A second helping for Bistro 7 in Old City
Bistro 7 chef/owner Michael O'Halloran weathered two years of construction woes next door. Now, his French bistro has been spruced up, too.
For two solid years, Bistro 7 chef/owner Michael O'Halloran muddled through a nightmare next door in Old City: a big fence, a sidewalk closure, frequent utility outages, flowing water, and (to top it off) a building collapse.
Many restaurateurs would simply have packed up. But O'Halloran - who has now been cooking modern French food in his modest storefront just off the corner of Third and Market Streets for 11 years - has his regulars.
As the developers wrapped their work on what is now known again as the Shirt Corner - a mixed-use development that includes a CVS on the corner - O'Halloran snapped into renovation mode.
The dining room - which always gave an intimate, date-night vibe - has been warmed up considerably. Though the tablecloths have come off, Bistro 7 is running counter to the trend toward coldness. What appears to be rose-colored sponge paint has replaced the green, and new cage-like chandeliers replaced the long fixtures.
It's still BYOB. Entree prices are in the $20s; it's open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Menu is here.
On another note: The block seems to be coming up, what with the opening up the street of Mike Stollenwerk's 26 North.