Bleu Boheme in Kensington introduces three-course early-bird meals at a set cost of $22 when seated before 6 p.m., seven days a week. Entrée choices include black mussels, filet of salmon in puff pastry, coq au vin and more. The dinners conclude with an oh-so-French version of chocolate mousse. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1088.

In honor of an annual Thai tradition that celebrates new beginnings and an end to bad luck, Saffron Noodles and Sate on India Street presents its own version of “Loy Krathong” with a special menu of holiday-specific cuisine from Nov. 12-16. Small customary rafts decorated with incense, candles and flowers will be on display, which in Thailand are sailed on rivers for letting go of sorrow, anger and personal misfortune. The festivities extend to neighboring Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken as well. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1088.

The second, newest location of Zanzibar Café downtown is hopping with the same breakfast and lunch faves as its mother café in Pacific Beach, though with a more pumped up dinner menu that includes assorted small plates and fancier entrees such as Portugese-style prawns, coconut vegetable curry, glazed salmon filet and what I’m hearing is one of the best burgers in town, which comes garnished with mushroom-shallot sauce. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1088.

A menu section devoted entirely to slow-cooked beef, lamb and poultry has made its autumn debut at Savory Casual Fare in Encinitas. Chef Pascal Vignau uses herbs and root vegetables to achieve these rustic meals, which have become part of the restaurant’s repertoire over the past six years. The dishes include beef bourguignon, lamb osso bucco, barbecue beef short ribs, chicken pot au feu and more. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1088.

Ranoosh, the Middle Eastern restaurant in the heart of Hillcrest, has gone dark. The Wine Encounter located a couple blocks away on University Avenue is up for lease. And a growing number of Coco’s restaurants are laying off their busboy staffs to the dismay of those sweet, hardworking waitresses.

According to a recent study by the Almond Board of California and the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S., eating almonds may significantly help reduce high cholesterol levels. The study concludes, however, that more research needs to be conducted to determine individual contributions of vitamin E and other components found in almonds over tree nuts.