We’re all about gilding recently. Friday it was in reference to the Pub & Kitchen’s Lobster BLT with truffle mayo and today it’s about gilding a pair of mirrors for Alison two. [Alison's New Restaurant]

Living On The Vedge makes it over to get some takeout from Minar Palace and found the tastes of the paneer and paratha flattered each other. But for now loyalties remain with Girard Avenue’s Ekta. [Living On The Vedge]

Mac & Cheese hadn’t been to a Jose Garces restaurant until the weekend when she tried out Distrito. Unsurprising to the the Jose fan club, she found it “wonderful.” [Mac & Cheese]

Philly Food and Drink enjoys the “lovely and tasty” sushi at Old City’s Zento. [Philly Food and Drink]

Phoodie.info snags an interview with Jose Garces regarding his new cook book, Latin Evolution. [Phoodie.info]

Brunch for ten? Jones fits the bill for Mac & Cheese. [Mac & Cheese]

The Clog has tasting notes from a Russian River tasting at Monk’s Cafe. [The Clog]

Parc will be officially opening on Bastille Day. Michael Klein has some background on the design of Stephen Starr’s mega-bistro. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Pencil in July 28th for Starr’s opening of Teplitzky’s and Chelsea Prime in Atlantic City at the new non-casino hotel, the Chelsea. [Table Talk, Philadelphia Inquirer]

Rejoice East Passyunkers who want something besides tacos and red gravy, Izumi a Japanese BYOB is coming to Passyunk and Tasker this August. [Food and Drinq]

Zento is looking at a second location. This one will bring conteporary Japanese cuisine to 9th and South. [The Clog]

An out of town Rouge in Acela range is planned by owners Maggie and Rob Wasserman. [Dan Gross, Philadelphia Daily News]

2nd Street Annie’s is looking to move its operation from Wildwood to Front and Fairmount and Phoodie is just thrilled. [Phoodie.info]

The rumors had been prevalent for a couple weeks now but Michael Klein has it, Bella Vista’s Molcajete Mixto is no more. On the good side though it is still a Mexican BYOB, Paxia and one of the co-owners is Dionicio Jimenez of Xochitl. [Food and Drinq]

And like Michael Klein, we are very dissapointed to learn that Pita Pocket at 16th and Chancellor has closed. [Food and Drinq]

Joy Manning, has a post up on Serious Eats detailing her six favorite “bargain BYOBs that offer unfussy but fantastic food, unbeatable prices and personality.”

• Alyan’s
• La Viola
• Cafe de Laos
• Mr. Martino’s Trattoria
• Taqueria Veracruzana
• Zento

The Best of Philly’s BYOBs [Serious Eats]

Within the last few days both Phillyist and Metroblogging have recounted their meal at Zento, the tiny sushi spot on Chestnut Street in Old City.

Zento Sushi – Try the toro scallion roll [Metroblogging-Philadelphia]
Zento Means Future [Phillyist]

Craig LaBan visits the tiny Zento, a sushi byob in Old City who’s owner has learned well from Morimoto.

Zento more than compensates in sushi substance for what it lacks in designer flash. Of course, I probably would have walked past Zento, too, had I not already experienced Gunawan Wibisono’s ability to elevate the mundane to something worthy. If Wibisono can distinguish a bare-bones sushi express counter from the typically cheap-o competition with quality fish and catchy rolls, as he has done with Kami near City Hall, what can he do in a real restaurant?

Two Bells

Zento [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Zento, a relatively new sushi spot in Old City will go under Craig LaBan’s microscope in next Sunday’s Inquirer.

This week Kirsten Henri takes us to Zento, the “stark and pristine” Japanese and sushi spot on the 100 block of Chestnut Street. Stick with the sushi and you�ll experience chef and owner Gunawan Wibisono�s own experience at Kisso and Morimoto.

The specialty sushi rolls are where Zento�s originality shines. Feel like a square peg? Perhaps Zento�s square sushi will cure what ails ya. Each cube of rice is packed with eel, avocado, tangy plum paste and topped with either tuna or salmon. The Green River roll is filled with toro, more eel and plum paste, and then topped with undulating slivers of avocado that give it its name. The Flaming Dragon is stuffed with spicy tuna and streaked with a fiery spine of tobiko-topped eel and avocado.

Just for the Eel of It [Philadelphia Weekly]
Zento [Official Site]

Daniel Stern’s Rae at the Cira Centre is expecting to open for dinner on December 12th. Rae’s web site shows a sneak preview of the menu. [Table Talk]

The 100 block of Chestnut Street gets two new restaurants as the Filipino Cebu has opened and today marks the debut of Zento, an Old City sushi spot that features three different menus (kitchen, sushi and sushi roll). [Feeding Frenzy]

L2 is now open for lunch. The romantic restaurant at the corner of 22nd and South will keep the lunch menu simple, expect burgers, wraps and salads. [Feeding Frenzy]

BYO crackdown in New Jersey? Customers of New Jersey BYOBs can only bring in wine and beer. Spirits can bring fines in excess of $10,000! [Table Talk]

A.D. Amorosi has this tidbit in his weekly column. Billy and Michael Weiss, owners of Pure, Palmer and Transit have added gay icon Woody’s to their list of properties. [Ice Pack]