THE DISH

Lunch Date?

Criollo at the Hotel Monteleone is offering a new $1 martini lunch special every Thursday and Friday during the restaurant’s regular lunch hours (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.). As part of the special, guests can now enjoy up to three classic martinis for $1 each alongside lunch dishes such as caviar; blue crab and corn beignets; mussels; chicken and andouille gumbo; the Criollo burger; and shrimp and grits. 214 Royal St., 681-4444, criollonola.com

TEN PIN PLANS Beat the heat in New Orleans with a cool way to spend the evening. Fulton Alley is offering bowling happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. with half off bowling and free shoe rental. Be sure to grab a bite off of the menu, which includes everything from flatbreads and sandwiches to salads, fries and desserts. There’s also a great drinks menu with signature and classic cocktails, wine and beer. 600 Fulton St., 208-5569, fultonalley.com

A BOX FOR ALL TASTES Table22 has launched in New Orleans, allowing restaurants, bars and cafes to offer subscription programs to clientele for either local pick-up or national delivery. Local establishments that have already signed up include Saba, Blue Oak BBQ, Bacchanal, Jewel of the South and Bywater America Bistro. For example, Saba (the first restaurant in New Orleans to try the program) offers Alon Shaya’s Israeli Box. This quarterly subscription ($125) includes a rotating selection of pantry items such as spice kits, harissa, garbanzo beans and more, plus ingredient information and home preparation instructions. Meanwhile, the Premium Israeli Box ($225) includes a hands-on video tutorial from Shaya himself, guiding customers on how to best enjoy, serve and prepare some of his favorite dishes. table22.com

PIE DREAMS A new pizzeria has transitioned from pop-up shop to a bricks and mortar location Uptown on Baronne Street. Zee’s Pizzeria, named after owner Zander White, features a menu of Northeast-style pizza. “I don’t call it ‘New York-style’ because it has a lot of influence from New Haven-style pizza and the pizzas you’ll find in Boston,” White says. “We cook our pies a little more than most places, getting more char and crisp in the crust.” Choose from a ton of toppings for buildyour-own pizzas (including house specialty toppings like garlic butter, pickled jalapeños and meatballs). “We also use a very high quality ‘cup ’n char’ pepperoni that is smaller than the traditional flat type,” White says. “They are the best. Also our mushrooms are kind of special because we don’t slice them, we quarter them. This allows them to stay meaty and fresh during roasting.” Specialty pies also rotate weekly and include the “Farmer,” the “Pow Pow” and the “Buffalo Chicken.” There’s also a nice selection of rotating salads, garlic knots, and beer and wine. Grab a spot at the slice counter and see what all the buzz is about. 3914 Baronne St., zeespizzeria.com

OYSTER HOUR ON THE RIVER Chemin à La Mer, Chef Donald Link’s new restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, is now offering an Oyster Happy Hour weekdays from 3-5 p.m. at the Oyster Bar, at the Purple Grackle Bar and on the terrace. Enjoy $1 select oysters paired with a $10 glass of wine selected by sommelier Emily Kitzmiller. In addition to raw oysters, an all-day bar snacks menu features tasty bites like fried Marcona almonds with rosemary and sea salt; marinated artisanal olives with lemons and Provençal spice; the Grackle Burger with comté, caramelized onions and Dijonnaise on a brioche bun; and pâté grand-mère served with cornichons, whole-grain mustard and sourdough. 2 Canal St., 434-5898, fourseasons.com/ neworleans.

TOP TOQUE The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience has awarded chef Frank Brigtsen the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award. This award recognizes one individual each year that has made a lifetime commitment to the hospitality industry through extraordinary leadership, personal and professional accomplishments, and philanthropic contributions to the community. As the owner of Brigtsen’s Restaurant (along with his wife, Marna) Brigtsen has a culinary career that spans 50 years. He also spent 15 years teaching cooking classes at the New Orleans Cooking Experience. He also teaches Contemporary Creole/Acadian cuisine as adjunct professor at the John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University, and he serves as the inaugural chef-in-residence for the Culinary Arts program at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.