Spicy octopus salad, whole-wheat noodles

It didn’t take much to get us excited about Slurping Turtle. Basically, just a few choice words: “Takashi,” “noodles,” “dumplings,” “sake,” and “patio.” When Takashi Yagihashi, he of the marvelous three-star Takashi in Bucktown, decides to downshift into what he calls “my soul food,” we’re there. The 80-seat space will feature noodle and dumpling bars and an extensive menu of small-plate crowd pleasers, such as salmon sashimi in a sesame-soy marinade with fennel and cucumber. The restaurant’s name evokes . . . well, nothing especially appetizing, but the turtle is a Japanese symbol of longevity. Long may you slurp, Takashi. 116 W. Hubbard St.

Photograph: Anna Knott