Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Dec 23, 2008

>> NOW SEATING

This greenified Catharine Street coffee house, the handiwork of partners Ayo Jemiri and Olayinka Odunlami, opened Dec. 13. "Wa-zo-bia" (no affiliation with the same-named eatery at 11th and Mount Vernon) is a portmanteau combining the word for "come" in the three major dialects of Nigeria; it's meant to symbolize welcoming and unity among disparate traditions. As such, Jemiri and Odunlami are aiming to establish their café as a community meeting place. They're pouring La Colombe coffee, shakes and smoothies. Eats include bready-pastry-type deals, a menu of salads and sandwiches and a cold case selection of Breyer's ice cream (waffles, too!). Hours are Mon.-Fri., 7-10:30 a.m. and 2:30-8 p.m.; and Sat.-Sun., 8 am.-8 p.m.

>> WAITING LIST

February is still the tentative launch month for Chifa, chef Jose Garces' interpretation of the so-named Chinese/Peruvian hybrid cuisine in what was formerly 707. Anyone who dined at that restaurant knows that its multi-room interior is huge — an ideal canvas for designer Jun Aizaki (Amada, Tinto, Distrito). Features will include a focal-point ceviche bar whipping up more than 10 varieties fresh daily (e.g. tuna with a rocoto chili pepper emulsion, soy, sweet potato, onion and cilantro). Proper menu items will include arroz chaufa con mariscos, fried rice with Chinese ham, egg, scallion and soy-ginger-glazed shellfish; and roast duck buns with foie gras mousse, plum sauce, pickled scallion and five-spice sea salt. For a sneak peek at more dishes, check out citypaper.net/mealticket, category: Openings.

George Poulianas, owner of Washington Township's Whitman Diner, is in the process of converting his South Jersey institution into The Whitman, a decidedly more upscale diner/martini lounge hybrid. The prolific DAS Architects, which has designed everything from Pearl and Pod to Fado and Fogo de Chao, is tweaking and retroactively retro-fying the interior; the food on the diner side will stay the same (it's open during construction), but the lounge end will boast a new menu. Everything should be ready to go in February.

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