Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

NOW SEATING

Jay Zou, formerly of South Philly's Johnny Chang's, is the chef and namesake at Jay's Favorite, brand-new to Sansom Street. The BYOB is doing all the usual sushi, sashimi and maki options, plus a selection of more than 20 specialty rolls. Check out the deep-fried (!) "Oh My Goodness" roll, with chopped lobster and shrimp and spicy tuna; the "King Kong Roll," which features three kinds of crab topped with more crab; or the "Pink Lady," with lobster, shrimp, crab and avocado. Hours: Mon.-Thu., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri., 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sat., noon-11 p.m.; Sun., 1-10 p.m. Full menu on Meal Ticket.

Ralph Pecca and Todd Dae Kulper's high-end Japanese restaurant soft-opened this past weekend. Chef Kulper wants the BYO to be a built-to-order destination — that's why half of his menu is based around omakase, or multi-course tastings, which will be customized based on diners' tendencies with flexible pricing. He's doing stuff like his eel and ponzu sauces in-house, too. The sushi and dinner menus are still being ironed out, but Kulper will serve dishes like a gratin-baked lobster stuffed with sea urchin, snow crab and shichimi butter, and live scallop sashimi with compressed pomelo, habanero compote, celery oil and truffled celery leaves. More on Meal Ticket.

LITTLE VITTLES

>> Be sure to check out the first installment of Spirit Sister, a new booze-centric column from frequent CP contributor and Meal Ticket guru-ess Felicia D'Ambrosio. "Spirit Sister delves into the people and places that provide us with magical elixirs, soporific drams and other temptingly toxic potions," says D'Ambrosio. Now I'm thirsty. Spirit Sister will appear bimonthly.

>> A new Chick-fil-A opens today at E. Butler Street and Aramingo Avenue in Port Richmond.

>> 500°, the burger joint on the 1500 block of Sansom from Rob and Maggie Wasserman of Rouge, is expected to open on March 23. Check out the menu on Meal Ticket.

>> Fare (2028 Fairmount Ave.), the Cali-inspired restaurant originally up for a March opening, has hit a few construction delays and now is aiming for May.