Restaurant notes: New Italian BYO; happy hour
It's called Sotto, and it's near 24th and Walnut.
The well-traveled Luigi Basile (Radicchio Cafe, Laceno's Italian Grill) has made good on his long-ago promise to open a trattoria on out-of-the-way, almost-impossible-to-find South 24th Street as it passes under the Walnut Street bridge. It's called Sotto Ristorante Italiano (151 S. 24th St., 215-496-9222). Like Basile's other spots, it's an unpretentious BYOB with great pastas, pizza and sensational branzino. Hours have been a touch erratic in its first two weeks, but its stated operation is lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Del Frisco's at 15th and Chestnut Streets threw a wine dinner Wednesday with food prepared by Claire Furino, mother of regional manager Rich Furino. Del Frisco's matched the $3,500 proceeds to make a total donation of $7,000 to BreastCancer.org. Then a friend of Rich Furino's, Gary Johnson, announced that he would match the $7,000 only if Del Frisco CEO Mark Mednansky would do the same. He obliged. Another friend of the restaurant made an anonymous donation of $5,000 as well, and staff pooled tips and kicked in money, too.
A couple events:
Oct. 20: Maido, the Japanese market at 36 N. Narberth Ave. in Narberth, will host a tasting from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. of "new crop" rice and fall vegetables. Ken Suzuki, who provides Morimoto with veggies from his Delaware farm, will be there. The shop also will sample seasoned Japanese rice.
Oct. 23: Chima, the Brazilian steakhouse at 20th St. and JFK Blvd., is launching a "555 Happy Hour" ($5 craft beers, wines, caipirinhas and appetizers Mondays through Fridays) with comp caipirinhas and appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. New apps include Caprese Skewers, featuring grape tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil; Beef Carpaccio with Parmesan, capers, and olive sauce served on toast points; Seafood 'Salad' Cups — shrimp, scallops, calamari, olive oil, cilantro, onions and lemon juice served in a martini glass; Artichoke Pesto Mini Puffs — grilled artichoke paté with pesto sauce in bite-size puff pastry; Smoked Salmon and Endive; and Cantaloupe & Proscuitto di Parma Bites.