Adsum is closed. But there's more to it than that.
The restaurant at Fifth and Bainbridge has a new concept and new ownership.
Adsum, which opened in July 2010 at Fifth and Bainbridge Streets, has had a rough patch, as founding chef/partner Matt Levin bowed out last month.
And now, Adsum is closed as managing partner Kar Vivekananthan has struck a deal with longtime friend Rich Rivera and the Manayunk-based Belvedere Business Group to turn the neighborhood bistro into a gastropub.
It is expected to reopen in about three weeks.
The plan, as laid out by Vivekananthan and Rivera today, is as follows:
Work began today on doubling the restaurant's bar size, to 20 seats. Focus will be on craft beers -- 12 on tap, 60-plus by the bottle. Some minor cosmetic changes will be made to the dining room.
A small-plate, pub-style menu will be introduced. The kitchen will be staffed by Belvedere staff, including new hire Carmen Cappello, who very recently left The Wishing Well.
Safe to say they won't be reviving the Tastykake-based sliders, Four Loko drinks and other gimmicks.
Belvedere now owns Agiato, Agiato Bread Co., and Main Street Market, and it's developing Cervisia (a beer-oriented restaurant and bottle shop), Dos Vatos Tacos (a taco stand), and Rubb (a barbecue restaurant).
Levin, initially also a partner in Rubb, appears to be out of the picture now at Adsum.