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SPEAKING OF new neighborhood gastropubs, a near-perfect example is Highland Kitchen in Somerville. Chef Mark Romano was ready to be his own boss after five years at the Green Street Grill, so a year ago he set out to find a perfect roost. Romano took a tired neighborhood bar, revamped it, and uncovered a neighborhood of dedicated foodies. Now it's roaring every night, with great new-American food at reasonable prices, a jukebox that rocks (Romano is a music fiend and a committed collector of classic R&B), and a mix of people that's like a casting call for a Cheers revival. >> The Pallotta sisters have introduced Neighborhood Nights at Nebo with a hearty Monday night $7 bar menu, featuring pizza, arancini, wings, grilled vegetable antipasto, and meatballs. >> The Butcher Shop has scheduled its first Cookbook Dinner Series, featuring Susan Spicer, a James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of two highly acclaimed New Orleans restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. Spicer will demonstrate recipes from her cookbook, Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer's New Orleans, at the Butcher Shop on March 18. The event includes a three-course dinner with wines, plus a copy of Crescent City Cooking, for $125 per person. >> The Beehive is getting downright cheesy with chef Rebecca Newell's trio of takes on the classic grilled-cheese sandwich. Far from the basic Velveeta version, there's the farmhouse cheddar and oven-roasted tomato ($10), the brie and artisanal bacon ($12), and the shortribs and fontina cheese ($13).