Food and Drinq

I'm counting 17 participants in this week's "Freedom Foie for Five" promotion, during which restaurants who support foie gras will offer $5 portions in a bid to expose the masses to the controversial dish. The Artisan Farmers Alliance said it had signed up 20 restaurants, but Bistro 7 in Old City and Django in Queen Village told me they had been approached but would not participate. And Osteria is not participating, though parent restaurant Vetri is. Caffe Casta Diva, which had been on the fence, is participating. Then there's the issue of StudioKitchen, a private catering operation run by the irrepressible Shola Olunloyo. StudioKitchen was on the list. Over the weekend, he told me he would not be serving a la carte, which pretty much means he's supporting the cause but will not participate. The blogger known as PhilaFoodie tells me that Peter Dunmire at N3rd has signed on.

So... As of 11:30 a.m. Monday, here's the list.

Brasserie Perrier, 1619 Walnut St.
Caffe Casta Diva, 227 S. 20th St.
Caribou Cafe, 1128 Walnut St.
Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq.
Le Bec-Fin, 1523 Walnut St.
Little Fish, Sixth and Catharine Streets
London Grill, 2301 Fairmount Ave.
Matyson, 39 S. 19th St.
N3rd, 801 N. Third St.
Rylei, 7144 Frankford Ave.
Salt & Pepper, 746 S. Sixth St.
Standard Tap, Second and Poplar Streets
Susanna Foo, 1512 Walnut St.
Twenty21, 2005 Market St.
Vetri, 1312 Spruce St.
Vintage, 129 S. 13th St.
Zinc, 246 S. 11th St.

As Bruce Cooper of Jake's marks 20 years on Main Street in Manayunk, he's planning to expand. There's no name yet, or projected opening date, and he has to go through zoning and historical commission approvals ... but he's signed an agreement of sale on the building next door in the storefront that was Chico's and long ago was a drug store. He wants to do a more casual wine bar/brick oven concept right next door. He's also planning "composed cheeses" -- opposed, I guess, to uncomposed cheeses. That is, some of the fromages will be baked in the oven and served warm.

UPDATE: Coquette, the French spot at Fifth and Bainbridge Streets, is closed tonight (TUES) after an elderly woman's car crashed into the restaurant on the Bainbridge Street side. Owner Cary Neff said she was taken away in an ambulance. He said city inspectors suggested that he block off the area and get it repaired. He'll do that. Wednesday (10/3), meanwhile, should see the green light for his liquor license. So he'll be buying his alcohol while supervising the repairs. If fate holds, he says, there's a 95 percent chance that Coquette will be running, bar and all, Wednesday night.

Photo by Rachel Klein

The French BYOB, opening Friday (10/5) at Catharine and Passyunk in Queen Village, looks lovely at night. One other thing you need to know: Besides bringing your own bottle, bring cash. No cards here.

Photo by Paul Whiddett

Some odds and ends... Conversation-starters...

+ The "Freedom Foie for Five" promotion wraps Saturday at an assortment of restaurants. (List here.) An encounter Thursday night outside of participant Matyson apparently was not promotion-related, according to Nick Cooney, head of protest group Hugs for Puppies. He said a drunk from a bar across the street accosted two protesters but did not make a statement about foie gras. "He didn't even think to know why we were out there," Cooney said. (As someone who has seen and heard the Puppies in full bark, I think he was probably upset at the noise. Bullhorns!)

+ Cary Neff's window is fixed at Coquette, and he's finally serving alcohol. So he called Friday morning to say that his other restaurant, Sansom Street Oyster House, was ransacked overnight by thieves.

+ Derek Davis of Derek's in Manayunk is getting ready to open a real, live butcher shop on the Main Line. More on this soon.

+ Chew over these two restaurant names: The Ugly American, which is due to replace La Vigna in South Philly, and Swallow, a bistro coming this late November-early December in Northern Liberties.

Chef-owner Derek Davis, who's been in Manayunk pretty much since the neighborhood hit the culinary map nearly 15 years ago (he now has Derek's), is venturing into Ardmore with Main Line Prime, an old-time butcher shop, due to open mid-month. Main Line Prime (in Ardmore Plaza at 18 Greenfield Ave. off of Lancaster Ave.) will sell dry-aged beef, plus Jamison Farms lamb, pork, veal, chicken, fish and shellfish and some specialty foods. Davis is no stranger to beef; for 10 years, until January 2004, Davis owned Kansas City Prime, one of the city's few independent, high-end steakhouses. The beef will be from Charolais cattle, sourced by Bernard Loke of wholesale butcher Ashley Foods, which sourced KCP's beef. He'll also sell real Japanese Kobe beef. Home delivery, too.

