Craig LaBan doesn’t have much bad to say about his trips to Girasole, the glitzy Italian restaurant just steps from the Avenue of the Arts, except for maybe some gripes about the price. But there is a three-course prix-fixe menu for $35 available every night but Saturday that mutes that complaint.

The most memorable flavors at Girasole, however, had a genuinely more homey touch. Even the complimentary opening nibbles – one night some delicate fritters of mashed potato, another night a creamy, herb-flecked mound of house-made ricotta – taste like someone’s mamma made them.

The pastas, in particular, were splendid. Delicate ribbons of house-made tagliatelle came tossed with shavings of fresh baby artichokes and smoky speck. The bucatini Girasole – essentially an amatriciana – wore the zest of rendered pancetta and a flicker of chile pepper in its fresh tomato sauce. There was an authentic seafood risotto filled with shellfish flavor (though a second try wasn’t quite as creamy and fully cooked as the first). My favorite, though, was Girasole’s twist on passatelli.

Two Bells – Very Good

Girasole [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Girasole [Official Site]

This weekend Craig LaBan turns his critical eye towards Girasole, the reborn Italian restaurant at the foot of the Symphony House off Broad Street.

If we had a dollar for every time someone asked us where to get crudo in Philadelphia we’d be penniless. But that doesn’t mean the Mediterranean equivalent of ceviche isn’t worth seeking out. Positano Coast has been on the crudo tip for awhile now and Girasole offers a selection as well.

Among the offerings at Girasole:

• Branzino, Mediterranean sea bass marinated with extra virgin olive oil, meyer lemon and mild mustard
• Ricciola, Spencer Golf Hiramasa Kingfish, marinated with fresh blood orange served with tomato and avocado
• Tonno, Port Lincoln Blue fin tuna, lime zests with drops of aged balsamic reduction.

Girasole is also offering prix fixe options for lunch and dinner. The lunch is available weekdays from noon to 2;30 and dinner is available Sunday through Friday, 5pm to 6:30.

Dinner menu after the jump.

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This week in Philadelphia Magazine’s Restaurant Club Newsletter.

• Sneak peek at our June Reviews: Alphabet Soup and Girasole
• Super-thrifty summer drinking and eating deals
• Food for thought: When you shouldn’t order local
• Introducing the RC Snap Squad: Share pics of your restaurant meals

Restaurant Club Newsletter [Philadelphia Magazine]

David Snyder tries out the new incarnation of Girasole and finds excellent pasta but some price inconsistency.

Restaurants love to trumpet their hand-crafted pasta, but all too often housemade gnocchi are dense and leaden. Girasole’s gnocchi, on the other hand, is the best I’ve eaten in a long time — resting in a thoughtfully humble sauce of crushed plum tomatoes and stracchino cheese, each petite morsel had just enough heft to prove its worth before the bite melted away with the warmth of my palate.

Another pasta that caught my eye was the elusive passatelli. Traditionally, this thick, flourless pasta/dumpling hybrid — seen only in soups, and almost never in restaurants — is made with eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and bread crumbs, which give it a uniquely grainy texture. Angela Iovino adds a touch of flour to her version for consistency and serves it in a light sauce with sausage and porcini mushrooms for a wonderfully rare treat.

Mostly Sunny [City Paper]
Girasole [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]

Majolica’s death was short-lived. The Phoenixville BYOB is reopening on Wednesday, March 18th with a “more French bistro-y” menu and prices 40% less. [The Insider]

Girasole is set to open Wednesday. Meal Ticket has some photos of the Italian spot at Broad and Pine. [Meal Ticket]

USA Today has the Ugly Moose in the paper’s “Ten great places to raise a pint for St. Patrick.” [USA Today] via the Daily News

Wingstop, a national chicken wing train has its first Philadelphia location as Temple University and Indianapolis Colt standout, Raheem Brock has opened a store at 1600 N Broad Street. [Philadelphia Business Journal]

The slickly named Lovers and Madmen opened in West Philadelphia on Saturday. [Ultimo Coffee]

Ken Shin Asian Diner is looking to open by mid-April at the corner of 3rd and Spring Garden. [The Insider]

Derek Davis is better known for his high-end culinary aspirations but now he’s opened something much more for the masses, Pizza Rosso near Temple University Hospital. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Girasole, which had a 16-year run at 1305 Locust will open its doors at the base of Symphony House this Friday. [The Insider]

Jazmine brings Thai food to West Chester. [Daily Local News]

The long dormant Peace of Sole is set to be reborn Mango Bush, a Caribbean Restaurant off of South Street. [Meal Ticket]

Lunch service has begun at Union Trust. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Today we look at how some places planned for Center City West are coming along.

Jose Pistolas will be a California burrito spot and bar next to McGlinchey’s.

More after the jump.

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The under construction Symphony House at Broad and Pine Streets will be getting a restaurant for its Pine Street side. And you might just recognized the name as Girasole is coming back. After 14 years on Locust Street Girasole closed in 2004. But with completion of the Symphony House next fall Girasole will be back.

Fellowship of the (long-lost) ring [Inqlings]