Table Talk: Derek Davis moves into N. Philly, with pizza

Derek Davis has created much in his 30-year culinary career - 1701 Cafe in the Warwick, to Sonoma, Kansas City Prime, Arroyo Grill, Carmella's, and the current Derek's in Manayunk, and Main Line Prime meat market in Ardmore.

But never a pizza parlor. And never in North Philly.

Until Pizza Rosso (3240 N. Broad St., 215-226-2700), which occupies a new storefront in a shopping strip owned by business partner Dan Neducsin at Temple University Hospital and dental school.

Why pizza: "Do you like pizza?" he asked rhetorically. "Everybody loves pizza. It's one of those things that not only everybody loves it, but nobody's doing it really well for the masses." (It also carries a low food cost and, as such, seems recession-resistant.)

Pizza Rosso's concept is simple: 24 brick-oven-baked varieties at all times, plus salads, chicken fingers/wings, and fries.

"I have three separate, distinct markets," says Davis, who daily shuttles from the butcher shop in Ardmore to Derek's on Main Street (where Sonoma was one of the early landmarks) to Broad and Allegheny. It's open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Chef John Mims says he's going back to his Louisiana roots with side-by-side restaurants on the main drag of Phoenixville:

Daddy Mims' Creole BYOB

is to open tomorrow (610-935-1800), and

Johnny's New Orleans Pizza Kitchen

is to open next week, both at 150 Bridge St.

The BYOB, serving dinner only Tuesdays through Saturdays, will be similar to his onetime Carmine's Creole Cafe restaurants in Havertown and Narberth.

Mims would not discuss the litigation between him and his former partner Howard Taylor. In January, a judge ordered Mims out of the kitchen of Mims Food + Drink in Wayne, citing a noncompetition clause in his agreement that prohibited Taylor from working within 10 miles of Carmine's, now in Bryn Mawr. The men opened Carmine's and a Philadelphia restaurant, Les Bons Temps, before a falling-out last year. The case is under appeal. Mims' son Jon is chef at Mims.

The Phoenixville restaurants are 16.9 miles by car from Carmine's in Bryn Mawr, according to Google Maps.

Maria Giambrone and her crew from Cafe Palermo in Wilmington have surfaced, tucked away in the corner of Delaware County at

Italiano's

(5 W. 10th St., Marcus Hook, 610-485-6575). The plain-Jane pizzeria, which does a lively takeout business in cheesesteaks and parm sandwiches, has an attractively if simply appointed dining room run by son Mario Giambrone and manager Michael Caroselli. It's hard to spend more than $13 for a dinner entree - and for that matter, to resist the cannoli. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

Bistrot La Minette (623 S. Sixth St., 215-925-8000) has added lunches from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. It's not a collection of sandwiches and salads; it's a smaller version of dinner, and among the deals are a $14 two-course meal and a $19 three-course.

Bistro 7's Michael O'Halloran is moving forward with his plans for a second restaurant, at 702 N. Second St. in Northern Liberties:

Kong

will serve Chinese comfort food, inspired by the outdoor restaurants of Hong Kong. The family of O'Halloran's wife, Sofia, is from there. All dishes will be less than $20. He's hoping to open in May.

Brian Harrington of Public House, Mission Grill, and Field House says he is taking over a space in the Radian at 39th and Walnut Streets for a beer-centric pub called the Tap House. (Same building as Capogiro, opening in April.) Harrington, aiming at an Aug. 1 rollout, plans 75 U.S. and Euro craft beers on tap, wood-fired pizzas, and rotisserie items ("healthy proteins"). Also planned are a large outdoor patio with six fire pits and a tasting lounge with its own 12-tap beer system for private parties. Design by Partridge Architects will utilize reclaimed wood from a barn.