As part of a soft opening, Javier’s, the nuevo Latino restaurant owned by New York City maitre d’ Javier Rodriguez, will begin lunch service next week. The eatery will offer ceviche, empanadas and tacos, as well as steaks, fish, salads and sandwiches. Healthier options also will be offered.

The menu features salt and pepper fried whole branzino, which is Mediterranean sea bass, and paella, which is a rice, meat and vegetable dish. Dessert includes tres leches, which is cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated, condensed and whole. It’s a light cake, not soggy, despite being soaked in those three kinds of milk.

The restaurant, in the 17 Maple Ave. space that was formerly home to 28 Tables and Metro, will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday and brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Lunch will be served Monday through Friday from April 22 until the liquor license is approved, after which dinner service will be added.

--Jennie