Usually we reserve our Tales of the Tape for restaurant openings but we felt that the Bloktoberfest scheduled for this Saturday could also benefit.

Who: Sponsored by the South of South Neighborhood Association

What: Block party with proceeds going towards restoration of the Shiloh Baptist Church.

When: Saturday, October 24th, noon to 8pm.

Where: Christian Street between 20th and 21st Streets.

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Grub Street is doing a Bartenders Bible feature where they interview one of Philadelphia’s finest bartenders each week. This week they sit down with Grace Tavern’s always entertaining Leo Eisenstein.

When Leo Eisenstein of Grace Tavern Is Behind the Bar, Your Secret Is His Secret [Grub Street]
Grace Tavern [Official Site]

Adam Erace visits the new Meritage and says the Asian inspired menu and booze-friendly bites are ready to step out of Pub & Kitchen’s shadow.

Meritage’s wine program has become more approachable and affordable, with 14 by the glass (all $8), fun flights and 50 bottles under $50.

So bring on the alcohol sponges, fair bartender! Fat, tempura-fried jalapenos, like addictive poppers filled with hoisin-kissed house-ground pork and cellophane noodles in a ginger-soy glaze. Tight, pan-fried Hudson Valley foie gras dumplings tossed in butter browned with Burgundy truffles, cilantro and scallion. Silky Lancaster chicken liver pâté crowned with black plums macerated in brandy and five spice. All $6 or less, all tasty.

Meritage [Philadelphia Weekly]
Meritage [Official Site]

Pub & Kitchen is kicking off its fall menu this evening. Back on the menu are the fish and chips with mushy peas and also the English onion soup.

Among the other highlights are the Welsh rarebit pub snack for $3, Strub Farm Wagyu meatloaf for $16 and the seasonal gnocchi dish now served with butternut squash, brussel sprouts, pork belly and brown butter for $11.

Full menu after the jump.

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Today The Bite skips the latest big opening and has a dalliance with the crepes at Cafe L’Aube.

Sweet Surprise at cafe [Metro Philadelphia]

Resurrection Ale House opens tomorrow at 5 at the corner of Grays Ferry and Catharine. Menu samples will be available with the still under wraps full menu starting Thursday at noon. The Ale House promises to be a beer bistro for the G-Ho/Center City South neighborhood.

The Owners

• Leigh Maida and Brendan Hartranft are opening their third establishment in under two years.
  • “Port Fishington’s” Memphis Taproom (#11 in the Foobooz Top 50 Bars)
  • West Philadelphia’s Local 44 (#31)
• Brendan is known to many as “Spanky” from Nodding Head where he was a long time bartender.

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Mark your calendar, Resurrection Ale House will be opening Wednesday, September 23 at 5pm.

The Grays Ferry Avenue beer bistro is brought to you by the folks behind the Memphis Taproom and Local 44 and promises to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Opening night will feature a sneak preview of the menu with the following day delivering the full menu.

See you there!

Resurrection Ale House [Official Site]

Pub & Kitchen turns one this Wednesday and the Center City South gastropub is celebrating with $2 drafts, $3 sangria and Cape May oysters for $1 each.

Also to be debuted will be a special “One Year Anniversary Pub & Kitchen Ale” from Yards Brewing which will be tapped at 9pm.

At 11pm cake and champagne will be served to all.

Pub & Kitchen [Official Site]

Restaurant Week isn’t without its casualties, namely the staffs of the restaurants who wind up overworked, often undertipped (remember you’re getting a $50 dinner for a reduced $35 tab, tip on the $50 value) and generally haggard.

Pub & Kitchen comes to the rescue with 2 weeks of latenight (11pm to 1am) specials including a heavily discounted “half” Windsor burger and a host of other options.

Check them all out after the jump.

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Over the past week or so details have been coming out on the soon to open Resurrection Ale House on Grays Ferry Avenue.

The menu by chef Joe Chmiko has interesting seasonal items like watermelon, cucumber and mixed basil salad, hoisin braised pork ribs and twice fried chicken with watermelon and salted honey.

The bottled beer list will contain a unique concentration of Belgian Lambics plus owner Brendan Hartranft’s finely picked selection of other Belgians and quizzically, Natty Bo .

The opening is tentatively set for the September 9th but as Hartranft told Michael Klein,  he’s got “a punch list as long as my arm.”

When they do open though they will have a keg of Brewers Arts Resurrection Ale which they picked up themselves from the Baltimore brewery.

Resurrection, a Philadelphia Ale House. Soon. [Jack Curtin]
Sneak Peek at Resurrection Ale House Menu [Grub Street]
Dinging Bites [The Insider]
Resurrection Ale House [Official Site]