|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
Also this issue: Gotta Have Faith |
|
|
|
|
 |
|||||||||
July 18-24, 2002
food
With a block west here, a block north there, the bar/restaurant boom is beginning to spread its wings. This healthy growth into not-so-frequented neighborhoods now has stretched to Third and Girard, and this time from a familiar source: Sedo and Virginia Sanchez, longtime purveyors of fine Spanish cuisine at Tapas, at this same location, until 1996. The couple, with strong roots in the neighborhood, has since done work both in the restaurant business (Aviators Bar and Grill at Philadelphia International Airport) and out (studying the art, cuisine and culture of all parts of Latin America). Opening this weekend is El Viejo San Juan, and, yes, the Sanchezes aim to evoke Old San Juan in every nook and cranny of the place. Its many-windowed and warmly painted interiors are packed wall-to-wall with Latino art and artifacts, and the second floor features arched alcoves. The food will be what chef Steven Wade (formerly of Aden in Northern Liberties) calls traditional nuevo criollo dishes. With the wave of popularity Latino-fusion cuisine is currently enjoying (think Cuba Libre, Alma de Cuba and Cibuc‡n), Wade says, I didnt want to do fusion at all. Instead, El Viejo San Juan intends to serve island cuisine (with a little Spanish influence). Diners should expect a mix of fresh fish, such as octopus, lobster and various shellfish, lime-marinated and otherwise, and the native root vegetables of the island, such as yucca, pumpkin and, of course, plantains -- fried, green, stuffed with seafood, any way you can imagine. The menu will also feature variations on paella, ceviche, cornmeal tamales with calabaza shrimp and Wades special Caldo Santo, or Holy Broth, an Afro-Boricua dish made with fish, viandas and coconut milk.
Virginia is well-versed in Latino art and culture, and shes especially excited by the vast collection of quality art that they plan on exhibiting (and selling) in the restaurant. She talks animatedly about the bold, sensual work of local feminist and mural artist Michelle Ortiz, other artists, such as Alberto Becerra, Pablo Labanino and Ana Uribe, and the master painter of Puerto Rico, Luis German Cajiga. And on Thursday nights, the upstairs bar, serving rum and sangria specialties, will transform into a dance hall, with local DJ Cookie spinning salsa and traditional Puerto Rican and Afro-Puerto Rican music. (Shes really an archivist more than a DJ, says Wade, a musician himself).
Happy with their old site (same phone number, too), with its delicate wrought-iron gates intact, the Sanchezes believe they have the perfect location nestled between the bustle of Old City and the markets and shops of the surrounding Puerto Rican neighborhood. Virginia Sanchez says, We didnt want to be trendy. We didnt want that. We wanted to have a place where you could walk into a place just like Old San Juan.
I think the communitys been waiting for this to happen, echoes Wade. We hope to bring an island friendliness that the area hasnt seen for a while.
El Viejo San Juan, Third St. and Girard Ave., 215-922-2376.
Peter Quinn has gone from the kitchens-and-baths business to kitchen and bar with his new venture, For Petes Sake, at Front and Christian streets, the site of the old neighborhood/longshoremens haunt ILAs Cafˇ. Quinn is a native of County Longford, Ireland, who moved to the U.S. in 1985, and to Philadelphia seven years ago. After years of commuting to the Jersey Shore every day for work, his mind started to wander. I kept driving past this place with the for sale sign for about 18 months, and thought, No, no, thats not what I want. Then, finally, I said to my wife, Lets look at this little bar. And as soon as we walked in, we knew -- this is it, this is the calling. The Quinns bought the property in October 2001 and promptly began gutting the place -- except for the exterior, which they decided needed more careful restoration, like stripping off the 1940s-era foam stone, which revealed the buildings 1837 red brick and window and door frames. Inside is a small dining room, with a luxurious-looking dark wood bar, tables with tall stools and a regular seating area. Overall, theres a standard Irish pub feel, with its lager-logo mirrors and Guinness rug, but with some natty variations, like an old-fashioned clock and a decorative traffic light (green for bar open, yellow for last call and red for seeee ya!). Quinn has corraled some of his closest pals to help him out: A bartender is a longtime friend, as is his manager, Michael Mariani, formerly of Cheers to You on South; one waiter is the nephew of a close friend; and, of course, his wife, Deidre. The chef, Chris Liskowicz, Quinn has known for years, from her work at Moriaritys, Wichita Steaks, and most recently, the New Wave Cafˇ, arguably FPSs nearest competition in proximity, menu and ambience. So for now, says Quinn, Were all working 19-hour days because were handpicking the staff well. We want the right staff for the right atmosphere. But they all look like theyre having a good time doing it. On a recent, very busy night, they served white-baseball-capped boys and stylish-looking women; firemen from the local house (killing time until Strike II Tavern, another Queen Village staple, finishes renovations?); parents with kids, eating chicken fingers and slurping Cokes; and couples on double dates, munching on dumplings out of a bamboo dish and sipping Merlot. Quinn says hes gotten a fair mix of old ILA regulars, new residents and, especially, young professionals looking for a new hangout. He says he wanted to give the neighborhood a decent place to go without having to jump into a cab to get to Center City or, worse, having to endure South Street. Indeed, Quinn, a Queen Village resident as well, has created what he himself wanted from the neighborhood: A place to go just get a sandwich and a beer and watch a hockey game.
For Petes Sake, Front and Christian sts., 215-462-2230.
Got a tip for Off the Menu? Contact Frank Lewis, flewis@citypaper.net or 215-735-8444, ext. 204.
