Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Restaurant notes: Who's got the penny?; Krispy Kreme sets date

The glazing begins May 4.

Know that the Center City outpost of the Krispy Kreme doughnuttery has set May 4 for its opening. It will be on 16th Street just north of Chestnut Street. across from Two Liberty Place.

The Doubletree at Broad and Locust has set April 27 for the opening of its revamped resto, Balcony. It's on the mezzanine level, and will serve breakfast and dinner (5-10 p.m.) daily. "Classic comfort cuisine" menu from chef Neil Drinkwine. Dinner menu is here.

Opa, the new Greek hotspot at 1311 Sansom St., will give out red eggs to patrons from April 25 through 30. It's the Greek Easter tradition, where two people crack eggs together and the one whose egg does not crack is said to have good luck the whole year through.

R2L starts Sunday brunch on that lowest-traffic of Sundays -- Mother's Day. The debut will be a $45 prix-fixe, with a la carte dining after that.

Ralic's Steakhouse in Haddonfield has pushed back its reopening to June 16.

From the photos, can you identify the establishment under construction? Add your guesses in the comments, and I'll reward the first correct answerer. Update: And we have a winner. It's Hop Sing Laundromat, a cocktail operation under construction at 1029 Race St. It's now due to open in late May. The penny-covered floor will be a regulation shoe-shine shop that will be the entreyway. One worker is painstakingly laying pennies on the floor by hand to ensure they line up straight. All but one penny will be tails up. In other Hop Sing info: Since the building is 80 years old and is being stripped to the bones, some surprises have been found. A wooden sliding door was found encased in drywall; it's being refinished and will be installed. And the original steel beams, which will be exposed, are being hand-stripped of years of paint. They'll be treated in a clear coat to keep them from oxidizing.