ALL MIXED UP Askew (504 La Guardia Place, between Bleecker and Houston streets, 212-529-3560) opens today. Chef Chris Lim, who was sous chef at Sage and then Town before taking on this venture, is going casual with items like mini corn dogs with homemade ketchup, and skewers of jerk chicken with sour orange glaze. Heartier fare includes dry-aged sirloin with spicy bean paste, and double-cooked pork belly with juniper, sweet potato, and mustard fruits.

The restaurant was designed by Karim Rashid – who also designed Morimoto in Philadelphia – to resemble a traditional Japanese pub.

TRUFFLE TIME This is the year to take advantage of white truffle season. Chefs say the luxury fungi are abundant and more fragrant than they’ve been in a long time. Pretty much every fine dining restaurant in New York is offering the autumnal treats, but if you really want to splurge, book a table at Alain Ducasse at the Essex House (155 W 58th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-265-7300). For $290, Tony Esnault, who is running the kitchens at Mr. Ducasse’s New York property following the departure of Christian Delouvrier, is serving up scallops, foie gras, and blue foot chicken (California’s version of the prized poulet de Bresse), all dressed in white truffle shavings. The cheese is a truffled Brie de Meaux, and the dessert is a pear cake with foam of white truffle essence.

Mr. Esnault plans to serve the special menu through December if the truffle supply holds out. Experts say it will, and that the season might even last into January.

CHEF CHANGES, WINE FLOWS Silverleaf Tavern (43 E. 38th St. at Park Avenue South, 212-973-2550) is between chefs. Kevin Reilly left to pursue other opportunities and the San Franciscobased Kimpton Hotels, which manages the restaurant, is conducting a national search for his replacement.

So the food is in flux, but the restaurant still serves bottomless glasses of wine. For around 10% to 15% more than the price of a bottle, you can drink as much as you want.The offer is only available for wines offered by the glass.

BID UP Would you like Shea Gallante, chef of Cru (24 Fifth Ave. at 9th Street, 212-529-1700), to cook dinner for six people in your home, or would you prefer it at his chef’s table?

Either way, you can bid for the dinner on eBay. He and 10 other chefs are offering their services to the hunger relief organization Share Our Strength in conjunction with Campbell’s.The soup company has launched a line of premium soups – in cartons, not cans – and is partnering up with a bunch of fine dining chefs to promote them. Mr. Gallante is the only New York chef – and if you want the dinner in your home you have to live within 50 miles of the restaurant. Top chefs from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., also are participating. One of the new Campbell’s soups will be part of the meal. For full details, visit www.ebay.com/campbellsselectgoldlabel.

The auction will run November 7-17. Proceeds will go to Share Our Strength.

A WARM BED The rooftop deck of B.E.D. New York (530 W 27th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-594-4109) is not going gentle into that dark night of winter.The former open-air space is now under a transparent dome, so you can still lounge in bed while enjoying views of the city. The dome will be removed when the weather becomes more amicable.

Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. bthorn@nrn.com