Stones Throw's Brunch; Bourbon and Bacon at Hi-Lo Club

RUSSIAN HILL—Eater Awards "So Hot Right Now" winner Stones Throw has launched their weekend brunch menu, featuring dishes like brioche pain perdu, pumpkin spiced donuts and butternut squash and dock confit hash. (Here's the brunch menu.) Brunch is served on Sundays from 11am to 2pm. [EaterWire]

NOB HILL—A new winter cocktail menu and recently arrived Christmas beers have sparked the the return of Hi-Lo's Bourbon & Bacon happy hour: on Wednesday night, order any bourbon and you'll get a side of thickly sliced apple wood smoked bacon. And for one night only, look for a surprise guest chef to serve up bourbon braised pork belly and soft slider rolls from 6pm until supplies runs out. [EaterWire]

STONESTOWN—Tomorrow will see a culinary showdown between Tacolicious Executive Chef Telmo Faria and Michelle McKenzie Head Chef of 18 Reasons. The winning chef will select kitchen equipment of their choice for Kiehl's to donate to 18 Reasons, whose mission it is to bring farm-to-table cuisine to low-income Bay Area communities. The event is hosted at the new Kiehl's store in Stonestown Galleria mall from 1-2:30 p.m: it's open to the public, who will cast their votes for the winning dish. [EaterWire]

ALAMEDA—Just in time for the cold snap comes new ice cream concept CookieBar, a cookie and ice cream shop that specializes in ice cream sandwiches (obviously). Relive tooth-melting childhood fantasies and create your own sandwich from a selection of fresh baked cookies and an array of ice cream flavors. [EaterWire]