Interesting, Table 31 has plenty of reservations available tonight on OpenTable. We might call first to make sure you can get the Restaurant Week menu and heck, what’s on it.

For more Restaurant Week tips check out our Restaurant Week Guide.

Table 31 [OpenTable]

Craig LaBan hits the base of the Comcast Center and visits Table 31, the high-end steakhouse by Chris Scarduzio and Georges Perrier.

Well, it isn’t cheap. All but a couple of the prime steaks cost in the high $30s or well beyond (which is why most restaurants avoid the pricier prime grade). But the quality is high. And it’s also true that this multilevel restaurant with 200-plus seats aspires to be more versatile than a standard-issue steak house. The menu offers some intriguing bistro fare, well-cooked seafood, homemade pasta twirled around fistfuls of crab, and lunchtime sirloin burgers topped with mops of juicy short-rib meat.

Three Bells – Excellent

Table 31 [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Table 31 [Official Site]

Adam Erace visits Table 31 and finds a restaurant with a bit of a split personality and a price tag that’s “Comcastically expensive.” Adam also visits the outdoor Plaza Cafe for a more casual and less expensive taste.

Table 31 toes a dangerous high-wire act between international bistro and American steak house. Think Peking duck, cavatelli, Nicoise salad, short ribs, gazpacho and 10 expensive steaks, classified into a butcher shop-style chart, cross-referenced by beef type, size and price. Paging Dr. Favre! Table 31 can’t make up its mind, and the decidophobia is contagious.

Table 31 [Philadelphia Weekly]
Table 31 [Official Site]

Rick Nichols may not be happy with the lobster roll at Table 31 but he has some nice words for dessert.

But tradition is tweaked with happier result in the dessert trio of mini-ice cream cones – crisp, rolled, house-made tuile cookies redolent of crushed almond or raspberry. Daily ice creams include an intense burnt-sugar caramel you can dip in a side of hot chocolate sauce. Or try coconut sorbet. Luscious! Or the watermelon, a stunningly refreshing riff on the original.

Good Taste – The cone brothers [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Table 31

Forgive us for sounding a little bit like Crazy Eddie here, but starting today, it’s pure restaurant opening madness! Madness we tell you! You can always check our regularly updated Openings feature, but we’ve highlighted the following few days of anticipated openings for you after the jump…

Read the rest of this entry »

Today The Bite takes a look at a few of the higher end restaurants looking to open this May in Philadelphia and also highlights the new dessert lounge menu at Bonte.
May Means New Dining Options [Metro Philadelphia]

Expect the Cyprus inspired Kanella to open any day at 10th and Spruce. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Further news with a Mediterranean flavor comes from 2nd Street where Café Fulya will be opening as a Turkish pastry shop in early May. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Mélange Café is opening a second location in Haddonfield on Wednesday, April 30th. Expect Louisiana and southern-inspired selections plus a weekend New Orleans Jazz Brunch and tapas on the patio.

Table 31 is set for a May 18th opening. The concept is “steakhouse bistro” with “either traditional steakhouse portions or smaller ‘bistro’ portions.” [Philadelphia Business Journal]

Michael Klein has a bunch of opening dates for spots hoping to open in the next few weeks. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Dave Magrogan’s restaurant empire is expanding to the first state where he’s opening a Kildare’s in Newark and his second Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. [Delaware Online]

And it’s looking like Philadelphia is a Capogiro town as Café Gelato at 6th and Chestnut has closed its doors.

Georges Perrier is making a “sad” announcement tonight during the 6ABC (WPVI) 11 pm news. What do you think he’ll be doing?
[Poll=28]
What is Georges Perrier looking at? [The Clog]

The Illadelph has a first look and name for The Georges Perrier, Chris Scarduzio restaurant set for the Comcast Center. The name is Table 31, which may seem a quizzical name till you realize that’s considered the best table at Brasserie Perrier. Table 31 will be a monster of a restaurant. More than 15,000 square feet over 3 floors. [The Illadelph]

A.D. Amorosi’s Icepack reports that the Dive is rumored to be closed or closing. This is in contrast to a recent Dive My Space bulletin says that not only are they open but they’ve got their smoking waiver. [Icepack, City Paper]

Rumor has it Copa Too won’t sit empty too long as Fergie’s ex-manager Jo Gunn is looking to open Jose Pistolas, a “beer bar with Mexican flavor.” [Icepack, City Paper]

A couple of new Italian restaurants have landed. Franco’s Trattoria has taken the spot once held by Verge off of Kelly Drive in East Falls. And 23rd and Walnut has a new Italian BYO Salento where Fellini’s Cafe. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]