Southwest

SW Washingtion: James Beard Award-nominated chef Christopher Israel is set to open a casual Mexican restaurant in the former Pinot Brasserie space downtown, just blocks from his West End restaurant Grüner. The as-yet-unnamed eatery will serve simple tacos, chips and guacamole, and a full bar. Karen Brooks has the full scoop on Eat Beat. (1205 SW Washington St.).

SW Naito: Days after taking home the StarChefs.com "Rising Star" award for Portland’s Best Hotel Chef, Aquariva’s Andy Arndt announced his move to the new "Northwest Cuisine" restaurant at the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront (1401 SW Naito Parkway). The hotel is currently undergoing renovations with a projected restaurant opening in January 2012. As for who will take over the helm at Aquariva, the house PR has told Eat Beat that "the restaurant has been flooded with applications from very high profile, exciting new chefs from around the country." Stay tuned for more!

Southeast

SE Division: Little Big Burger’s co-owners Micah Camden and Katie Poppe have suggested on Facebook that the burger chain’s third location (on SE Division) will be set to open the first or second week of January at 3806 SE Division Street.

Northeast

East Burnside: The briefly shuttered Guild Public House is now officially back open. The new owners (Vintage Cocktail Lounge’s Justin Akins, Trebol’s Kenny Hill, and partner Daniel Roy) have revamped to menu to include casual sandwiches and subs, and have curated an eight-beer tap for service seven days a week from 4 pm to 2:30 am at 1101 East Burnside Street.

Northwest

NW Industrial: Din Johnson and Nancy Rommelman, owners of Portland’s Ristretto Roasters, have opened a third location at 2181 NW Nicolai Street. The new Industrial Northwest spot will be open 6 am to 6pm on Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm on Saturdays, and 8 am to 4 pm on Sundays.

North

North Williams: Las Primas Peruvian Kitchen will officially open on December 27. The casual Peruvian restaurant at the corner of North Williams and Shaver will feature "everyday" items like butifarras, empanadas, chicha morada, and dulce de leche-filled alfajores. Lima-raised Peruvian chef and co-owner, Catalina Acuña, is set to bring quick, flavorful, Peruvian street food and sandwiches to one of Portland’s busiest neighborhoods. The eatery, located at 3971 North Williams Avenue, is open from 11 am to 9 pm seven days a week.

’Burbs

Dundee: The Oregonian’s Michael Russell has confirmed that chef Daniel Mondok has left SE Belmont’s Genoa to open his own restaurant in Dundee, the heart of Oregon’s wine country. The as-yet-unnamed eatery will use farm fresh produce from a local farm, and will occupy the Farm to Fork restaurant space at the Inn at Red Hills. Two sommeliers, Brandon Tebbe and Nate Ready (a French Laundry alumn) have also signed on to the project, located at 1410 N. Hwy. 99W.

Got a food news tip? Send it my way at [email protected]!