Winter Menu at Hamersley's Bistro and More on the Food & Dining Scene

New Winter Menu at Hamersley's Bistro

• Now that we’ve been reminded of just how biting New England winters can be, it’s time to fill up with some hearty, seasonal cuisine to keep you warm from the inside out. A great place to try is Hamersley’s Bistro, which rolled out their new winter menu just before the holidays. Cozy up to choices like tiny pheasant meatballs in sherry broth ($11); saddle of monkfish with curried cauliflower, golden raisins, and saffron sauce ($30); and caramelized Brussels sprouts with walnuts ($8) while you think wistfully of spring.

New Snack Menu at Union

• Union Bar & Grille recently launched a new snack menu for those of us who don’t have that big of an appetite or need a little pick-me-up before dinnertime. From $2-4, these wee nibbles include options like grilled Island Creek oysters, Maine crabmeat toast, pork and pickled onion tacos, and piquant tomato & tuna canapés.

Cochon Chef's Course Card

• Brady Lowe, founder of Cochon 555 (a nationwide pork-meets-wine-meets-chef competition ), has created The Cochon Chef’s Course card, a dining incentive program to reward restos who support local agriculture. With it, you’ll receive benefits like exclusive complimentary chef-prepared tasting courses and discounts at wineries and other partners. South End chef Jamie Bissonnette of Coppa and Toro is one of the many participators. The card is available online for around $50, and a portion of the proceeds benefits the James Beard Foundation.   

Stella Guest Chef Mondays

• Stella has relaunched their Guest Chef Monday Series, in which a chef from another resto pops by every week to add three courses to the menu. On Jan. 9, you can enjoy Italian treats from Chef Dante de Magistris of dante in Cambridge. The prix fixe meal costs $40 per person, and you can make reservations at 617-247-7747.

Master Classes at B&G Oysters

• Barbara Lynch's B&G Oysters has launched an Explorer Series for the winter, comprised of Chef's Table Lunches and afternoon Master Classes to drop a little knowledge on the masses. This week’s offering is the Master Class titled Beers of the Eastern Seaboard with Atlantic Imports, which is offered on Jan. 12 from 3 to 4 p.m. and costs $35 per person. Make your reservations at 617-423-0550, and check out what else they have to offer through the rest of the season in the News & Events section at bandgoysters.com.