Blue Dolphin, a pan-Asian restaurant that set up in the old King of Prussia Diner building at Gulph Road and Mall Boulevard outside King of Prussia mall, has gone away after nine months. I hear that the King of Prussia Hooters, now on Route 202, will move in and take over. Opening will be Oct. 28. If you need your Blue Dolphin fix, you need to drive to its sibling restaurant, Hunan Village in Abington. (A bank will take over the present Hooters site.)

How closely do you follow the local restaurant scene? Match the restaurant to a former use of its space.

1. Morimoto........................................A. Butcher & Singer brokerage
2. Striped Bass.....................................B. Bailey, Banks & Biddle jewelers
3. Eulogy Belgian Tavern........................C. General Novelty Co.
4. Fogo de Chao...................................D. a Norelco shaver shop
5. Rouge............................................E. J.E. Caldwell's jewelers
6. Farmacia.........................................F. a state store (LCB)

Feel smart? Email mklein@phillynews.com. I'll post answers midday Wednesday.

Photo: GPTMC

Mike Naessens is ready to roll at his bright, new Beneluxx (33 S. Third St. in Old City). "I’m going to try to open the doors tonight (10/10) even if the menus aren’t up to 50 cheeses, 50 wines, 30 beers and 20 chocolates," he tells me. He hopes to be up to snuff by the weekend. The Inquirer's peripatetic Rick Nichols stopped in Tuesday night for a look-see, but lacked a camera. Naessens adds: "Being a Kerouac fan (Subterraneans) and location in a basement (New York/ European feel) and the fact the beer and wine samples are served in Erlemeyer flasks I came up with the saying, 'A subterranean exploration of chocolate, cheese, beer and wine.'”

Meanwhile, Naessens provides his working menu:

STARTERS
Noble Blue Mac and Cheese
Beer Cheese – Five cheeses blended with a blonde ale beer and smart popcorn
Seasonal Soup
Mixed Marinated Olives
Pate
Assorted Cured Meats & Seasonal Cheeses
SALADS
Mesculin Salad
Beneluxx Salad – mixed greens topped with roasted beets
Caesar Salad
MINI PIZZA –
Roman – Homemade Mozzarella Cheese, prosciutto, fresh basil, and “ugly” heirloom tomatoes
Iberian – Chorizo with La Peral Blue Cheese, port Dijon cream, Spanish onions and peppers
Pissaladiere – French style featuring onions, olives, shrimp, fennel and goat cheese
Deutschland – Potatoes, Onion, Beef, Egg, Cheddar Cheese
FONDUES (four ounce portion includes dipping bread)
Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue-Grùyere and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses,white wine, garlic, nutmeg,lemon and Kirschwasser.
Cheddar Cheese Fondue - Aged, medium-sharp Cheddar and Emmenthaler Swiss cheeses, lager beer, garlic and seasonings.
Featured Cheese Fondue- Chef’s choice of seasonal and special cheese fondue. Ask your server for pricing.
Fondue accompaniments
Fingerling Potatoes $4.49 Apples $3.49 Chirizio $5.49 Fresh Vegetables $4.49 Garlic Herb Chicken $5.99 Beef Tips $6.99
Cibus Hilleli (Hillel’s Snack)
Croque Monsieur Bechamel – Ham, Gruyere Cheese and Classic Bechamel Sauce
Medianoche – Roast Pork, Ham, Swiss Cheese, Pickle and Mustard
Portobello Panini – Meaty Mushroom, herbed goat cheese, sweet red peppers, hummus
Parma Panini – Prosciutto, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh arugula
Chicken and Spinach Panini – with garlic, fennel, chicken and spinach
La Robiquette, sausage in a galette crepe
Wild Boar with port wine and five spice marinated cherries
Venison with vanilla infused pineapple and reduced balsamic vinegar
Duck- with seasonal melon , shaved Grana Padano, and truffle vinaigrette
Beer Brat – with beer demiglaze

Congrats to the many who matched the restaurants with the correct previous occupants:

1. Morimoto was a Norelco shaver shop
2. Striped Bass was the Butcher & Singer brokerage
3. Eulogy Belgian Tavern was the original Bailey, Banks & Biddle location, dating back to the 19th century.
4. Fogo de Chao was J.E. Caldwell's jewelers
5. Rouge was a state store
6. Farmacia was General Novelty Co.

