Rick Nichols visits the recently refurbished Chick’s Cafe & Wine Bar and finds the Bella Vista wine bar has a fresh outlook but is true to its roots.

It is a sweet space, never overhauled out of character, still evocative of its era. The menu is presided over by Jim Piano, a Bridget Foy’s alumnus, who is turning out modest but friendly dishes that (with the exception of an abidingly bland bouillabaisse) are full of comfortable and satisfying flavors – slow-braised short ribs on polenta; rosemary-accented “Tuscan fries”; mussels with tomato and fennel; Spanish cheeses; and a lush chocolate-banana creme brulee.

A bit of chic for old Chick’s [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Chick’s Cafe & Wine Bar [MySpace]