Posted on Thu, Jan. 15, 2009
Darlene Boline Moseng, who did catering and private chef-ing, is into her third week of
A La Maison (53 W. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, 484-412-8009), a rustic French BYOB in the Main Line storefront that was Jewel of India.
Moseng, a graduate of the Restaurant School, is keeping it traditional on a blackboard menu - coq au vin, short ribs, steak frites (dinner entrees: $21 to $28). She's backed in the kitchen by Maurice deRamus (Zen in Northern Liberties, Kujaku on the Parkway), and Marabella's alumna Lori Sexton is running the front of the house. Sunny-yellow bistro decor is accented with copper pots and a shiny Elektra espresso machine on the counter.
It's open for lunch Tuesdays through Fridays, dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays, and brunch Saturdays and Sundays.
What's new/coming
Beer heads have discovered
Local 44 (44th and Spruce Streets, 215-222-2337), the West Philly outpost of Brendan Hartranft and Leigh Maida of Memphis Taproom. Woodsy-meets-industrial look marks an upgrade of the former Kelliann's. Many veggie options on the gastropub menu; eclectic jukebox. It's open from lunch through late night daily.
Chef Keith Taylor is hoping for a soft opening next month for
Holy Smoke, 473 Leverington Ave. (just off Ridge Avenue) in Roxborough, replacing Farley's. He'll serve Southern barbecue, plus brick-oven pizza and chicken 'n' waffles
Market Street Pizzeria & Italian Bistro, open for weekday lunch and dinner and from noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays, has opened in Camden's Victor Lofts (1 Market St., 856-541-4100).
Reconfigurations
The Murray's Deli attached to
Bistro M in Berwyn has been removed as plans unfold for a wine bar to better complement the bistro side. There's no timetable for the work, which awaits a liquor license.
Yello'Bar, at Grays Ferry Avenue and Catharine Street in Grays Ferry, has been retooled into more of a corner pub. Prices have come down, and new chef Mike Mallough is doing more specials plus a late-night menu (hours are extended till 1 a.m.).
Akoya is what they're now calling the first-floor dining room of
Pearl (1904 Chestnut St.). Renovations include a wall of candles by the entranceway, two fireplaces in the dining room, and a lounge area with low sofas and tables in the front window. Local painter/artist Lisa James, sister of actress Maria Bello, created a mural featuring swimming and dancing koi underwater. Chef Greg Garbacz's menu will incorporate Japanese, Thai and Chinese cooking. Pearl's nightclub continues on the second floor.
Briefly noted
The
Tiedhouse in CityView Condos (20th and Hamilton Streets) has added Sunday brunch.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has named
Horizons in Bella Vista to its list of the top eight vegetarian restaurants in the United States.
Center City District Restaurant Week runs Jan. 25-30, with $35-per-person dinners at 108 restaurants; list is at:
www.centercitydistrict.org.
Five South Jersey restaurants will do four-course comfort-food dinners for $30 Jan. 26-29:
Viennese Café in Cherry Hill,
Mirabella Café in Cherry Hill,
Tortilla Press in Collingswood,
Blackbird in Collingswood, and
blueplate in Mullica Hill.
Yangming in Bryn Mawr got the nod to do the Chinese New Year banquet at the James Beard House in New York City (Jan. 26). Gregory Moore of Moore Brothers Wine Co. will do the wines.
Closings:
Ong's in Chinatown,
Aloe Fusion and
Onasis in Cherry Hill, and
Water Lily in Collingswood.
Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. For restaurant news without the wait, see "The Insider" at http://go.philly.com/insider. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/phillyinsider.
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