EATS

Tei An, the soba noodle restaurant and sushi bar in One Arts Plaza, is finally opening this coming Monday, August 11, according to an employee who answered the restaurant's phone (214-220-2828).

It's been a long wait for this new spot from Teppo and Tei Tei Robata Bar founder Teiichi Sakurai. Fans of Sakurai's other establishments have been wondering for months about its imminent opening (check out this thread on Chowhound started in April).

I peeked through the restaurant's windows last week and the place certainly looks ready to rock. The interior is small and serene, with a low, large bar in the space's far corner and another, smaller one near to the door.

I'll call again Monday to confirm it's open (UPDATE: confirmed with a manager, y'all, tonight's the night), but I gotta say, I'm excited. I adore fresh soba (thin buckwheat noodles). Somebody tell me if I'm wrong, but no one else in the area currently makes them fresh. The restaurant has imported special equipment from Japan to do the job, which I heard was part of the reason for the latest (and last?) round of delays.

If you stop in next week, let me hear what you think.

Restaurant Week proper doesn't start until Monday, but about three dozen of the participants are also part of the Restaurant Week preview weekend, which starts tonight and runs through Sunday dinner. To find places participating in the preview, go to our Restaurant Week package and look for those with green squares next to their names.

There will be three-course meals, plus a specialty cocktail made with 10 Cane Rum, for $40. Here's a taste of some of the drinks: Go Fish will serve Sugar Cane Mojitos and Lavendou Bistro Provencal will be making Martinique Swizzles.

And – just like we did last year – we're looking for your reviews of your experiences, so come back and leave a comment. Was it the best meal of your life? Did it disappoint? Did you get the "discount diner" treatment? Would you return and pay full price?

Last year, you Eatsians were fierce, gushing, snarky and occasionally rapturous about your meals. How honest? How fierce? So much so that, according to one of the Restaurant Week organizers, at least one restaurant declined to participate this year because it didn't want to face its disgruntled diners in the blogosphere again.

Photo of a sugar cane mojito by Ben Torres / Al Dia

Jasper Russo just sent me an updated list of additional wines that will be available for fire-sale prices at the Addison Sigel's. Several mentioned in the previous post have already sold out, he says in the e-mail. "With over 500 wines leftover from restaurants, we will be restocking every day as space permits or requires." He also notes that most wines are the current vintage.

Now we've got Cecchi Chianti Classico for $4.99, Banfi's Bianco le Rime (a refreshing summer sipper that I think was a wine of the week) for $3.49, and Fort Ross Pinot Noir Reserve (be still my heart, this is a fabulous wine) for $18.99.

Anyway, you get the idea. Jump to the full list of new additions.

The Cole brothers at i Fratelli are at it again with the wacky promotional gimmicks (which, we admit, we fall for every time, because they're so much darn fun to blog about).

Last time it was "Smooch Your Pooch." This time, it's "Swimsuit Sundays."

Every Sunday in August, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., just show up at any i Fratelli Pizza location wearing a swimsuit, and you can get a large (16-inch), thin-crust cheese pizza for $5, a saving of $5.99. (Note: i Fratelli Ristorante and Wine Bar in Irving is not participating in this summertime stunt.)