Happy hour vegan

And the spoon settle down with the fork: The Roaming Spoon is settling down and going casual.

Well, not entirely. Chef Sylvanna Mislang will continue her elaborate, elegant and all-vegan pop-up dinners on a semi-regular basis. But for those looking to taste Mislang’s creations at a more affordable cost, a set location and on an easier-to-remember schedule, look to the Roaming Spoon’s recent collaboration with Shine (1400 E Street).

Mislang has been popping up at Shine with more and more frequency since fall, and the deal is official: the Roaming Spoon will host a happy hour every second Monday of the month from 6 to 9 p.m. And starting in February, Mislang will also sling brunch every last Sunday.

Expect these menus to change each month—more the reason to keep returning—but here’s a taste of what January editions offered: street tacos filled with winter veggies and lime crema ($7); coconut hummus with garbanzo flat bread ($7) and fried potatoes with mushroom gravy ($10). But vegan.

Mislang was inspired by Kevin O’Connor, former wunderkind at Blackbird pre-Beer Gallery, to start the Roaming Spoon after experiencing one of his Tree House pop-up dinners. Food media has been buzzing for months about his first brick-and-mortar, which still remains a mystery. But this month, he started a new concept: Kanpai, izakaya-style eats with “gratuitous sake.” And for the past few months, he’s been serving up free bites at Requiem Events’ Throwdown parties at Midtown Barfly (1119 21st Street). Again, it’s probably the easiest, most reliable and cheapest way to taste O’Connor’s food—cover is at most $15—but it’ll come with a side of pulsating electronic dance music.

Burrito watch: Chando’s Tacos added a couple new items to its menu last week. Folks going low-carb can now order their tacos as lettuce wraps—butter lettuce wraps, specifically. Perhaps more exciting to Chando’s fans is the new option to add beans to their burritos—though those will continue to remain rice-less for now. Still, definitely more exciting.

Watch for crowds: The Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, which takes place Tuesday, January 27, through Thursday, January 29, is the largest industry event of its kind in the country. That means many, many out-of-towners snagging tables at all of downtown’s eateries. Postpone your dining plans, make reservations or prepare to order take-out.