It's Monday. Let’s start the week by cleaning out the inbox and scouring the Houston food and drink scene. Here is your weekly news update.

Onward we push toward the December holidays. And this year, Hanukkah isn't playing around. It's Sunday. As in six days from now.

If you need help planning your celebration, Kenny & Ziggy's has you covered. Its Hanukkah Holiday Menu includes by-the-dozen orders of miniature potato pancakes and knishes, entrees like kasha varnishkas and sweet noodle kugel, and sweets like Russian chocolate bobka, sufganiyot, and ruggalach. That menu is a la carte.

Or you can just go big with the Festival of De-Lights. For $199 get a family dinner for 10 that includes matzo balls, chicken soup, brisket, and your pick of kasha varnishkas or egg barley, plus a pancake option, and challah. And for your informal get-together, the deli platter for 10 includes a chopped liver mold, deli tray with meats, potato salad, cole slaw, rye bread, pancake choice, and a bit more. That's $285. For more information, visit kennyandziggys.com.

It's also time to start thinking about Santa Claus. Kids can have breakfast with jolly ol' St. Nick from 9 to 11 a.m. December 9 at the Hotel Derek. Its annual Breakfast With Santa is $45 for adults, $35 for kids age 1-12 and includes one-on-one time with Santa, a photo op, a buffet, hot cocoa, and gourmet coffee. Get your tickets here.

Happy first birthday to the Washington Avenue location of The Union Kitchen. It's throwing an anniversary party from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday with live music, $1 beer, and extended happy hour pricing. Plus, a raffle at the event (for Rockets tickets in the Lexus Lounge) will benefit Casa de Esperanza, which provides support programs in an effort to end child abuse and neglect for at-risk infants and children.

CityCentre's The General Public has launched a new menu, aiming to put greater emphasis on local produce and ingredients. New dishes include charred okra, chicken tortilla chili, a crab and shrimp roll, and a few tuna dishes (tuna nachos, sesame-crusted tuna salad). 

California-based fast casual concept Mendocino Farms will open in the Uptown Park retail center in fall 2019. Mendocino Farms focuses on sandwiches and salads, and should fit in well alongside health-forward restaurant Flower Child and coffee giant Starbucks. It'll be the second Texas location of the restaurant, as the first is scheduled to open next year in Rice Village.

Seeking a sweet, tart treat for the holidays? Saint Arnold Brewing Co. is releasing Bishop's Barrel No. 22, a honey saison aged in chardonnay barrels (for a year) with peaches, apricots, and brettanomyces. It promises to be a bit like wine with a strong fruit profile, yet given a yeasty backbone thanks to its saison base. At 8 percent ABV, it's doesn't seem like a battle. It'll be available this week in stores and on draft across Texas and Louisiana.