Philly Mag’s Ashley Primis gets Stephen Starr to spill the beans on how Pizzeria Stella came to be. Including a story about Starr hiring someone to stand outside a pizzeria to find out where the tomatoes came from.

Stephen Starr’s Stella Secrets [Restaurant Club]

A.D. Amorosi sings a positive song for South Street despite the corridor’s recent loss of Ansill and Gayle. He says with the addition of Pizzeria Stella and the upcoming Percy Street Barbecue that South Street is looking at another Renaissance.

The story does hit on these interesting tidbits:

• Check out the big, bad fire engine red smokers that Percy Street is getting.
• Chef’s market rumors say the big space will be divided into a cafe and “tony” Asian restaurant.
• Joey’s Stonefire Pizza is rumored for the 500  block (Venuto’s?)
• A noodle house with liquor license is looking at 216-218 South Street (former  Club 218)

Rising Again [City Paper]

Craig LaBan is going to give Brauhaus Schmitz the bell treatment this Sunday. In yesterday’s online chat he had this to say about the schweinshaxe:

The schweinshaxe at Brauhaus Schmitz, to be reviewed this weekend,is something every pork lover should try. Slow-roasted rotisserie pig knuckles (shank, that is) are a porcine beauty to behold – tender meat, wrapped in a layer of downy fat, ringed by a cracker-crisp band of cracklin’ skin.

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Pizzeria Stella is set to open tomorrow at the corner of 2nd and Lombard. Stephen Starr’s pizza joint takes over the former Cosi location and promises 12 varieties of pizza plus a selection of antipasti, insalata and meats.

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The winner of the Brauhaus Schmitz Bratwurst speed eating contest finished in 3 minutes and 20 seconds. That’s a 1/2 meter bratwurst, scoop of potato salad, scoop of Sauerkraut, and .5L of Hausbrau.

BURP!

Daily Candy has its prayer to mighty Philly restaurant gods answered with the authentic West African tastes of Tastee D’s from Nigerian native Adedotun (Dot) Adepoju.

Dot got his culinary start in his mother’s kitchen, cooking traditional dishes for his family. Now he’s bringing recipes like jolof rice (cooked in an onion-, tomato-, and pepper-based sauce, and served with fried plantains and meat); moin moin (black-eyed peas in a pepper-based sauce with corned beef); and efo elegusi (cooked spinach with ground melon seed) to his small, bright orange resto.

Tastee Treat [Daily Candy]
Tasty D’s [Official Site]

What’s up at South Street’s Supper? Lots.

Grub Street reports that owner Mitch Prensky will be kicking off lunch in late September. Additionally Prensky moved his monthly Sunday Supper prix fixe family style dinner from August 2nd to this Sunday. He’s also offering the chance to go shopping with him at the Headhouse Square farmers market in the AM in preparation for that night’s dinner.

Happy hour is also going strong with half-priced appetizers and drinks, weeknights from 5 to 7pm. And although Supper isn’t quite in Center City, it will be participating in Center City District’s Restaurant Weeek with an impressive menu.

Soon, You’ll Be Able to Eat Lunch at Supper [Grub Street]
Supper [Official Site]

This Sunday, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is presenting a tour of Isaiah’ Zagar’s Magic Gardens and South Street Murals plus dinner at Supper. The hour long tour plus three-course dinner and drink costs just $40 and space is limited.

If you’re interested you must reserve tickets in advance. Call Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens at 215-733-0390 before 5pm today.

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens [Official Site]
Supper [Official Site]

Chick’s Cafe has a new head bartender, Phoebe Esmon and Monday they’re formally introducing her with a fun event.

The $45 event will feature five of Esmon’s hand-crafted cocktails paired with four courses of Mediterranean inspired food. Among the highlights:

• Plymouth gin, cucumber and green Chartreuse elixir paired with a market fresh Italian crudo
• Spicy rye whiskey, orange pekoe tea and muddled mint cooler paired with Spanish influenced barbecue plate

Chick’s Cafe [Official Site]

David Snyder finds enough to like at Aladeen Middle Eastern Restaurant on South Street that he’ll be back.

 The first is a traditional Moroccan bastilla. If a breakfast burrito had sex with a coffee cake, this would be their offspring. A mammoth pastry crust stuffed with eggs, chicken, crushed almonds and spices is baked, and then topped with mounds of powdered sugar and latticed with ground cinnamon. Though Aladeen lists it as an app, the pie’s sweet and savory interplay satisfies my lifelong quest for a compelling meat-based dessert.

 Genie in a Bottle [City Paper]