It’s MojitoFEST. Yours truly will be a judge and the muddling will be fierce!

We are less than two weeks away from MojitoFEST 2009. The muddling extravaganza where bartenders compete to create the best mojito in Philadelphia.

Participants will include bartenders from Cuba Libre, G Lounge, Mixto, the Moshulu, Rum Bar and Valanni.

Last year was a blast, Foobooz editor Arthur Etchells was a judge and he will return again this year. This year the event will be held at G Lounge on Wednesday, June 17th at 7pm and tickets range from $35 to $75. Basic admission includes a select open bar and light hors d’oeuvres while the elite admission includes a fulll open bar, butlered tapas and VIP hour from 6 to 7pm.

There will be three events:

• “Fastest Muddle” – How fast a bartender can concoct 10 quality mojitos.
• “Mojito Mystery Bin” – Given secret ingredients, a bartender must make a creative and tasty drink.
• “Best In Show” – Main Event, each bartender’s signature mojito.

A qualifying event takes place on Monday, June 8th at Rum Bar.

MojitoFEST [Official Site]
Rum Bar [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]

A few months ago I was asked if I would like to judge the Mojito Olympics at the Rum Bar. I of course jumped at the chance and it didn’t dawn on me that it could be anything but a great time until Rum Bar owner Adam Kanter handed me a sizeable stack of judging forms. There were five contestants representing Chick’s Cafe, G Lounge, Pinocchio’s in Media, Rum Bar and Valanni. With three events that meant sampling 15 mojitos. My lunch of a soft pretzel seemed woefully inadequate at this point.

Continued after the jump.

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Some observations, some burblings…

Is Patou for sale? Sure looks like it from these pictures, which match their website pictures. We hear lots of Old City is on the market… perhaps because the more moneyed crowds have migrated their nocturnal activities to Rittenhouse? One Fourteen has been for sale for a long time, a tipster tells us that Red Sky is now as well.

So there’s an exodus of nightclubs, but we can’t imagine the residents of Old City are too happy about this. Any ideas of what it might be? We thought Pink Taco, but it’s too horrible to consider.

The ‘for rent’ sign that has been lingering forlornly in the window of the former location of Tre Scalini is down and there are signs of construction. Now we love this spot, despite its hideous Santa Fe-inspired facade. It faces the fountain on East Passyunk Ave. (even though it’s technically on 11th Street), it has great big windows and it’s just screaming to be revived as a restaurant. There are whisperings on the Avenue that it’s going to be a restaurant… an Italian restaurant, possibly called DaVinci’s. Because Passyunk Avenue desperately needs another Italian restaurant. There are also whisperings that a less Italian concept was slated for the space and the building owner wanted strictly Italian. We love this neighborhood, but sheesh!

We also hear that waning Rittenhouse nightclub Denim [insert your own joke about lame Philly nightclubs here] is soon to be the property of the owners of Rite Aid grotto G Lounge [insert second joke about lame Philly nightclubs here].

We couldn’t believe our wondering eyes a couple weeks ago when we were riding down Market Street. There was actually activity behind the facade of 2204 Liberty Bar. The facade has looked complete for years (unlike Vegas Lounge – what’s going on with that?) but it has sat vacant. Well now they’re open with 8 different beers on tap plus a full menu of typical bar fare from fresh roast beef to insanely hot wings.

High concept food carts? That seems to be the idea at Curbside Chef. Originally developed for corporate and special events five multimedia roach coaches are set to hit the city from Penn to Community College. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Tony Luke’s is looking to go national with a line of products including steaks, roast pork, broccoli rabe and rolls. The frozen products will be marketed through supermarkets, home-shopping TV and an online shop. [Inqlings, Philadelphia Inquirer]

A.D. Amorosi has heard rumors that G Lounge is looking to get its hands on an after-hours license. [Icepack, City Paper]

Bruce Kim of Sushikazu in Blue Bell has moved on to the new Misso in Center City. For something different he plans to add touch screen ordering. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Details continue to emerge regarding the Union Gourmet Market & Cafe at the Western Union Building. There will be a concentration on lunch and ready-to-eat meals plus seating for 50 and free wifi. Aroundphilly.com refers to the concept as “Dean & Deluca-ish.” [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

A.D. has another rumor of note in today’s Icepack, this one saying Anthony Bonett may be “leaving his co-owning/cooking spot at Oceanaire.” [Icepack, City Paper]

The oh so opulent G Lounge opened last night with an invite only affair. It’s a stunning space that feels like it belongs off the gambling floor of a Vegas casino and not under a Rite Aid. But it’s here in Philadelphia and opens to the public tonight.

