Chef And Menu Report: Week Of 10/12/14

New York
Morton's The Steakhouse in Great Neck is excited to reveal a fresh and modern new look for their dining space on the world-renowned North Shore of Long Island. Updated with a sleek design incorporating a modern take on the traditional Morton's The Steakhouse look, the space has a new ambiance with a modern feel. In addition to new carpet, artwork, upholstry, seating, and updated lighting, the restaurant also boasts a renovated bar that modernizes the space and incorporates the bar into the dining area. In addition to updating the interiors, Morton's The Steakhouse now offers a new fall menu of seasonal items including sautéed wild mushrooms, black truffle mashed cauliflower, and a bone-in Manhattan steak.

Bed-Stuy favorite Alice's Arbor is significantly expanding their beverage program by debuting a line of new fall cocktails next week, all based on craft spirits distilled within a day's drive of the city. There's the Harvest BK: Black Dirt applejack, St. George spiced pear liqueur, Clement Creole shrub, Angostura bitters, orange zest, and turbinado simple syrup; the Gin Figs: Barr Hill raw honey gin, fig preserves, and housemade lemon thyme simple syrup; and the Aztec: Cacao Prieto chocolate rum, Ancho Reyes ancho chile liqueur, Amaretto, and Punt e Mes (tart cherry liqueur). They'll also expand the bar to include 14 lines for drafts, three of which will be given to wine (one white, one red, and one sparkling), which will accompany seven static seasonal draft selections (including one cider and a gluten-free beer) alongside four rotational draft lines to highlight the ever-changing and experimental world of craft brewing. The wine list will also be overhauled with an upgrade to the quality of their by-the-glass and by-the-bottle selections to focus mostly on the small production oddities coming to market

To complement this impressive expansion, the restaurant will continue their monthly tasting dinner series, the next is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29 with Finback Brewery that will be comprised of five courses and five sample-size beers for $55. In addition, you can catch their weekly happy hour events on Tuesday nights that bring in a different craft brewer from the area each week to share their brews and their stories.

Celebrated Los Angeles chef and baker Zoe Nathan will host a pop-up baking class at Momofuku Milk Bar, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21. Showcasing select recipes from Nathan's just-debuted cookbook, Huckleberry: Secrets, Stories, and Recipes from Our Kitchen, guests will learn how to prepare her signature flaky dough, walnut jam scones, and chai tea lattes, and secure a copy of the cookbook. Tickets are $75 and include a signed copy of the book.

Burrata French toast, meatball benedict, and "Hangover Pizza" on Saturday and Sunday mornings are just a few reasons to love the Il Mulino team, launching brunch at the group's more casual and affordable Gramercy restaurant Trattoria Il Mulino next Saturday, October 25. Guests can indulge in other Italian-inspired offerings such as poached spicy eggs in a spicy tomato sauce; smoked carpuccio salmon; an egg white omelette with avocado, mushrooms, and mozzarella; and more. Trattoria Il Mulino will serve brunch on the weekends from 11:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Walter's Hot Dogs is celebrating their 95th anniversary on Sunday, October 26. It will kick off with our hot-dog eating contest at 3 p.m. and will be a three day celebration. They'll be serving hot dogs and refreshments to guests on Sunday following the contest and there will be activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Chicago
Acadia, the Michelin-starred and AAA Five Diamond Restaurant, welcomes autumn with an all-new chef's tasting menu from proprietor and chef Ryan McCaskey. With global influences from the Far East to the South of Spain, diners can enjoy a revamped dining experience at the South Loop restaurant with the addition of a canapé program and scaled pricing for the 10-course menu. Some of the courses are hamachi with red curry, coconut rice, and shiso; veal sweetbreads with chestnut, crème fraîche, apple, and brown butter balsamic; and squab with Anson Mills oats, celery, and truffled sauce au poivre.

Los Angeles
TOSCANA announces autumn in Southern California with the arrival of white truffles imported from Abruzzo, Italy. The white truffles will be hand-shaved over a selection of executive chef Hugo Vasquez's delicately prepared dishes. The menu is designed to showcase the extraordinary character of this highly prized and valued tuber with generous shavings on foods ranging from soft scrambled eggs to Kobe beef. 

Palm Springs
Viceroy Palm Springs announces the arrival of French-born executive chef Patrice Martineau to its Citron restaurant. The Champagne, France native trained at some of the France's best known Michelin-starred restaurants before joining the team at Daniel in New York City. In 2005, after several years as Daniel Boulud's second-in-command, chef Martineau returned to Europe as the youngest executive chef of London's legendary Savoy Hotel, and then moved to Tokyo as chef de cuisine for the widely acclaimed Peter at the Peninsula Hotel.

Kate Kolenda is the Restaurant and City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @BeefWerky and @theconversant.