The Mermaid Inn, that inviting East Village bistro beloved for its rich seafood entrees, has moved on up to the west side with a mostly new menu. Their second Manhattan outpost is appointed with old nautical maps, dark wainscoting and roll-up doors that will surely suck in the crowds during warmer months. (Alec Baldwin must be pleased about the eatery boosting Amsterdam Avenue’s cachet.) The Inn’s famous lobster sandwich survived the move, but there’s now......

Bacaro: Frank DeCarlo of Peasant and his wife Dulcinea Benson transport you to Venice in their 80-seat wine bar/restaurant on the Lower East Side. Northern Italian menu offerings include cicchetti, (think Venetian bar snacks) like crostini, sardines, artichokes, and more, cheeses selected by Lou DiPalo, and pastas, quail, and duck for those seeking heartier fare. 136 Division Street, between Orchard and Ludlow Streets, 212-941-5060. Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill: The Blue Ribbon team is......

September 7: Sake Tasting Oer thirty Japanese brewers will offer over 100 different types of sake, shochu, and wine previously unavailable in the US for a public tasting. Nibble on hors d'oeures as you speak to the brewers themselves to learn more about individual types of sake. Please call 212.647.9196 or email finfo@enjb.com for more information or to purchase tickets. $40 plus tax. 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, En Japanese Braserie, 435 Hudson St. September......

Weekend mornings are oft synonymous with brunch, the ever-transcendent meal that allows you both sweet and savory. On the Northeast corner of Grove & Bedford Streets in the West Village, chef Joey Campanaro and business partner Gabriel Stulman invite you to their two-weeks-old brunch menu inside the wainscotted, 28-seat, gold-tin ceiling nook, Little Owl. Though Gothamist first visited for dinner on opening night, we decided to go back to see if brunch was up......

- Al di La, Tocqueville and The Red Cat are the latest videos to hit Savory New York. - If you have never tasted the magic that is DiFara's, you certainly will after this entry from eGullet's Jason Perlow, complete with video footage. - Could it be true that our beloved Snack Dragon is closing? Say it ain't so! - MUG shows some love to the food writers, complete with a snapshot of Mr. Bruni......

Eating In: Red Cat's Bitter Greens Salad with Gruyere Fondue...

The torrential rain almost put a damper on plans to go to the East Village's best new restaurant, The Mermaid Inn, last night, but luckily the rain subsided. We put our names on the list at 7PM and only waited 30 minutes for a table (they said 45 minutes, but ended up calling 15 later to offer a table in the garden, but with the weather so crazy, we decided to wait for an inside......