FOOD

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending


	print	email	reply	rss feed

Published: Jan 27, 2010

Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

Maru Global Takoyaki
Hours: Mon.-Thu., 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sun., noon-9 p.m. 255 S. 10th St., 267-273-0567, maruphilly.com.

Opening Feb. 1, Ryo and Nicole Igarashi's modest, mostly takeout restaurant specializes in takoyaki, the snacky little dough balls ubiquitous on the streets of Ryo's hometown of Tokyo. The chef (Amada, Distrito, RAW) whips up a precise crêpe-like batter and pours it into a custom griddle pan to create the ping-pong-size fritters, which he studs with stuff like shaved sirloin, shrimp, octopus, mozzarella and more. Order six or 12 at a time — or 50, if you want to impress Super Bowl party guests and/or are just really hungry. Other eats include takoyaki-size crab cakes (Nicole's fam owned Walt's King of Crabs), Japanese curry burritos, rice bowls and bento boxes. More on Meal Ticket.

Sugar Cube Philly

Franklin Shen, John Suh and Dan Tang, the lot of them Philly-area university grads, launched this desserts-only food truck on Monday. Currently situated at 36th and Walnut and 33rd and Arch (check twitter.com/sugarcubephilly to confirm the truck's current whereabouts), Sugar Cube does an array of upscale sweets, including chocolate bread pudding with Earl Grey tea crème anglaise; pear almond tart with clear caramel and crème fraiche; and spicy Mexican layered chocolate cake filled with spicy buttercream. It all sounds moustache-twistingly refined, but all desserts are five bucks. They're still working out their schedule; look out for them today (Jan. 28) and next week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. sugarcubephilly.com.

Yards Tasting Room
Hours: Mon.-Sat., noon-7 p.m.; Sun., noon-4 p.m. 901 N. Delaware Ave., 215-634-2600, yardsbrewing.com.

Yards has introduced a 100-or-so-person tasting room at their brew site. It's a "green" space, featuring reclaimed/reused/recycled materials — everything from old bowling alley planks for the bar to sustainable-compound flooring. Customers can grab six-packs, cases, kegs or sixtels to go (pretty much any beer Yards brews will be available for retail, with the occasional special release) or pull up a stool to enjoy a pint or two. Simple food — grilled cheeses, chili, a few sandwiches. More on Meal Ticket.