This week in Philadelphia Magazine’s Restaurant Club Newsletter.

• Sneak Peek at Our July Reviews: Noble and Table 31
• Help a Member Out: Dining Outdoors With Your Posse
• Great Chefs Dish: Bobby Flay in UCity, Rae to Open in October?
• Snap Squad Shot of the Week
• Win Tickets to the PAWS Chefs Dinner

Restaurant Club Newsletter [Philadelphia Magazine]

Table 31 is dropping out of the the steakhouse arms war and is going Italian. Rick Nichols has the reasons behind the change.

Steaks rarer at Table 31 [Philadelphia Inquirer]

 Table 31’s Plaza Café is set to reopen Wednesday, April 1. 

This season will bring a new bar area, Sunday brunch, additional seating, take-out service and a steel drum performance every Thursday. 

Among the new menu items are:

• Steak and Pasta Salad with filet mignon tips, grilled zucchini, asparagus, artichokes, mozzarella, sundried tomatoes and basil pesto tossed with torchetti pasta
• Three Cheese Spinach Pizza
• Breaded Chicken Cutlet Sandwich with broccoli rabe, sharp provolone, long hots on a soft baguette
• Shrimp and Avocado Sandwich with spicy jalapeno spread, lettuce, tomato on country bread
• Pulled Pork Sandwich with Table 31 house steak sauce, fontina cheese, caramelized onions on a toasted brioche bun

Sunday Brunch will begin April 5th and will be served from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Menu items include:

• House Made Granola
• House Made Sticky Buns
• Zucchini and Fontina Cheese Frittata
• Tuscan Style Scrambled Eggs with potatoes, onions, basil and mozzarella cheese
• The Plaza Egg Sandwich, with sautéed Genoa salami, robiola cheese, lettuce, tomato, spicy tomato relish, on grilled sourdough
• French Toast with berry compote and honeyed mascarpone cheese
• 10 oz. Ground Sirloin Burger, with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, on a sesame brioche bun
• “Cocktails and Eye Openers,” will feature champagne cocktails, mojitos, frozen drinks and other drinks infused with fresh fruit juices

Table 31 [Official Site]

It’s the Arianna Huffington edited version of The Bite. Take Philebrity’s advice and read about the  Restaurant Week worthy deals with a Greek accent.

Bargain eats a done deal [Metro Philadelphia]

South Philadelphia institution the Saloon is reaching out to younger neighborhood diners with a pretty good deal. On  weeknights at the bar you can  get oysters for $1 a pop, $5 house wine and a  16 oz prime porterhouse for just $20.95.

March is restaurant month in Chestnut Hill. There are several two-courses for $19.95 deals or grab two friends and get 3 Schmitters at McNally’s for under $20. More details on the Chestnut Hill Business Association web site.

We’ve gotten the details on Table 31’s $35 deal. Check out the menu after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Take advantage of Table 31’s Happy Nights and pick a bite from their $9 bar menu and of course enjoy a Lakefront IPA on tap.

The comments in our Happy Nights at Table 31 post sparked an interesting IM debate this morning at Foobooz World Headquarters.

Tonyjlive is disappointed that a high-end restaurant like Table 31 is offering Coors Light on draft. Henry replies, that’s what he enjoys and what’s wrong with that?

We’d like to hear what you think.

foobooz: Tonyjlive is sighing that Table 31 serves Coors Light on draft.

foobooz: Henry retorts that he likes to drink Coors Light at restaurant’s of Table 31’s caliber.

foobooz: My feeling is, if you want to offer such swill, offer it in a bottle. Your draft list, like your wine list defines your restaurant or bar.

kirsthenri: I think it says more about the restaurant’s clientele

kirsthenri: that is what comcasticans want to drink

kirsthenri: sad but true

kirsthenri: a good restaurant pleases its customers

Why settle for a happy hour when you can have all night?

That’s the offer at Table 31 where they are now offering a $9 bar menu and drink specials after 5pm, Monday through Saturday.

Chef Chris Scarduzio is offering pizzas, sliders, pastas and more for just $9 at the bar. Wash down the yummies with $7 margaritas martinis, $5 glasses of wine and $3 beers.

Full menu after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jose Garces isn’t slowing down even if the economy is. Philadelphia Business Journal catches up with him and finds out about his plans for a Las Vegas Amada, Chifa and Village Whiskey. [Philadelphia Business Journal]

Table 31 is joining Susanna Foo in offering a high end to-go menu. [The Illadelph]

Osteria has transformed its prep kitchen into a culinary school. There will be classes on pasta and pizza making, wine and cheese tastings, as well as events events like book signings, chef dinners and winemaker dinners for up to 14 people at the kitchen block table. [Osteria]

Temple University sweet lovers have a new option as Insomnia Cookies has opened a cookie truck on the North Philly campus. [Daily Pennsylvanian]

OpenTable is going public. The restaurant reservations site will be the first tech venture to go public in many months. [VentureBeat]

We’ve heard good reports about Table 31 for Restaurant Week and tonight there are tables for two available at 7:30 or 8:45.

Table 31 [OpenTable]
Restaurant Week Guide [f8b8z]