Elettaria: Hendrix shredded here once upon a time, when it was a music venue called The 8th Wonder, but now the stage is an open kitchen and South Asian-spiced American dishes are the stars. Decorated by the man behind Allen & Delancey, the seductive 72-seat interior (pictured) features a rustic reclaimed barn-wood ceiling, plush banquettes, old-world paintings and exposed brick walls. Appetizers include a dish of dayboat sea scallops with celery root puree, oxtail, Meyer......

There are a number of restaurants opening in 2008 that we've been eagerly awaiting and we thought we'd highlight some that particularly piqued our interest and have us drooling in anticipation. John Dory -- this new meatpacking seafood spot comes from Spotted Pig owner Ken Friedman and Partner/Executive Chef April Bloomfield. Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich are also partners, not to mention neighbors. Sara Ochs will serve as the Chef de Cuisine. It is designed......

BarFry: Sumile's Josh DeChellis is bringing New York our first ever tempura bar. Not only will he be perfectly battering and frying fresh veggies, seafood, and meat and serving them up with his signature dipping sauces (wasabi remoulade and pickled jalapeno soy, to name a few), but he'll be offering made-to-order tempura Po Boys. Wash everything down with Gaijin Pale Ale from Oregon's Rogue Brewery, made especially for BarFry. And -- they deliver in the......

Sidecar: This new Park Slope spot is run by a former Blue Ribbon chef, features a contemporary American menu and is designed to be reminiscent of an old railroad dining car. The cocktail menu consists of classics like the gin fizz, interspersed with originals like "Dr. Tucker's 59," Plymouth gin with lemon and ginger. For now, however, the cocktails are only on the menu, not in the glasses -- they're still awaiting a liquor license,......

Nelson Blue -- billing itself as New York's first New Zealand pub, their menu features everything from New Zealand lamb and in skewer, chop, and curry formats, to Tasman Bay Paddle Crabcakes, to something known as Gado Gado Salad. Opens today. 233-235 Front Street, at Peck Slip. 212-346-9090. Soto - from sushi chef Sotohiro Kosugi, whose work earned him the title of Best New Chef from Food & Wine in 1997, when he started out......

There's been a flurry of activity on the openings front recently. Even if spring hasn't quite made it to town, these new spots are starting to bloom and shake off the winter blahs: - Insieme, the new restaurant from the folks at Hearth (Paul Grieco and Marco Canora, pictured at right), is scheduled to open on Monday. It will be serving an Italian menu, focusing on "uncomplicated food" and "sincere hospitality." If Hearth is any......

- The Daily News explores the world of the NYC gastropub, including the Spotted Pig, E.U., Spike Hill, recently opened Alchemy and the Inn LW12 (Augieland gives us a preview), and soon-to-come Borough Food & Drink, a Chodorow creation. - A hearty bowl of ramen will keep you warm, and Manhattan Users Guide has highlighted some of the best. - After being on Eater's Deathwatch for a while now, The Lonesome Dove is officially dead.......

Just ask Jean Georges, Mario Batali or Tom Colicchio and they’ll tell you there is no need to re-invent the cheese-wheel, so to speak. They’ve built multi-million dollar culinary empires on a single concept, with a few tweaks here or there for freshness. But we’re sure they would warn, as they’ve learned in varying degrees, that the key is not to spread yourself too thin. They’d say to maintain high standards and consistency because your......

In case you've been cut off from the outside world, we wanted to let you know that Keith McNally's Morandi (named after the painter, Giorgio Morandi) is officially opening tonight in the West Village. The man behind Balthazar, Pastis, and Schiller's Liquor Bar has teamed up with Chef Jody Williams, most recently at Gusto, for an Italian extravaganza. The menu from chef Jody Williams features Burrata with roasted peppers and arugula, Bagna Cauda, a......

Many of us were out of town for Thanksgiving and might have been too busy stuffing ourselves to keep up on some of the recent restaurant openings. Here's some of the food news you might have missed while you were gnawing on that drumstick: - Kampuchea Noodle Bar Ratha Chau, formerly of Fleur de Sel, brings us a noodle bar where you can slurp alongside your fellow diners at communal tables. The menu focuses on......

- The Place restaurant is engaged in a dispute with their landlords, Edith Rappy and Taube Management, who have decided not to renew The Place’s lease without any explanation. The community is rallying behind owner Alexander Achilleos and his restaurant at www.savetheplace.com; we encourage you to sign the petition if you'd like to help out this local favorite, which gives 10% of its proceeds to charity. The Place at W.10th Street is not impacted by......

Spring has definitely sprung. This weekend, we couldn't get enough of being outside -- we were yearning for a spot where we could have a few cocktails outdoors, high above the city. Ask and ye shall receive. Urban Daddy gives us a preview of 230 Fifth, billed as the city's largest rooftop bar. Sure, we're excited about the "14,000 square foot luxe terrace of palm trees, wooden benches, and, of course, 360-degree views (including......

Urban Daddy gets a picture of the newly opened Sascha, the newest creation of Sascha Lyon (formerly of Pastis) and his wife/partner Latoya. Sascha features a restaurant, a bakery, and a private dining room -- three floors of deliciousness. Sascha, 55 Gansevoort St (between 9th Ave and Washington St), 212-989-1920. Photo courtesy of Urban Daddy......