LOOKING EAST

Stavros Aktipis, the owner of Kellari and Kellari’s Parea, plans to open a French restaurant in the same building that houses the Radisson Martinique hotel. Mr. Aktipis plans to call the eatery Martinique Bistro (54 W. 33rd St., between Fifth Avenue and Broadway).

A BLOCK GETS BETTER

The block of East 43rd Street between Lexington and Third avenues is a hotbed of cool places for Japanese food. Sushi Yasuda, which many aficionados believe has the best sushi in New York, is across the street from Sakagura, a restaurant and sake bar hidden in the basement of an office building. Soba Totto (211 E. 43rd St., 212-557-8200) now joins the bunch. The team behind Yakitori Totto owns the new eatery, and features the buckwheat noodles after which it is named. The new shop is just west of Sakagura, making the latter easier to find from now on — enter the office building, walk through the lobby, turn left, and follow the Japanese sign downstairs.

OYSTER TIME

Belcourt (84 E. 4th St. at Second Avenue, 212-979-2034) has implemented an “oyster hour” between lunch and dinner. It actually is two hours, from 3 to 5 p.m., and features food and wine pairings such as half a dozen oysters with ginger-lime mignonette with a glass of muscadet for $14, a $15 lamb burger with beer, and a $17 cheese plate with Hungarian Tokaji.

TAKEOUT TREAT

Pamplona (37 E. 28th St., between Park and Madison avenues, 212-213-2328) now has a takeout menu. Salads and sandwiches both start at $4.95. Soup and a half sandwich — such as roasted chestnut soup with a sandwich of roasted piquillo, eggplant, and guindilla (pepper aïoli) — can be had for $5.

SEASIDE RENDEZVOUS

The Mermaid Inn (96 Second Ave., between 5th and 6th streets, 212-674-5870) closed for renovations yesterday, but it is scheduled to reopen on Monday with a new storefront, artwork, and floors. In the meantime, the new Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side (568 Amsterdam Ave., between 87th and 88th streets, 212-799-7409) is now open for Sunday dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

Chef Fernando Navas of Sushi Samba Park (245 Park Ave. South, between 19th and 20th streets, 212-475-9377) will show diners what he learned during his recent internship at El Bulli, the restaurant in Spain known for its experimental cuisine, with eight special dinners. On January 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, and 30, Mr. Navas will be serving items such as olive “spheres” with toasted cumin and orange zest, foie gras custard, and seaweed with fruit. Dinner is $110 a person, or $150 paired with wine and sake.

Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. He maintains nrnfoodwriter.blogspot.com.