"Mom-and-pop" restaurants by first-time owners usually are put together on a shoestring and show it. Not the brand-new Las Bugambilias, the rustic Mex that replaced Ristorante Primavera at 148 South St. (It's right off the corner of Second and South, next to what was Monte Carlo Living Room. This is the solo debut of Carlos Molina, longtime chef at Tequila's. Out front, working the front of the house and tending the tiny bar, is his wife, Michelle. Decor is Cine Mexico, with photos from Mexican cinema from 1936 through the mid-1950s. Molina is from Veracruz, and seafood is a specialty. Best of all, most entree prices are under $20. It's open from 4 p.m. every day except for Mondays. Say the name "boo-gam-BEE-lee-as," and it's the Spanish spelling of bougainvillea, the tropical flower.

Above left, the Day of the Dead dude out front. Right, part of the dining room.

Silk City (left) has picked a new executive chef. He's Matt Ball, who's done a little here and a little there (Deuce, Aspen). Owner Mark Bee says Ball will stick with the classics (meatloaf and roast beef sandwiches) with a few contemporary tastes (Shanghai style short ribs with wasabi mashed potatoes). Ball replaces chef-for-a-minute David Katz, who parted ways with Bee a few weeks ago. Silk City will be featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives" (next showing will be 10/12 at 8:30pm). Peter Dunmire, who was chef during Silk City's planning, is showcased.

Photo: Eric Mencher / The Philadelphia Inquirer

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Public House, the popular hang off Logan Square, just signed a deal for a BIG operation at the proposed Dover Downs casino-hotel property in Delaware. That's nine months out. More immediately, as in early December, the partners expect to open The Field House in the former Independence Brew Pub on Filbert Street across from Reading Terminal Market -- a mammoth fun spot modeled after an ESPN Zone: that is, 35 -- count 'em -- 50-inch plasmas and plenty of games.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Liquor application posted Wednesday 10/10 on South Philly's Anastasi Cafe (1235 E. Passyunk Ave., across from Pat's and Geno's). New occupant will be the South Philly Bar & Grille, run by South Jersey's Kenny Brownell.

Bruno Pouget, the guy behind the original Caribou Cafe (it first was at 24th and Lombard Streets before it moved to 1121 Walnut and then to 1126 Walnut), is coming back to Center City. (Where's he been? A hot spot in Surf City, N.J., called Blue.)

Pouget and his developer partners just -- as in Thursday 10/11 -- posted a liquor license at 102 S. 13th St. -- beside Lolita in that stretch of Midtown Village that's also home to Vintage and El Vez and around the corner from the venerable McGillin's Old Ale House.

They're calling it Apothecary Bar & Lounge. Menu will be developed by chef Steven Cameron (of Blue). I hear the space will be sleek yet warm, with lounge seating and an outdoor terrace on a newly constructed second floor. The bar will carry a stock of liquors and proprietary elixirs.

They're saying spring for the opening, but major work must be done.

When last we heard of David Katz -- and that was, what?, two weeks ago -- the chef was parting ways with Silk City owner Mark Bee after a short stint in the kitchen. Katz was getting too ambitious, a trait that satisfied foodies at his previous stop, Restaurant M, but just didn't fly in the simpler word of Silk City. Just got word from Mike Stollenwerk at Little Fish in South Philly that he will have Katz in the kitchen on Thursday (10/18) to host/cook a five-course dinner. Two seatings (at 6 and 8:30) and price is $65 per person. It's BYOB, of course; one white and one red is recommended. Reservations: 215-413-3464

Menu

Amuse

Lobster & peppercress salad, confit of butternut squash, carrot, baby beets, vanilla bean vinaigrette.

Red wine risotto, pancetta, poached egg yolk

Pan roasted red snapper, asparagus, crisp new potatoes, sea urchin emulsion, slow cooked cherry tomatoes.

Braised veal cheek, cauliflower-truffle puree, roasted porcini, brussel leaves, madeira jus.

Chocolate truffle torte, hazelnut praline mousse, orange ice cream.

