We’re not surprised that Living on the Vedge was right there on opening day to take a look at the meat-free Sweetie’s Pie Diner. [Living on the Vedge]

Chicken-Fried Caviar checks out the Pub at the new Wegmans in Collegeville. [Chicken-Fried Caviar]

Kong doesn’t fare so well as the Daily News’ Lari Roiling takes a bite. [Philadelphia Daily News]

The Hong Kong street inspired restaurant doesn’t do any better with the women of the I’ll Eat You Supper Club. [I'll Eat You]

Wegmans opened a new supermarket in Collegeville Sunday and it’s big and it has beer.

• 132,000 square foot store
• 600 employees
• Full service restaurant named the Pub
  • Seating for 300
  • Modeled after traditional Irish pub
  • Yards and Victory on tap
  • No tipping
  • Working fireplace
  • Food Menu (PDF)
  • Drink Menu (PDF)
• Beer section
  • Single beers and six packs available for purchase
  • Separate check out
  • Sly Fox Black Raspberry Reserve $9.99
• 700 types of fruit and vegetables
• 400 cheeses

Wegmans Collegeville
600 Commerce Dr, Collegeville, PA
484-902-1560

Wegmans Opens New Store in Pennsylvania [WHAM]
Sly Fox @ Wegmans [Beer Lass]
Collegeville Wegmans opening just grand [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Wegmans Opens New Collegeville Store With Full Service Restaurant and Bar Inside [The Illadelph]

Honest Tom’s Taco Shop is getting good early buzz at 33rd and Arch. [Feeding Frenzy, City Paper]

Meal Ticket has Pete Miller’s new menu for the P.O.P.E., plenty of vegan and vegetarian fare as well as beer inspired dishes. [Meal Ticket]

Wandering Billy Wong has made it to Warminster where he’s opened a BYOB, Billy Wong’s. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Also in today’s Table Talk, the latest projected opening dates for a bunch of spring projects. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Burn! Old Orignal Bookbinder’s owner John Taxin has spent $16,000 for four Phillies tickets this year despite money troubles at his landmark restaurant. [Philadelphia Daily News]

Wegman’s Downingtown begins serving beer today. There’ll be 500 brands available. [The Brew Lounge]

We’re not sure if this is the first time we’ve seen Modo Mio chef Peter McAndrews in a national magazine but we’re sure it won’t be the last. McAndrews’ red bliss potato salad gets Esquire’s attention in its May ‘09 issue. [Meal Ticket]

Stephen Starr places two restaurants on Restaurants & Institutions 2009 top 100 grossing independent restaurants list. New York’s Buddakan is number 7 and Morimoto NY ranks 53rd. The Jersey shore places The Lobster House and Carmine’s on the list as well. No Philadelphia restaurant cracked the list. [R&I]

Alma de Cuba’s Douglas Rodriguez will compete on the Food Network’s Top Chef Masters a spinoff of the hugely popular Top Chef. This version will have actual chefs compete and prize money will be donated to charity.

Wegman’s has been named top supermarket in the US according to Consumer Reports. [Philadelphia Business Journal]

Morimoto was ranked in Playboy’s recent list of America’s 10 Best Sushi Spots. [Playboy] via MenuPages

If you were hanging on the edge of your seat wondering what would happen to Angiebrown and Samantha Johnson of Soul on The Chopping Block, worry not, the un-aired episodes are now on Hulu. [MenuPages]

Are you ready to step into the Octo? Rock Lobster which was closed all last season is coming back as Octo, complete with an octopus tank. [The Insider]

Novita Bistro on South Street has a new menu, focusing more on Moroccan dishes than their previous Mediterranean menu. [Meal Ticket]

A quiet buzz is building for Bibou near the Italian Market. Former Le Bec-Fin Executive Chef Pierre Calmels is behind the project and the menu looks promising. [The Insider]

Talula’s Table has signed a temporary lease on a corner property directly across from America’s most difficult reservation. If they get the financing, Aimee Olexy and Bryan Sikora imagine being up and running within 6 months. [Meal Ticket]

Transit hasn’t been an everyday spot for awhile now but word is it is no more. [Ice Pack, City Paper]

Flavors of the Avenue is a victim in Vince Fumo’s downfall. The festival has been cancelled as Fumo-backed Citizens Alliance has dropped out from cleanup duty. The local business improvement district can’t foot the $20,000 bill. [Inqlings, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Wegman’s Downingtown location will begin selling beer by the end of the month.

The folk behind Thai Pepper, Flavor, Azie and Teikoku in the ‘burbs is now opening Parker’s Prime, a steakhouse in Newtown Square. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Tony Luke’s The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone took home the Audience Award for Best Feature Film at the Philadelphia Film Festival/Cinefest. [The Clog]

There was an actual rainbow outside of the window this morning! How charmingly un-March-in-Philadelphia! Maybe later we’ll see a unicorn scampering down the sidewalk, but until then…

You mean a handshake doesn’t guarantee you can still sell ice cream in Franklin Square? Apparently not. Maybe they’re being replaced with the fellas from the Franklin Fountain? Wouldn’t that be tidy?

A Giant Giant opens in Willow Grove. It’s no Wegmans, but it does have an on-site nutritionist, a cooking school and a wireless internet cafe. Still no beer though.

Maybe you act like a slutty fool when you’re binge drinking because you expect it of yourself? That ruins most of our explanations for our behavior from 1993 until, well, last week.

The mystery of preparing a tender octopus, solved. Twice.

You’re eating MSG all of the time. Also there’s a food stall in Japan devoted to “mayonnaise-friendly” food. May we suggest Philadelphia for the first American location?

Earlier this week, we asked for your suggestions for escaping the Super Bowl silliness and you answered the call. From skiing to watching old movies to the slightly less practical ‘move to Canada’, we enjoyed all of your answers, but our favorite is this from commenter Nicole:

In any case, during the time of the year between baseball and March Madness, I usually go grocery shopping during football. Especially if the Eagles are playing. At times the market can seem as calm and navigable as it does on the rare Monday morning shopping trip. Although it is considered a huge sin by most urbanites, sometimes I even make a huge shopping list and shop calmly and slowly at the Cherry Hill Wegmans. Now they are really going to hate me.

Now that’s clever. Nicole doesn’t even hate sports! We’ll be thinking of you all on Sunday as we cruise the empty aisles of Wegmans, leisurely pushing our carts full of football-free goodness.

Wegmans [Official Site]