• A new 65-seat restaurant and lounge called Plush West End is in the works at the former home of Katahdin, 106 High St., Portland. The owners say they will open June 1, serving a high-end small plates menu that will change weekly and include soups, salads, “Maine favorites” and high-end seafood such as crab cakes and oysters. Plush West End will have a VIP section and an extensive, interactive wine list that will be available on the iPad – a first for a Maine restaurant. Customers will be able to search for wines by varietal, winery, region, price, ratings and other criteria.

The owners would not divulge the name of their chef. They only said it is someone who currently works at a well-known, high-end restaurant in downtown Portland. There will be both private and public grand opening parties, details of which will be announced in the next couple of weeks. To keep tabs on developments, check out their website at www.plushwestend.com.

• A new barbecue place, Deux Cochon, will be opening soon on the second floor of the Portland Public Market. Photos on Deux Cochon’s Facebook page hint that the menu could include smoked pulled pork sliders on brioche with dijon coleslaw, and smoked wings with Tabasco beurre blanc.

• In case you missed it, Ricetta’s closed its South Portland location after 22 years on Sunday. The Falmouth restaurant at 240 U.S. Route 1 will remain open.

• Top Thai Restaurant will take over the former home of Saeng Thai House at 267 St. John St. in Portland.

• Dana’s Grill, which first opened in 1938, is leaving the Hampden Marina, where it has been for the past 20 years. Owner Warren Caruso says he will be searching for a new location in Bangor, and hopes to resurrect the restaurant by summer 2012.

• Executive Chef Theda Lyden is leaving Harraseeket Inn to travel cross-country, according to a posting on the Inn’s Facebook page: “In a pick-up truck with a Lance camper she’s heading off to explore this beautiful country of ours and sample regional cuisines from all across America.”