Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> NOW SEATING

The Bynum brothers' Old City-to-South Philly transition took almost a year, but Oct. 20 saw the official reopening of Warmdaddy's. Ben Bynum says this interior, which features a chocolate granite bar, larger stage and second-floor roof deck, is more modern than the original Front Street location. New head chef Don Wharton, who most recently oversaw the Atlanta branch of Diddy's Justin's, has whipped up a menu that's big on sandwiches and fried seafood. Bite This: Bynum's excited about his appetizers, which include jerk chicken egg rolls and cheesesteak nachos.

Why did Brendan Dougherty leave his position as Lacroix's chef de cuisine to run the kitchen at Rose Parrotta's Rooster? "Something new," says Dougherty, whose brasserie-inspired menu will be completed within a month. He'll offer rustic fare like coq au vin, whole crawfish and bread pudding. Bite This: Look for the truffled chicken wings, served with a garlic confit.

>> WAITING LIST

Staffers at U-City's Fu-Wah Mini Market recently let on that the Lai family, which owns both that spot and Chinatown's popular Vietnam, is putting in a new restaurant just two mailboxes down from Fu-Wah. It's an entirely new structure being built from the ground up. The spot will be smaller than the original Vietnam, and will feature a scaled-back version of its current menu. It's still in the early stages, so don't expect any major moves for at least a year.

>> CHECK, PLEASE

Holy closings, kids. At 12th and Locust, the embattled Medi-tapas spot Lula has bid hasta luego to the Gayborhood. And Rittenhouse types have surely noticed that Bleu, the Sheraton Hotel spot formerly owned by Neil Stein, es no mas. (One source reports that the investors personally pulled the blinds down for good.) We hear that Starrchild's popping a French bistro in its place.