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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, priv...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/17/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/17/feeding-frenzy

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943 | Pascual Cancelliere's long-awaited Ninth Street BYO opened last week, serving the mix of Italian and Argentine specialties that the chef — who ran Butcher Café at Ninth/Christian (now Monsú) with his father — grew up on. Named for its Italian Market address, 943's menu features traditional Argentine eats like empanadas and elaborate parrillada juana, or mixed-grill platter, but also moves toward the Mediterranean with dishes like house-made ravioli and grilled octopus. They're starting out serving lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday, with brunch on the weekends. More on Meal Ticket. 943 S. Ninth St., 215-925-0900, twitter.com/943byob.

Makiman Sushi | Peter Hong, owner of Makiman Sushi in the Northeast (7324 Oxford Ave.), is back in Center City with a second location. (In the '90s, he worked at the now-shuttered Genji on Sansom Street before branching out on his own.) The BYO, which takes over the Broad-and-Spruce space that's been a number of Asian concepts over the past few years, is open daily for lunch and dinner; same menu as his N'East location (sushi like crazy, plus hot apps/entrées including noodles, soups and Korean rice bowls). Hong offers a $24.95 all-you-can-eat sushi night every Monday. Hours: Mon.-Thu., 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sun., 3-9:30 p.m. 1326 Spruce St., 215-546-0180, eatsushi.com/makimansushi.com.

Kitchen at Penn | Nate Adler couldn't wait until after graduation to launch this West Philly-based meal service — the UPenn senior's Kitchen at Penn, which operates out of a commercial cooking space on Springfield Avenue, opened this Tuesday. Chef Jordan Miller offers a menu of hearty, home-style dishes (spaghetti and meatballs, veggie lasagna, meatloaf, schnitzel, a bunch of sandwiches) available for pickup or del...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/10/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/10/feeding-frenzy
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Opa | Brother/sister team George and Vasiliki Tsiouris have debuted Opa, their modern Greek eatery, just off the extremely hoppin' corner of 13th and Sansom. Dreamt up by Jun Aizaki of NYC's crème design (he's done all of Jose Garces' joints), the 70-seat interior features an arching birch-branch canopy, reclaimed-oak tables and a 24-seat bar pouring cocktails designed by Village Whiskey barman Stephen Seibert. Chef Andrew Brown (White Dog, Django), who used input from Tsiouris' momma to develop the menu, is mixing traditional Greek fare (braised/grilled octopus; saganaki) with a slew of edgier dishes (wine-braised rabbit with housemade pasta; an offal plate featuring sweetbreads, heart and intestines). Opa serves dinner Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. on. More on Meal Ticket. 1311 Sansom St., 215-545-0170, opaphiladelphia.com.

Zaffron Mediterranean Grill & Hummus Bar | Amir Memon has opened up this quick-serve Medi joint in the food court of the Shops at Liberty Place. Culinary director Seth High is doing a customizable menu (wraps, salads, rice platters) featuring all manner of fillings (chicken, shawarma, sirloin, falafel) with sauces/condiments galore (eggplant caponata, balsamic onion relish, mango chutney). Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., noon-6 p.m. More on Meal Ticket. The Shops at Liberty Place, 1625 Chestnut St., 1-855-ZAFFRON, zaffronusa.com.

Falafel Bar | Even more falaffin' action for Center City: The almost-all-vegetarian Falafel Bar offers sandwiches, salads and traditional snacks aplenty (baba ghanoush, latkes, borekas, grape leaves). Snag your fried balls in a pita, twisted up in a wrap or on a baguette and side it up with fresh-cut fries, or create your own sandwich/panini. Hours: Mon.-Thu., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., noon-7 p.m. More on Meal Ticket. http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/03/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/02/03/feeding-frenzy

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Monsú | Peter McAndrews and Nathan Baynes have converted their Paesano's location at Ninth and Christian into a hoppin' Sicilian BYOB. (The sandwich shop has moved to 1017 S. Ninth.) Chef Damien Messina has put together brunch and dinner menus (they're serving both meals Wednesday to Sunday for now) reflecting Sicily's fascinating admixture of cultural/culinary influences — opening plates include salami di tonno (tuna cured like salami, with chickpea fritters, fennel beet salad and anchovy mayo), cassatelle (ravioli with ricotta, zucchini and mint) and pesce spade (stuffed/grilled swordfish steak). Cash only. More on Meal Ticket. 901 Christian St., 215-440-0495.

