Honest Tom’s Taco Shop is getting good early buzz at 33rd and Arch. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Meal Ticket has Pete Miller’s new menu for the P.O.P.E., plenty of vegan and vegetarian fare as well as beer inspired dishes. [Meal Ticket]

Wandering Billy Wong has made it to Warminster where he’s opened a BYOB, Billy Wong’s. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Also in today’s Table Talk, the latest projected opening dates for a bunch of spring projects. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Burn! Old Orignal Bookbinder’s owner John Taxin has spent $16,000 for four Phillies tickets this year despite money troubles at his landmark restaurant. [Philadelphia Daily News]

Wegman’s Downingtown begins serving beer today. There’ll be 500 brands available. [The Brew Lounge]

We’re not sure if this is the first time we’ve seen Modo Mio chef Peter McAndrews in a national magazine but we’re sure it won’t be the last. McAndrews’ red bliss potato salad gets Esquire’s attention in its May ‘09 issue. [Meal Ticket]

The Philadelphia Inquirer has more on Old Original Bookbinders which closed last week for “mechanical problems.” Yesterday attorneys were in court for a bankruptcy hearing. 

An agreement out of that meeting has given owner John E. Taxin until 5pm Monday to come up with a total of $45,000 for the trustee, PA Department of Revenue and the landlord. 

In the meantime the restaurant will remain closed for at least 30 days and lawyer James Binns Jr. is attempting to assemble a group of investors to save the dining institution. 

Old Original Bookbinder’s teeters on rescue [Philadelphia Inquirer]

It doesn’t sound good for Old Original Bookbinders. The restaurant’s voicemail states it is closed due to “mechanical emergencies” and Dan Gross is reporting that the restaurant is behind on its PECO and PGW bills. 

Old Original Bookbinders closed for “mechanical emergencies” [Philly Gossip]

A reader dropped us this Bookbinders happy hour tip. We’ll take it as just a strange coincidence that she shares the first name with the Bookbinders contact for scheduling happy hours. But anyway, it’s a pretty legit deal even if the tip is not.

$1 Oysters, $1 Nigiri Sushi, $1 California Rolls, $2 Drafts daily from 4 to 7 PM.

Bookbinders [Official Site]

Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran of 13th Street fame plan to add to their portfolio of Open House, Grocery and Lolita. This time with an Indian spot, Bindi taking over the Grocery cafe side this fall. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Bookbinder’s of Linwood, NJ is now open and cheaper than the Center City location, plus more meat dishes and even a brick pizza oven. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

“Euro-inspired bistro fare, with recognizable American and Asian touches” will be on the table when Swallow opens on Liberties Walk in late August of early September. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Looks like Dock Street Brewery and Restaurant will also be opening in late August or early September. Half the old firehouse floor accommodates the brewing equipment with the rest holding the dining area. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Nick Meglino, the owner of the now closed Felicia’s Café is working on a couple of new endeavors. He’s reportedly shopping for a new spot for a seafood Italian restaurant near Rittenhouse Square and is also planning an “an open-air Italian gastropub” on East Passyunk. [Blogalicious]

Georges Perrier has evidently had it with animal-rights activists who protest outside Le-Bec Fin over his serving of foie gras. Over the weekend he came outside to heckle the protesters back. [Dan Gross, Philadelphia Daily News]

Paddy’s Well is open in Fishtown, serving Pabst and BBQ with Bushmill Irish Whiskey sauce. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Sabrina’s Café and Spencer’s Too is about a week away from bringing the loitering masses hungering for French toast a place to eat in Fairmount. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Pearl is the name of the Red Sky backed spot set to open at the old Little Pete’s on Chestnut Street. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

City Grange will be the sustainable food restaurant slated to open this Summer at the Westin in Liberty Place. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Bring on the dancing women. The word in Icepack is that the Penthouse Lounge isn’t doing well and is now doing after-hours. [Icepack, City Paper]

Bookbinders is opening at the shore. 1201 New Road in Linwood, NJ is the address, July is the opening. [Inqlings, Philadelphia Inquirer]

 

Chris Scott of Philadelphia Metroblogging was at Bookbinders the other night and noticed the price of lobsters was $52 a pound with a 2 pound minimum. That means a $104 minimum to eat lobster at Bookbinders. Needless to say he looked elsewhere on the menu for sustenance.

$52 lb. [Philadelphia Metroblogging]

Michael Klein’s Inqlings column today mentions Old Original Bookbinder’s has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Business is supposedly solid, and it’s really about some old bills. Looks like the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union Welfare and Pension Funds want $400,000, and the city wants $32,447 in real estate taxes.