Inquirer food columnist and Foobooz crush object Rick Nichols goes to 12 Steps Down? 12 Steps Down? Yep, becuase the divey bar has “astonishingly better than your standard bar fare.”

Stepped-up bar eats [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Rick Nichols visits month old Bibou and traces owner Pierre Calmels’ connections back to Le Bec-Fin.

At Philly’s Bibou, echoes of Le Bec-Fin [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Staying in the city this Memorial Day weekend? Then celebrate National Escargot Day this Sunday at Bibou. The French BYOB is offering a special $55 Escargot Dinner.

Check out the menu after the jump.

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In Friday’s Joe Sixpack column there was this exciting little tidbit.

The Budapest Cafe (11th and Fitzwater, Bella Vista) will open in June. The cafe will be operated by Chris Fetfatzes (whose family runs Bella Vista Beer distributor across the street) and his girlfriend, Heather Annechiarico. They promise to carry every one of the more than 3,000 different brands registered for sale in Pennsylvania.

That’s a lot of beer.

Joe Sixpack: The classic Schmidt’s sign is back on view [Philadelphia Daily News]

Bibou, the storefront French BYOB near the Italian Market has created substantial buzz the old fashioned way, culinary pedigree. Here’s the tale of the tape.

Space

• Tiny storefront on South 8th Street near the Italian Market.
• Used to be home to another French BYOB, David Ansill’s Pif.
• Hardwood floors, blonde chairs and white tablecloths set in a peach and charcoal accented room.
• Capacity for 30.

The Owners

• Pierre Calmels and his wife Charlotte.
• Pierre Calmels was Le Bec-Fin’s Executive Chef for five years.
  • French born and trained.
  • First US job was at Daniel in New York.
• Met his wife in Switzerland.
  • She joined him in United States, working at Brasserie Perrier, Restaurant School, Patou and Bistro St. Tropez.

The Menu

• Traditional French menu with an emphasis on freshness.
• Prices range from $7 for soup to $26 for hanger steak with shallot and red wine sauce.
• Highlights include:
  • Escargots with fava beans and mushrooms, flavored with tarragon
  • Pan-seared foie gras with roasted mango, Port wine and cassis reduction
  • Braised pig feet stuffed with foie gra, green lentils
  • Duck magret “Tournedos” style, sauteed arugula, gratin Dauphinois, honey and lavender sauce.

Bibou
1009 S 8th St
215-965-8290

Bibou [Official Site]
Table Talk: French flavor in a small space [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Bibou [Thrillist]
Five Questions: Pierre Calmels, Chef/Owner, Bibou [Philadelphia Magazine]

Seems like today is post French menus day at Foobooz. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

After the jump is the opening menu at Bibou.

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It looks like Bibou is slipping to early May but Philadelphia Magazine caught up with owner and chef Pierre Calmels for five good questions. We especially love his answer to “We’ve seen a lot of new French places open up in the last year. What will set Bibou apart?” The answer is just so French!

Five Questions: Pierre Calmels, Chef/Owner, Bibou [Restaurant Club, Philly Mag]

Golosa just got a new shipment of chocolates in from Italy’s “Best Artisanal Chocolatier,” Andrea Bianchini of Florence, Italy so they can’t help but host a chocolate tasting event. And to make it a little different, Golosa is pairing the chocolates with a complimentary beer or dark aged rum. The event is next Wednedsay, April 15th and runs from 6 to 10pm. Reservations are recommmended. 

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Friday night Chick’s Cafe & Wine Bar is having a special happy hour from 5 to 7pm with Jerome Dupont, 4th generation Calvados (apple brandy) producer from Domaine Familial Louis Dupont. 

Sidecars will be $9 and flights of aged Calvados will be $12. 

Chick’s Cafe & Wine Bar [Official Site]

Little Fish gets two bells from Craig LaBan, perhaps the corner eatery is just too small to fit a third bell within its tiny confines. Also interesting is that this is the first time we can remember LaBan being critical of prices in a long time.

It isn’t perfect by a long shot, and entree prices that bob in the high $20s are a bit steep given the bare-bones setting. But Little Fish has continued to be a worthy draw, and even stepped up its game a bit since Mike Stollenwerk bought it two years ago from chef-owner John Tiplitz, whose son, Ian Moroney, also made his name there before launching his own Pumpkin.

Stollenwerk, 32, an Ocean City, N.J., native who owned Cafe Loren in Avalon for five years before heading to Philly (Davio’s, Latest Dish, Avenue B), builds his success on great ingredients. He even fetches much of the seafood himself on early-morning pilgrimages every Thursday to his favorite fishmonger in Manhattan. And there is a simplicity to the best dishes here, plus a knowing tweak or smart seasonal pairing, that allows this bounty to really shine.

Two Bells – Very Good

Little Fish [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Little Fish [Official Site]