WAITING LIST

The Farm and Fisherman | Conshohocken native Joshua Lawler, late of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Westchester County, N.Y., is coming back to Philly to open the Farm and Fisherman, an up-for-spring BYO he'll run with his wife, Colleen (also a chef). The Lawlers will build their menu around locally grown, caught and raised products. Sample menu items include grass-fed lamb sirloin and neck with local feta spread, winter spinach and orecchiette; and pancetta-crusted farm eggs with mustard seeds, sauerkraut and puffed hominy. More on Meal Ticket. 1120 Pine St., thefarmandfisherman.com.

Unnamed spot in AKA Rittenhouse Square | David Fields, who ran Salt from '02 to '04, has teamed up with Larry Korman of the AKA at 18th/Walnut to open a not-yet-named restaurant on the ground floor of the extended-stay hotel. The place already has its chef: Bryan Sikora (Talula's Table), who's busy working on menus for the all-day operation (7 a.m. to midnight daily). It'll be a major addition to a strip that already includes the Franklin, Tria and the Dandelion, and will soon feature a Philly outpost of NYC brand Serafina. Fields says they're aiming for a May opening.

Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

Elixr Coffee | Bean fiend Evan Inatome brings serious coffee brewery to Center City with the brand-new Elixr, situated in the former Hausbrandt on 15th between Walnut and Locust. Inatome, whose business partner/brother-in-law is Eagles tackle Winston Justice, is using a La Marzocco espresso machine to serve Kansas-based PT's Coffee, and offers Au Fournil pastries and Marathon Grill sandwiches, as well. More on Meal Ticket. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 6 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 7 a.m.-10 p.m. 207 S. 15th St., elixrcoffee.com.

Le Pain Quotidien | This Belgium-based café/bakery chain, which has 150-plus outposts worldwide, has broken into the Philly market with a primo Center City location. LPQ's forte is fresh-baked breads and pastries, but they also do a wide selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Pull up a seat at the signature communal table when you stop in. More on Meal Ticket. 1423-25 Walnut St., 215-751-0570, lepainquotidien.us.

Ha Saigon | Ha Diep, who owned Pho Ha on Wash Ave before selling/relocating to Pho Saigon on Columbus, has shifted once more, setting up in the shopping center at Third and Oregon. (Both previous spots remain open under new ownership.) Ha Saigon offers all the specialties of her previous digs, but will expand offerings moving forward. 320 W. Oregon Ave., Suites 1 and 2, 215-389-1002.

WAITING LIST

Plenty | Opening Feb. 1, Plenty will serve as a jump-off for chef Tim McGinnis' interpretations of comfort foods through the lens of what he considers "lost" American techniques (fish-smoking, pickling, curing, preserving, etc.). Plenty's selection will include house-prepared deli items/sides, salads and soups, full-on grab-and-go dinners (mesquite smoked beef; coq a...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/01/20/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/01/20/feeding-frenzy

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SOCIAL Nightspot | Half of Valanni is now known as SOCIAL, a concept for the budget-minded bottle service fan in us all. Though Valanni guests can sit in the SOCIAL space during dinner hours, it turns into a true-blue (or maybe true-pink?) night spot at 10 p.m., with DJs Wednesday to Saturday, signature cocktails, "split" bottles (375ml for a cheaper price, as opposed to the usual 750ml) and bites from Valanni chef John Strain. 1229 Spruce St., 215-790-9494, socialnightspot.com.

Manakeesh Café and Bakery | West Philly has a new meetup spot in Manakeesh, a Lebanese coffeehouse and bakery named for the signature flatbreads that make up just one aspect of the menu. They're brewing teas, coffee and espresso, but Manakeesh's true draw is the food, ranging from the titular sandwiches (toppings include cheese, lamb, chicken, sausage and more) to salads, sides and, of course, sweets (baklavah; Lebanese shortbread cookies). 4420 Walnut St., 215-921-2135, manakeeshcafe.com.

Perch Pub | Joe Varalli is converting Upstares, the restaurant atop his Sotto Varalli at Broad and Locust, into Perch Pub, a casual concept focused on the gastropub C's (craft beer, comfort food). The chef at Perch, which officially opens tomorrow, is Bill Carroll, who'll cook up plates like braised lamb shank, roasted Amish chicken and a lineup of melts, burgers and tacos. Billiards, darts and a projection screen for games will round out the clubhouse feel. 1345 Locust St., 215-546-4090, perchpub.com.

