THE DISH: Season's eatings with holiday treats

Dec. 2—Along with shopping, the holiday season is packed with snacking. People going out to eat more or grabbing a beverage on the go or at happy hour. Here are some limited-time offerings to tempt you this month.

Blue Oak Coffee Roasting (1717 20th St.) is always game for a theme and Christmas might be the biggest of all (after Halloween).

The downtown coffee shop is offering seven special coffee drinks.

The Dirty Snowball includes both white and dark chocolate while the eggnog latte is made with real eggnog.

Santa's Gone Nuts is a mocha with a fun name. The nuts in this case are pistachios and almonds.

Another seasonal flavor — gingerbread — is the star of the frosted gingerbread latte, which also includes spiced vanilla. Spice lovers can also enjoy a winter spice latte, which has notes of cinnamon, vanilla and browned butter.

What would the holidays be without peppermint? You won't know here if you order the peppermint bark latte, which is made with peppermint sauce and dark chocolate.

Finally, the Christmas cupcake latte ups the sweet factor with cupcake syrup, white chocolate and a topping of sprinkles.

Follow @blueoakcoffee on Instagram for the latest.

Downtown neighbors Tiki-Ko (1919 K St.) and The Sinking Ship (1927 K St.) wish Bakersfield a Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian for Merry Christmas) with their own quintet of themed cocktails.

Rebel Without a Claus is this year's holiday hot chocolate made with dark Jamaican rum, peppermint schnapps, white chocolate and peppermint whipped cream. It is served in a Santa mug that you can take home for $5.

"Break bread with your enemy this Christmas" with Xmas Gonna Give It To Ya, a blend of

tequila, Clement orange liqueur, coconut cream, cranberry and lime juice.

The Don't Fear The Wreath-er hot toddy can help stave off the specter of death with a warming blend of gold Puerto Rican and overproof rums, spiced pomegranate syrup, lemon juice and orange bitters.

Santa is Blitzin is a gin sour made with London dry gin, egg whites, spiced apple cider, maple syrup and lemon juice.

The Shepherd's Friend features blended and single malt scotch, spiced apple cider, honey syrup and lime juice that is topped off with ginger beer.

All cocktails are $15 except Xmas, which is $16. Each week in December, the bar will donate $2 from the sale of each holiday drink to a different charity.

First off is Toys for Tots, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve-run organization that distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts. Week 2's beneficiary is Fisher House, which provides no-cost housing to military and veterans' families while a loved one is receiving treatment at a military or VA medical center.

For Week 3, funds will aid the Open Door Network, which helps find stable and independent community living for those most in need.

During the last week, funds raised will go to NAMI Kern County, which offers free information, education, resources and support for people with mental illness as well as their families and friends.

Follow @tikikobakersfield on Instagram for more information.

P.F. Chang's (10700 Stockdale Highway) aims to be on your nice list for offering tasty options for your holiday gatherings.

"This time of year provides numerous occasions for gathering with loved ones over a decadent meal, and our limited-time menu has new selections to complement the festivities," Art Kilmer, chief operating officer at P.F. Chang's, said in a news release.

The holiday menu includes flaming filet mignon wontons, which live up to their name when a server lights up the plate tableside.

Experience culinary theater with the flaming filet mignon wontons. The hand-folded dumplings are filled with tenderloin, ginger, garlic and scallion, and served with a spicy chili sauce.

Also new is the chili crab and pork belly fried rice featuring delicate jumbo lump crab, smoky pork belly, egg, scallion, and the chain's signature spiced chili butter.

Enjoy the delicate flavors of the oolong Chilean sea bass, a wild-caught tea-marinated filet with ginger-soy sauce served alongside "perfectly wok'd" spinach.

A sweet new option at the restaurant is the Chang's apple crunch, the chain's take on the classic apple pie that is served in a buttery roti wrap drizzled with cinnamon sugar and caramel, served with vanilla ice cream.

