The Meatball Shop Opens Sidepiece and More Intel

— With the opening of its seventh restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen (798 9th Ave.) this week, The Meatball Shop will open Sidepiece, a cocktail bar with its a customizable menu of fondue meatballs, crisps and dips, as well as desserts like ice cream sandwiches.

— Ivan Orkin will be opening his pizza spot, Corner Slice at Gotham West Market, with partner/baker Michael Bergemann making thin-crust pizzas, among other baked goods. But this week’s opening is delayed. More as the date nears.

— Katz’s Deli is closer to opening its first outpost beyond the Lower East Side as part of DeKalb Market Hall at Flatbush Avenue and Fulton Street (445 Albee Sq. West). City Point Development will include 40 vendors, that will include Arepa Lady, Bunker, Guss’ Pickles, and more.

— Newly opened in Queens is Rio Grande (37-02 Broadway), a budget Brazilian churrascaria that offers rotisserie meats and a buffet of South American salads, starches, and composed dishes, at $8.99 per pound. The meat offerings this past Saturday included skirt steak, sirloin, roast beef, and chunks of light and dark meat chicken. On the salad bar among two dozen choices was the national dish of feijoada, several green salads, stuffed and baked tomatoes, shredded kale, and Russian salad, a sort of mayo potato salad. The gleaming dining room is well lit, with accommodation for 50 or so. — Robert Sietsema

— A 55-seat restaurant, Piccola Cucina Estiatorio (75 Thompson St.) will open March 8 from Philip Guardione of Piccola Cucina Group, a seafood-focused restaurant with Sicilian and Greek dishes. Dorado, snapper, and branzino will be priced by weight and served whole, broiled, grilled, or fried. Also look for handmade pasta, arancini, and tuna tartare.

— Lucy's Whey is closing the shop in Chelsea Market and will be looking to re-open downtown in another location. From owners Lucy Kazickas and Jackie Mitchell: “After an amazing seven years of operating Lucy’s Whey in Chelsea Market, we have decided to close our Chelsea Market location as of February 28. We plan to open in a new downtown location soon, and until then we will continue to focus our efforts on our Upper East Side shop (1417 Lexington near 93^rd).” The Upper East Side shop opened in 2013.

— After 32 years, Mon Petit Cafe has closed (801 Lexington). In a note on Facebook, the owners wrote: “It has been our family’s (and extended family of staff’s) way of life to run our little restaurant and serve favorites like croque monsieurs quiche and steak au poivre every day (closing just on Christmas day every year). MPC’s owner Daniele raised her children behind these windows and managed even to stay afloat in 1990 after the passing of her husband/business partner. Her eldest, Alessandra, stayed on and eventually filled the empty shoes of co-owner with her mom. Nevertheless, the climate for small business like ours in New York City has become a crushing force.”

— Open since 2000, Roc has closed in Tribeca, as owner Rocco Cadolini prepares to open a restaurant in Louisville, KY. Sister restaurant, Baci & Abbracci will remain open.

— Interesting reads: — What’s the environmental footprint of a loaf of bread? Also, the epic backstory of butter.

— And last, for this Fat Tuesday, it’s not a paczki, but it is quite fried.