We here at Foobooz have to be honest, we’re not the biggest fans of New Years. Events are often over-priced, under-served and most frustratingly, overrun by amateurs. Now New Years Day on the other hand…. When you’re out drinking with people on New Years Day, then you know you’re among professionals.

But that’s not to say won’t be going out. It’s just that we aren’t that big on the galas and such, but find a nice dinner out with friends, perhaps at a BYOB, that’s how we prefer to bring in the New Year. But we’ll be up and at it early New Years Day for some real debauchery.

Updated 12/24/06

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Michael Klein’s Inqlings column gives us this golden bit of gossip this morning. Adan Trinidad is out as executive chef at Water Works, just about five months after the restaurant opened. Ed Doherty, who consulted in the opening of the restaurant and was an executive chef at La Campagna in Cherry Hill is now in charge of the kitchen.

[Inqlings, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Philadelphia Magazine reviews the Water Works Restaurant and like everyone else is absolutely blown away by the atmosphere. And like pretty much everyone else Philly Mag thinks the service and food needs to catch up a bit.

The gentle splash of the waterfall, the sweep of trees along the riverbanks, and the spectacle of solo scullers gliding toward Boathouse Row under the setting sun may be the loveliest perspective anywhere within our city limits. This natural asset is the best feature of a restaurant that is still settling into its spectacular space, already drawing more than 400 eager customers for dinner on some evenings. The kitchen is on its way to rivaling the view; the waitstaff has some catching up to do.

Food: B-
Service: C
Atmosphere: A+

Water Works-in-Progress [Philadelphia Magazine]
Water Works Restaurant & Lounge [Official Site]

Craig LaBan heads to the “majestic” Water Works Restaurant and Lounge and finds distractions and an uneven kitchen.

The menu offers an appealing contemporary montage – part Greek, in deference to owner Michael Karloutsos’ roots; part Mexican, to reflect chef Adan Trinidad’s heritage. The young kitchen struggled, though, with the details necessary to realize its vivid ambitions.

One Star – Hit-or-miss

The Water Works Restaurant and Lounge [Philadelphia Inquirer]
The Water Works Restaurant and Lounge [Official Site]

Yesterday Philadelphia Weekly looked at Water Works and today it’s City Paper reviewing the restaurant on the banks of the Schuylkill.

City Paper finds a restaurant with a clientele a little bit older than what you might find in the rest of Philaldelphia’s dining scene but that doesn’t mean that the menu is old fashioned.

This is a place where lamb chops are dressed conservatively in a simple mint sauce, but the nightly special can be a grilled Thai snapper swimming (with its head and teeth intact) in kimchi and mojo, a South American citrus-based sauce. A lump crab cake appetizer comes, predictably, with a remoulade, but lobster is served with horchata foam � the kind of Mr. Wizard creation typically associated with the iconoclastic cuisine of Spain’s Ferran Adria.

Down by the River [City Paper]

Kirsten Henri has her cover blown as she takes in the sights and tastes of Water Works Restaurant.

For its hefty price tag, it should be excellent. It was merely good. And it should be more consistent.

Outed! [Philadelphia Weekly]
Water Works Restaurant [Official Site]

Lari Robling of the Daily News makes it past the lycra-clad bikers, shirtless joggers on Kelly Drive and down to the Schuylkill to try out the Water Works Restaurant.

Taking into consideration Waterworks is out of the gate a few short months, it has a promising start. With a little attention to detail in the kitchen and some time for the waitstaff to get some confidence, this could become a contender for Philly’s top dining.

Although lunch won’t set you back as much as dinner, I hope to see some weekday Happy Hour specials or a slow night easy-on-the-wallet dinner special so that everyone can enjoy this Philadelphia icon, not just ladies who lunch or tourists on an expense account.

Dining on the Schuylkill [Daily News]
Water Works Restaurant and Lounge [Official Site]

Cafe Sud at Passyunk and Catharine will be calling it quits this Sunday (Inqlings).

If you have the Fine Living Channel tune in this Saturday at 9 PM for Opening Soon, which chronicles the opening of Water Works Restaurant (Inqlings).

Copper Bistro has opened on 2nd Street in NoLibs. Entrees priced from $15.50 (quinoa risotto) to $23.50 (braised short ribs). It’s open Tuesdays through Sundays (Table Talk).

Umai Umai is set for a grand opening Sunday. This contemporary Asian BYOB is located in Fairmount at 533 N 22nd St (Table Talk).

Spoons Coffeehouse in Roxborough has added a full breakfast to its menu (Feeding Frenzy).

Today from 5-8 you can get FREE ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.

PhilaFoodie checks out Water Works Restaurant and Lounge and likes what he finds. As always the review is insightful and full of photographs.

PhilaFoodie also adds the great piece of information that the 80 or so mezzanine seats are first come, first served. Although not sheltered from the elements they seem like a good choice for more impulsive diners.

Water Works Restaurant and Lounge [Official Site]

Photo via PhilaFoodie and Flickr

Rick Nichols takes in the first night of the Water Works Restaurant and Lounge. The bar stools may not have arrived, the nine-foot water wall may not be installed, but the Water Works Restaurant was finally alive!
Vinilla butter poached lobster could be ordered, as well as grilled lollipop lamb chops. And watermelon sprinkled with feta. But it was the view that united the first night visitors.

You could witness the urban hurly-burly at a gentle, otherworldly remove – tractor-trailers negotiating the expressway, trains of tanker cars slipping across the horizon. This is as Olympian as it gets hereabouts, a place above it all to watch the sun going blood-orange and sinking, the machinery of the city softening in the dove-gray twilight, and outlining Boathouse Row, the stitching of lights sharpening in the dark.

Water Works Restaurant and Lounge [Official Site]