Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Now Seating

Daniel Stern's new restaurant, set a lofty 37 stories above Center City in Two Liberty Place, opens to the public today, offering a limited menu in addition to a Restaurant Week prix-fixe option (available today and Friday, and Jan. 24 to 29). The restaurant's seating scheme, split between posh zebra-print booths, polished-ebony tables, bar stools and a plush lounge area, maximizes the near-panoramic view. The full menu, when it launches Feb. 2, will feature updated cocktail fare in small plates — think lobster and beef "surf and turf" cocktail franks and venison cheesesteaks — plus entrée-size dishes like skate with liver and onions and tea sauce, and beef short rib with pancetta dressing and white beans. The rabbit nachos from Rae and the veal stew from Gayle have both found new life here, as well. Check out Meal Ticket for more photos and the full menu.

John Tumolo, whose clan founded Rita's Italian Ice (he sold the company in '05), has entered the cheesesteak fray with this Wit or Witout location, the second in Northeast Philly. (The first, owned by Nicole DiZio, is located at 7532 Frankford Ave.) To promote the opening, WoW will be offering $3 steaks in January, $4 steaks in February and $6 steaks in March. 9970

Little Vittles

>> Zavino (112 S. 13th St.) has opened, sans liquor license for now.

>> Katie Cavuto Boyle's Healthy Bites To-Go (2521 Christian St.), a brick-and-mortar HQ for her Healthy Bites catering/meal delivery service, will open Feb. 19.

>> APO Bar + Lounge (102 S. 13th St.) is offering $5 cocktails for the duration of Restaurant Week (Jan. 21 to 22 and 24 to 29).

>> Maru Global Takoyaki (255 S. 10th St.), the Japanese street food restaurant, opens Mon., Jan. 25. After press time, we learned Maru will now be debuting Mon., Feb. 1.

>> Green Aisle Grocery (1618 E. Passyunk Ave.) now carries takeout Indian from the ever-popular Ekta (250 E. Girard Ave.). They have chicken korma and chicken vindaloo, each $12.50, and dal makhani or masaladar chola for $11.50.