PICCOLO’S FACELIFT: After 22 years in the Southdown shopping center, Piccolo of Huntington (215 Wall St., Huntington 631-424-5592 piccolorestaurant.net) is getting a facelift. After the big Valentine’s weekend, the restaurant was to close for its nip/tuck this week, Feb. 15-18. The big reveal is set for Feb. 19. Join them for dinner and tell Dean the Foodies sent you.

CHEF’S TABLE: Porto Vivo (7 Gerard St., Huntington 631-385-8486, www.porto-vivo.com) hosts an evening of world class food and wines on Feb. 23, with its unique Chef’s Table experience. Begin the evening with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre amid the hustle and bustle of Porto Vivo’s busy kitchen. After presenting the first course, Chef Steven Lecchi will prepare a five-course dinner served at a communal table in the dining room. Bill Whiting of Banfi Vintners, whose wine portfolio includes some of Wine Spectator’s top-rated vintages, will share his knowledge while explaining wine pairings. The cost is $89 per person plus the cost of wine, and participation is limited to 16 guests, so call right away to assure yourself a seat at the Chef’s Table.

EAT AMERICAN: What did Greek TV food star and restaurateur Maria Loi eat when she and PBS TV’s Laura Savini dined at Prime – An American Kitchen and Bar (117 New York Ave., Huntington 631-385-1515 www.primerestaurant.com) earlier this month? Although the restaurant featured Greek cuisine as part of its Jet Set menu specials for February, the two enjoyed sushi and American favorites: a tornado roll, spinach and beet salads, and porterhouse and rib-eye steaks. Executive chef Gregg Lauletta sent over a selection of desserts in return, for which Chef Maria agreed to share her traditional baklava recipe.

POOR MAN’S TRUFFLE: The hottest trend in the ever-trendy restaurant scene these days seems to be black garlic. That’s right, black garlic, an anti-oxidant-rich Korean creation that results from a fermentation process which turns the cloves black while leaving the peel white. Chefs use it in stews, marinades, salads and risotto, among other things, to add a complex and heady flavor. In dishes like a risotto, the black slices give the appearance of truffles without the hefty price tag. How trendy is the stuff? Well, it has its own Twitter handle: @blackgarlic. Five bulbs run about $15 from cookingenthusiast.com.

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