Morgan's Pier will be the name of the seasonal restaurant/beer garden that is planned for a May 25 opening at the former Rock Lobster, the landmark club at 221 N. Columbus Blvd. (It was known as Octo in its last incarnation.)
Four Corners Management's Avram Hornik says he's in talks with a name-brand chef* to serve a backyard grill menu - "like you'd get at the home of a chef."
Morgan's Pier, intended as a family friendly destination by day and nightspot by, um, night, will be heavily landscaped to thwart the sun.
And that's Morgan's Pier, opposed to Piers Morgan.
Hornik tells me that the "Morgan" in question was George C. Morgan, a construction worker on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge 85 years ago, who is credited as being the first person to cross the bridge. Lore suggests that he defied his boss' orders and shimmied across the wires before the deck was completed.
The Daily News has a story today on Hornik and his holdings. It's here.
* Updated: David Katz of Meme in Center City is consulting on the menu.
Paula Deen will be a part of this year's Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, July 26–29.
She joins the line-up which includes Andrew Zimmern, Tyler Florence (host of Tyler's Ultimate), Robert Irvine, Nadia Giosia (a.k.a Nadia G), host of Bitchin' Kitchen, Anne Burrell of Food Network’s Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and co-host of Worst Cooks in America, Aaron Sanchez of Chopped and Heat Seakers, and Buddy “The Cakeboss” Valastro.
They're clammed up now at the instruction of Fox, but two locals are among the 18 competitors submitting themselves to the tender ministrations of chef Gordon Ramsay on Season 10 of Hell's Kitchen.
Premiere will be June 4.
They're competing for a head chef position working under executive chef Kevin Hee at Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas.
You'll be seeing a lot of Christina Wilson (top at left), who is this week wrapping up a stint as chef de cuisine at Mercato on Spruce Street; she previously worked at Lolita and Gypsy Saloon. She prepares Molasses Pork Chop with Sweet Mashed Cider Kale.
Also in the field is Barbie Marshall (below at left), a Lancaster County-based catering chef who has worked for such Philly outfits as Feast Your Eyes. Her signature is Cod and Mahogany Clam Chowder.
Popolino - Peter McAndrews' peasant Italian BYO at Fifth Street and Fairmount Avenue - has a new chef, Christopher Davis, previously a chef de cuisine at Barbuzzo.
McAndrews told me that three months in, the restaurant kitchen simply wasn't where it needed to be. Enter Davis, who worked for McAndrews eight years ago at Rembrandt's. (Hard to believe that McAndrews toiled for 12 years at the Fairmount landmark before he split in 2007 to create an empire that includes Modo Mio, two Paesano's sandwich shops, Monsu - and come Thursday - La Porta in Media.)
Davis' departure has set in motion a change in Marcie Turney's kitchen at the red-hot Barbuzzo, on 13th near Sansom, which has two chefs de cuisine, one executive sous chef, and four sous chefs. Chef de cuisine Paul Lyons, who left to open Jamonera across the street, will now work at both. Chef de cuisine Todd Satterfield is now joined by the recently promoted Caleb Johnson.
Marino’s of Mullica Hill, a "farm-to-pizza" shop in Mullica Hill Commons Shopping Center (157 Bridgeton Pike), will mark its first anniversary Tuesday, May 15 by giving out comp slices of asparagus, bacon & truffle oil white pizza all day.
Owner Anthony Marino gave away asparagus white slices at the opening, but he's going whole hog this time.
Cameras from Travel Channel's Food Paradise series will be in town Thursday to Saturday to gather footage.
Marabella Meatball Co. and three other establishments will be filmed.
Marabella's (1211 Walnut St.) is going all out from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, inviting the public to eat meatballs during the shooting. For $15, you get four meat or veggie balls with toppings and crostini. The first 50 customers an hour will be guaranteed seating.
Also on the Food Paradise shooting schedule:
Jake’s Sandwich Board's garlicky Garlic Bomb cheesesteak will be featured. The shop is looking for two or three people willing to attempt to eat the two-foot, three-pound sandwich, which has roasted garlic spread, sauteed garlic and deep-fried garlic cloves mixed into a regulation cheesesteak. To complete the challenge, the eater also has to finish 24 Peanut Chews, 12 Tastykakes, 4 Soft Pretzels and 1 Champ Cherry Soda. To get in on this email info@jakessandwichboard.com
Tiffin Etc., which opened in July 2009 as an Indian quick-serve-slash-pizza parlor next to Tiffin's flagship location on Girard Avenue, has closed.
Owner Munish Narula tells me that Etc. will be relocated to a new, yet-unnamed spot in University City.
Its space at 712 W. Girard will give way to an interesting concept: Indo-Chinese - the foods brought to India by Chinese immigrants. Classics such as chile chicken, chicken Manchurian, eggplant in garlic sauce, crispy Szechuan lamb, and the spicy-herby fried-chicken dish known as chicken 65.
Stay tuned.
The commercial property on the southeast corner of 20th and Pine Streets has been empty since a kiddie bookstore moved out some time ago.
Years ago, it housed Opera Cafe.
Word was trickling out over the winter that Filter Coffee would take it over.
Now, based on both the awnings that went up over the weekend and a chat with the business owner, it will become a branch of Palm Tree Gourmet (Northern Liberties and Queen Village) - grab-and-go sandwiches, coffee, and the like.
Owner says June is the target opening.
Photo: Paul Miller
Philly's first Shake Shack - the Danny Meyer-owned, New York-based burger, shake and grown-up beverage bar - is now less than two months away at the corner of 20th and Sansom Streets.
Meyer's people say the opening will be in "early summer," and I believe that something big will be tied to July 4th.
Meanwhile, the metal sign went up on the facade, replacing that attractive "green wall" that Meyer commissioned to make the construction site less of an eyesore. (See previous.)
Also, Meyer is recruiting staff; he had three days of open calls this week.
Liem Ma, who with his famlly owns a couple Vietnamese restaurants in the Italian Market, is prepping for a June opening of Mekong River, a polished Viet with a bar, at 1120 S. Front St.
The property is at the corner of Front and Titan Streets, down the block from The Ugly American.
Ma tells me that he'll serve pho plus the standards such as rice vermicelli dishes.
In terms of look and feel, I'm reminded of the refined Le Viet on 11th Street north of Washington Avenue.
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