Cantina Feliz | Tim Spinner, former chef de cuisine at Distrito, has partnered with former Garces beverage manager Brian Sirhal to open Cantina Feliz in nearby Fort Washington. The liquor-licensed spot is a showcase for Spinner's inventive Mexi cuisine — look out for signatures like Ceviche Verde (hiramasa, winter melon vinaigrette, jalapeño, lime sorbet) and a whole roast suckling pig that can feed upward of four. 424 S. Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-646-1320, c...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/01/13/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2011/01/13/feeding-frenzy NOW SEATING

The Dandelion | Stephen Starr's latest restaurant is a flashy hop across the pond, a multi-floor U.K. pub with a legit British chef. With 135 seats scattered throughout six distinct spaces, it's got the feel of a musky English estate, down to the fireplaces, framed portraiture and be-shaded chandeliers. Robert Aikens, whose last gig saw him cooking alongside his twin brother, Tom, at his restaurants in London, has put together a menu of polished British fare (fish and chips; rabbit and shepherd's pies), plus roasts available on Sundays and bank holidays. Check out the rotating British cask ales (Wells Bombardier Bitter, Young's Double Chocolate Stout). They're open nightly for dinner now, and will launch lunch, brunch and afternoon tea in a few weeks. More on Meal Ticket. 124 S. 18th St., 215-558-2500, thedandelionpub.com.

Little Fish | Mike Stollenwerk's tiny restaurant, which closed at Sixth and Catharine due to structural concerns with the building, is back — and just a block away, in the former home of Salt & Pepper. (Robert Reilly's restaurant has relocated to 1623 E. Passyunk.) Now that Stollenwerk is focusing on Fish at 1708 Lombard, his former sous Chadd Jenkins has taken the reins of the BYOB, but the approach hasn't changed — highly composed seafood plates populate the winter menu. The $28 five-course tasting originally held on Sundays has been bumped up, slightly, to $33. They open for dinner daily at 5:30. More on Meal Ticket. 746 S. Sixth St., 267-455-0172.

LITTLE VITTLES

Josh Lawler, former chef de cuisine at Dan Barber 's Blue Hill at Stone Barns, will take over 1120 Pine St. (formerly Paul ) for a restaurant targeted to open in March. More on Meal Ticket.

...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/30/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/30/feeding-frenzy Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

Tyson Bees | Chef Tyson Wong Ophaso of the short-lived Chew Man Chu has gone mobile with this street-food operation, which parks at 33rd and Spruce for weekday lunch, Second and Spring Garden Thursday to Saturday (8 p.m.-2 a.m.) and roams the rest of the time. Ophaso's truck, which has an unmistakable paint job from Philly artist Yis Goodwin (aka NoseGo), cooks up three varieties of taco (Korean short rib, Thai basil chicken, edamame tofu), hearty rice bowls and various specialties (peep their barbecue pork banh mi). Rotating specials, too. More on Meal Ticket. tysonbees.com.

The Corner | Cocktail bar APO has gotten a hungry-man makeover as The Corner, an international comfort food concept helmed by partners Tony Rim (RAW), Drew Milstein and chef Scott Swiderski (Buddakan). While the top floor has been kept largely the same — roof deck, bar and all (they've got a lineup of specialty cocktails, as well as time-tested classics like the Aviation, Corpse Reviver No. 2, etc.) — the ground level is now a bustling dining space with an open kitchen. Swiderski, backed by sous chef John Taus, is putting out plates like "shrimp in a blanket" (fried prawns wrapped in kataifi, or shredded phyllo), a meatball salad (!) with shaved reggiano, an old-school cheeseburger and apple-cider-brined fried chicken. More on Meal Ticket. 102 S. 13th St., 215-735-7500, thephillycorner.com. Open Mon.-Wed., 5 p.m.-mid; Thu.-Sat., 5 a.m.-2 a.m.

LITTLE VITTLES

The Dandelion (18th/Sansom), the U.K.-inspired pub from Stephen Starr, opens to the public tomorrow (New Year's Eve!) at 3 p.m. More on Meal Ticket.

Christopher Lee, who made a name for himself here with Striped Bass (now ...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/16/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/16/feeding-frenzy NOW SEATING

 

Drew Lazor

Shot Tower Coffee | Mariel Freeman and Matthew Derago's pretty new coffeehouse introduced Stumptown coffee (they're pulling shots on a state-of-the-art La Marzocco) to Queen Village earlier this week. Situated at the sunny corner of Sixth and Christian, Shot Tower has nontraditional seating (one communal table, plus a window rail) and lovely lighting designed by noted fixture craftsman Robert True Ogden; right now they're doing a simple selection of baked goods, but may expand the food in the future. More on Meal Ticket. Open daily, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 542 Christian St., 267-403-5254, shottowercoffee.com.

