PHILADELPHIA RESTAURANT NEWS
November 2001

312 Marketplace – Upscale food court next to B. Free Franklin Post Office and Franklin Court. Dining area with skylights and hardwood floors. Sushi, soups, salads, sandwiches, paella, Mediterranean cuisine, crepes, coffees, Tex Mex and more. 312 Market Street,
(215) 627-0706

401 Diner – Retro diner featuring home-style, comfort foods. Overflowing pastry cases. BYOB. Open 24-hours a day on weekends. 401 Fayette St, Conshohocken, (610) 832-6364

Champps Americana – Serves over-sized portions of American cuisine. Sports bar attracts big crowds of local sports fans. 330 Goddard Boulevard, King of Prussia, (610) 491-8001, www.champps.com

Figs – Chef-owned, Moroccan, BYOB neighborhood restaurant. Open kitchen. Warm atmosphere. Outside dining. 2501 Meredith Street, (215) 978-8440

Ja Hut – Caribbean cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Vivid colors and hard wood floors create a warm Caribbean feel. 5946 Germantown Avenue, Germantown, (215) 438-1347

La Castagne – Contemporary Northern Italian cuisine in a chic atmosphere featuring cherry wood, imported tiles and luxurious draperies. Bar area has large windows.
1920 Chestnut Street, (215) 751-9913

Morimoto – Food Network’s Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto and Philadelphia Restaurateur Stephen Starr collaborated to create this contemporary Japanese restaurant, set to open in November. The décor will blend traditional Japanese design with organic and sensual elements. 723 Chestnut Street, (215) 413-9070

Philly Diner – Diner food including homemade soups and desserts in a casual atmosphere. Serving three meals a day including breakfast all day. Open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. 3925 Walnut Street, (215) 382-3400

Ristorante La Strada – Hidden treasure opened by father/son team. Warm, upscale atmosphere with bright-colored décor and large paintings of Italian scenes. Specialties include multi-region Italian cuisine, seafood and Dad’s special homemade sauce. BYOB. Providence Square,
831 Providence Road, Primos, (610) 284-2225

Riverstone Café – Moderately priced American cuisine and dramatic, contemporary décor featuring a water wall embedded with natural river stones. Whiteland Towne Center,
143 W. Lincoln Highway, Exton, (610) 594-CAFÉ (2233), www.riverstonecafe.com

Roy’s Restaurant – Award-winning Chef Roy Yamaguchi has opened his newest restaurant in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. The menu features Hawaiian fusion cuisine, which blends European techniques with the ingredients of Asia and the Pacific. The restaurant features a large, Japanese style cooking area and an open kitchen. 124-34 South 15^th Street,
(215) 988-1814

Spezia – Italian-inspired modern cuisine, in a contemporary, plush environment. The focus is on fresh ingredients, purchased directly from local farmers, including aged beef. BYOB.
614 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, (610) 526-0123

Stella Notte Trattoria & Steakhouse – Contemporary Italian country cuisine including pastas, brick oven pizzas, salads and prime steaks. Romantic atmosphere. Fiber optic ceiling lights provide a starry-glow in the second story restaurant and foliage from outdoor trees provides a seasonal panorama through large windows. Chestnut Hill Hotel, 8229 Germantown Avenue, Chestnut Hill, (215) 247-2100

Stellina’s Trattoria – Italian restaurant featuring upscale atmosphere with stucco walls, hardwood floors, contemporary track lighting and a dark wood L-shaped bar with an outside area. White linen tablecloths and candles in evening illuminate paintings of romantic sights in Rome and Venice. Happy hour. Family friendly. 261 Montgomery Avenue, Bala Cynwyd,
(610) 617-8880.

Tampopo Casual Japanese Cuisine – Sushi, dumplings, teriyaki and noodle soup are specialties at this small, urban-style BYOB. 104 S. 21^st Street, (215) 557-9593

Ten – This restaurant, just off The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia’s majestic lobby, has changed its name and concept. Serving comfort food for breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, 10 S. Broad Street, (215) 735-7700 ext. 4024

The Cheesecake Factory – The 46^th restaurant in this chain is the first to open in Pennsylvania. The 18-page menu features over 200 selections and more than 40 desserts, including the namesake cheesecakes. The Pavilion at King of Prussia, 570 Mall Boulevard, King of Prussia, (610) 337-2200, www.thecheesecakefactory.com

In the November issue of Saveur magazine, Chaddsford Winery’s Chaddsford 1998 Merican and Chaddsford Proprietors Reserve White 2000 received kudos. Chaddsford Winery,
632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, (610) 388-6221, www.chaddsford.com

Chez Colette has undergone a comprehensive renovation. The new décor is a more intimate, authentic version of a brasserie, reminiscent of the south of France in the 1930s. The new menu combines French cuisine with light, popular flavors and modern ingredients. The Sofitel Philadelphia, 17^th & Sansom streets, (215) 569-8300

Walter Staib, chef/proprietor, City Tavern, and the restaurant itself have received the Five Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences for "commitment to hospitality in every aspect of (the) operation." City Tavern, 138 S. 2^nd Street, (215) 413-1443, www.citytavern.com

Pasion! – This Latino restaurant was noted on Gourmet magazine’s list of the top 50 restaurants in the country. To try the recipes at home, check out Chef Guillermo Pernot’s new cookbook Ceviche, which hit the bookstores in September. 211 S. 15^th Street, (215) 875-9895, www.pasionrestaurant.com

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant was recently named #71 on the prestigious 2001 Inc. 500 list of America’s fastest growing privately held companies. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant features handcrafted beers and new American cuisine. Locations at 3 W. Gay Street, West Chester,
(610) 738-9600; 30 E. State Street, Media, (610) 627-9000 and in Newark, DE.

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