Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

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Published: Oct 23, 2007

>> WAITING LIST

This Saturday will see the grand opening of Rainbow Eye, a "friendly gay bar" — not the other way around — just north of NoLibs. Operated by Brenda Torres and Iris Melendez, the Eye is located above Sammy's Place, which Melendez also owns. Karaoke, Eagles games and eventually live music are on the entertainment docket; signature cocktails are currently in development from the space's team of bartenders. The couple is drawing on their own Puerto Rican heritage, as well as a mix of other Latin-American influences, to craft the menu, which'll be ready to go in November. Bite This: Eats will include fritters, meat patties, fried plantains and "Seven Seas Soup," a hearty seafood dish the pair will serve on Saturdays.

Philly boy Mark Marek's single-letter lounge, which shares a street address with Italian steakhouse Davio's, will make its official debut Nov. 29. At roughly 10,000 square feet, the 400-head-capacity space will feature two full-service bars and an ever-evolving atmosphere, thanks to innovations like movable wall panels and "electronic wallpaper," projection technology that can change the mood of the lounge in a few clicks. An array of small plates sourced from Davio's will include cold seafood (oysters on the half shell, tequila lime gravlax) and a selection of sliders (pulled chicken, braised beef short ribs, jumbo lump crab). Marek, who comes from a background in luxury jewelry, wants G to fill what he characterizes as a void in the city's high-end nightlife destinations. Bite This: A shake-up of citrus vodka, Marie Brizard Crème de Cassis, lemon, champagne and Grand Marnier-marinated berries, ordering mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim's "Very Sexy" cocktail could double as a pass at the hot bartender.

Scott and Erin Wallace, who own Manayunk's Old Eagle Tavern, settled on their purchase of the space that long housed Felicia's Oct. 18. Though they're currently in the early demo stages, Scott shares that the space will be bi-level and eventually able to accommodate as many as 240 guests; expect somewhere around 28 beers on draft and 200 by the bottle. Not much on the food just yet, but it'll be a "continental" menu. Look for the Den to debut in late December.

 

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