Noble American Cookery is looking to open in early 2009 on the booming 2000 block of Sansom (Capogiro, Melograno, Porcini, Tinto, Vic Sushi, Village Whiskey). The former Gioia Mia is the being run by the group of Bruno Pouget (Caribou Cafe), Todd Rodgers and Chef Steven Cameron (Blue in Long Beach Island, NJ). Expect New American fare such as orange-glazed grass-fed beef shortribs, Pocono Mountain trout and lobster souffle.

Ugly American’s opening chef, David Gilberg has moved on to Bar Ferdinand. Sous chef Merlot Pagnatti moves on up and will be keeping much of the menu intact. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Pascual Cancelliere, who partnered with his father at the Italian Market’s Butcher’s Cafe is aiming to open an Italian-Argentine BYOB in the market in February. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Described to Drew Lazor as a “Moroccan El Fuego” Argan Moroccan Cuisine has opened at 132 S 17th Street. [Meal Ticket]

J.C. Dobbs is looking to have their liquor license by November 22nd. [Icepack, City Paper]

Boutros’ Mediterranean Specialties has opened in the Bellevue food court. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

We’ve wondered what could be better than Naked Chocolate Cafe and always failed to come up with much but TWO Naked Chocolate Cafes would be better. There’s a second location headed to 18th Street between Market and Chestnut. [Food & Drinq]

Michael Klein has the lowdown on just what South Philly needed, another Italian BYOB, Da Vinci. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Dawson Street Pub is getting a facelift this summer. Expect a new bar, dining area and kitchen but goodbye pool table. [Beer Radar]

King of Tandoor opens today. Michael Klein has the photographic evidence that they’re going to hit the date. Check out the menu here. [Food & Drinq]

Not only is the return of J.C. Dobbs a reality, there’s an opening date, June 25th. [Icepack, City Paper]

Main Line institution Cooz’s Corner is taking over Main Line institution Wayne Beef & Ale. In our brief suburban life we lived around the corner from Wayne Beef & Ale, never went there enough. [Main Line Restaurant Guide]

Jayson Grossberg who was at the highly acclaimed Alphabet Soup in South Jersey is now in the kitchen of 707. [Food & Drinq]

Drew Lazor has some more details on The Waverly. The spot will have a liquor license and room for 90 diners, dwarfing chef/owner Michael O’Halloran’s Bistro 7. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Michael Klein has the lowdown on the new Field House at the Convention Center. It aims to be just a bar. A bar with 40 TVs including four 60″ plasmas. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Amid all the openings in Michael Klein’s recent 2008 Hot Restaurants post was this newsy item. David Katz of Restaurant M and for a split second, Silk City is looking to open a spot at 24th and Locust. May or June is the hoped for opening date. [Food & Drinq]

If Latin in Chestnut Hill, or just anything new in Chestnut Hill has you excited, rejoice that Miguel Castañeda says his ¡Cuba! will be open “no later than the very beginning of February.” [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

A replacement for J.C. Dobbs is in the works but don’t expect anything till September. In the meantime check out jcdobbs.net [Icepack, City Paper]

Maybe the name Jin House rings a bell. It was at 11th and Spruce before fire claimed it back in 2003. Well it’ll be back later this month next to More Than Just Ice Cream on Locust. [Food & Drinq]

Could J.C. Dobbs being making a comeback this April? That’s the scuttlebutt from A. D. Amorosi. [Icepack, City Paper]

Just how cool is Yakitori Boy going to be with its first floor dining room and bar and upstairs karaoke lounge and rooms? Besides being labeled “arguably the coolest thing in Chinatown” by Michael Klein it was recently mentioned by the oh so cool Gridskipper. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Drew Lazor has more on Irish Times, the 2nd and Bainbridge Irish bar that opened a couple of weeks ago. One of the most popular items on the menu has been the “‘Drunken Swine,’ Guinness-marinated pork tenderloin served with veggies and potatoes.” [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Progress was spotted at Pearl, the new spot at 19th and Chestnut from the Red Sky peeps. A couple truckloads of kitchen equipment were being unloaded on Tuesday morning.

The Beer Yard’s web site is cited in a Forbes.com article as being “a harbinger of relationships between sellers and independent, user-generated content, reviewing sites.” The Beer Yard in Forbes, that’s pretty cool. [Forbes.com]

Sarcone’s is looking to franchise. Immediate plans are to open stores in New Jersey, Delaware and upstate New York. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]