Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Oct 7, 2008

>> NOW SEATING

Novità (that means new/cute/novel in Italian), a cozy 36-seat Medi BYO, opened this past Monday on South. Partners are GM Hatim Saaboul, and his brother-in-law, chef Hassan Zanzoul, a French Culinary Institute grad; the two previously worked together at Silver Spoon Catering in Branchburg, N.J. Zanzoul's menu is very affordable (entrées top out at $21) and largely Italian, with plates like porcini and wild mushroom ravioli, squid ink fettuccine, shrimp with Tuscan white beans and mascarpone-stuffed salmon. He does, however, plan on changing up choices regularly — expect the addition of some French dishes, as well as some specialties from the duo's native Morocco, in the coming months.

Jean-Luc Fanny, a statistician and java enthusiast, wanted to open a shop to showcase Peregrine Coffee (peregrinecoffee.com), the Tacony "bespoke" bean roaster he recently founded with Kevin Lawrence. So a month back, he and wife Rachel took over the long-dormant space that previously housed Jouvay Java and opened L'Aube ("the dawn"), much to the delight of area Francophiles. (Fanny was born in Côte d'Ivoire and grew up in France.) In addition to his own coffee and espresso, Fanny's offering croques monsieur and madame, crêpes both sweet and savory (ham, Swiss and mushroom; salmon and goat cheese; Nutella) and Brussels waffles, which are lighter and more petite than their Liege counterparts. Try one topped with crème fraîche and chocolate syrup.

>> WAITING LIST

Mitchell Cohen, a former retail VP for EBGames, is planning the grand opening of this 18-seat café (formerly clothing boutique Chic Bella) on Nov. 8. The theme, in case the name hasn't tipped you off, is caffeine, everyone's "legal drug of choice": Espresso and coffee will be provided by West Chester's Morning Star Coffee, and there'll be an entire selection of caffeinated retail products, including sunflower seeds, lollipops, soaps and gums. Cohen also says he'll have a Philly first in red tea espresso, a pre-ground tea that's potent enough to be hand-tamped as if it were coffee. Hands ... shaking ...

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