Feeding Frenzy: Restaurants opening, closing and pending
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
HughE Dillion
NOW SEATING:
Simply Shabu | Simply Shabu is bringing shabu shabu -— i.e. Chinese fondue -— to Philly with this newly opened Chinatown 40-seater. The cold-weather-perfect interactive dining concept is fairly straightforward — choose your combo (beef, chicken, pork, seafood, veg or surf & turf), select your broth (house, vegetable or spicy), add a la carte items (fish balls, enoki mushrooms, slices of ribeye, tofu) and get to tabletop cooking. Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m.; Fri., 5-11 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5-11 p.m.; Sun., 11-3 p.m., 5-10 p.m.; 1023 Cherry St., 267-273-0354, simplyshabu.com.
Crabby Cafe and Sports Bar | The latest addition to the Piazza at Schmidt’s is an unlikely combo of Vietnamese and Cajun fare. Crabby Cafe & Sports Bar has taken over the space that was formerly Max’s Brew Bar. The Crabby’s folks have retained the 32-tap draft system and rolled out a menu of seafood boils in flavors like Cajun (regular, spicy or burning), garlic butter and lemon Cajun. Orders of crab, crawfish, clams or oysters come with corn, potatoes and links of sausage. Also on the menu are bowls of pho and fried seafood apps. Mon., Wed., 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Thu.-Fri., 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sat., noon-2 a.m.; Sun., noon-midnight; 1050 N. Hancock St., Unit 1, 215-574-9700, crabbycafebar.com.
LOOKING AHEAD:
Bart Blatstein’s new casino, The Provence, proposed for the corner of Broad and Callowhill, pending state Gaming Commission approval, of course, will have eight restaurants total. Blatstein is planning to bring in two big names: Tom Colicchio of Top Chef fame and Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde, The Dutch and Lafayette in New York.