Drinks range from $6 Victory Lagers to $500 a table VIP areas and an even more exclusive Mogul Room that we won’t be getting into anytime soon. The food is of the snacking variety and is provided by Davio’s upstairs.

The G LOUNGE OPENING PHILADELPHIA – VIP PARTY [Philly Chit Chat]
G Lounge [Official Site]

Cafe Estelle is open at the 444 Lofts. The 45-seat cafe focuses on breakfast and lunch but will soon be adding brunch. The breads, muffins and sausages are all made on the premises. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Al Paris’ Pat Bombino’s is looking to open next Wednesday. G, the lounge under Davio’s has penciled in November 29th as its opening date. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

The mega-Maia restaurant opening set for the end of this year is looking more like February ‘08. Melissa Monosoff, former sommelier at the Fountain, Striped Bass and Avenue B is the beverage director. [Icepack, City Paper]

The folk behind Gypsy Saloon and Stella Blue are getting in the pizza business with Bella Luna Pizza Kitchen in West Conshohocken. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

The DiBruno Brothers web site has a rendering of their Comcast Center location. There’ll be a paninis, salads, prepared foods, a European-style coffee bar and of course cheese. [DiBruno Brothers]

Eric Ripert of New York’s Le Bernardin is opening his Washington restaurant, Westend Bistro tonight. He plans on opening a Philadelphia restaurant at the Ritz Carlton in 2008. Check the menu (pdf) for a taste of what may be coming. [Westend Bistro]

Depending on who you believe Vango has an opening day set. Icepack reports it being Saturday, November 10th. However an ad on page 64 of City Paper lists the date as this Saturday. Vango soft-opens Saturday with an official opening set for November 10th. Michael Fee who has experience at Nobu is the chef. [Icepack, City Paper]

G, downstairs from Davio’s sounds pretty cool. And big. This 10,000 sqft lounge is set to debut November 29th, it’ll have Philadelphia first like “movable wall panels and ‘electronic wallpaper,’ projection technology that can change the mood of the lounge in a few clicks.” [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Le Virtù is just about set to open at 1927 E. Passyunk Ave. Shockingly this isn’t a BYOB. But it is Italian. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Just married couple Scott and Erin Wallace who own Manayunk’s Old Eagle Tavern are transforming the former Felicia’s at 11th and Ellsworth into the Devil’s Den, a beer bar with 28 taps by the end of the year. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Butcher’s Cafe which long lived in the shadow of Sabrina’s has closed. Todd Bergman has moved on to New Wave Cafe where chef Ben McNamara has headed North to St. Stephens Green. [Food and Drinq]

You have until noon today to get tickets to Taste of Philly for just $15.

Drew Lazor and Michael Klein havedetails on Las Bugambilias which has been open about three weeks now on South Street. Klein even has a phonetic pronunciation (”boo-gam-BEE-lee-as”), we still can’t say it. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper] [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Supper has set this Friday as their official opening night. [Icepack, City Paper]

13th Street between Chestnut and Walnut is certainly a happening stretch. And in the spring the street will add Apothecary Bar & Lounge by the original owner of Caribou Cafe. [Food & Drinq, Philly.com]

Look for G to open below Davio’s in late November. Until it opens stare at their under construction web site, thebestlounge.com. Seriously? [Icepack, City Paper]

Maybe the drama at Silk City will die down as Mark Bee has hired Matt Ball to be the chef. Ball has experience at Deuce in Northern Liberties and the Aspen in Fairmount. [Food & Drinq, Philly.com]

Looks like Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant is going to take over for Silk on the drama front. Saturday, Dock Street let go of its brewer, Julius Hummer, after less than two months on the job! Scott Morrison who opened Dock Street on 50th Street is back on an interim basis. [JackCurtin.com]