The steakhouse craze hasn’t been confined to Center City Philadelphia. Firecreek seeks to bring the steakhouse blitz to Downingtown. Craig LaBan finds food and service both need some help.

When things go right, I see Firecreek’s appeal. The N.Y. strip, at $34 the most expensive entrée, was perfectly cooked and tender, with a hearty smoked-bacon and potato hash and a traditional red-wine gravy. A New Orleans-style “BBQ” shrimp was also satisfying, its buttery Worcestershire-tanged sauce and summer succotash of corn and limas hitting the spot. The seared tuna steak with mango salsa over bok choy was perfectly fine in a 1990s-fusion kind of way.

But this kitchen needed far too many tweaks – big and small – to make these dinners work.

One Bell – Hit or Miss

Firecreek [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Firecreek [Official Site]

The Inquirer reports Girasole has opened at the Symphony House on Broad Street. Chef Angela Iovino has an all-female line and an Italian menu of pastas, sefood and carpaccio. Thrillist has a copy of the menu plus a couple photos of the interior, no surprise there are sunflowers. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer / Thrillist]

The Iron Hill Brewery under construction in Maple Shade is now looking for a July 2009 opening. Chris LaPierre, currently at the West Chester location of Iron Hill will be the head brewer in New Jersey.

Main Line Today has photos of Firecreek Restaurant & Bar in Downingtown’s soft opening. The spot is amid four days of “friends and family” trial runs and should be open to the public next week. [Main Line Today]

Effie Bouikidis of Effie’s will open a new BYOB across the street from her Greek restaurant. The spot will be named Paul in honor of her father and will serve up  contemporary American sometime this summer. [Insider]

The upstairs restaurant at Maia has long been rumored to be in trouble and has finally closed. The downstairs remains open and in coming months a new space will be developed upstairs witha  new chef, cuisine and look including an outdoor bar.

We’ve heard this before. G Lounge is looking to purchase Denim as an after-hours joint. [Ice Pack, City Paper]