Seftel: 3 new restaurants coming

No matter how bad the economy, it seems the Valley’s restaurant spirit cannot be crushed. Three spaces vacated earlier this year have already found hopeful new tenants.

At what used to be Methode Bistro (and before that, Restaurant Hapa), owner Stephen Tamras has installed Bistro Italia, where Italian seafood is a specialty.

The storefront that housed Carlos Manriquez’s short-lived Twisted has turned into Caribbean Fusion. Jamaican owner Damian Muir is offering island fare with Italian and French touches.

And the Valley’s small Spanish restaurant scene is going to get a boost: Imagine Spain is about to move into what used to be Radda Caffe Bar. Owners Janet Taverner and Jacqueline Caselles have lived for years in Valencia, and the city’s signature dish, paella, will be on display. They’re aiming to open by the end of July.

Details: Bistro Italia, 6204 N. Scottsdale Road (Lincoln Village Shops), Scottsdale, 480-998-8220.

Caribbean Fusion, 2515 N. Scottsdale Road (Wilshire Plaza), Scottsdale, 480-990-1599.

Imagine Spain, 7000 E. Shea Blvd. (Scottsdale Promenade), Scottsdale, 480-991-3170.