Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> NOW SEATING

Here in the States, it's mostly relegated to SAT prep guides and/or the vernacular of slightly pretentious people. But in China, "auspicious" is one of the most commonly used adjectives around. Gwen Zheng and Alfred Leung's so-named Chinese sit-down, which opened Thanksgiving week right next to MilkBoy Coffee in Ardmore, fiddles with fusion (there are Thai influences; the Sasebo burger's topped with Canadian bacon and an over-easy egg), but also sticks with some classics (a whole Peking duck is $29.95). How fortunate. Check out a full menu on the restaurant's Web site, mastersofkungfood.com (I KNOW). Bite This: The BYO's create-your-own stir-fry menu allows diners to pick their protein (chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu) along with sauce (garlic sake, Sichuan peppercorn, coconut curry, etc.) and up to six veggies.

Open for less than a month in the South Street storefront that El Rey Sol once called home, this warm, romantic Mexican BYO is serving up favorably priced platos fuertes (most $12 or under) and a solid mix of seafood choices. Pork loin with house-made mole, filet with avocado sauce and salmon Veracruzano are just a few of the more intriguing entrées. Bite This: In an interesting departure from your typical Mexi sopa selection, La Perla offers "Crema Washington," which is cream of corn soup, and "Crema Princesa" (agh!), cream of asparagus served with croutons.

>> WAITING LIST

Yair Marinov, director of U.S. operations for the ever-popular Maoz chain, says the falafel joint's second Philly restaurant will be ready to open by January. While it won't be tough to outsize the teeny South Street original (Maoz's first U.S. location), this one will be close to 1,500 square feet, with seating for around 20. Same menu, but Marinov says that they're playing with the idea of serving a separate breakfast menu. As someone who would gladly wolf down Maoz falafel for each of my six daily meals, this is great news.