Imbibe with an almost alcohol-free "A Drink With No Name," a libation of mango, ginger, lime, and delicate bitters (which contain a trace amount of alcohol).

Those who want to full cheers the season can choose from the new espresso martini, crafted with Ketel One Vodka, Caffè Borghetti coffee liqueur, and cold brew infused with a touch of vanilla and orange essence; or the Good Fortune, made with Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Joto Yuzu Saké, orange and peach liqueur and a hint of lemon, served in a keepsake ornament.

IHOP is ready for the release of "Wonka" which hits theaters Dec. 15. Although I don't imagine star Timothy Chalamet will appear directly in any promotions.

Much like it did with "The Addams Family" and "Minions: The Rise of Gru," the pancake chain launched a treat bag with eight limited-time items themed to the story of the inventor and chocolate maker.

Color is big in this special menu, never more so than with Wonka's Perfectly Purple Pancakes. The stack of purple buttermilk pancakes is layered with cheesecake mousse and topped with purple cream cheese icing, gold glitter sugar and whipped topping. Kids can also enjoy two purple pancakes as part of a slightly more balanced Jr. Magical Breakfast Medley that includes a scrambled egg, strip of bacon and sausage link.

Sweet lovers can also try the Daydream Berry Biscuit, which is split and filled with cheesecake mousse along with a mixed berry topping, purple cream cheese icing and powdered sugar.

Those who must have chocolate can opt for the Hoverchoc Pancake Tacos, a trio of silver dollar chocolate pancakes folded and filled with chocolate chips, cheesecake mousse, fresh sliced strawberries and a chocolate drizzle.

The menu's two themed "magical" beverages are Dreamy Lemonade, a purple-hued prickly pear drink served with a cream cheese icing rainbow sprinkle rim and a cloud of cotton candy; and Scrumdiddlyumptious Strawberry Hot Chocolate, which is is flavored with strawberry syrup and topped with whipped topping and a drizzle of chocolate sauce and gold glitter sugar.

If you need something savory, order the Fantastical Wonka Burger, which is served on a brioche bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, four-cheese blend, avocado, bacon, fried hash browns, IHOP sauce and a ranch drizzle.

During the promotion, which runs through Jan. 7, IHOP is inviting kids to eat free when dining in with an adult. LTOs geared to children under 12 include the Jr. Magical Breakfast Medley

Along with the breakfast medley, children under 12 can enjoy Willy's Jr. French Toast Dippers, served with chocolate dipping sauce and a side of fresh strawberries and bananas.

Now through Jan. 7, children eat free from 4 to 10 p.m. with purchase of an adult entree.

Del Taco became the first quick-service restaurant to offer birria ramen, part of its rollout of shredded beef birria items.

Jeremias Aguayo, Del Taco's senior director of culinary research and development, was instrumental in adding birria to the menu, drawing on his memories and what his mom taught him growing up in a Mexican household, according to a news release.

The shredded beef birria ramen ($5.79) includes a hearty serving of the signature beef broth consomé with fresh ramen noodles, tender shredded beef birria topped with diced onions and chopped cilantro, and a fresh-cut lime wedge.

That birria also stars in the shredded beef birria quesadilla with consomé dip ($6.79) with fresh house-grated cheddar cheese and tangy green sauce; and the shredded beef birria tacos with consomé dip (two for $8.59) with fresh house-grated cheddar cheese melted between two fresh grilled corn tortillas that are filled with the savory shredded beef, topped with diced onions and chopped cilantro and served with two fresh-cut limes and a side of flavorful consomé for dipping.

I enjoyed the tacos although my order didn't come with the expected lime wedge. The dish is definitely heftier than your usual fast food tacos.

And even if you don't go for the birria, you must try the other new item: a cookie butter shake ($4.99-$5.99). A vanilla shake mixed with Biscoff Cookie Butter and Biscoff Cookie Crumbles, it is a must-order item for now until it disappears like the rest of 2023.

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.