Rick’s Steaks will be opening today at the food court in the Bellevue. It’s been just about 8 months since he was forced to leave the Reading Terminal Market.

It’s Open [Inside the Bellevue]
Rick’s Steaks [Official Site]

The ongoing saga of Rick’s Steaks continues. The Bellevue location was set for a Monday but the inspector was sick. So the L&I inspection was put off till today. That means if all goes well Rick’s will be open for business Monday.

The official grand opening will be Thursday, June 25th and such luminaries as Al Roker and Ed Rendell are scheduled to appear.

Inside the Bellevue [Official Site]

Dealing with Philadelphia government must just be maddening. Rick’s Steaks will not be opening tomorrow because the Licenses and Inspections inspector is out sick today.

Steakwatch Monday [Inside the Bellevue]

Rick’s Steaks is aiming for a June 9th soft opening in the Bellevue, the Whiz has already arrived.

In other Bellevue news, Dave Schultz and Bob Wilkie host a live Internet hockey radio show from the XIX bar at 1pm on every Tuesday.

Demetris is a handsome Mediterranean spot at 45th and Chestnut that is open for breakfast daily. [The Insider]

The permanent Stephen Starr burger stand is aiming to open on July 4th inside Franklin Square. There’s still no name. [Philly Chit Chat]

Stephen Starr’s and investor Allan Domb were spotted on a train to Washington. Could a Parc DC be far behind? [Philly Gossip]

Iron Hill Maple Shade is still on track for a July opening. If all goes well brewing could start around June 12th. [The Brew Lounge]

943 is an Italian-Argentine BYO in the Italian Market that’s several weeks out. [The Insider]

Merl’s which was had a nice review in City Paper back in April has closed. [Kitchenplay]

The Bite takes a look at some openings that are less than a month out including a new spot for Rick’s Steaks.

Taking a bite out of new openings [Metro Philadelphia]

the Insider reports that Rick’s Steaks has signed the lease, work is underway and steak slinging to commence in 6 to 8 weeks.

Rick’s Steaks lives [The Insider]

Rick Oliveri is close to signing a new deal at the Bellevue food court. The new Rick’s Steaks would take over the La Cucina spot and could be open by late March. [Metro Philadelphia]

Camac has opened replacing, most notably, Girasole at 1305 Locust Street. Expect items like brick-oven pizza and lobster mac-n-cheese. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Two new Mexicans for 9th Street. Ernesto Atrisco, who owns a nearby grocery has opened El Costeño, a liquor licensed spot at 940 S 9th.  Gabriel Bravo of La Lupe has added a seafood restaurant, Fiesta Acapulco just south of Washington. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inqurier]

The wandering tribe of Rick’s Steaks may have a new home in the food court at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue on Broad Street. Owner, Rick Olivieri is meeting today with officials from the hotel building.

Olivieri has turned down offers from other locations including at Broad and Arch.

Rick’s may find new home in Center City [Metro Philadelphia]

Rick’s, the cheesesteak stall in Reading Terminal Market that was at the center of an ugly, embarrassing and very public tenancy battle with market management – a battle which ended up in court and which owner Rick Olivieri ended up losing – now stands empty. 

There was talk – which turned out to be just that – that Tony Luke’s, another local cheesesteak slinger – would be muscling into the location once Rick’s got the boot. Since then, though, not a peep on a potential tenant. Well, until now. Just who is in negotiations for the space? Read on after the jump.

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Craig LaBan updates us on John Bucci’s battle with cancer. John is of course the John of John’s Roast Pork. And in Craig’s online chat yesterday he hits on the dirty secret about Rick’s Steaks, the steaks aren’t very good.

Update on cheesesteak guru’s cancer fight [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Restaurant Chat: It was time for Rick’s Original Philly Steaks to go [Philly.com]