Lansdowne's claim to fame - the 350-year-old sycamore tree at Wycombe and LaCrosse Avenues that's reportedly the second-oldest tree in Pennsylvania - has lent its name to a romantic restaurant.

Sycamore (14 S. Lansdowne Ave., 484-461-2867) is a snug, rustic-American BYOB from Borough Councilman Stephen Wagner, his wife, Jennifer, and chef Meg Votta, who grew up in town and went on to cook at Joseph Ambler Inn in Montgomeryville, Simon Pearce near West Chester, and Feast Your Eyes catering.

Votta's dishes - entrees are about $16 to $30 - are based on local ingredients, including from-scratch tagliatelle, double-cut lamb chop, and crab cakes.

Unlike many suburban 40-seaters, there's an ever-changing charcuterie selection.

Unlike most BYOBs, wine is not the only game. Eight bucks gets you a two-portion canister of housemade cocktail mixers to which you add your own alcohol.

It's open Wednesdays to Sundays for dinner.

What's new

Win and Sutida Somboonsong have made a classy move at Azie on Main, the new branch of their high-style pan-Asian eatery, which opened last week on what was Maia's second floor (789 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova, 610-527-5700). Until Aug. 31, they will take $25 off per table at Azie on Main when a customer presents a Maia gift card; it's one per customer. They did not have to do this, as they have no relationship to Maia's previous owners, who have declined to make good on the Maia gift certificates. Besides the original Azie in Media, the Somboonsongs also own Teikoku, Mikado, Flavor and Thai Pepper, and soon will open steakhouse Parker's Prime in Newtown Square on the site of the former Roux 3.

What's coming

Benny Lai and crew are hard at work turning the former West Philly eatery Abbraccio (47th and Warrington Streets) into Vietnam Cafe, the branch of his Chinatown megahit Vietnam. Since early last year, Lai has been running a 22-seat version next door, on 47th Street. The new Vietnam Cafe will accommodate up to 250, including banquet and party space. Lai, meanwhile, now has the liquor license in hand. Abbraccio's Roger Harman and Vincent Whittacre have moved to 4800 Baltimore Ave., where they operate Gold Standard Cafe.

A branch of Landmark Americana, a sports bar with college locations at West Chester and Rowan, is building out inside Drexel University's new recreation center at 3333 Market St. No timetable has been announced.

Daniel Stern, who owns Gayle and is building R2L in Two Liberty Place, is hoping to open a modern taproom called MidAtlantic early this fall in the Science Center at 3711 Market St. The restaurant will feature live music Thursdays to Sunday evenings.

Husband-and-wife chef team Edgar and Kim Katz Alvarez are hammering out Avenida - an affordable, neighborhood-friendly Latin, based on his Guatemalan roots - at 7402 Germantown Ave., the former Cresheim Cottage Cottage. Opening is pegged for September.

JD McGillicuddy's will take over The Freehouse at 110 N. Wayne Ave. in Wayne. Owner Matt Thornton says he and his family will open Aug. 1 after minor work.

Hotel dining

The under-construction Hotel Palomar at 17th and Sansom Streets, opening an eatery called Square 1682 in mid-October, has hired chef Guillermo Tellez, whose resume includes Chester County's Northbrook MarketPlace, the late Striped Bass and - most notably - Charlie Trotter's empire (Charlie Trotter's in Chicago, and C Restaurant at One and Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico). Concept and menu are not fully developed.

Le Méridien, being built at 1421 Arch St. (across from the Municipal Services Building), has targeted Oct. 15 as the opening date of its bar/brasserie, Amuse.

Briefly noted

Cafe Fresko was never located in the spot where Verdad is being built in Bryn Mawr, despite what I wrote last week. It's still at 1003 W. Lancaster Ave. Bryn Mawr, and is serving a $30 three-course, fixed-price special Mondays through Thursdays for dinner.

The wine bar that Di Bruno Bros. is planning for the Pronto space at 920 S. Ninth St. is now positioned for a December opening. No name yet.

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Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. See real-time restaurant info at http://go.philly.com/insider.