WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

After a buzzy, successful start in late January, "temporary restaurant installment" What Happens When has launched its second movement. The concept eatery from Dovetail chef John Fraser—in New York's NoLIta through October—is completely reimagined each month, with a fresh menu, soundtrack and design scheme. For round two, Fraser has whipped up inventive selections like venison tartar, short ribs with cheddar cheese polenta and, for dessert, a gingerbread house with spiced panna cotta. Insider's tip: Though not listed, a special eight-course tasting menu with wine pairings is available for those who ask, and before being seated, diners should sneak a peek at the blueprint from the restaurant's first iteration, outlined in white on the floor. Act quickly—the third movement begins the first week of April. Three-course prix-fixe menu, $58, with wine pairings, $96; eight-course tasting menu, $110, with wine pairings, $175. At 25 Cleveland Place; 212-925-8310; whathappenswhennyc.com.

Photo Felix de Voss

TO AID JAPAN: AFTERNOON TEA AT PENINSULA HOTELS

To aid those affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami, Peninsula Hotels has launched Hope for Japan, a three-pronged initiative taking place in all its U.S. and Asia locations. The first element: Ten dollars of each guest's stay will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. For the second part of the campaign, hotel lobbies will feature trees adorned with origami cranes (in Japanese tradition, the folding and construction of them is a form of healing). For a $5 donation, guests can purchase a paper ornament or make one on their own with the help of hotel staff. A more indulgent option is Japanese Afternoon Tea, a riff on the Peninsula's signature midday rite that involves sushi-inspired treats and a selection of Japanese teas. One hundred percent of the $50 cost will be donated to relief efforts. peninsula.com.

Photo Courtesy The Peninsula Hotels

WHIMS: ADDISON AT THE GRAND DEL MAR

While Southern California's year-round beach weather has always made us jealous, it didn't have much of to speak of when it came to fine dining. That's now changed with Addison—the only five-star and five-diamond restaurant in the region—led by Relais & Châteaux grand chef William Bradley. From the grounds of the luxury resort The Grand Del Mar, in San Diego, Bradley meticulously prepares local, seasonal ingredients in a contemporary French style. The four-course tasting menu ($98 per person, offerings change with the season; 5300 Grand Del Mar Court, San Diego; 858-314-1900; addisondelmar.com) offers selections like licorice-glazed squab with candied red cabbage and plums, fois gras pot de crème and delicious handmade sweet pea agnolotti with ham hock. For dessert, the coconut custard with pistachio brittle is a must. The wine list, created by Jesse Rodriguez (formerly the head sommelier of Napa's French Laundry), is an oenophile's dream, with an innovative mix of high-end vintages from Europe, new wines from South America and New Zealand as well as California cult favorites. You can also make it a full day by starting at The Grand Del Mar's spa: Begin with the Spring Refresher facial ($180, lunch and day access to all spa amenities included;  858-314-2020; thegranddelmar.com), continue with a yoga or Pilates class and a plunge in the pool, then take a sunset walk through the property until you arrive, finally, at Addison, refreshed and ready for a dinner to remember.

San Francisco: Smitten Ice Cream in 60 Seconds

Smitten Ice Cream, now open in the artsy Hayes Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, is a far cry from the ice cream parlors of yore. Housed in a modern, minimalist structure made from two recycled shipping containers, the operation is helmed by Robyn Sue Goldman, who spent two years developing an ice cream machine that runs on liquid nitrogen (its negative-322-degree temperature allows for the formation of exceptionally small ice crystals, giving the dessert a smoother texture). She named it Kelvin, and for two years the business lived in a souped-up Radio Flyer wagon that traveled the city, turning out artisanal ice cream—with absolutely no additives—made to order in 60 seconds. Now in a fixed location, Smitten has a rotating menu with traditional flavors like vanilla and strawberry alongside innovative combinations like poached pear crème fraîche, brown sugar butternut squash and dark chocolate with hot peppers. True to California's locavore ethos, the dairy is sourced from nearly Beretta Organic Farm, while the chocolate comes from TCHO on San Francisco's Pier 17. At 432 Octavia St.; 415-863-1518; smittenicecream.com.

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Perez-Green

Shelter Island: Introducing La Maison Blanche

A stone's throw from the Hamptons' glamorous party spots, La Maison Blanche, an eight-room, pet-friendly boutique hotel, has opened on quieter Shelter Island, between the north and south forks of Long Island. With its muted beach-chic interior, library lounge, complimentary bicycle use, pétanque court and tranquil garden, the spot is already proving to be a welcome respite for the city-weary. Foodies are talking about La Maison Blanche's in-house bakery, where fresh bread, muffins and croissants are made daily, and its new bistro, helmed by executive chef Charles Le Tous. A veteran of Bistro Vendôme and L'Absinthe in Manhattan as well as Michelin star-rated brasseries in the Alps, Corsica and Paris, the French chef is creating European-inspired dishes; on the brunch menu are a croque madame and eggs ecossaise, while a seared branzino and steak frites—with a choice of bleu, béarnaise, shallot and au poivre sauces—are served at dinner. (One diner said the moules marinières were better than the mussels she'd had in Paris the day before.) Bon appétit! Rooms start at $225; 11 Stearns Point Rd.; 631-749-1633; maisonblanchehotel.com.

