Food and Drinq

How much is too much? And is it too much?

By the end of the year -- if projections are correct -- there will be nearly 900 new seats to fill in Center City steakhouses. Add private dining, and the new capacity will be closer to 1,200. Toss in the new Table 31 (260 seats) and Chima (300), and that's a lot of white tablecloths and corkscrews.

In a lousy economy.

With the Convention Center expansion a reported $100 million over budget and nearly three years away.

The backers of these projects reply with the old saw that in bad times, people still like to reward themselves with fancy dinners. And that each will be different, providing a luxurious experience unmatched in the region.

Herewith, an overview of the steakhouse projects:

Union Trust: In the former Kellmer Jewelers at 719 Chestnut St., a former bank building. Independent. Will seat 280 plus 110 in private rooms, including a vault. Target date is mid-October.

Butcher & Singer: In the former Striped Bass at 15th and Walnut. A Stephen Starr joint. Will seat 135. Target is fall/winter.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle: In the Grande (the former Packard Building) at 15th and Chestnut. Up for Nov. 15. Del Frisco's has seven locations throughout the United States. This location will seat 450 plus 150 in private dining, including a vault. The main dining room in the lobby played the role of "train station" in the M. Night Shyamalan film "Unbreakable." New general manager Shang Skipper and Aston-raised chef John Stritzinger led me on a hardhat tour last week. The dominant element in the room (in the middle of this photo) will be a two-story, walk-in, glass wine tower, around a first-floor bar. There will be a more private bar on the mezzanine level, which will be expanded to accommodate more tables. (Union Trust is building a mezzanine in its own vast space.) The vault in the basement, where the safe-deposit boxes were, will accommodate 80 to 90 people. Skipper says Del Frisco's is big on charity work, and is searching for a partner for special events.

The photo of the eagle at top? It's one of the double eagles that happen to be guarding the entrance of the lobby. Coincidence.

Here are a few other photos.

1. Skipper (right) and Stritzinger

2. A ducting system ventilates the vault, where welders are working.

3. Eagles figure into a detail on the mezzanine.