ABOUT THE FOOD Patricia Williams, who was the chef at Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe, now is chef at District at the Muse Hotel (130 W. 46th St., between Sixth and Seventh a venues, 212-485-2999). She said that, unlike at Morrell, which is a wine-driven operation, “Here it’s more about the food. Morrell’s food was important, but this is a chef-driven restaurant.”

Her early summer menu includes asparagus soup with truffle oil and lobster-corn chowder. She also is serving head-on shrimp with a cucumber-pineapple chimichurri and a marinated, seared, milk-fed veal chop with creamy polenta. Her “old fashioned lazy duck” is cured for two weeks, roasted for two hours, and served with toasted Alsatian spatzle and orange marmalade.

HERRING ARE HERE After a two-week delay caused by unusually cold waters in the North Atlantic, Dutch nieuwe maa tjes herring has arrived at Grand Central Oyster Bar (Grand Central Terminal, 89 E. 42nd St., near Vanderbilt Avenue, 212-490-6650), whose annual herring festival began on Monday. The lightly brined herring is served with onions, hard-boiled egg yolks and other traditional accompaniments, as well as in salads and other dishes being dreamed up by chef Sandy Ingbar. The festival will likely last for as long as the herring does, which might be scarcely more than a week, according to Mr. Ingbar.

CHEESECAKE IN TIMES SQUARE Fans of Junior’s cheesecake can now enjoy it in Times Square. A Manhattan branch of the Brooklyn diner opens there (1515 Broadway, on Shubert Alley a t 45th St., 212-302-2000) officially on Monday, but it has been up and running for a week.

MANIC MONDAYS Also starting this Monday, people eating in Park Slope will have another dining option. Stone Park Cafe (324 Fifth Avenue at 3rd St. in Brooklyn, 718-369-0082), whose staff previously had Mondays off, will be open seven days a week. FRUIT INFUSION Duvet (45 W. 21st St., between Fifth and Sixth a venues, 212-989-2121) is making its own alcohol infusions – adding fresh fruit and other goodies to spirits, storing them in jars on the bar, and selling them for $12 a shot. The restaurant and lounge plans to change the offerings every week or two, but it is starting with vodka infused with pineapple and basil, vodka infused with Bartlett pears and cinnamon, rum infused with blood orange and mint, and bourbon infused with cherries.

Duvet also has a new chef, Nelson Martinez, formerly executive sous chef of The Biltmore Room.

FAST FOOD Asiate at The Mandarin Oriental (80 Columbus Circle a t 60th Street, 212-805-8800) has launched an express lunch served in Japanese bento boxes. Guests have a choice of three boxes. The Chef’s Selection Bento ($38), includes whatever chef Nori Sugie chooses from among wild seafood, shellfish, meat, poultry or vegetables. The Seafood Bento ($35) is just that. The Vegetarian Bento ($28) features local organic grains and vegetables. Each box comes with the soup of the day. If you want a wine or sake to be matched with it by sommelier Annie Turso, that is an additional $15.

GREEN MORNING The Green Kitchen (1477 First Avenue, between 76th and 77th streets, 212-988-4163) now is serving breakfast 6-11 a.m. on weekdays and 6-10 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.

Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. He can be reached a tbthorn@nrn.com.