Craig LaBan puts Jake’s casual sibling, Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar through its paces

There are the pizzas, of course, which are excellent, their heat-blistered crusts (more crackery flatbread than stretchy pizza dough) laden with well-parsed toppings. The margherita was a fine version of the minimalist classic, its basil-tinged tomato brightness spotted with milky clouds of Claudio’s mozzarella. The “spicy meatball” dialed the zestiness up a notch, with a twinge of chile-flake heat beneath tender veal meatballs and creamy Mancuso ricotta.

Two Bells – Very Good

Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Jake’s Restaurant [Official Site]

Cactus Cantina in Manayunk has a bunch of new deals that are worth a look-see.

Sundays

• 1/2 price Sangria all day

Mondays

• $10 64oz margarita pitchers
• $3 Magic Hat #9
• $8.95Fajitas

Tuesdays

• $2 Tacos
• $5 Margaritas
• $3Hoegaarden

Wednesdays

• $12 select bottles of wine
• Entire wine list is 50% off

Cactus Cantina [Official Site]

Joe Sixpack profiles a good deal in Manayunk. Terrace Street Bistro has a three course meal for $31.50 on Thursdays which would be good enough but then throw in all you can drink home brew from Chef Josh Hunter and according to Mr. Sixpack, this guy can brew.

Manayunk BYO pours tasty sampling of chef Josh Hunter’s home brew [Philadelphia Daily News]

Jake’s in Manayunk is revamping their menu on the heels of owner Bruce Cooper’s opening of Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar next door. Phoodie.info has the details.

What Happens When The Younger, Prettier Restaurant Moves In Next Door [Phoodie.info]

Dine and shop in Manayunk on Thursdays and you can save money. Get 10% off at participating retailers with a lunch or dinner purchase and several restaurants are offering special $5 menu items.

Participating restaurants after the jump.

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Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar is opening in early August next to owner Bruce Cooper’s Jake’s in Manayunk. The 65-seat Cooper’s will feature seasonal pizzas, artisinal cheeses and small plates prepared in a brick oven. 30 wines by the glass and 24 craft and European beers will highlight the drinks list. Lunch and dinner will be served daily with breakfast added on the weekends.

Cooper’s arrival also means changes for Jake’s as the bar is being removed and more seating will be added in the front.

Menus after the jump.

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This might turn into a daily feature here at Foobooz. Luke Wilson was spotted drinking Blue Moons last night at Kildare’s in Manayunk. [Ed. Note: EEEEK! SQUEAL!] Blue Moons? Doesn’t Luke know Philadelphia is America’s Beer City?

Someone get this man to Monk’s.

Your restaurant yenta is back, pairing vacant spaces that yearn for occupancy with clever restaurants that do not yet exist. And all for free!

This space, formerly the headquarters of the United Way, is right down the street from Vetri, Valanni and Mercato on the cusp of the Midtown Gayborhood and it boasts a highly desirable indoor courtyard! A perfect match here would involve, perhaps, an upscale bier garten to replace Ludwig’s, like the one that commenter DKH told us back in January that he wants to open and keeps dropping hints in our inbox about, but won’t actually give us any solid information on because he doesn’t have a location? And apparently is pulling the same shenanigans over at Food & Drinq? Bad form, DKH! You’ve been a very naughty commenter…

Speaking of the Midtown Gayborhood, it looks like the 12th Air Command may be up for sale for $2.8 mil. Here’s an opportunity for a shrewd restaurateur to take flight! Did we mention it’s Bad Pun Friday here at foobooz? We’d like to see Starr in here. Yep, that’s right, Starr. He’s done everything else but a gay bar, so why not?

Perhaps something more hetero is more your cup of Sazerac? What could be more hetero than Manayunk? It appears that New Orleans-ish Bourbon Blue is on the market. This one is tough. We’re not sure what should be done with this cavernous space. How about turning it into an indoor market and cafe? It’s not like Manayunk needs another bar anyway.

Manayunk’s live music venue, the Grape Street Pub closed for good over the weekend.

Grape Street Pub on Main Street in Manayunk closed over the weekend, much to employees’ surprise. A new owner is poised to take over.

Back in September we hinted the spot was up for sale for $5 million.

Grape Street MySpace Bulletin after the jump.
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John Mims, the man behind the popular Carmine’s Creole Cafe is promising to come on down to Center City with a new Cajun-Creole spot, Les Bons Temps on 12th Street where TPDS once lived. [Food & Drinq]

Isaac McCrimmon is looking for a cool half million to get his Heroes concept off the ground. He wants to turn the old Engine 46 Steakhouse into a comic book themed restaurant with arcade gaming and Belgian beer. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Manayunk Tavern is the first of a slate of new Manayunk restaurants gearing to open up in the next few months. The tavern will aim to attract an older crowd than many of Main Street’s bars by plying customers with 24 microbrews and affordable comfort food. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Philly Chit Chat was at the 10 Arts presser and has photos to prove it, including a couple of shots of what Eric Ripert’s spot will look like when complete. [Philly Chit Chat]

There’s Friday brunch on the horizon at Las Bugambilias, Saturday and Sunday too. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]