Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

Fathom Seafood House | Chef Mike Stollenwerk (Little Fish, fish) has installed his latest seafood-centric operation in the too-perfect neighborhood of Fishtown. With a handsome bar as its focal point, Fathom Seafood House traffics in affordable fare done up Stollenwerk-style, plus a bad-ass raw bar operation. Highlights on the hot portion of the menu include cod pierogies with bacon, onion and brown butter; fried oysters with a leek waffle; fried flounder sandwich; lobster grilled cheese; and swordfish schnitzel. To drink, 10 beers on tap and more in bottles, plus house cocktails. Fathom opens up shop at 4 p.m. weekdays and earlier on the weekends; Stollenwerk hopes to get a regular "kegs 'n' eggs" brunch rolling soon. 200 E. Girard Ave., 267-761-9343, fathomphilly.com.

Far From Home Café | Larry Comroe and Wade Smith relocated their food-truck operation from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Philadelphia, and now they're feeding us landlubbers a menu of American comfort foods — signatures include "The Mighty Jerk" (jerk-spiced patty with Carribean ranch mayo), the "Mighty Farmer" veggie burger and the "Brazilly-Philly Cheesesteak Dog," a wiener/cheesesteak hybrid. Hand-cut fries, mac 'n' cheese and empanadas on the side tip. For now, Far From Home operates at Love Park, from 11 a.m. till they sell out, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 215-421-1200, farfromhomecafe.com, twitter.com/farfromhomecafe.

WAITING LIST

Port Richmond Pour House | John Boswell, a former bartender at the Swift Half, is a few months away from converting the Corner Spot, an old-school River Ward bar, into Port Richmond Pour House, a neighborhood pub that will pour an exclusively American craft beer lineup. You can follow Boswell's progress on his website. 2253 E. Clearfield St., portrichmondpourhouse.com.

Cook | Audrey Taichman (Audrey Claire, Twenty Manning Grill) will take over the space that was Snackbar for a collaborative event space, demo kitchen and culinary education center she's calling Cook. Slated to open in early summer, the space will be converted into an open kitchen to showcase chefs' dinner events, cooking classes, private parties and more; it'll also serve as a culinary resource center, stocking a library of cookbooks and food texts. 253 S. 20th St.