Archive for the 'Food Nerd News' Category

This sure has been an action packed week. Check it!

• Azul will be taken over by George Anni of Valanni. It’ll be called VargaBar and will be inspired by Alberto Vargas’ pinup girls.
• We launched a new feature, our shrine to the restaurants that have closed.
• Free wine? Well hell yeah you want free wine.
• Who knew? In restaurants you can get do-overs.
• Kildare’s Headhouse Square is gone, Get Happy.
• Struggling with your resolutions? It’s not you, it’s your resolutions.
• People are excited about the Continental Midtown’s Martini Hour.
• Kitchen Nightmares could be coming to Philadelphia.
• 2009, still with lots of restaurants coming down the pike.
• Martin Grims is in at White Dog and he’s bringing a location to the Main Line.
• Use PhillyCarShare and save.
• We’ve got the lowdown on the new Oyster House.
• Rick’s Steaks might wind up on Broad Street.

OK, we know this is an easy one but we really like this PhillyHistory.org photograph from 1965.

What restaurant now stands where Cayuga Federal Savings once did?

And for a bonus, what restaurant preceded the current occupant?

Photo via PhillyHistory.org.

If you’re walking down Sansom Street, you’ll notice a plywood box has gone up over the facade of the-artist-formerly-known-as-the-Sansom-Street-Oyster-House… which means that the construction has officially started on the anticipated spring opening of Oyster House, which is the restaurant’s new name and which will be run by father-and-son team David Mink and Sam Mink. A little history - David Mink ran the SSOH back in the days before Cary Neff (currently of Coquette) took it over (and then closed it after filing for bankruptcy proteciton).

Sam Mink let us take a peek inside the under-construction spot today. No good photos, as there’s not much left but a long empty space, but Sam let us see the architect’s drawings and gave us a great verbal walk-through of what the Oyster House will look like, plus, he dropped the name of his chef. Click after the jump to find out.

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In yesterday’s 2009 restaurant forecast Michael Klein teases about a few bigger projects that aren’t quite finalized.

I’m hearing about three in the pipeline. None has been fully signed and sealed. Two are in Center City (from two of the city’s most-respected chefs) and a third will be an ambitious tavern operator’s foray into University City with a novel pizza/beer concept.

So how about it Foobooz readers, what respected chefs do you think will be opening Center City locations and who is bringing another pizza and beer spot to West Philadelphia?

2009 restaurant forecast [The Insider]

Oh my, oh my. Kitchen Nightmares is putting out a casting call for Philadelphia.

FOX’s hit show “Kitchen Nightmares” wants to hear from you!

Are you trying to make some green, but still running red?

Do you and your chef have different ideas about the menu?

Or maybe you have a great location,
but it doesn’t seem to entice many customers?

Email or Call for Information:
Toll Free: 1.866.226.2226
KitchenNightmares@TheConlinCompany.com

Download the Application at:
www.TheConlinCompany.com

If you want to apply to have Chef Gordon Ramsay come into your
establishment for one week to troubleshoot your problems
and try to get you back on the road to success…

*Restaurants must be open at least 1 year and have at lest 35 seats

On the heels of Brasserie Perrier’s New Year’s Eve closing we’ve unveiled a new Foobooz feature, Closings. We’re not looking to tap dance on the graves of restaurants, but rather to remember those spots that have faded away.

The list is compiled from previous Foobooz posts, if we missed any notable 2008 closings please drop us a line at tips@foobooz.com.

For something more positive, check out our recently updated Openings section where there are still plenty of restaurant openings to have your taste buds tingling.

Brasserie Perrier is gone [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Closings [f8b8z]

Here’s a fun one we think. See the beer sign on the left hand side next to the Ice Cream Store? Well it was a bar in 1936 and is still one today. Do you recognize it?

DaVinci had Rouge beat by a few decades when it came to sidewalk dining according to this 1963 PhillyHistory.org photo. Can you guess what more raucous establishment now inhabits this location?

We’re doing something a little different with our eyeball bender today. Instead of focusing on a detail of a restaurant we’re going to take you back in time to the year, 1969. This PhillyHistory photo shows a spot named Nedicks. Do you know what’s there now?

After a couple week hiatus we’re back with a new eyeball bender.