Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Apr 10, 2007

>> WAITING LIST

Jonathan Chun, owner of Japanese dynamo Fuji Mountain, hopes to have this sushi haunt open by June; the shop's getting set up in the Academy House space formerly occupied by BBQer The Smoked Joint. While an upscale fusion menu will be available, Chun says that 20 to 30 reservation-only seats will offer diners a chance to sample kaiseki, a strictly seasonal tasting menu that can boast up to 19 courses. (Zen Setsu will keep it at a decidedly less scary seven to nine.) Legend has it that Buddhist monks developed the concept behind kaiseki, and Chun has attached a similar mystique to this project: He's keeping his chef's identity a secret for now, but reveals that he's a native of Japan (good!) with cooking experience in America.

Late April will see the latest TIE Fighter launched from the belly of the Imperial Star Destroyer that is the Marathon Corp. (Look kids, Cary Borish can shoot Force lightning from his fingertips!) The two-story venture, which seats up to 120, will kick off the chain's new dinner menu, which includes upscale plates like grilled New York strip and chicken saltimbocca.

If the baristas at La Colombe seem a bit on edge lately, it's not just because they're, y'know, stressed-out La Colombe baristas — dudes see Academia coming. The Hausbrandt team already runs three of these Euro-fied coffee joints in the city — 620 and 1039 Chestnut and 2400 Market — and many more are on the way. Look out for a South Penn Square location next month, a store at 16th and Walnut by September and an outpost in The Curtis Center (601 Walnut St.) before the end of the year.

All hail the new spring tasting menu from Ben Davison, chef de cuisine at Pasion! (211 S. 15th St., 215-875-9895). Thirty-five bones gets you three courses, including the Chino Latino, Asian sea bass served with yuzu sticky rice and sun trout roe in a papaya curry sauce. >> The thought of dining at McCormick and Schmick's (1 S. Broad St., 215-568-6888) is taxing on a Broke-ass McBroke like me. But don't let that stop you from visiting on April 17, when the chain is offering some IRS-themed deals: There'll be $10.40 dinner specials, and every guest will get a gift certificate good for $10.40 off a future visit.

 

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