Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> NOW SEATING

Philly's long-awaited Fogo de Chão (fo-go dée shown), the 11th installment of the international Brazilian steak-house chain, is finally open. The cavernous 300-seater has an unorthodox serving method: Flip over an indicator card, and gaucho chefs will hurry meat right to your table. There's also a salad bar that features cheeses, hearts of palm and marinated mushrooms. Bite This: Flag down a gaucho for everything from alcatra top sirloin to linguica, delicately roasted pork sausages.

Open since the beginning of last week, this affordable 21-seat lunch and dinner spot is an offshoot of owner Munish Narula's Tiffin delivery service. It's open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; the menu features classics like chicken vindaloo and veggie samosa, but look out for a smattering of contemporary twists (chicken tikka salad). Bite This: The Desi-style surf and turf pairs a tandoori-spiced rack of lamb with cumin-seed-flavored roasted shrimp.

>> WAITING LIST

Questions surrounding the debut of Jim and Kristina Burke's Bella Vista sitdown have been circulating for months, but Kristina recently confirmed that they'll be opening in the days following Christmas. (Blame construction woes for the delay.) Jim, the former exec chef at Starr's Angelina, has constructed a simple seasonal menu with a strong emphasis on locally grown produce. Bite This: Kristina thinks diners are "going to go nuts" for her husband's carnaroli risotto, but we're also eyeing the sauteed diver scallops with a curried cauliflower cream and caper praline.

Tower Investments honcho Bart Blatstein recently rang to update us on the grubbin' side of his ambitious Avenue North project. There's only one eatery currently open in the complex— and it's a Qdoba, so no one cares—but more and more storefronts will be lighting up in the next three months. On deck: the Japanese/Korean Koja, the ethnic Garden of Hilal, Nosheri Deli, Pete's Pizza (not affiliated with the Old City eatery of the same name), an exotic tea store and smoothie stop Maui Wowie ("The kids love 'em," says Blatstein).