Stellina Opens on Lower East Side; Telepan Prepares a Swine-Centric Tasting Menu

East Village: Some big names in the New York food scene are coming together for STREETS International’s Fourth Annual NYC Benefit. The organization is a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged kids in Vietnam train at the organization’s hospitality school in order to be able to financially provide for themselves. Chefs like Masaharu Morimoto of Morimoto, Mike Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, and David Suarez of Rosa Mexicano will serve their interpretation of street food, while mixologists will make Southeast Asia–inspired cocktails. Tickets are $225 for VIP, $125 for general admission, and $50 for NYU and ICE students. Tickets here. [Grub Street]


Gramercy: Until the end of March, every SushiSamba location will offer a special “Disaster Relief for Japan” roll for $12 to aid the victims of the devastating tsunami. Created by their own Japanese sushi chefs, 100 percent of the proceeds from the special roll will be donated to the Red Cross to help those affected by the disaster. [Grub Street]


Greenwich Village: On March 23, Alma 33 will pair their Argentine food with Dallis Bros.’ Brazillian coffee to create a unique $40 four-course prix-fixe dinner. The first two savory courses will be paired with coffee cocktails, while the desserts will incorporate Dallis’s high-end Octavio Coffee line. Call 212-380-8794 for reservations. [Grub Street]


Hell’s Kitchen The neighborhood’s new Korean restaurant Danji has begun serving lunch Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m. [Grub Street]

Lower East Side After a short delay, ice-cream shop Stellina is now open. [Fork in the Road/VV]


Meatpacking District: Starting today, La Gazzetta will be offering Italian-wine-tasting flights every Monday through Wednesday. The flight, which costs only $18, features three reds and three whites that are paired with crostini. The wines rotate weekly, so you’ll never have the same flight twice. [Grub Street]


Midtown East: Social Eatz wants to give you free food! Every day this week at noon, the new restaurant will be giving away a tasty lunch to the day’s first 100 customers. Tomorrow (Tuesday), the freebie is their Kung Pao … Wow sandwich, which has iron-seared soy-sesame chicken with Thai chile and roasted-peanut spread. [Grub Street]


Midtown West: If you never thought vodka could pair well with food, the Park Central Hotel’s steakhouse, Cityhouse, is going to prove you wrong. For $65, executive chef Fabio Caparelli is pairing a four-course prix-fixe menu with spring-inspired cocktails dreamed up by Ultimat Vodka tomorrow, March 15. Space is limited; reserve by calling 212-707-5500. [Grub Street]


Soho: David Burke Kitchen will be offering a four-course wine dinner in their Treehouse bar. March 17, the restaurant will pair four dishes with six Rioja magnums from wineries La Rioja Alta and Bodegas Ontanon. Menu plus tax and tip is $150. RSVP here or call 914-980-0423. [Grub Street]


Upper West Side: Bill Telepan loves Mangalista pig, and he wants to share his love in an upcoming series of five-course tasting menus starring the swine. Starting tonight, March 14 through Thursday, March 17 at his restaurant, Telepan, he will serve Mangalista pig in different preparations, including sausage, scrapple, confit, bacon, and Bolognese. The tasting menu is $75, and $135 with wine pairings. [Grub Street]