Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> WAITING LIST

Bootsie's as we know it is no more—you might've noticed they've cut the lights at the gourmet fast-food spot. But co-owner Boots Yair recently confirmed that he and partner Michael Conforti are reinventing the space as an 85-seat Medi-style sitdown with a strong emphasis on seafood. "Change is always good," says Yair, who acknowledges that a full-service approach will be more suitable for Philly. They're not killing the initial concept just yet—the partners are scouting locations in both New York and L.A. Bite This: Yair says they're keeping a few old items on the lunch and dinner menus—most likely the Angus and Kobe burgers.

Public House owners Brian Harrington and Gary Cardi are planning to open their latest restaurant concept in the Bell Building sometime in the first quarter of the new year. Mission Grill's "upscale American Southwest" menu looks to be big on pork and fish; on the booze end of things, expect a massive tequila list and plenty of domestic wine choices. Brian Cooke, late of The Fountain, has signed on as GM.

We first heard about Triumph's expansion into Old City over a year ago, but unavoidable delays put the kibosh on the proposed June opening. The upscale brewpub, already a fixture in Princeton and New Hope, looks to debut in early February. A recent check-in revealed that the kitchen is set up and all the brewery equipment has been installed. While the menu will feature standouts popular at the existing Triumphs (fish and chips, the 8-ounce chopped-chuck Triumph burger), the new location will take an eclectic Mediterranean approach.

>> LITTLE VITTLES

Some Center citizens have anxiety attacks when presented with the prospect of visiting U-City. It's like The Village over there—no one ever leaves, it's isolated from reality, everyone kinda dresses the same. It's weird. Anyway, y'all should make an exception for University City Dining Days, which runs from Jan. 11 to 18. Participants that we fully endorse: Marigold Kitchen, Lemon Grass, Dahlak and Danny Stern's brand-new Rae.