New Restaurants on the Radar: Marfa, Brooklyn Public House, Favela Cubana

Marfa: This new restaurant and bar (pictured) in the old Waikikki Wally's space stays true to its name by serving Texas-style grub like fried catfish with cole slaw and beans, dry rub baby back ribs, and both veggie and meat chili varieties. Unlike Wally's, the decor here is minimalist, with just a few paintings of animal horns adorning the adobe walls, and honky tonk music completing the scene. According to Grub Street, the house drink is the Marfarita, which is "essentially" a spicy grapefruit margarita, and other specialty cocktails abound. Tapas style platters are also available, costing $10 per person for 5 bites, $14 per person for 7 bites, and $18 per person for 9 bites. (Here's the full menu.) And starting next month there will be live south Texas style music in the basement, which is connected to Lucky Cheng's. 101 East 2nd Street, (212) 673-8908

Brooklyn Public House: Also a little bit country is this new gastropub in Fort Greene, serving comfort food such as pulled pork sliders, burgers, fish n' chips, pizza in cast iron skillets, and braised short ribs. They're pouring 16 beers on tap, including their own brew, Brooklyn Public House Ale, wine, and, inevitably, "classic cocktails." Clinton Hill Blog notes that they’ll be using a nitrogen port to carbonate the beer on tap, as opposed to CO2, "so no flat beer here." Located on the first floor of a restored brownstone dating back to the 1850s, owners say the building used to be an old candy shop during Prohibition, and have decorated the walls with antique opium bottles old newspapers found on site during the renovation. 247 Dekalb Avenue (between Clermont and Vanderbilt), Fort Greene. No phone yet.

Favela Cubana: Brazil and Cuba collide at this new Greenwich Village restaurant from Marco Britti, the musician owner of Cubana Café. He tells Grub Street, "I wanted to bring the music and food of both countries together in one place." Chef Oscar Santana (Soho Steak) features both cuisines on his menu, which ranges from Brazilian-style grilled sirloin with mashed potatoes and string beans, to arroz con pollo (Cuban style half chicken with rice and beans), and Castro's Lechon (roasted pig in red wine pork sauce, rice and beans). To wash it down, there are mojitos and fresh-fruit caipirinhas, and live music planned for the weekend brunch crowd. (On weekdays, Favela Cubana opens at 8 a.m.) 543 LaGuardia Place, (212) 777-6500