Mediterranean small plates are what’s on the menu at Old City’s new Bocca. [Meal Ticket]

Gulph Mills’ Savona is closed for renovations. They’re aiming to reopen by Mother’s Day. [The Insider]

Michael Solomonov’s Zahav and Michael Schulson’s Izakaya were both named to Travel + Leisure magazine’s 50 Best New US Restaurants. [Travel + Leisure]

Johnny Brenda’s comes in at number two in Gourmet’s Eight Great Rock Venues with Great Food. [Gourmet via Phoodie]

Bon Appetit slots Marigold Kitchen in at number three in their list of Top 10 Brunch Spots. [Bon Appetit]

Yuengling (5th largest), Dogfish Head (33) and Victory (46) are all among the top 50 breweries in the US by sales volume in 2008. [Brewers Association]

Michael Schulson’s Izakaya at the Borgata gets a ringing endorsement from Craig LaBan.

With its casually stylish ambience and ambitious small-plate take on Japanese pub fare, this is a departure from traditional casino fine-dining. And, judging from the stunning parade of dishes, from the crispy nori-rice cracker topped with spicy tuna to the silky kabocha cheesecake, Izakaya is also a smashing debut for a familiar name we’re likely to be hearing more from.

Three Bells – Excellent

Izakaya [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Izakaya [Official Site]

Adam Erace visits Izakaya in the Borgata and finds Michael Schulson’s take on a Japanese pub to be a sure winner.

Izakaya [Philadelphia Weekly]
Izakaya [Official Site]

Dan Gross is back from vacation and offers us this nugget in his column today.

Izakaya chef Michael Schulson and star of Style Network’s “Pantry Raid” has his eyes set on Philadelphia.

[Schulson] told us he has a lease on a high-end Japanese restaurant near the Kimmel Center, but wouldn’t give a name or location.

Could it be the cursed location of the former Kaizan or could it be somewhere else?

Or, more precisely, can a restaurant jump the shark before it even opens?

We’re talking about izakayas here, people. An izakaya is the Japanese version of a gastropub supper pub, also known as a bar that serves snacky, alcohol-friendly food. A tavern, if you will. They were the hotness in New York a year or so back and we guessed it wouldn’t be long before they migrated down to Philly as so many food trends from NYC are wont to do (tapas craze, anyone?). And we guessed right!

First, there was Yakitori Boy, which turned out to be a dumbed-down sort-of-izakaya with middling food and a much more enticing karaoke bar. Then there was news that Michael Schulson, formerly of POD and Buddakan would be opening an izakaya called, well, Izakaya in the Borgata. Then Drew Lazor of City Paper reported that Owen Kamihira of Bar Ferdinand is also opening an izakaya in the Blatstein Vortex in NoLibs.

And then, this past Friday, Michael Klein revealed that the Stephen Starr octopus is plunging its mighty tentacles into the izakaya business with one planned for an undisclosed Rittenhouse location later this year.

All of which leads us to wonder: might the izakaya might be over before it began?

Joking! We’re looking forward to at least one of these places being worthwhile. We’re putting our money on Kamihira, but… the Restaurant Yenta in us can’t help but wonder where exactly Starr will lay down his newest Japanese-inspired gauntlet. We thought it would be amazing if Striped Bass were the spot–or the jinxed former Copa Miami location. If anyone can cleanse out the bad juju there, it’s the Dark Starr. Or perhaps that building on the corner of 20th and Sansom, just south of Tinto’s new expansion, which we’re calling the new restaurant nexus.

We thought all of these things, until a little Starrling peeped up that the likely locale would be The Lanesborough condominium building at 16th and Locust. That condo is an Allan Domb venture, as are the Barclay and the Parc Rittenhouse where Starr has (or will have) other restaurants. You do the restaurant and real estate math.

Our boy Blogalicious tells us that Izakaya will be the name of the new Michael Schulson restaurant in the Borgata.

Our girl Taste Daily brings us word of new sushi coming to the avenue. That would, of course, be Passyunk Avenue.

Food & Drinq, who is his own man, has scoop on Snackbar opening in the mornings (again).  Make sure to tip your barista, they’re paying him $5 an hour.