The phone number has been disconnected at Plate, the restaurant in the Towers at Wyncote apartment building (the former Trilogy). Which -- given the general dark look of the place since Sunday -- might lead you to believe that it has closed. But owner David Mantelmacher said today that he has no comment on its status. Neither will the apartment management office. So I can't report that it's closed. You just can't eat or drink there. The Ardmore location is unaffected.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

If you hanker for Stella Blu in West Conshohocken, do it now. It will close after dinner Saturday for a total renovation. A warmer, yet sleek look is promised, as is a larger bar. The menu will move away from Italian toward Euro-style small and large plates. Reopening is due in early December. In the meantime, gift certificates can be redeemed at sister restaurant Gypsy Saloon down the street.

Michael O’Halloran, chef-owner of the cozy Bistro 7 in Old City (left), is planning a second restaurant -- and he's venturing into Wash West. No name yet, or concept, though he insists it won't be "Asian fusion or a buffet" when he opens this spring. Location is 13th and Waverly Streets, or 412-426 S. 13th St. if you encounter the liquor-license application on your morning stroll. O'Halloran, whose past includes Fork and White Dog Cafe, says he'll keep Bistro 7. He didn't ask, but my choice for the name would be Bistro 8. Say it. (Oh, never mind...)

Photo by John Costello / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Say... Speaking of 13th Street -- and I was speaking of 13th Street recently when I spilled the news of the opening of Apothecary at 13th and Drury -- Marcie Turney says to expect a mid-November opening of Bindi at 105 S. 13th St. Partners Turney and Valerie Safran are planning a trip to Europe just before the rollout of the Indian BYOB. Smart -- since with Lolita, Open House and Grocery rolling along, they'll need to freshen up first.

Mike Naessens, owner of the new Beneluxx at 33 S. Third St., shows off his tabletop glass washers. Beneluxx serves flights of wine in Erlenmeyer flasks. Neat idea, eh? If your tablemates have cooties, and you fear catching something when the glass rim touches the glass washer, Naessens has come up with a solution. He also offers small bottles of diluted bleach.

Click here for a video.

Class dismissed.

Felicia's, the upper-end Italian at 11th and Ellsworth Streets, is going to settlement this morning (10/18). New occupant will be a gastropub by a crew familiar to the pub scene, and I'll have full details later. Meanwhile, Felicia's owner Nick Miglino has bought 1909 E. Passyunk Ave., which he says he wants to "have fun" with as an Italian pub operation. (No name or opening date there.) He wants to set up Felicia's in Center City but does not have a location.

At left, in a 2001 photo from our archives, Nick Miglino looks at a mural in the interior of Felicia's. Photo by Peter Tobia / The Philadelphia Inquirer

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Tom Kehoe of Yards Brewing is setting up a brewery in the short-lived skateboard park at 901 N. Delaware Ave., a block north of Spring Garden Street and a block south of the planned SugarHouse Casino. He told me it will be a fully functioning brewery that will offer tastings. In other words, don't think of this as a brewpub. The food part "is on our radar, but we know what we're doing with brewing," said Kehoe, who has the brewing equipment already.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Collingswood will get yet another restaurant: LoBianco New American, at 2 Powell Lane (at Haddon Avenue), in a new commercial and residential complex named,The Lumberyard. This is the same folks who have LoBianco Coastal Cuisine in Margate, which will close after dinner service Saturday 10/20.

A quirky guy named Ciro Rendina used to run a little South Philly BYOB called Buon Appetito. But he had dreams, and three years ago, he locked up a new location on the Broad Street end of Passyunk Avenue. Fate intervened. Buon Appetito closed, and Rendina moved back to Italy. Which is where we may have left it, except for Francis Cratil and Cathy Lee, a young couple who worked with Rendina for a spell. Young and energetic, they have set up Le Virtù in that Passyunk Avenue space -- address is 1927 E. -- and it's a few doors west of Tre Scalini's new location. They hosted a small private event Thursday 10/18 for some Italian friends; opening is expected next Thursday 10/25. Most of the wine list -- all Italians -- requires special order from the LCB.

Cratil, who lived in Abruzzo while discovering his roots, and Lee, who worked at the Art Museum, have done it right. The property has a courtyard on the side. Inside it's sunny yellow with dark wooden tables, and there's a neat mural over the bar (right). Chef Luciana Spurio, whose Abruzzi/Ascolina entrees hover around $20, also is imported from Italy. I'll tell her story in a future "Table Talk" column. Phone: 215-271-5626.

