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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Nov. 17 is the firm opening of Percy Street Barbecue at Ninth and South Streets (the former Crescent City).

It's the latest project from Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov of Xochitl and Zahav, with chef Erin O'Shea. (She previously was chef at Marigold, which Cook/Solo sold earlier this summer to chef Robert Halpern.

Cook/Solo commissioned a video of their Texas BBQ tour. (Watch here.)

Initial hours will be 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, till 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Bar will stay open until 2 a.m. After a few weeks, it will be open for lunch and offer a late-night menu.

Design is by Elisabeth Knapp, who also designed Zahav and Xochitl.

O’Shea will be cooking on two bright red smokers they brought back from Texas at a cost of $40,000.

Previous stories here and here.

(Searching for info about Rubb, Matt Levin's BBQ joint planned for 4445 Main St. in Manayunk? Same here. I see that there's a zoning hearing scheduled for Nov. 18. Meanwhile in Manayunk, chef Joe Scarpone says he is looking at a late-November opening for agiato at 4359 Main St. and its retail sibling, agiato bread co., at 4351 Main. A drive-by, though, shows that to be quite optimistic.)

Posted by Michael Klein @ 10:49 AM  Permalink | File Under: TableTalk | 1 comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Actors Charlie Bewley and Daniel Cudmor, who've sunk their teeth into roles in the movie "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," will do a Q&A next Tuesday (11/10) at Cherry Hill Mall.

They'll be in the main court from about 7:30 to 8 p.m. after a private, in-store meet-and-greet at the Hot Topic.

Also on the bill is the group Hurricane Bells, which provided a song on the vampire movie's soundtrack.

The movie is to be released Nov. 20.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 4:39 PM  Permalink | 1 comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

After six months hosting mornings on The Beat (WPHI, 100.3), Charlamagne was shown the door Monday.

And since his termination came two days after he interviewed rapper Beanie Sigel -- who had just released a Jay-Z diss track called "Average Cats" -- hip-hop message boards lit up with rumors that Jay-Z (Sigel's onetime mentor) had Charlamagne riffed.

Both Andy Rosen, who runs the Radio One stations in Philadelphia, and Charlamagne himself deny the link..

Reached by cell in a cab in New York, Charlamagne scoffed, saying: "They [WPHI] wanted to move in a different direction."

Rosen said Charlamagne left "on the best of terms."

Best assessment: Charlamagne's ratings didn't budge, except among men 18-34. But six months is not exactly a long trial.

He is expected to be paid off for the remainder of his two-year contract.

Rosen said the station would continue to play music in the mornings and would entertain the idea of hiring a new morning show.

(If you have 50 minutes to kill, hear Charlamagne's interview with Sigel here.)

Posted by Michael Klein @ 3:49 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
DJ AM's house from the street. (Via MLS)

The Beverly Hills house of the late Philly-born DJ AM has gone on the market.

Adam Goldstein, a partner in Dusk nightclub at Caesars in Atlantic City, was found dead in his New York apartment in August at age 36. The drug-related death was ruled an accident.

The description of the L.A. house, which Goldstein bought in 2007: "Private and gated mid-century, located on a cul-de-sac street with canyon and city views, rich mahogany floors, custom built-in theater, Crestron system and flat screen TV's throughout, two-sided fireplace, office, large kitchen with stainless steel appliances and carrera marble countertops, four bedrooms and four and one-half baths, open floor plan looks out to lushly landscaped backyard with pool and spa."

See the listing here.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 1:06 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Chris Fetfatzes and his girlfriend, Heather Annechiarico, are targeting Nov. 18 for the opening of Hawthornes, their ambitious, beer-centric cafe/bottle shop/prepared-foods-to-go joint at 11th and Fitzwater in South Philly.

The couple will offer 16 varieties of counter-pressured beer growlers to go. Which are ... ?

Fetfatzes explains that the action of filling a conventional beer growler creates a lot of foam and degrades the flavor. He and a friend have devised a way to avoid this in-rush of oxygen.

Sly Fox will be among the brands available in the 64-ounce growlers, and he says the beer will be perfectly fresh for up to eight months.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 12:21 PM  Permalink | File Under: TableTalk | Post a comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A random assortment of restaurant deals:

At 10 Arts at the Ritz-Carlton, chef Jennifer Carroll and pastry chef Monica Glass are doing a $35 three-course prix-fixe bistro menu focused on seasonal stuff; it's offered Tuesdays through Thursdays through Dec. 30.

