Monk’s Cafe is featuring six Allagash beers and 17 Allagash bottles today starting now. The kegs are all just 1/6barrels so they won’t last long. Lunch specials of lobster rolls and Maine steamer clams will also be available.

Monk’s Mad Monday with Allagash [Monk's Cafe via Brew Lounge]

It is post-Labor Day and that means brunch has returned to Meme. The $35 prix fixe menu is sticking around too giving you one more Restaurant Week alternative.

Yes, the commenters who figured Shola Olunloyo is aiming to open his StudioKitchen in NoLibs down the street from Kong were right. He’s aiming for a November opening. [Grub Street]

XIX named by MSN as a top 10 Penthouse Restaurant in the United States. [MSN]

Monk’s Cafe’s back bar is open again. [Liquid Diet]

ROOT liqueur gets a shout-out in October’s Vanity Fair. It’s the skewing young one with Jackie O on the cover.

City inspections are the only thing left for the second location of Flying Monkey before it is ready to open at 1112 Locust Street. [Restaurant Club]

Elevation Burger, the environmentally friendly burger chain that has opened locally in Wynnewood is planning  on opening on Walnut Street near Rittenhouse Square in 6 to 8 months. [Blogalicious]

Brick House Tavern + Tap has opened in Willow Grove. Self-described as a Man Cave the beer selection isn’t too shabby and includes Victory Hop Wallop on cask.

Recess Lounge did not open Saturday as the vague “plumbing issues” reared its ugly head. [Grub Street]

Monk’s Cafe has reopened after last week’s tragic accident in the apartments below. It’s just the front two rooms but at least it’s open.

Monk’s is Open [Jack Curtin's Liquid Diet]

Shortly before 3am on Sunday tragedy struck above Monk’s Cafe at 16th and Spruce. A steel rail gave way outside a 4th floor apartment sending two people to the alleyway below. The man was declared dead at the scene and the woman is listed in critical condition.

City inspectors have closed the building for code violations so Monk’s is closed at this time. Jack Curtin has more on Monk’s owner Tom Peters reaction. Peters believes the Belgian bar should reopen sometime Monday or Tuesday.

Update: Philadelphia Inquirer reports that it might take longer than a day or two for repairs to be made.

Tenants, bar staff, and the owner are scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. Friday to discuss the building’s problems, but Mulderig said he expects the necessary changes to the building to take at least two weeks.

One Dead, One Critical After Fall from Center City Balcony [Kyw 1060]
The Tom Peter’s Email [Liquid Diet]

With 600+ events you’re going to miss some events you wish you hadn’t. And almost as if  to rub it in, others go and blog about them. Here are a couple that made us jealous.

Meal Ticket’s Felicia D’Ambrosio was lucky enough to be at Monk’s Brett Pack dinner with four “rock stars” of the beer world; Adam Avery of Avery Brewing, Tom Arthur of Lost Abbey and Port Brewing, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head and Rob Tod of Allagash were all in attendance and so was their beer. [Meal Ticket]

Femme Fermental blogged about her beer dinner at Amada with Jose Garces and Brooklyn Brewery’s Garrett Oliver. [Femme Fermental]

Good or bad, we’ve really tried to ignore all these Top Whatever Lists but we admit to being intrigued over Rate Beer’s Top 50 Beer Bars list.

Philadelphia is represented by Norristown’s Capone’s at number 9 and Monk’s Cafe at 16.

Embarassingly, we’ve been to several of the Belgian listings and still haven’t made it to Capone’s.

Best Beer Bars 2009 [RateBeer] via Joe Sixpack
Capone’s [MySpace]
Monk’s Cafe [Official Site]

Esquire Magazine names Pat’s Steaks one of the best steaks in America joining a list of tonier spots like Peter Luger, The Palm and many others. [Esquire]

Imbibe Magazine names Tria, Eulogy, Monk’s Cafe and Standard Tap among the top 100 places in the US to have a beer. [Beer Yard]

Wine Spectator gives major shout-outs to two of our cheese shops, DiBruno Brothers and Chestnut Hill Cheeseshop both make the list. [Wine Spectator] via Phoodie.info

Today’s Bite highlights the brunch options at the South Philadelphia Taproom and is especially happy to see some different egg-free offerings. And if you notice in the picture above there are what appears to be Newbold Spuds on the plate. Almost but not quite. These chips weren’t directly from the fryer and no Taproom sauce. Still beat the heck out of regular chips though.

Also in today’s Metro, some late afternoon bargains and a tip that Monk’s Cafe offers beer to go.

Egg-free brunch? [Metro Philadelphia]

We’ve got odds and ends for you tonight at Monk’s Cafe. They’ve cleaned out the beer cellar and are selling all sorts of odd and delicious beers.

Recently stopped by Monk’s web site and noticed the site had been updated to include what is on tap and upcoming events.

On tap I recommend the Scaldis, one of the fine Belgian strong ales I sampled while visiting Belgium. In Europe the beer is called Bush, not to be confused with Busch and weighs in at a hefty 12% alcohol by volume. It’s quite delicious and packs a wallop.

Also mark your calendar for Allagash night on Tuesday, June 3rd where Monk’s will be serving 9 varieties from the Cooperstown Maine brewery. It’s a pay-as-you-go event at the back bar.

Monk’s Cafe [Official Site]