ESSEX MOVES

South Gate (154 Central Park South, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-248-5120) has opened at the Essex House, featuring the cuisine of Kerry Heffernan, formerly of Eleven Madison Park. The menu will change frequently according to the seasons and Mr. Heffernan’s whim, but early offerings include calamari with cauliflower, pea shoots and lobster-coriander essence, and hamachi with eucalyptus and crisp garlic.

Meanwhile, the Restaurant at Jumeirah Essex House, which is in the space that once was occupied by Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, has closed for dinner, but is still serving breakfast and lunch.

DONA REVISITED

Mia Dona (206 E. 58th St., between Second and Third avenues, 212-750-8170) is the latest culinary offering from chef Michael Psilakis, whose food also can be eaten at Anthos and Kefi. Mr. Psilakis says this reincarnation of the popular Dona is more Italian — less broadly Mediterranean — than its predecessor, but still has bits of Spanish and Greek influences in the mix. It is pricier than Kefi, less so than Anthos.

A crispy rabbit with salt-and-vinegar fingerling potato chips and cucumber rémoulade is on the menu, as well as a Florentine meat loaf that encases an eight-minute egg.

MORE OF MOORE

Harold Moore, formerly of the fine dining restaurants Montrachet and March, has gone down-market with Commerce (50 Commerce St., between Seventh Avenue South and Hudson Street, 212-524-2301). “I didn’t have a great audience at Montrachet and March,” he said. “So I wanted to do something very casual in terms of décor, atmosphere, and service,” so that guests will feel comfortable eating there regularly.

“I’m trying to put my chefly ego aside for a few minutes and bring it back to the basics of pleasing people,” he added.

Fans of his beef tataki, inspired by his Japanese grandmother’s cooking, will see it again at Commerce. This time, it is marinated with soy sauce and sherry, seared, and served with a shiso-mushroom salad. Mr. Moore also touts his sweet potato tortelone with pomegranate molasses, as well as a straightforward roasted chicken for two. Main courses start at around $24, and bottles of wine start under $30.

MARCUS’S MERKATO

The delays in the opening of Merkato 55 (55 Gansevoort St., between Greenwich and Washington streets, 212-255-8555) have ended, and Marcus Samuelsson’s meatpacking district homage to African cuisine is now in full swing. Mr. Samuelsson, who was born in Ethiopia but adopted by Swedish parents as a young child, and executive chef Andrea Bergquist, are actually drawing inspiration from all over the world. The menu ranges from Ethiopian items such as chicken doro wat with injera bread, and Senegalese yassa Guinea hen with preserved lemon, to Caribbean callaloo stew with smoked eel, hearts of palm, and cashews.

African-inspired small plates dubbed kidogo — Swahili for “little bits” — are on offer, too. The wine list draws bottles from five continents.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

Latin- and Spanish-accented small plates are being dished up by a French-trained 24-year-old executive chef, Jessica Floyd, at Islero (247 E. 50th St., between Second and Third avenues, 212-752-1414), which opened last week.

One dish on the menu that she is particularly proud of is creamy rice with Manchego cheese and fennel braised in orange juice in caramel, served with a black radish salad and a diver scallop. Another is a stew of grilled prawns, scallops, mussels, and cockles steamed in a sugar cane broth with basil, cilantro, and chai.

“They’re classic Spanish or Latin dishes that I interpreted in my own way,” Ms. Floyd said.

THE BEEF’S UPSTAIRS

Tre Dici, a three-year-old neighborhood Italian restaurant, has opened a steak house upstairs. Tre Dici Steak (128 W. 26th St., 2nd floor, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-243-2085) is broiling veal chops, New York strips, and hanger steak, and also offering starters such as Kobe beef ravioli, and lobster salad with watermelon, avocado, red onion, and yuzu vinaigrette.

GIMME MORE

Gimme! Coffee (228 Mott St., between Prince and Spring streets, 212-226-4011), an Ithaca-based coffee chain with the mission to “support the advancement of espresso as a social movement,” according to its Web site, has opened its first Manhattan location — meaning its New York City fans no longer need to go to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to get a cup.

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