Paul, the BYO at 1120 Pine St. in Wash West, is offering $20 three-course meals on Tuesdays. (h/t reader)

Adobe Cafe's locations in South Philly and Roxborough on Mondays and Tuesdays are doing Fiesta Night --$30 buys two dinners and a bottle wine or pitcher of beer; for $5 more, you get a pitcher of sangria or margaritas. (h/t reader)

Bistrot La Minette in Queen Village has started an early prix fixe dinner to those seated by 6:30 p.m. weeknights. The three-course is $25, or with wine pairings, $35. 

Alison two in Fort Washington is marking the halfway mark to Cinco de Mayo with a Cinco de Noviembre special this week. It's a Mexican four-course menu for $35. (No word on the reopening of Alison at Blue Bell, which is supposedly closed because of problems with its ventilation hood.)

Abner's Authentic Barbecue in Jenkintown will do some "customer appreciation" stuff on Saturday. At 11:30 a.m., owner Chris Dowdell will conduct a one-hour class on barbecue rubs and sauces. Participants will make their own rubs and sauces to take home. Dowdell will also be have a beer-tasting at 5 p.m.; simple: he'll give away beer to sample while you eat.

And one splurge: Rouge chef Matthew Zagorski started a six-course, $55 tasting menu Tuesdays through Saturdays; there's a $30 wine pairing.
 

Posted by Michael Klein @ 12:00 PM  Permalink | File Under: TableTalk | Post a comment
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Audrina Patridge; Brady with Kenney.

A couple of random Halloween sightings:

Audrina Patridge of MTV's The Hills at a Halloween party at Dusk at Caesars in Atlantic City. Her costume theme: "I Dream of Audrina." (Photo courtesy of Nick Valinote.)

And that's U.S. Rep. Bob Brady in clerical attire at Saturday's wedding of socialites Sabrina Tamburino and Steve Thorne at the Bellevue. Though held on Halloween, it wasn't a costume party, and Brady explained to me that he had permission to wear the collar. He's (presumably) hearing a confession from City Councilman Jim Kenney. (Photo by HughE Dillon / PhillyChitChat.com.)

Posted by Michael Klein @ 5:15 AM  Permalink | Post a comment
Monday, November 2, 2009

As the Yankees prepare to head out of town, a few straggler World Series sightings...

Catcher Jorge Posada lunched at El Vez today on shrimp ceviche and a side of plantains. During the meal, a Yankee fan spotted him and had the catcher's tab sent to him. (Love it. Dude has a four-year, $52.4 million contract and someone pays for his lunch?)

Saturday found Derek Jeter, girlfriend Minka Kelly, and two others having a late lunch (Thai chicken skewers, French onion dumplings) on the mezzanine at Continental Mid-town.

On Sunday, former Phillies outfielder Pat Burrell  -- all decked out in Phillies gear -- joined a party of five at Butcher & Singer. He had the wedge salad, an 8-ounce filet (medium) and stuffed hash browns, and they all left at 8 to head to Game 4.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 7:35 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
Monday, November 2, 2009
Rodriguez and Sporting Club general manager Tiffany Bucciarelli.

During the Yankees' three mornings in Philadelphia for the World Series, third baseman Alex Rodriguez has spent time working out at the Sporting Club at the Bellevue.

His hotel has its own gym -- and Kate Hudson is bunking with him -- but the "new" A-Rod needed more.

Tiffany Bucciarelli, the general manager, says he shot hoops, did cardio on a recumbent bike, and performed swinging motions on the club's cable cross-overs.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 2:19 PM  Permalink | 6 comments
Monday, November 2, 2009

Win Signature Restaurants, which took over the upstairs space at Maia in Villanova in July with Azie on Main (a pan-Asian concept), will take the downstairs, too.

Papers were just signed.

Concept will be American-style comfort food/bar aimed at a younger crowd: wings, pizzas, burgers, ribs.

Opening will be in spring 2010.

Name is not final.

Posted by Michael Klein @ 11:32 AM  Permalink | File Under: TableTalk | 2 comments
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About Michael Klein
Michael Klein chronicles local people, places and things (in easy-to-digest portions) three days a week in his Inquirer column "INQlings." He also covers the restaurant scene in his Thursday Food column, "Table Talk." See his work at http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/michael_klein.
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