LuLu's opened at 21 N. 17th St. in Shockoe Bottom, then The Halligan Bar & Grill at 3 N. 17th St.

In April, Alex's Thai Cuisine opened at 13 N. 17th St. And coming soon: Sheba Restaurant & Lounge at 9 N. 17th St.

See a pattern? The 17th Street Farmer's Market area is bustin' with new eateries.

Alex's Thai Cuisine is owned by Pirat Sirichai. Chef Ann Mui, who recently moved to Richmond from San Francisco, has 30 years of restaurant experience in the United States and Thailand.

Alex's is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Lunch entrees range from $6.99 to $8.99; dinner entrees, from $7.55 to $10.99.

Linette Bond, vendor coordinator for the Farmer's Market, strongly suggests the pineapple fried rice. Alex's and all the other new neighborhood restaurants might make her gain weight, she said, "but it's great for the market area."

For info about Alex's, call (804) 343-3934.

Sheba, whose opening date has yet to be announced, reportedly will specialize in Ethiopian cuisine.

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Happy birthday to Julep's! Julep's New Southern Cuisine, 1721 E. Franklin St., is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a Barboursville Vineyards Octagon VIII edition release wine dinner.

The five-course dinner by chef Eric Cohen begins Thursday at 6 p.m. The cost is $100 per person. Reservations are required by calling (804) 377-3968.

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La Petite France, 2108 Maywill St., has added an amuse-bouche menu featuring smoked trout, p?té en cr?ute, mini beef Wellington, a cr?pe du jour and more.

The $3-per-item menu is available Tuesdays to Fridays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the restaurant's lounge. For information, call (804) 353-8729.

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Ready to sit outside, hoist a drink and leave your work woes behind?

That's what Erin Ooms and Jenn Crenshaw, co-owners of GlobeHopper Coffee House & Lounge, have in mind for the coffeehouse's garden patio. (Indoor seating is available, too.)

The shop at 2100 E. Main St. serves coffee and espresso drinks, beer, wine, liquor and light fare such as German mustard soup and Dutch poffertjes (pancake-like pastries).

Hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Questions? Call (804) 523-8083.

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Great news for Tarrant's Café fans: The downtown restaurant not only has doubled its seating capacity, but also has opened a pizzeria in the back.

Tarrantino's Pizzeria can be accessed from Tarrant's front entrance at 1 W. Broad St. or from a side entrance on Foushee Street.

Among general manager Bob James' plans are pizza-by-the-slice and delivery. In the meantime, the menu features calzones, hot subs and, of course pizza . . . from the 10-inch basic cheese ($8.95) to large specialty pies ($18.95).

For details, call (804) 225-0035.

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At least 40 wines from Argentina and Chile will be featured at a wine tasting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Blue Talon Bistro, 420 Prince George St., Williamsburg.

The cost is $28 per person. For details, call (757) 476-2583. tabletalk@timesdispatch.com, write Table Talk at Richmond Times-Dispatch, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293, or call (804) 649-6361. The deadline is noon Friday two weeks before publication.