Center-City-West

Tria Rittenhouse Turns Nine and Celebrates with Bubbly

Posted by Foobooz on April 30th, 2013

VENDANGES

The original Tria location at 18th and Sansom turns nine years old today. So as you might guess, the Rittenhouse wine bar is celebrating. And when a wine bar celebrates, that means Champagne. All day today Tria will be offering Thierry Triolet Champagne from opening to close for just $9 per glass.

So stop in and a glass or three and toast Tria on their first nine years.

Tria [Official Site]

Get a Free Peek at Agno Grill Today

Posted by Foobooz on April 26th, 2013

agno-grill-falafel

The team that gave us Pure Fare is planning on opening Agno Grill at 2104 Chestnut Street this spring. Today they’re offering a free sample from Agno’s menu from noon to 1 p.m. Head to Pure Fare’s 21st Street location and find out what they mean by “a new kind of Mediterranean” as the healthy eats store will be handing out baked falafel and quinoa tabbouleh from Agno’s menu.

Hey, Pure Fare fans … [Facebook]
Agno Grill [Official Site]

New Chef Means a New Menu at Jose Pistola’s

Posted by Foobooz on April 19th, 2013

Casey Parker and Joe Gunn’s Jose Pistola’s has been a great place for beer since it opened. But the food has definitely had its ups and downs. But with hiring of Adán Trinidad, food will be one more reason to head to the Center City bar. Trinidad has most recently working and creating menus for Richard Sandoval Restaurants. He is known to Philadelphians for his time as chef de cuisine at Fish and his stint at Stephen Starr’s El Vez.

Trinidad has just rolled out a new menu which is much much more aggressive than some of its past efforts. The Mexican menu features multiple types of guacamole and salsa plus some exciting ceviche, queso fundido and sopes. Of special note is the Random section of the menu which includes mole meatballs and carnitas steamed buns.

Adan Trinidad’s new menu at Jose Pistola’s »

Buca di Beppo To Become Howl at the Moon Piano Bar

Posted by Foobooz on April 18th, 2013

We’ve received word that the closed Buca di Beppo on 15th Street between Spruce and Locust Streets is going to become Howl at the Moon piano bar. The dueling-piano bar concept has thirteen locations nationwide plus one on the cruise ship, Norwegian Epic. The web site markets itself to bachelorette parties and private parties.

We wonder, is this better or worse than having a Buca di Beppo at the location?

Vote in our poll »

Scoop de Ville Is Leaving Chestnut Street, What’s Next?

Posted by Foobooz on April 15th, 2013

scoop-de-ville-interior

Scoop de Ville, the popular ice cream spot at 1734 Chestnut Street is closing its doors for good on Saturday, April 27th. Rising rents are to blame. But it isn’t all bad news, the ice cream peeps will be opening Sophie’s Cafe, a coffee shop and ice cream parlor aiming to open in early June in Wayne. Here’s there closing notice they posted to Facebook.

We would like to inform you that effective April 27th we will be closing our doors at our 1734 Chestnut Street location. It has been a great number of years that we have been located close to Rittenhouse Square, but due to rising rents in the area, we are forced to close our doors. We want to Thank all of you loyal supporters who have come to us over the years for ice cream and chocolates, and want to let you know that as the date and location become clearer, Scoop DeVille will be opening again in Center City soon. You will soon be able to also get the same great ice cream and frozen yogurt you have come to love, along with breakfast, sandwiches and desserts galore in the Suburbs at our newest expansion, “Sophie’s Cafe” in the heart of Wayne, PA opening on or around June 1, 2013.

A second post on Scoop de Ville’s Facebook page says they are finalizing another city location and everything is 25% off for the final two weeks.

What’s next for 1734 Chestnut Street »

Pure Fare Bringing the Mediterranean Agno Grill to 2100 Block of Chestnut

Posted by Foobooz on April 10th, 2013

agno-grill-chestnut-street

The former El Fuego on Chestnut Street is getting a new tenant. Agno Grill is promising to bring “a new kind of Mediterranean” this spring. We confirmed that Pure Fare’s Kriti Sehgal is behind the project and she promises us details next week. Until then, we’ll just have to imagine what’s new and Mediterranean.

Agno Grill
2104 Chestnut Street
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A Springtime in Venice at C19

Posted by Taylor Bush on April 10th, 2013

images Warm weather means all sorts of new menus and dining features all around Philadelphia.

C19 Cichetteria Venezia, Rittenhouse Square’s Venetian restaurant is introducing a new menu to correspond with the spring sunshine.

C19’s chefs Adam Brod and Andrea Luca Rossi looked back to their Venetian roots when it came to creating the new menu, opting to put fresh twists on classical dishes. The menu features fresh items provided by Grateful Acres Farm, Green Meadow Farms, Lancaster Coop, Z Farm and DiGiacomo Brothers. With C19’s seasonal menu, the pair of chefs strive to bring each vegetable, fruit, herb and meat that comes to the table is at its peak of flavor.

More on the new menu and sidewalk cooking demonstrations »

Hipsterish Fried Chicken

April 8th, 2013

“Hipsterish fried chicken” – The New York Times’ description of Federal Donuts in the article, The Transformational Power of the Right Spice (a good read about “spice therapist,” Lior Lev Sercarz)

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Plenty Opening This May on Spruce Street

Posted by Foobooz on April 5th, 2013

Plenty has been happily feeding East-Passyunkers for over two years now. In May, a second location is scheduled to open at 1602 Spruce Street. Morrissey Design of Flourtown is handling the design.

The building is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, so special attention was required to retain the historic facade while adding updated cafe windows. Inside, the cafe and mezzanine space make the most of the modest 600 square feet. Reclaimed wide-plank wood floor and timber beams are accented with black metal stair rails, copper counters, antique mirrors and a tin ceiling. Monochromatic wallcovering (which seems to be all the rage right now) covers much of the walls.

Like East Passyunk’s Plenty, this location will offer gourmet sandwiches, house-made baked goods and salads along with a full-service coffee bar featuring local Philadelphia coffee roasters.

More photos of Plenty »

News From Le Bec Fin: New Menus And A Step Back In Time

Posted by Jason Sheehan on April 4th, 2013

If Le Bec Fin became Le Bec 2.0 on the day that Nicolas Fanucci took it over from Georges Perrier and brought it back to the good old days of elegance and opulence that marked its most defining era, then what do we call it now? Is it Le Bec 2.5 because chef Walter Abrams has been shown the door (Steve Eckerd has been standing as interim chef de cuisine ever since) and a new exec has yet to be found? Will it be Le Bec 3.0 when a new big hat is chosen to step behind the stoves?

Or, now that it has been announced that Fanucci has decided to allow a la carte ordering again (the thing that some would argue precipitated the fall of the original Le Bec), do we call it Le Bec 1.5?

Oh, and did we mention the new brunch menu?

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