Photos: (c) 2007 Kara Thomas

"Sopranos" alumna Lorraine Bracco whirled into town Friday 10/19 to talk up her wine line -- she's an importer and champion of Italian wines. The day was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, the largest U.S. buyer of wines. Bracco signed autographs at the Wine & Spirits store, 1218 Chestnut St., and dropped by a few restaurants. She spent an hour at Joe Pesce, says chef-owner Joseph Tucker. She also had a table booked for dinner at La Famiglia.

Photo by Sarah J. Glover / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Felicia's restaurant at 11th and Ellsworth Streets in South Philly will get a livelier occupant, perhaps by Christmas. It'll be called the Devil's Den, and the partners from Manayunk's Old Eagle Tavern are promising 24 to 28 beers on draft and a couple hundred by the bottle. They're gutting the place, and hope to open the first floor just before Christmas. Next, they'll rehab and open the second floor.

Matt and Sonjia Spector (left) have sold their half-interest in Matyson, their much-honored Center City BYOB and they're headed to the California Wine Country. Where? Matt Spector, the Cherry Hill-raised chef, was not sure. "It's been a dream of ours," he said. The restaurant, he says, will be left in capable hands: Ben Puchowitz, Matt's cousin and an employee since Day One, and Brian Lofink, their sous chef. Puchowitz's father, Butch, now owns the place. "This is a good opportunity for those guys to keep it going and put their own flair on it," Matt Spector says.

Photo by Jonathan Wilson / The Philadelphia Inquirer

You restaurant folk out there: If you'll be serving Thanksgiving and/or Christmas Day, drop us a line: mklein@phillynews.com.

Despite the Best of Philly accolades, Bobby Chez's crabcakes are a mystery to many Philadelphians, as the six-store takeout operation is only in South Jersey, from Collingswood to Margate. (There briefly was a location a few years ago in Narberth.) The first downtown location, that'll be No. 7, is due to open on Nov. 1 at The Lofts at 1352 South St. "Bobby Chez" is Bobby Sliwowski (right, in a photo from his Web site). South Jerseyans may remember him from the fancy French restaurant Chez Robert, which he ran from 1976 until 1995 at its three different locations. In 1997, he opened Bobby Chez Seafood Specialties in Voorhees. His Web site is here.

Supper, which opened last week across from the Whole Foods at 926 South St. (215-592-8180 and www.supperphilly.com), has to be the most ambitious husband-and-wife projects in a long time. It's certainly among sharpest-looking, though my camera skills don't do it justice.

Mitch and Jennifer Prensky -- he's from Rockland County, N.Y. (trained at French Culinary) and she's from Northeast Philly (Washington High) -- own Global Dish catering, and will continue to run that operation. Mitch says he's always wanted a place to work on his food (which is ambitious) in a restaurant setting.

Supper is a two-story job, with a copper facade, exposed- beam ceiling, welcoming bar, open kitchen, and serious lighting fixtures (Warren Muller's chandelier made of kitchen utensils, below, is mesmerizing). Upstairs, there's table seating, another bar, and the cutest little sofa perched on top of a white shag rug (that's Jennifer trying it out, below).

You'll probably find Mitch (right) not in the kitchen, but at a sideboard near the entryway, slicing bread for the tables and lording over cheeses and jars of preserved food. He's sort of a chef-host. Menu, executed by chef de cuisine Brinn Sinnott, is based on dishes that are slightly larger than typical apps but smaller than a main. So patrons are encouraged to order two or three plates per person, which brings the per-person tab to about $65.

Among menu:

+ charcuterie (chorizio, Bayonne ham, wild boar saucisson and smoked duck, $15
+ marinated octopus with escarole, honshimeji mushrooms with miso dressing, $18
+ Berkshire pork belly with lentil cassoulet and red-wine miso poached quince, $24
+ slow-roasted chicken breast with onion soubise, prunes and marjoram, $22
+ scampi a la plancha with Black Mission figs, baby arugula and lemon, $16

plus tartines, such as potatoes baked in aromatic salt ($4); cured mackerel and red peppers ($4); and smoked duck and membrillo ($6).

For now, it's open for dinner only Tuesdays through Saturdays. They're also planning "Sunday supper," a come-as-you-are seated dinner ($35).

