South-of-the-Border, cocktails and seafood seem to be the trending food themes this week:

The fast growing Mercado, a Mexican themed restaurant with a creative cocktail program, is planning on taking over Spoonful Restaurant  at 3413 Cahuenga Blvd. West (on the cusp of Studio City and Universal City).  Mercado has locations in West Hollywood and Santa Monica.  Mercado is the third restaurant to land in this space since Henry’s Hat opened in 2009.  Spoonful will remain open for at least another month, so there’s still time to get a taste of some good Southern cooking.

Restaurateur Richard Desisto is set to open his second new Sherman Oaks venture, Tunnel Bar on May 22 — a "hidden" cocktail lounge with a private back entrance adjacent to his newly opened Tipple & Brine (an oyster themed restaurant which replaced Spitting Chicken Cantina). The cocktails are being created by Daniel Zacharczuk (Tipple & Brine, Varnish, Honeycut) and Adam Weisblatt (Director of Operations, Tipple & Brine and Tunnel Bar).

The space that housed D’Cache at 10717 Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake will be re-imagined as another Latin themed restaurant called Cascabel, which is described as “coastal Mexican cuisine” on its temporary banner.  At the helm is season five Top Chef alum Alex Eusebio, along with his wife Sara, who own Sweetsalt (bakery/café) just down the street.

Also, in Toluca Lake, the recently shuttered Lucy’s 51 at 10149 Riverside Drive has been acquired by the Acme Bar Group, who owns Laurel Tavern in Studio City, as well as other drinking and dining establishments in downtown Los Angeles and New York City.  No word yet on the concept or opening date.