Trey Popp hits up Privé in Old City and finds a place that is breathing life into what has been a stale dining scene.

There’s admirable variety and ingenuity in Privé’s small plates, all of which are big enough to give a party of four several bites. It’s hard to bring something new to a neighborhood where nearly every food niche seems to have been filled, but the Lavdas cousins are showing that it’s still worth a solid try.

Fashionably Late [City Paper]
Privé [Official Site]

Privé, Old City’s Mediterranean spot might be new but they’ve got 5 full nights of Restaurant Week under the belt, they’re veterans now. They have lots of reservations avaialable, probably because they’ve only just become a OpenTable customer. Check out the new restaurant at a discount price and report back what you find.

Privé [OpenTable]

Privé has opened in Old City and Table Talk has some details. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Fudge and local dinners are coming to Grays Ferry Avenue. Betty’s Speakeasy is set for a mid-September opening near Grace Tavern. There will be dinners for 6-12 featuring local ingredients at night. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Barristers at 19th and Sansom has been bought by the Pat and Ken of Cavanaugh’s fame and will be christened Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse this September.

According to Icepack’s A. D. Amorosi, Izumi is set to open this week on East Passyunk. [Icepack, City Paper]

The Blue Comet, a Glenside institution has hit hard times. Like they lost their liquor license problems. But they’re still open as a BYOB for the  time being. Doesn’t sound like a long term solution for the rockabilly bar. Here’s hoping this unique spot survives. [Icepack, City Paper]

The Tiki Bob’s space will soon be occupied by Buckhead Saloon, a chain with locations in North Carolina and Pittsburgh. This is an upgrade, right? [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Privé opens today and Food and Drinq has the menus. [Food and Drinq]

Pita Pocket Falafel & Grille has been closed a few months now and will soon be re-born as Vegetarian Restaurant. [Living On The Vedge]

The fine folk behind La Lupe are opening a seafood BYOB, Fiesta Acapulco on 9th Street between Washington and Ellsworth. [Food and Drinq]

Home Slice opened Thursday on Liberties Walk and Mac & Cheese was there taking photos. [Mac & Cheese]

The Clog has some behind the scenes photos of Privé, the two-story Mediterranean restaurant set to open Monday in the former Bluezette space in Old City.

Also in the preview, some menu highlights including Beef Short Rib Stuffed Peppers, Orzo Pasta, San Marzano Tomato & Rosemary Jus and Sword on a Sword: Herbed Swordfish Skewers, Mediterranean Germolata.

Privé eyes, they’re watching you [The Clog]

Cooper’s Brick Oven Wine Bar, the wine bar by Jake’s owner Bruce Cooper is looking to open within a month in Manayunk. [Food and Drinq]

Ristorante Valentino at Pine and Juniper has taken on a new partner, Nicholas Maldonado who was the original GM at Bar Ferdinand. The place has been revamped and a liquor license is in their future. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Privé is just days away and Michael klein has a sneak preview of the lounge and menu. [Food and Drinq]

O’Neals Pub on 3rd has revamped their outdoor patio into a bit of a beer garden. There will even be a TV for sports in the great outdoors. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

The M-Room is adding dinner to its menu. Stuffed clams with chorizo, London Broil with sherry mushroom Espagnole sauce, Texas BBQ pulled pork Po-Bo and New York Strip are among the highlights of a menu that tops out at $15.95. [The Clog]

Twenty21 calls it quits after Friday night. What was going to be a renovation has become a closure as financing for the overhaul fell through. [Food and Drinq]

Elsewhere in the last call department tomorrow night is the last for Melograno at their 22nd and Spruce location. They’re moving to 2010 Sansom Street and Mémé is moving in to the Melograno space. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer] July 27th, not June 27th.

While we were drinking our faces off this weekend at various Beer Week events, Drew Lazor of the City Paper was burning the midnight oil. He has scoopage on new drinky lounge Apothecary, word on Bluezette’s replacement Prive and - lo! - news on the rebirth of Old City stalwart Sassafras.

Prices are going up and portions are going down in restaurants. Is it because chefs and restaurateurs just so damn generous?

The delightful Rick Nichols, in a pickle.

Michael Klein reports that the former Bluezette is going to become a contemporary Greek restaurant, Prive. And the Field House sports bar at the Reading Terminal is looking to open on December 18th.

Scoop [Food & Drinq]