Table Talk: More pho in Philly

Pho has become a thing, all right. Add a new Lower Northeast Philadelphia branch of South Philadelphia's Pho Ha Saigon to the mix. The new location (575 Adams Ave., 267-538-5600) is a contemporary Vietnamese BYOB with a ballroom-size dining room and an easy-on-the-budget menu of large-portioned dishes as well as the signature soup. A takeout counter is on the way, too. The same family also is behind the two-week-old Pho 20 in Chinatown (234 N. 10th St., 215-413-2020), a more spartan BYOB that replaced the long-running Charles Plaza.

Bing Bing on East Passyunk

Shawn Darragh and chef Ben Puchowitz took a year after a trip to Asia to open Bing Bing Dim Sum, their East Passyunk sequel to Center City's Cheu Noodle Bar.

Bing Bing (1648 E. Passyunk Ave., no phone) occupies that triangle-shaped building at the crossroads of 12th, Morris, and Passyunk.

It's a snug, whimsically staged American riff on dim sum, that small-plate Cantonese style of dining that is enjoying somewhat of a comeback. (New York's Nom Wah Tea Parlor, an authentic version, is about two weeks from opening in Chinatown.)

Warnings: no reservations, and sound levels suggest a name change to Bing Bing Din Sum.

The menu is a hodgepodge, and all prices are under $20. Percy Street alum Max Sherman's bar includes custom tea blends from Green Aisle Grocery, a few draft beers, some bottles/cans, a few wines, five specialty cocktails, and three pitcher-size cocktails called Happy Family (two for $33, the other, $35).

Designer Andrew Jevremovic built wood-and-steel tables and chairs, even bringing in antique Chinese day beds to serve as booths. Sidewalk dining is planned.

Initially, it's open for dinner and late night daily before weekend brunch is added.

South Philadelphia's landmark Triangle Tavern, at 10th and Reed Streets, is being revived. Stephen Simons and David Frank - the men behind Royal Tavern, Khyber Pass Pub, Cantina Los Caballitos, and Cantina Dos Segundos - hope to reopen in late March. They decided to leave the dark, old-time taproom, which opened in 1933 and closed several years ago, pretty much as it was, down to the bar itself. Same with the menu, stocked with local favorites such as mussels and hot roast beef.

Sandwich specialist Tony Luke's has been stamping out the locations lately - two Atlantic City casinos, Harrah's in Chester, three Acme markets, Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia International Airport, Temple University, and a few freestanding stores. Next up will be Manayunk, where the former Main Street Munchies at 4307 Main St. will be set up, perhaps by summer.

George and Kim Mickel have closed Mezze, their Mediterranean stand in the center of Reading Terminal Market, mere weeks after opening Hunger Burger nearby. The couple also own By George! the Italian stand on the Filbert Street side.