Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Now Seating

Falafel Factory
32 S. 18th St.

Rob Rimeris is targeting the third week of this month for Falafel Factory, a quick-service vegetarian restaurant featuring both fried and baked versions of the Middle Eastern chickpea-based specialty. Falafel sandwiches will include the California (cream cheese, avocado spread, peppers, cukes, tomatoes, sprouts), the BBQ (barbecue sauce, sliced onions, pickles) and the Hawaiian (teriyaki, pineapple, carrots, cabbage). You can check out the full menu at falafelfactory.com. 32 S. 18th St., falafelfactory.com.

Chef Ryo Igarashi and wife Nicole will give the Japanese street snack takoyaki — basically tempura batter balls studded with meat or fish — a proper Philly introduction when they open Maru Global on 10th Street later this month. Igarashi will do octopus, shrimp, beef and chicken takoyaki varieties, in addition to regional riffs like the Philly Cheesesteak (top sirloin, caramelized onions, cheddar béchamel). Other eats will include yakisoba and Japanese curry burritos (eee!). Prices will be street-food-friendly, too, topping out at $9.99. 255 S. 10th St., maruphilly.com.

Jamie Lokoff, who owns MilkBoy Recordings as well as the MilkBoy coffeehouse/live music venues in Ardmore and Bryn Mawr, is in the early stages of bringing a Center City installment to 11th and Chestnut. (A civic association meeting last week went well.) The plan is for a bilevel space with a liquor license and an expanded food menu. The performance area will be on the top floor. 11th and Chestnut streets, milkboycoffee.com.

Little Vittles

Brinn Sinnott, who took over as chef at Noble (2025 Sansom St.) this week, will introduce his imprint slowly. He'll offer potential menu items as specials in the days leading up to Restaurant Week (Jan. 17 to 22 and 24 to 29; see What's Cooking), with plans to roll out a revamped menu at the end of the month. >> Pizza and wine bar Zavino (112 S. 13th St.), which we featured in last week's "Now Seating" section, hit a delay with its liquor license, and was still not open for business as of press time.