Rumors: Ethiopian to give way to high-end Japanese on East 3rd Street

The Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant closed late last summer on East Third Street near Avenue B... the closure was supposed to be temporary, for building renovations. However, as far as we know, the restaurant never reopened.

Now a tipster writes in:

The Ethiopian place that closed on East Third has new owners now who plan to make the space into "a high-end Japanese-food restaurant specializing in tempura" but "not a sushi place."

Meskel Ethiopian Restaurant has not been open lately

Several readers have noted that the unassuming little restaurant at 199 E. Third St. just west of Avenue B hasn't been open the past week-plus.

Calls to the restaurant turn up a temporarily disconnected number.

Perhaps they are on a summer hiatus or closed for renovations. {Updated: Check the comments — several commenters say they will reopen after renovations.)