Marabella Meatball Co. | The Marabella family, which has run a number of Italian eateries over the past few decades, is back with this fast-casual concept built around the humble yet suddenly-very-relevant sphere o' meat. Gabe Marabella, along with his son Gabe Jr., are offering beef, pork, chicken or vegetarian (bean-based) balls, done up as Liscio's-bunned sandwiches or in bowls with various sides/toppings. We're fond of the old-school all-beef balls, on a bun with aged provolone and a simple marinara sauce. More on Meal Ticket. Open Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 1211 Walnut St., 215-238-1833, marabellameatballco.com.

Kennett | Johnny Della Polla (late of Yards Brewing) and Starr vet Ashley Bohan just opened Kennett, a spiffy local hang, in Queen Village, one 'hood that sorely needed such a destination. Lots of craft beer on tap, plus a clever cocktail list developed by tipplers Christian Gaal and Phoebe Esmon. Chef Brian Ricci's menu is smarter than your average bar, featuring seasonal-veg sharing plates, charcuterie and cheese, burgers (their house patty, with bone marrow and anchovy mayo, is killer), mains and wood-fired pizzas (coming soon). NOW SEATING

1 Shot Coffee | Melissa Baruno has moved her five-year-old café out of Liberties Walk and into a gorgeous multilevel space at the corner of American and George. The new 1 Shot, open since last Friday, is still pouring Stumptown coffee (including its own proprietary blend), but now has the room to offer an expanded brunchy menu from chef Michael Thomas (Kraftwork, Bar Ferdinand). Eat his edamame hummus bagel, spicy tuna salad sandwich or cornbread grilled cheese on either of the coffeehouse's two levels, which feature a "brew bar," ample table/banquette seating and a cushy-couch library area. Open daily, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. More pics and the full menu on Meal Ticket. 216 W. George St., 215-627-1620.

Kokopelli | Named for the American Indian deity of fertility and music, Kokopelli's a Southwestern-style small-plates restaurant situated in the former Pearl. Spread out over two levels, the restau-lounge has a large tequila selection (more than 40 varieties) to go along with the theme; chef Gina Rodriguez is doing plates like chili-braised short ribs, shrimp-stuffed piquillo peppers and garlic-chili-glazed prawns with sunflower seeds. Open Sun.-Thu., 4-11 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 4 p.m-2 a.m. More pics and the full menu on Meal Ticket. 1904 Chestnut St., 215-557-7510, kokopelliphilly.com.

Cookie Confidential | Cheesesteak cookies. Melissa Torre's new bakery specializes in them — they're studded with dehydrated beef and onions — but there's more to Cookie Confidential than just that standout item. Torre, a bartender at Tattooed Mom and Sugar Mom's, ran CC on the Web for several years before moving into this brick-and-mortar space; the upgrade allows her to hawk everything from bacon peanut brittle and SNAP-infused gingersnaps to chipotle choco chip pecan cookies and a slew of vegan treats. Though it's more of a bakery than a café, Torre is also offering One Vi...]]> http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/02/feeding-frenzy http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2010/12/02/feeding-frenzy

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Sticks & Stones | Nick Miglino, who owned Felicia's in what is now Devil's Den, has opened his Passyunk Avenue pub nearly three years (!) after first announcing it. Craft beers both local and national dominate the draft list (look for choices from Weyerbacher, Flying Dog, Bell's, Stone, etc.), and there's also a large-format bottle list designed for sharing. The menu's a mix-up of multiple cooking traditions — count on everything from sushi and pork fried rice to burgers and chimichangas. 1901 E. Passyunk Ave.

Tres Jalapeños | The owners of Los Jalapeños at Fourth and Moore have expanded northwest with this sit-down BYOB, in the corner space that's housed several Mexican and Italian eateries. The menu is moderately priced and traditional, with staples like tacos and enchiladas, plus specialty dishes like Sueno Camaron, shrimp served in a chipotle cream sauce. Tres Jalapeños is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and serves brunch on weekends. 744 Christian St., 267-239-2358.

LITTLE VITTLES

Kokopelli, a Southwestern small-plates concept taking over the near-Rittenhouse space that was Pearl (1904 Chestnut St.), is aiming to open on/around Dec. 7. Chef is Gina Rodriguez, an Arizona native who's cooked all over, most recently as chef de cuisine of the BlueFire Grill in Carlsbad, Calif.

Manakeesh (4420-22 Walnut St.), a Lebanese bakery and café, is targeting Dec. 20 for its opening.

Marabella Meatball Co., at 1211 Walnut, should open before the end of next week. They'll offer beef, chicken, pork and even vegetarian meatballs in a variety of presentations.

The Corner, a comfort food/cocktails spot from Tony Rim (owner of RAW) and chef Scott Swiderski (formerly of Buddakan), will open Dec. 16 in the former APO Bar + Lounge (102 S. 13th St.).

Leila Café has moved from the corner of 13th and Pine to 1356 South St.

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