Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

>> NOW SEATING

Max Tucker, Mike Mastellone and Mike Kearney of Mad River debut this watering hole to the public tonight, March 26, at 9 p.m. Decked out in dark wood and industrial steel, the den-like space features a fireplace, cozy booths and a 30-seat bar; a mezzanine features a DJ booth and two-top lunch seating. (A third floor for private parties should be done in about a month.) On tap: Victory Prima Pils, Leffe Brown, Hook & Ladder's Pipe & Drum Irish Ale, etc. The menu, designed by Little Fish's Mike Stollenwerk, features eats like flank steak with fried shallots and whipped cream spinach; mac 'n' cheese croquettes with stewed tomatoes; confit chicken drumettes in buffalo sauce and more. They'll be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. For full menus and pics, check out Meal Ticket.

>> WAITING LIST

Harry and John Arnold, the brothers who own and operate Darling's Cheesecakes at 20th and Pine and 21st and Spring, just signed a deal with developer Bart Blatstein to open a 132-seat liquor-licensed eatery on the ground floor of The Egg, an office building that's part of Blatstein's Piazza at Schmidt's development in Northern Liberties. The space will carry a slightly retro feel, with a diner, comfort food-esque menu (no chef to name just yet). The opening, just like the Piazza project as a whole, is slated for mid- to late May.

>> LITTLE VITTLES

>> At Distrito (3945 Chestnut St., 215-222-1657, distritorestaurant.com), a valid student ID gets you 20 percent off your bill during dinner hours on Mondays and Tuesdays.

>> Reading Terminal Market's Mezze won this past weekend's ScrappleFest recipe contest with its scrapple/scrambled egg stromboli. Second-place winner was Fair Food Farmstand's vegan Vrapple with roasted pumpkin, while third place went to Carmen's Famous Italian Hoagies for a scrapple cheesesteak. Full ScrappleFest recap on Meal Ticket.