Philadelphia Magazine is reporting that Jose Garces will be taking over Letto Deli (yes, the location once reportedly going to Stephen Starr) and will be turning it into a beer and brats spot.

We love the idea of make your own brat combos with choice of sausage, bun, toppings, sauces and mustards. Not to mention there’s something very cool about that slanted-roof building. Just do us one favor Jose, make it affordable.

Breaking: Joes’s Newest Project [Restaurant Club]

The local food scene has been quite atwitter over cupcakes recently and now a tipster gives us the heads up that the former Blue in Green at 12th and Chestnut is going to be reborn as a cupcake store.

Add the soon to open Flying Monkey on Locust and Naked Chocolate at 13th and Juniper and you’ve got quite the cupcake crawl.

Zavino (previously known as ‘Za Vino) has a web site and some other news. Pizza will be somewhere between Neapolitan and Sicilian. The opening is set for October. Michael Klein has some more on the menu. [The Insider]

Stephen Starr’s pizza place at 2nd and Lombard has a name. it’ll be Stella Pizza. Stella is Italian for star. [The Insider]

Michael Schulson’s Sampan is aiming for a November opening. Michael Klein has a couple renderings and a surprise. Since he spoiled Top Chef for DVR-ers earlier, we’ll spill his Sampan secret. There’s an outdoor area that will be developed as outdoor dining.

First peek at Michael Schulson’s Sampan [The Insider]

Foobooz isn’t just a blog, it’s also a calendar of events. Mark your calendar with these fun things that are coming up.

Tonight, the P.O.P.E. is hosting a New Holland Brewing night. Four New Holland beers including the tasty and devastating Dragon’s Milk.

Fork is hosting an Allagash Beer Dinner on Thursday, August 13th. $55 includes beer and dinner.

On Thursday, August 20th the Sidecar Bar & Grille hosts a funky reggae party sans Red Stripe but with plenty of Blue Point brews.

Also at Fork, owner Ellen Yin is hosting an Edible World excursion around Washington Avenue in South Philly on September 10th.

Don’t mess up and accept that invitation for the wedding you think is a total sham on October 3rd. You’d much rather send regrets and head out to the Midtown Village Fall Festival.

You can subscribe to the Foobooz calendar in any number of ways:

• Google Calendar
• RSS
• iCal

Midtown Village is kicking off a special Wednesday night promotion where retailers, restaurants, bars and galleries are offering special discounts and will be stay open late.

Check out some of the food related deals after the jump.

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Yesterday we linked Michael Schulson’s name to a Midtown Village liquor license figuring details would quickly emerge. And sure details have materialized. The Asian small-plates restaurant will be called Sampan and will be influenced from the chef’s travels in Japan, China and elsewhere in Asia. Meal Ticket was able to score an interview with the hunky Izakaya chef.

After experiencing success with Izakaya in the Borgata, Schulson had plans to do a 200-seat modern Asian restaurant in Philly about a year and a half back. The faltering economy, however, gave him pause. “I [didn't] want to do a huge restaurant that [was] going to cost $4, $5 or $6 million,” says Schulson. “I wanted to come back to Philly to do food in a cool, intimate setting, with something affordable for everybody. That’s what’s important in this economy.”

Michael Schulson breaks silence on new restaurant, television deal [Meal Ticket]
Michael Schulson [Official Site]

Last June it was reported that Izakaya owner Michael Schulson was looking for a Center City restaurant. Nary a peep has been heard since, in fact we buried the story on our Openings Graveyard as just one more victim of the economy. But investigation into a liquor license posted at 122-124 S 13th Street, the former Genes Baby Boutique, has revealed that Michael J Schulson is listed as one of the officers.

Will the restaurant be the same high-end Japanese concept Schulson told Dan Gross about over a year ago or will the idea have morphed as the economy has tanked? Regardless, on the heels of Ansill closing it is heartening to see the former executive chef at Pod and Buddakan Morimoto New York seemingly on the verge of returning to Philadelphia.

Update: Michael Klein fills in the details, the name is Sampan and the concept is modern Asian.

Capogiro’s 13th Street location has been closed for a couple weeks since their gelato case caught on fire. A sad-sad turn of events for Honey Chamomile gelato fans everywhere. But low and behold, it looks like tomorrow could be the triumphant reopening.

Fingers crossed.

Capogiro [Official Site]

We here at the Foobooz World Headquarters think “succulent” is a great word. So we were excited to see the following subject line in our inbox this morning, “New Succulents at Verde Philadelphia.” We eagerly clicked with thoughts of chocolate delights dancing through our heads. So we were dissapointed that the succulents being discussed were plants not some food based juiciness.

But a quick spin of the mouse wheel and our spirits were buoyed by the following paragraph:

NEW from Marcie Blaine Artisinal Chocolates!

Fresh strawberry’s from Lancaster County are the inspiration for the newest addition to Marcie Blaine Artisinal Chocolates. White chocolate ganache enrobed in 64% dark chocolate completes this mouth watering combination that is a must try.

Succulent.

Verde Philadelphia [Official Site]