Trey Popp visits Paul, the Pine Street BYOB from sisters Effie Bouikidis-Schweich and Christina Jimenez. The restaurant is named for their late father, Paul Bouikidis. Popp finds that the cooking of chef Joshua Noh would make the daughters’ father proud.

There’s a lot to like about Noh’s cooking, in particular his willingness to impart some chili heat to dishes where you might not expect it. The biggest surprise was a perfectly cooked entrée of seared skate. The fish got a speckling of fennel seeds to go with the standard browned-butter-and-caper treatment, but the revelation was in the flanking potato hash. Noh touched it with just enough habanero “to open up the tastebuds,” as he told me later on the phone. It was like a master class in walking the line between assertion and nuance with capsaicin. Within a European-American menu, I can’t think of anyone who does it better.

And don’t forget there’s a three-course tasting for $20 on Tuesdays, $30 Wednesday through Sunday.

Father’s Day [City Paper]
Paul [Official Site]

On Tuesdays, Paul, the neighborhood BYOB between 11th and 12th on Pine is offering a neighborhood appreciation day with their 3-course tasting menu being just $20.

A three course meal features soup, salad or crepe to start plus a main course that last week offered a smoked pork chop, tagliatelle, waluu or chicken breast and of course dessert to finish.

Wow, Tuesdays at the Paul BYOB sound pretty good! [twitpic via bhiladelphia]
Paul [Official Site]

Paul opens this evening opposite Effie’s on Pine Street. Among the menu items, crab spring rolls, wild Atlantic halibut and bouillabaisse. [The Insider]

When the Penthouse Club opens August 7th, chef Bill Elmer will be cooking up more than just steaks. [Meal Ticket]

City Tavern’s Walter Staib is at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello this week filming his new TV series, A Taste of History. [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Slate is now doing lunch, brunch and happy hour. Meal Ticket has the deets. [Meal Ticket]

Horizons chef Rich Landau has been selected to cook at the James Beard House. It will be the first vegan restaurant to be so honored. [The Insider]

Coo’s Sports Bar & Lounge is the name of the bar coming to the 800 block of North Broad Street. Not much else is known but the coming soon banner sports a Coors Light logo, so probably not going to have Chimay on draft.

Jim’s Soft Pretzels, a mini-chain in town is coming to South Street. [Meal Ticket]

JD McGillicuddy’s is going into the former Freehouse location in Wayne. Expect an August 1st opening. [The Insider]

Just a degree of John Mims separation away, Carmine’s in Bryn Mawr has closed and will return as Verdad, a Spanish tapas restaurant. [The Insider]

The Saxby’s at the base of the Comcast Center has closed. For now the coffee shop is serving as a promotional display for Table 31.

The Cresheim Cottage Cafe will have life breathed back into it when it becomes Avenida, a Neighborhood friendly Latin opening this fall. [The Insider]

Brauhaus Schmitz went through just about 100 kegs in their first two weeks. [Brauhaus Schmitz]

There is already a Vietnam Cafe in West Philly but work is underway for a much bigger version (250 seats) next door at the former Abbraccio location. [The Insider]

What’s brewing at Brew? Maybe beer, starting today. Update: Not happening today. Snags according to Grub Street. [kitchenplay]

Guillermo Tellez will be the chef at the Square 1682 in the Palomar Hotel. [The Insider]

Le Meridien Philadelphia, the Starwood Hotel opening at 1421 Arch Street in September will have a restaurant, Amuse serving French Bistro classics. [The Insider]

Yo! More froyo is coming. Sprinkles Yogurt is aiming for an August opening at 36th and Chestnut. [Meal Ticket]

Effie Bouikidis of Effie’s will be opening Paul next week. Named in honor of her father, The BYOB is in a former antique shop on Pine Street. [The Insider]

The Gold Standard Cafe is celebrating their official grand opening this weekend. [Phoodie]

Seasons 52 is bringing its “fresh grill” concept to the King of Prussia Mall in spring 2010.

Landmark American, a sports bar targeting college locations is coming to Drexel’s new Recreation Center at 3333 Market Street. [The Insider]

The Institute is finally opening their kitchen. It will ready for customers on Friday, July 24th and the menu will be inspired by Puerto Rican cuisine.

Banh mi in G-ho? It’s true at May’s Gourmet Cafe & Deli . [Meal Ticket]

The shelves of Brew should be stacked with beer in time for SPTR’s Wheat Beer Festival on Saturday, June 27th. [Meal Ticket]

P.Y.T. is aiming for a July 1st opening. Phoodie has the menu and some interesting art work that will adorn the place. [Phoodie.info]

Philadelphia Weekly’s Adam Erace and his brother Andrew are opening Green Aisle Grocery, a grocery store on East Passyunk Avenue this fall. Expect locally grown items from favored farmers and other good stuff.

American BYOB, Paul is about a month out. It will be opposite Effie Boukidis’ self-named restaurant, Effie’s. [Meal Ticket]

The Wine Thief had its soft opening last night. The Mt. Airy bistro has some tasty sounding menu items. [The Insider]

New menu items are on the menu at the Continental Midtown. [Meal Ticket]

Tonic on Main is gone after 5-years. Wow, 5-years. It is being replaced by Yunkers Pub & Lounge. [The Insider]

Doghouse Gourmet Burgers has opened in Downingtown next to the still new Firecreek. [Main Line Restaurant Guide]

The Inquirer reports Girasole has opened at the Symphony House on Broad Street. Chef Angela Iovino has an all-female line and an Italian menu of pastas, sefood and carpaccio. Thrillist has a copy of the menu plus a couple photos of the interior, no surprise there are sunflowers. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer / Thrillist]

The Iron Hill Brewery under construction in Maple Shade is now looking for a July 2009 opening. Chris LaPierre, currently at the West Chester location of Iron Hill will be the head brewer in New Jersey.

Main Line Today has photos of Firecreek Restaurant & Bar in Downingtown’s soft opening. The spot is amid four days of “friends and family” trial runs and should be open to the public next week. [Main Line Today]

Effie Bouikidis of Effie’s will open a new BYOB across the street from her Greek restaurant. The spot will be named Paul in honor of her father and will serve up  contemporary American sometime this summer. [Insider]

The upstairs restaurant at Maia has long been rumored to be in trouble and has finally closed. The downstairs remains open and in coming months a new space will be developed upstairs witha  new chef, cuisine and look including an outdoor bar.

We’ve heard this before. G Lounge is looking to purchase Denim as an after-hours joint. [Ice Pack, City Paper]