PHILADELPHIA RESTAURANT NEWS
September 2001

Alison Cafe – Alison Barshak, inaugural chef at Striped Bass when it won Esquire’s "Best New Restaurant in the U.S." award, and her sister Wendy, have opened this casual café serving contemporary American cuisine. Tablecloths from the French countryside and French doors opening to a sunny patio set the mood. BYOB. Cash only.
3401 Skippack Pike, Cedars, (610) 584-5560.

Aspen Restaurant – Global menu with Mediterranean, Asian, South American and Moroccan influences. The restaurant is accented with a tin ceiling, exposed brick and a hardwood bar. Large selection of bottled beer on tap and extensive wine list.
747 N. 25^th Street, Fairmount, (215) 232-7736.

The Brickside Grille – Creative American cuisine. Wood burning oven and raw bar. Large bar with multiple televisions and live music on Wednesday and Saturday. Outdoor dining. Spacious dining area with large windows overlooking a town square that is landscaped with manicured trees, seasonal flowers and flowing fountains. Eagleview Town Center, 540 Wellington Square, Exton, (610) 321-1600, www.bricksidegrille.com.

Darbar Grill – Cozy Indian BYOB. Casual décor with paintings depicting scenes from India. Open kitchen. Choice of a la carte or buffet menu at lunch and dinner.
319 Market Street, (215) 923-2410.

French Quarter Bistro – Bistro-style restaurant featuring Cajun-Creole cuisine. Murals in dining room create feel of outdoor café. Full bar. Live music on Friday and Saturday. 215 Main Street, Royersford, (610) 792-7292.

Gilmore’s – Casual French cuisine in a cozy atmosphere with candlelight, Casablanca-style fans and salmon, sage and gold decor. Opened by 22-year veteran of Le Bec-Fin. BYOB. Serves two dinner seatings only, on Tuesday through Saturday evenings.
133 E. Gay Street, West Chester, (610) 431-2800.

La Cigale – Coffee shop serving casual French cuisine for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast fare includes French pastries, bagels, muffins and coffees. French-style salads and sandwiches offered for lunch. 1315 Walnut Street, (215) 546-4367.

North by Northwest – Restaurant/bar/nightclub. Large contemporary setting with high, tin ceilings and restored Art Deco period bar. Restaurant features home-style menu in a casual neighborhood atmosphere. Live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Outdoor patio. Part of culturally diverse community of Mt. Airy, located near Sedgwick Cultural Center. 7165 Germantown Avenue, Mt. Airy, (215) 248-1000.

Pif – French cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Menu reflects chef’s daily meat and produce picks at the Italian Market. BYOB. Relaxed atmosphere marked by mismatched silverware, French music and neighborhood camaraderie. 1009 S. 8^th Street,
South Philadelphia, (215) 625-2923.

Restaurant La Encina – Spanish cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Featuring artwork from Spain and dishes from the owner’s hometown of Sevilla. BYOB. 2 Waterview Road, West Chester, (610) 918-9715.

Sukhothai – Thai cuisine with French influences in a casual atmosphere. Named after the chef’s hometown, which means "happy heart." Paintings and tapestries from Thailand adorn the walls. 225 S. 12^th Street at Locust Street, (215) 627-2215.

Avenue B – This Northern Italian restaurant, across the street from the soon-to-open Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, was cited for having "one of the best new wine lists" in the July issue of Food & Wine magazine.

The following area restaurants received an "Award of Excellence" from Wine Spectator for their wine programs: Alberto’s Authentic Italian Cuisine & Steakhouse (Newtown Square), Blue Bell Inn (Blue Bell), Davio’s Ristorante (Center City Philadelphia), Duling-Kurtz House & Country Inn (Exton), Jake’s (Manayunk, Philadelphia), Joseph Ambler Inn (North Wales), La Jonquille (Devon), The Mainland Inn (Mainland), Opus 251 (Center City Philadelphia), Restaurant Taquet (Wayne), Rose Tree Inn (Media), Sullivan’s Steakhouse (King of Prussia), The Capital Grille (Center City Philadelphia), Smith & Wollensky (Center City Philadelphia), The Palm (Center City Philadelphia), Toscana Cucina Rustica (Bryn Mawr), Vetri (Center City Philadelphia) and Yangming (Bryn Mawr).

In addition to the "Award of Excellence" the following restaurants also received a "Best of Award of Excellence": Dilworthtown Inn (West Chester), La Famiglia Restaurant (Center City Philadelphia), Ristorante Panorama (Center City Philadelphia), Savona Cucina della Costa (Gulph Mills) and The Fountain (Center City Philadelphia).

The following restaurants received a "DiRoNA" award in addition to the "Award of Excellence": Deux Cheminees (Center City Philadelphia), Evermay on the Delaware (Erwinna), Founders Restaurant (Center City Philadelphia), La Bonne Auberge
(New Hope), La Famiglia Restaurant (Center City Philadelphia), Le Bec-Fin (Center City Philadelphia), Restaurant Passerelle (Radnor), Striped Bass (Center City Philadelphia) and Sign of the Sorrel House (Doylestown).

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to generating awareness of and visitation to Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. For more information about travel to Philadelphia visit www.gophila.com or call (877) GO-PHILA.