Todd Bergman (right) has pulled the plug on Butcher's Cafe at Ninth and Christian in Bella Vista. Monday 10/29, he'll start as chef at the New Wave Cafe at Third and Catharine in Queen Village as chef Ben McNamara is stepping out to a new job he's keeping under wraps for now. I hear that the departure is amicable.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Ben McNamara starts Thursday 10/25 as chef at St. Stephens Green, 17th and Green Streets. He's worked for the owners before, at Dark Horse,

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Crescent City, which opened in early 2006 at Ninth and South Streets (and down the block from the new Supper), went dark last week. Co-owner Michael Munoz says he and partners are working with the landlord, possibly to reconceptualize. He called the South Street strip tough for the concept.

Walter Staib, who runs City Tavern (hence his costume at left), will go with a Philly camera crew to Germany next week to film the first five of 26 episodes of his CN8 series World Cuisine of the Black Forest. The show, scheduled to launch at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2, is is based on Staib’s cookbook, Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors. While in Germany, the Steven Horn and his crew from hyped413 will capture footage and interviews in Old Nicolai Church and fountain of justice in Frankfurt; the Heidelberg Castle and the Old Bridge in Heidelberg; the Seehaus in Pforzheim (Staib's hometown); and the Hotel Post in Nagold (where Staib did his first culinary apprenticeship); and the Palais Thermal in Bad Wilbad and Baden Baden. Staib and host Nicole Woodruff will play tour guide.

Nothing lasts forever, and The Pike Restaurant -- on Bethlehem Pike in "downtown" Spring House -- will wrap things up Tuesday (10/30) night after 56 years. "I'm just tired," said owner Anne Pappas O'Brien, whose parents John and Alice opened in 1951. She says she got a great offer from a developer for the property, which includes the house in which she grew up and raised four children. The house and the diner-type restaurant will be leveled, she says. So far, she has found jobs for 15 employees -- including her daughter-in-law, the banquet manager. The property's buyer is working with Lower Gwynedd Township on a new use, which will include condos and, she hopes, a new, smaller restaurant that she wants to run. (So she's not THAT tired; restaurants are in her blood.)

Caterers Christine Fischer (ChriStevens) and partner Clara Gomez also have rehabbed Center City’s Astral Plane, which closed in July after 34 years. There's been the softest of soft openings as Astral Plane Millennium (1708 Lombard St., 215-735-0815). Gone are the Astral Plane’s parachute ceiling and knickknacks, in favor of simple, creamy white walls, track lighting and white tablecloths. Also gone, much to Fischer’s dismay, is the liquor license, which building owner Reed Aphagian sold. It’s BYOB, though Fischer wants to buy a new license.

It's open Tuesdays through Sundays for dinner. Here's the menu (which I recoded for the Web but did not edit):

Appetizers

Curry Stew ($6.50), baked pumpkins stuffed with mixed vegetables stewed in Indian curry.

Poached Ginger Pear ($8), pear halves filled with creamy ricotta cheese, garnished with dry cranberries, crème fraiche and crystallized ginger.

Two Way Calamari ($10), baked calamari in a homemade spicy red sauce and grilled calamari with olive oil and a lemon wedge.

Beef Kebobs ($10.50), grilled, marinated Angus beef, drizzled with cold tomato and olive oil garlic dressing.

Fried Plantain ($6) topped with bruschetta

Salads

Spring mix ($6.50), cherry tomato, carrots shredded on top and red onion. Balsamic dressing.

Spanish asparagus orange salad ($7.50), fresh pepper, lite salt, romaine leaves, tomato orange dressing

Arugula salad ($8), arugula, sliced parmesan cheese, olive oil garlic dressing.

Pear and pecan salad ($8.50), fresh pears cuts, roasted pecans, butter lettuce and blue cheese dressing

True Greek salad ($6.50), cucumbers, feta cheese, black olives, tomatoes, red wine vinegar olive oil dressing.

Caesar salad ($7.50), Romaine cuts, fresh parmesan cheese and croutons, Caesar dressing

Entrees

Astral Plane Millenium pasta ($17), al dente pasta, asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, fresh artichokes, green sweet peas, sautéed red onion and truffle oil.

Smoked salmon farfalle ($18.50), smoked salmon blended with a vodka cream blush sauce.

Parpadelle pasta ($19), porcini mushrooms and fresh cream in homemade ribbon pasta, garnished with fresh parsley and olive oil.

