Choptank and Matsukado Certified Open; Wall & Water Soon

1) West Village: Choptank, the new seafood restaurant from restaurateur Bobby Werhane and partner Joshua Morgan, opens tonight in the old Bar Q space. Chef Matthew Schaefer, a Le Bern and Mermaid Inn alum, has signed on to run the food program with Kevin Patricio consulting on the food, cocktail, and wine menus. They have a raw bar, a large Baltimore themed seafood menu, and some other classics like fried chicken with red cabbage slaw and a Virginia ham plate. She'll seat 110 with the backyard. Status: Certified opening tonight; 310 Bleecker St., 212-675-2009.

2) East Village: Balade, a new Lebanese restaurant in the East Village, is scheduled to open tonight. They specialize in grilled items, pita wraps, and manakeesh, Lebanese pizza. Nothing is over $20. They have 56 seats now and plan on opening a 40 seat garden this spring. Status: Scheduled to open tonight; 208 1st Ave., 212-529-6868.

3) Financial District: Grub Street and the Robs both file on Wall & Water, a David Rockwell–designed restaurant at the new Andaz Wall Street hotel. Meanwhile Thrillist has a write up on the hotel's new bar—which actually, doesn't have a bar and all drinks are made table-side on a cart—Bar Seven Five. A receptionist at the hotel reports that neither restaurant nor bar is currently open, but Grubz says you can snag breakfast at the restaurant this week, while Thrillist calls Bar Seven Five "soft open." Status: Officially opening on Jan. 18. Possibly soft open; 75 Wall St.; 212-590-1234.

4) East Village: TONY brings word that Matsukado a Japanese small plates and noodles spot on 2nd Avenue between East 6th and 7th Streets is opening this week: "There are more than 20 types of ramen (including one made with stir-fried lobster), and upwards of 50 hot and cold small plates, ranging from chilled monkfish liver to deep-fried pork dumplings." Status: Certified Open; 104 Second Ave., 212-260-3939.

[Photo via Thrillist]