January 12: Restaurants from the Inside Out
Hear about what makes a restaurant a hit or a flop from three experts who know, some from personal experience, like Rocco DiSpirito. He joins author Calvin Trillin and egullet.com founder Steven Shaw at this panel, moderated by WNYC's Leonard Lopate. For more information call 212-415-5500. $25 tickets available online. 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Ave at 92nd St., 8pm.

January 12: Whym Opens
The folks behind Eatery in Hell's Kitchen (great mac and cheese there, for the record), owners Sean Connolly and Evan Kushner and Executive Chef Mario Arnero are opening another neighborhood spot -- Whym, which will be offering a "New American, eclectic menu with global influences." They'll start out with dinner seven days a week, and plan on adding lunch and brunch in mid-February. 889 Ninth Avenue at 58th Street, 212-315-0088.

January 23 - 27 & January 30 - February 3: NYC Restaurant Week
You know the drill at this point. This year, participating restaurants are offering three course lunches for $24.07, to reflect NYC's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week attitude, and dinner for $35. Visit their website for a full list of participants and Open Table for reservations.