Photo Rick Lew

London: Private Dining Club at the Berkeley Hotel

French chef Pierre Koffmann occasionally likes to make grandiose dishes like suckling pig and pot-au-feu, but he found the meals too large for an at-home dinner party. So Koffmann and his partner, Claire Harrison, started Koffmann's Dinner Club, a series of over-the-top suppers held in the private Camille room of Koffmann's restaurant at London's Berkeley Hotel. Fourteen gourmands can sign up for the evening's five-course tasting menu and wine pairings, the details of which remain a secret until guests arrive, but we do know it's a mix of Koffmann's signature dishes and food he's never served before. While the chef toils in the kitchen, Harrison sits at the head of the table, entertaining and getting to know her company. The next gatherings are on September 13 and October 25, but book early, as places at the table will go quickly. $175 per person at Wilton Place, Knightsbridge; email Claire Harrison at charrison@the-berkeley.co.uk to reserve a space.

Photo Courtesy of The Berkeley

Hamptons: Banzai Burger Now Open

Like everything else in the Hamptons, the roadside burger and lobster shack is getting an upgrade. Just down the road from the venerable Montauk Highway après-beach dives Clam Bar and Cyril's comes power hospitality publicist Steve Kasuba and restaurateur Alex Duff's new joint, Banzai Burger. The Hamptons regulars have hired James Beard Award nominee Alan Hughes and sushi chef Isao Yoshimura to create an eclectic fusion menu that includes Mako shark burgers, sushi, and corn crab cakes. The whitewashed indoor-outdoor spot has banquettes in the back for after-hours revelry (it is the Hamptons, after all), but how will the well-heeled fashionistas interpret the shoes-optional dress code? 2095 Montauk Hwy., Amagansett; 631-267-3175; banzaiburger.com.

Photo Kathleen Doran

CAPITOL HILL COUNTRY

A little bit of Texas arrived in Washington, D.C. when Hill Country Barbecue Market opened in the city's Penn Quarter neighborhood over the weekend. The two-level, 300-seat spot, like its sister restaurant in New York, doles out pound after pound of dry-rubbed meats slowly smoked over Texas post oak, a hard wood brought in from its native state. Upon entering, guests receive a "meal ticket" which doubles as the menu and—after the server behind the counter weighs, tallies up and hands you your order on butcher paper—the check. Trimmings include traditional Texas Toast white bread, collard greens and pickles; executive chef (and BBQ expert) Elizabeth Karmel has also updated a few Southern classics like campfire black beans with burnt ends, confetti coleslaw and Longhorn cheddar mac and cheese. At the downstairs Boot Bar, expect to hear live roots rock by bands slipping through town, five nights a week. At 410 7^th St. NW; 202-556-2050; hillcountrywdc.com.

Photo Courtesy Hill Country Hospitality

CHICAGO: WHAT's COOK-iNG

Chef Homaro Cantu has opened the doors of his second Chicago restaurant, iNG, whose menu bears his signature flair for inventiveness and respect for ancient Asian cooking techniques. The name iNG refers to the suffix "-ing" and expresses Cantu's passion for action in the kitchen. The menu is divided according to the verb used to create the food: The "Heating" section, for example, has Baozi buns with pork, enoki mushrooms and melted scallions; noodle soups are listed under the "Boiling" heading; and a waffle (frozen in liquid nitrogen) with coconut and mango sorbet is among the "Sweetening" offerings. But the truly experimental dining happens at the chef's table in the sublevel kitchen, where Cantu offers a 15-course tasting menu to four visitors per evening. The experience is centered around the miracle berry, a cranberry-sized fruit that acts as a natural sweetener, temporarily altering one's taste buds, and on which diners "flavor trip" before sampling certain courses. (Cantu calls it "food science with a purpose.") The details are a secret, but we do know the menu involves a beer and oyster pairing, Poke tuna, salt-and-vinegar kettle corn and sour cherry cheesecake. Miracle berry tasting menu starts at $250; 951 W. Fulton Market; 855-834-6464; ingrestaurant.com.

Photo Mike Ruggirello

California: Pebble Beach Food & Wine

The fourth-annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine event will tee off April 28, starting four days of foodie heaven and bringing more than 70 renowned chefs and 250 wineries together on the coast of California. In attendance will be, among others, Daniel Boulud, Michel Richard, Masaharu Morimoto, Jacques Pépin and Tom Colicchio, who will celebrate the tenth anniversary of his restaurant Craft. On every epicure's can't-miss list are the two Grand Tasting events, held on April 30 and May 1: In a 60,000-square-foot tent, 25 celebrated chefs will serve samples of their signature dishes and sign books, while oenophiles will have the chance to try 500-plus vintages. Other highlights of this year's festival are Food & Wine Best New Chefs Alumni dinner; cooking demos with Colicchio and Pépin; the Robert Mondavi dinner with Napa Valley's most notable chefs; and, of course, the grand finale dinner, prepared by Charlie Trotter, Michel Richard and Gary Danko. VIP-ticket holders will also have access to after-hours parties with the chefs and vintners. Tickets range from $100 for a single event to $4,750 for a VIP four-day pass; 1700 17-Mile Dr.; 866-907-3663; pebblebeachfoodandwine.com.

Photo Courtesy Pebble Beach Food & Wine