Philly’s 2012 menu: What’s new and coming right up
Just born
Han
Dynasty
Han Chiang’s about to find out if Manyunk will get down with authentic Sichuan food — he opened his fourth Han Dynasty in the hilly ’hood just before the New Year.
4358 Main St. www.handynasty.net
Lemon Hill and Hickory Lane
Fairmount got a sweet holiday gift — as well as some sorely needed late-night bar eats — in Lemon Hill (747 N. 25th St., 215-232-2299, www.lemonhillphilly.com), a collaboration between Supper chef-owner Mitch Prensky and the brains behind the genius drinks list at Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. Think Boulevardiers and smoked tomato soup with blue cheese popovers. Equally fresh is Hickory Lane (2025 Fairmount Ave., 215-769-2420, www.hickorylanebistro.com), a BYO-for-now helmed by former Rouge executive chef Matt Zagorski. His polished cooking and beloved tuna tartare will likely lull diners missing L’Oca, the space’s former tenant.
Walnut Street Supper Club
Center City stalwart Portofino closed quietly for renovations last summer to be reborn as the Walnut Street Supper Club, a white-tablecloth date spot plating classic Italian pastas and steak, complete with a cast of singing servers accompanied on the piano by musical director Jeremiah Downes. Sounds like a reality show in the making.
1227 Walnut St. 215-923-8208 www.walnutstreetsupperclub.com
Coming Soon
Jamonera
Late January should see the opening of 13th Street queens Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s makeover of their Bindi BYOB into Jamonera, an Andalucian wine bar serving raciones — shareable plates that are a bit bigger than standard tapas.
105 S. 13th St. 215-922-6061 www.jamonerarestaurant.com/jamonera
Alla Spina
Stephen Starr’s recently opened Route 6 will get a new North Broad neighbor when Marc Vetri opens Alla Spina in February. The chef previewed items like baked oysters with asiago, parsley and lemon, mortadella hot dogs and fried focaccia with Italian stout hot chocolate to pair with craft beer — the name means “from the tap” in Italian. The atmosphere will include graffiti and garage doors that roll up to open the Mt. Vernon façade of the restaurant.
600 N. Broad St. www.allaspina.vetrifamily.com
Frohman’s Wursthaus and Shake Shack
Will Jose Garces’ housemade sausages be sizzling on the wood-burning grill at Frohman’s Wursthaus (208 S. 13th St., www.grg-mgmt.com) before the line forms for Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack (2000 Sansom St., www.shakeshack.com)? The New York restaurateur’s cultish LaFrieda burger — along with shakes, hot dogs and fries — will be available right across the street from Garces’ Village Whiskey this summer.
