Twenty Manning reopens after a makeover
Rittenhouse Square's Twenty Manning (261 S. 20th St.) is back after a five-week redo to both its philosophy and its look.
Rittenhouse Square's Twenty Manning (261 S. 20th St.) is back after a five-week redo to both its philosophy and its look.
At Twenty Manning Grill, gone are the glass partitions that looked so cool 10 years ago when the place opened as the bar-equipped companion to owner Audrey Taichman's Audrey Claire down the block.
Fury Interior Design went sunny and white, adding tongue-and-groove wood paneling and a white-tile bar to complement the white pressed-tin ceiling. The scheme contrasts with new yellow leather banquettes, dark wood bistro chairs, and wooden tables. A rotating display of artists' photos is hanging; up now are whimsical shots of people eating from Arlene Love's "Philly Eats" series.
The fling-out windows and sidewalk dining remain.
Chef-partner Kiong Banh has put on an eclectic, accessible American bistro menu priced at $22 and under. It's open for dinner daily; lunch and brunch will start later.
New in Manayunk
Tom Konidaris is retooling his Manayunk mainstay, Zesty's (4382 Main St.), into Munk & Nunn, a Mediterranean-influenced gastropub serving small and medium plates - most priced under $20. Opening will be May 8. Focal point will be the 30-seat, granite-top bar accompanied by refinished church pews, paintings of European churches, a wrought-iron gate, and a video screen. Konidaris acknowledges that at age 67 - and with nearly 40 years owning Philly restaurants - he could have packed it in. But he's decided to hang in there.
Briefly noted
Gary Dorfman is moving Jake's Philadelphia Cheesesteaks from the Liberty Place food court into a new storefront at 122 S. 12th St., off the corner of 12th and Sansom. With Sean Stein (ex-Red Sky and Pearl), he will open Jake's Sandwich Board on May 10, a seven-day sandwich operation that will include a whole roasted pig on a carving station. Sandwiches will be offered as "haystacks" (on a stack of fries), as salad bowls atop a house salad with dressing, and as "naked bowls" (sans roll). Dorfman's finale at Liberty Place will be 4 p.m. Friday.
The University City District will expand its summer Dining Days to two weeks, July 15-29. This time, a record 29 restaurants are on board to provide three-course dinners. See the list at www.universitycity.org.