New restaurants popping up

Catching up on openings, coming-up openings (and a reopening): 
Coming up:
Block & Grinder, a long-awaited restaurant from Jed Kampe (former owner of the New York Butcher Shoppe on Selwyn), with chef Kent Graham (who's spent time at the French Laundry and Plaza hotel), has a target opening date of March 11, if all goes according to plan. Says Kampe: "We're still going to have a butcher shop, but ... it will also be just a really nice neighborhood restaurant." Plan on high-end burgers of beef ground daily (and all through the day, from a recipe he and Graham played around with for quite some time), plenty of steaks, and housemade deli meats from smoked turkey to pastrami. Prices on steaks, he says, will run about $15 to the low 30s; he and Graham are still working on the lineup. There'll be a full bar, but also a wine retail section in the back of the place, which should seat about 70, with 20 on the patio.
2935 Providence Road (in the former Panda Express, at the corner of South Sharon Amity); 704-364-2100; www.blockandgrinder.com.

Carrburritos will offer margarita specials at its grand opening, Jan. 16: $4 house ones and $6 specialty ones, plus T-shirt giveaways and gift certificate sweepstakes. This is the second location for a Carrboro taqueria-style spot and is at 445 S. Main St. in Davidson, within the Wooden Stone Gallery. 704-237-3040; www.carrburritos.com.

Crisp is slated to open its third salad-centric spot, at Latta Arcade, within the month. It'll be takeout only, focus on salads primarily (with a few sandwiches, but no pizzas), and open 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. weekdays. 320 S. Tryon St.; 704-376-0015.

Luciano's, part of the Georgia-based Italian chain, is looking to open by the end of February, according to general manager Polo Castro. That's at 1910 South Blvd., the former La Paz spot; www.lucianositaly.com.

Now open:

Letty Ketner now has Letty's in the former Foskoskies at 2121 Shamrock Drive, serving shrimp creole, honey pecan chicken, "neatloaf" (veggie meatloaf) and more, including Sunday brunch. You may recall Ketner from the old Hotel Charlotte; she says several other longtime Hotel Charlotte staffers are here, including "my better half Ron Ketner" as bar manager. First wine tasting event will be Jan. 27, with six courses and six wines for $35. 704-817-8702.

Joe Hooper's Beverage and Sandwich Exchange is open at 1300 Central Ave. (formerly Stackers), with what it calls "a unique take on bar food," including deviled eggs, fried bologna sandwich and a burger with bacon and fried mac 'n cheese. The place is sibling to All American Pub, Braswells, Whiskey Warehouse and Jack’s Corner Tap in Cornelius. 704-334-2434.

Miyagi's menu offers a handful of Korean entrees, plus an array of Asian starters and pan-Asian starters (ahi tuna tacos, edamame, crab rangoon, and a sort-of-Thai version of pigs in blankets), and a short sushi lineup, too. In NoDa at 3220 N. Davidson St.; 980-949-8171;
miyagisnoda.com.

Vine American Kitchen (in the former City Range spot) serves a straightforward menu of burgers and sandwiches; entrees such as ribs, salmon, steak and jambalaya (note: it's got rotisserie roast beef and chicken); and more. 13735 Conlan Circle; 704-469-5282; vinekitchen.com.

And reopened: 131 Main in Dilworth, at 1315 East Blvd. This outpost of the area chain had been closed for months after a fire, then car accident, but is back up for both lunch and dinner. 704-343-0131.