu. Whether you opt for duck breast or seafood, you’ll also get a carafe of hot sake and a side dish. 98 Kenmare St., 212-274-9898
The convivial bar at Whitman and Bloom.
New Menu Items at Whitman and Bloom: With an inviting bar greeting you near the entrance, Whitman & Bloom feels similar to other watering holes dotting Murray Hill. But food is the focus here. A new winter menu promises local ingredients used in dishes like a charred Brussels sprouts flatbread peppered with bacon, aged gouda, and red onion. You’ll want to linger in the rustic-chic dining room and order a cocktail—perhaps the Midnight Man, made of Lexington bourbon, sweet vermouth, a few fruity garnishes, and a dash of orange bitters—to warm up. 384 Third Ave., 212-725-4110
Winter Beer Festival at Lorely: Darker, more full-bodied beers are in order for the winter months. At Loreley, a two-week-long Winter Beer Festival debuts on Jan. 18 with an array of beer styles: weizenbock, eisbock, and doppelbock are a few choices. There will be two parties of free-flowing kegs, and on Jan. 29, a beer-tasting dinner ($35 for a three-course dinner paired with seven beers). 7 Rivington St., 212-253-7077