Jose Garces has got it going on, what with Amada and Tinto packing them in in Philly, Mercat a la Planxa opening strong in Chicago, and Distrito (see below) on its way to University City in July.
Now for the scuttlebutt: That he's going to take over 707, the short-lived New American restolounge at 707 Chestnut St.
The concept: Asian and Latin cuisine, named Chifa after the cuisine itself, which was created in Peru when Chinese immigrants moved to Lima. The restaurant will open early next year.
Garces will take his team of chefs and interior designer for one week to both Peru and China in preparation for this restaurant. He says the restaurant will be “a marriage of the cuisines from the two countries. Some of the featured menu items will be ceviche, dim sum, noodle dishes and empanadas.”
I can almost hear Washington Square cheering. This would put Garces on the same block as Morimoto and across the street from Jones, both owned by his old boss, Stephen Starr. It would put him across the parking lot from Union Trust, the steakhouse under construction in the former Kellmer jeweler's. It also would set him up across the street from El Azteca, the college-crowd BYOB destination.
Stay tuned.