Drunken chicken ($20), boneless, skinless chicken breast marinated in wine Jerez, cloves, sugar, black pepper, cinnamon nutmeg, raisins and almonds.

White fish empanadas ($17.50), onions carrots, green olives, capers and fried flour dough, spicy blush sauce.

Snapper ($25), fresh snapper rolled with fresh clams, mussels, shrimp and herbs, wrapped in wax paper and slow baked.

Prime pork chop ($22.50), 9-ounce seared pork chop slowly oven baked in a brown shitake mushroom sauce.

½ rack of New Zealand lamb chops ($28.50), grilled medium rare with moscato wine sauce.

Carne mixta ($28), grilled tri-filets of pork, beef and veal over brandy sauce with port reduction and fresh herbs.

Carpaccio ($12), raw beef Carpaccio, arugula, parmesan cheese, lemon, salt and pepper.

Raw tuna carpaccio ($11), sun dried tomato, red onions, olives and lemon.

Cooked octopus carpaccio ($12), watercress, lemon and orange dressing

Scallops carpaccio ($14), raw and seared scallops with parsley and olive oil.

Hot Beef carpaccio ($12),mushroom sauce and truffle oil.

Salmon carpaccio ($11), rolled salmon with garlic and spinach

If you watched TV here in the 1970s and 1980s, surely you remember Chef Tell Erhardt, the transplanted German who appeared on such shows as Evening Magazine. Loved his chipper signoff: "I wish you good appetite and I see you!" Tell died Friday at age 63. Read Craig LaBan's obit here.

Photo by Rose Howerter / The Philadelphia Inquirer

The Inquirer's Sam Wood reports that charges were dropped this morning (10/31) in Collingswood Muncipal Court in the tiff between chef Alex Capasso (at right) of Collingswood's Blackbird Dining Establishment and would-be patron Thomas Zemaitis. Each has to cough up $33 for court costs. The two got into it last week at the hostess stand at the restaurant, as phillymag.com detailed yesterday.

Photo by David Swanson / Philadelphia Inquirer

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Bella Luna Pizza Kitchen -- from the owners of Stella Blu and Gypsy Saloon -- will take over Diuccio’s Pizza at 116 Ford St. West Conshy on Nov. 9. It'll be a South Philly-style sandwich and pizza shop.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

To follow up the "Table Talk" report from way back on Sept. 6 on the nightclub that simply will be known as G: Its opening, beneath Davio's at 17th and Chestnut Streets, is set for Nov. 29. It'll be run by Mark Marek, who thought Philly was lacking something: “The concept of our space revolves around the ability to customize and transform, just as we wish to transform the nightlife of Philadelphia," he says through a rep. "With that goal in mind, the name should be as fluid as the space, taking on different characteristics and attributes to reflect the day. G means one thing today and something else tomorrow." (Given the shelf life of nightclubs, that's a good plan.)

The official description: "With a backdrop of wood, porcelain, glass and stone, G features over 10,000 square feet of pristine space. Two full-service bars offer artistic signature cocktails designed exclusively for G by renowned “Modern Mixologist” Tony Abou-Ganim, who has also designed menus for all 22 bars at the Bellagio, Las Vegas Resort. Abou-Ganim incorporated the sensual vibe of G with his knowledge of spirits, inventing drinks such as the Pineapple-Ginger Mojito, containing homemade ginger syrup, the Very Sexy, an ode to the feel of the lounge, with Belvedere Citrus Vodka, berries and champagne, and the Cable Car, with cinnamon and sugar flavors.

The lounge’s space is so versatile it transforms to create multiple rooms for entertaining several events at once. Two private lounges sit inside G to cater to those looking for a more intimate setting. The Mogul Room, accessible through a G membership, allows for business savvy persons to unwind and relax in luxurious comfort and style. The VIP Lounge occupies 1,100 square feet, with room for 50 guests to recline across plush seating, sip premium cocktails and taste G’s mouth-watering cuisine. With views of the 110 foot runway that extends through G, the VIP lounge is a room desired by all.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

On the flipside of new and high-energy... There's a really sweet little country newcomer in Kimberton, Chester County: The Station Bistro (1300 Hares Hill Rd.), a coffeehouse for now that will be adding a BYOB bistro concept in coming weeks. Owners Nancy Dill Miller and husband Craig are both former managers for the behemoth Darden. And when people say he is smoking -- they mean he has a smoker, in which he'll do baby backs, seafood and such.