Morimoto has added an upscale cheesesteak to its menu in honor of the Phillies being in the World Series. It’s made with wagyu beef and topped with sweet soy sauteed onions, enoki mushrooms and grilled scallions on an Amoroso roll. The sandwich is served with house made made tonkatsu sauce (Japanese ketchup), pommes frites and a seasonal salad for $35.

Also added to the menu is Cracker Jack ice cream for a chilly $10.

Morimoto [Official Site]

The one month old terra is offering a special buy one entree, get one free deal for anyone who becomes a fan of theirs on Facebook by 1pm.

A Special Thank You! [terra]
terra [Facebook]

Marc Vetri writes about the inspiration for his forthcoming Amis and shares some details about the trattoria in his Osteria newsletter.

• Amis is aiming for an early 2010 opening
• Inspired by Roman trattorias
• Simple small dishes
• Vetri sous chef Brad Spence will head up the restaurant
• Wine list will be chosen by Jeff Benjamin and Steve Wildy
• About 12 reds and 12 whites
• All wines will be available by glass or bottle
• Fully stocked bar with “creative” beers and “interesting” cocktails.
• Corkage will also be available.

Check out the full letter after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

We like the word scrumptious though we don’t hear it nearly enough. So we were excited to see it used by Craig LaBan to describe the sushi at Aki Japanese Fusion on Walnut Street. That the rolls are also a bargain puts it to the top of our must-try list.

Among the options are a $8.50 deal at lunch and an all-you-can-eat sushi bonanza for $24.95.

Scrumptious sushi – and deals, too [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Aki Japanese Fusion Restaurant and Sake Bar [Official Site]

We’ve been hearing rumblings about possible happenings at the former home of Oceanaire. First we heard the Cheesecake Factory rumors. Those have dried up a bit since Michael Klein put the kibosh on that with a statement from the company that they weren’t interested in the area. Cheesecake Factory needs parking, lots and lots of parking.

We’ve also heard Stephen Starr has checked out the space and most recently that Alex Plotkin of Chops Restaurant & Bar on City Avenue is interested in the space.

We caught up with Plotkin to find out if he would really consider bringing another steakhouse to Center City. Plotkin said he would love to do something downtown having already been associated with the Palm and Four Seasons but it is way too early to say for sure if something could happen at the former PSFS bank at 7th and Walnut. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have some ideas for the space that was so opulently redone for Oceanaire.

Plotkin envisions a variation of Chops with more seafood and about 25% of the menu being USDA prime steaks. The wine list would consist of 150 wines all under $70. And in a feature sure to appeal to those who’ve suffered valet parking sticker shock elsewhere on Walnut Street, free valet parking.

There’s nothing in writing yet but it’s good to know the building is seriously being looked at.

Terra opens tonight below the historic Tavern on Camac. The 40-seat BYOB is being run by Chef Eric Paraskevas, formerly of Slate and Lolita.

The menu promises to twists of popular favorites. Highlights include:

• Seared black cod with rosemary almond puree, olive oil, and red shiso
• Hoe cake flat bread, served with spinach, roasted red pepper, and fried egg
• Acorn squash hotpot, accompanied by udon noodles, shaved duck breast, and bean sprouts
• Pan seared pork chop, glazed salsify, pear salsa, topped with fresh horseradish jus

Terra Palin [Thrillist]
Opening menu for Eric Paraskevas’ terra [Meal Ticket]
Terra [Official Blog]

Trey Popp visits Smokin’ Betty’s and finds the menu is trying too hard to be all things to all people.

What drew me in to begin with was its tur-duck-en burger, but this was the first of several disappointments. Ground turkey and chicken overwhelmed the core of duck rillette with a blandness that an oversweet cranberry relish only called more attention to. Perhaps it’s foolish to hope for much from a derivative of a dish that’s a gimmick to begin with, but then again, rooting out fruitless ideas is part of what a restaurant ought to do.

Not So Smokin’ [City Paper]
Smokin’ Betty’s [Official Site]

Center City District’s Restaurant Week is now under a month away. The twice a year restaurant week is back with a couple of differences. Restaurant Week is now two weeks. Running from Sunday, September 13th to Friday the 25th, taking off Saturday, September 19th. Also new this year, is a $20 lunch option.

But where to make reservations? Who has enough options to satisfy your picky friends? Will the vegetarian in your crew have any choices? Where can you really stretch your dollar with a BYOB that offers you more than the standard 3-dishes? All of this and more is available in the Foobooz Restaurant Week Guide. Your must have companion to surviving Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week Guide [f8b8z]
Center City District’s Restaurant Week Guide [Official Site]

David Snyder checks out the boastful claims of Leila Cafe’s Mohamad Kammoun and finds he’s backing them up.

Turns out it’s Leila’s meat that’s worthy of exaggerated praise. Each preparation is mixed in-house and seasoned with secret blends of between nine and 16 authentic Mediterranean spices. Thick, tender slices of shawarma (a lamb and beef mix here) are carved off a vertical spit and placed in a veggie-stuffed pita coated with homemade hummus. The beef gyro pita (also a lamb/beef mix) comes slathered with a refreshing scratch-made tzatziki. The couscous mixed in with the 100-percent-beef kibbie makes for a wonderfully textured patty.

Feed My Worried Mind [City Paper]
Leila Cafe [Official Site]

Michael Schulson’s Sampan is aiming for a November opening. Michael Klein has a couple renderings and a surprise. Since he spoiled Top Chef for DVR-ers earlier, we’ll spill his Sampan secret. There’s an outdoor area that will be developed as outdoor dining.

First peek at Michael Schulson’s Sampan [The Insider]