“‘Gastropub’ is an overused word,” said Carmen Cappello. “I like the phrase ‘public house.’” So that’s what the Philadelphia native, who spent the last 12 years in Atlanta as a head chef at that city’s Ritz Carlton, is calling The Wishing Well, the spot that he and boyhood pal Chris Martino are working on in the old Pat Bombino’s restaurant at Ninth and Catharine, which was owned, in part, by Al Paris. (This is not to confuse folk who’ll show up for tomorrow night’s media dinner at Public House to meet new executive chef Paris and taste his nu-pub menu).

Martino and Cappello’s dads know each other, too, and the relationship among families is something that will guide the Wishing Well at this outlying corner of the Italian Market and its surrounding neighborhood. “A lot of people around here have been telling us that they’ve been waiting for something that isn’t you typical fare,â€� Cappello told us, as he ran between his still-constructing Well and Isgro’s, where he was cannoli-shopping for his work crew. “Chris and I are very excited to bring a new concept to Bella Vista.” What is new, from seeing the bar, dinner and brunch menus (check after the jump), is little touches on old favorites, like adding scrapple to burgers as well as offering what might be the first shepherd’s pie on the block.

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Last Friday, we teased a few photos of Percy Street Barbecue (900 South St.), which will open to the public this coming Tuesday, Nov. 17. Today we’ve got a few more shots of the Elisabeth Knapp-designed interior, as well as the opening food, beer and cocktail menus after the jump. Much more on the spot next week; for more right now, peep filmmaker Chandler Kaufman’s feature on the spot.

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Courtesy of Shank’s

We just got word from the Shank’s Original folks that they’ve finalized a lease for their location at Pier 40 at 901 S. Columbus Boulevard (close to the intersection of Christian). The sign is going up this week, and they hope to be operating sometime in the month of December. Check out the proposed menu after the jump — lots of the same stuff from their 15th Street location (including the gigantic giambotti omelette!), but a little tighter in approach.

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Del Frisco’s (1426 Chestnut St.) recently revamped its lunch menu. While the prices aren’t quite as thrifty as Union Trust’s $7.17 menu, they’ve been trimmed, and there are a handful of new more-affordable options, including entrée-size salads and 10-ounce prime cheddar burger with fries or skillet chips for $10.95. There’s also a three-course “business lunch” dealie for $26.95.

Lunch is available weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Full menu after the jump.

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We’ve got the new fall menu at Zinc (246 S. 11th St.) for you after the jump, but it also behooves us to let you know that the French bistro’s duck press, which we told you about last month, is up and running. Available Tuesday through Thursday (with two day’s advance notice), a full-on duck press meal for two will run you a very reasonable $70. The deal includes a whole roasted Normandy duck carved tableside; after all the meat’s sliced, your server will pop the duck carcass into a badass medieval press to extract the fat and juice and blood and other goodness, which are then reduced and served as a sauce with the duck’s breasts and potatoes. For a second course, you get the grilled legs and wings of the duck along with a house salad.

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Liam Kelly and Maurice Collins of Tir Na Nog opened new pub Con Murphy’s, attached to the Windsor Hotel at 17th and the Ben Franklin Parkway (267-687-1128), a week ago today.

There are bars on both levels of the large Gaelically appointed space, which boasts frosted-glass quotables from countrymen like Oscar Wilde upstairs and a tweener mezzanine seating area watched over by a huge photo mural (namesake Murphy is a legendary Irish odds man). Right now, they’re doing 12 beers on tap and 25 in bottles.

The biggest thing separating the pub from the glut of Irish drinkeries in this town is its menu, from chef Todd H. Butler, who drops “international comfort food” when asked to characterize his cooking style. “Philadelphia has a lot of Irish pubs,” says Butler. “People are more advanced these days, people are foodies. They expect more than just shepherd’s pie or fish and chips.” That’s not to say that such UK bar-grub staples are missing from the menu — they’re there, a few twists notwithstanding — but here you can also dig into atypical eats like a brick-pressed pork belly Cubano sandwich, lamb frites, or “Angels on Horseback,” bacon-wrapped oysters on caraway toasts.

On weekdays, the bar will open at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast to accommodate Windsor guests and/or early risers, then Butler’s all-day menu kicks in from 8 a.m. to midnight. (Tomorrow, they’ll introduce a late-night bites menu that runs till 2.) Weekend brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

After the jump, check out chef Butler’s all-day menu and his brunch menu.

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Varga Bar (941 Spruce St.) has launched a new daytime offering for all us hungry never-have-enough-timers — a $9 “Speed Lunch” that guarantees you’ll be in and out of the joint in 30 minutes.

Check out the Speed Lunch menu in full after the jump.

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Moon Krapugthong, chef/owner at Manayunk’s Chabaa Thai (4371 Main St.) and MangoMoon (4161 Main St.), has been gradually tweaking MM’s menu over the past few weeks to take more of a Bangkok street food-focused approach. (The original menu was more international in approach.) Sai auh (above), the Northern-style Thai sausage that had Trey Popp squealing with joy this past February, is still available.

Check out the new menu, plus the latest sake, cocktail and wine lists, after the jump.

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Darin Picorella says he’s thisclose to opening Grey Social (132 Chestnut St.)  — as of right now he’s committing to “this weekend” for the debut. (This project’s been in the works for awhile — we first had word of it back in May.)

The story on this address is that it operated as a teahouse before Prohibition, and then later as a speakeasy, so Picorella’s nodding to both traditions with décor and bevs. A triple-tiered chandelier is the centerpiece of the ground floor (the second floor is about a month behind), hanging in a main room, past the bar area, that features low lounge tables, exposed brick walls with candle recesses and a classy leather wraparound banquette. Edison lightbulbs and aluminum café tables round out the speakeasy feel. Drink-wise, they’ll be mixing classics — the French 75, the Clover Club — as well as a selection of tea-based tipples (spiced rum, black tea, cran, simple syrup, grenadine; ZEN Green Tea liqueur, dry sake; Beefeater, chilled Earl Grey, lemon, sugar, lime).

Picorella’s been renting out Grey for a number of events over the past few weeks to warm up his staff — this Thursday, for example, he’s hosting a $500-minimum fundraiser for State Senator Anthony H. Williams. Opening hours will be Mon., 4:30 p.m.-midnight; Tue.-Wed., 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m.; and Thu.-Sat., noon-2 a.m.

After the jump, take a look at Grey’s opening menu, which is affordable and has a French bistro feel — tartares, raw bar, crepes, an en croute selection, etc.

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Courtesy of Jolly’s

Jolly’s Dueling Piano Bar (2006 Chestnut St.), which Meal Ticket has been following for a few months now, opens to the public this coming Friday, Oct. 30 (a World Series off day) at 3 p.m. Here’s a peek inside Jolly Weldon’s new 125-seat space, the centerpiece of which will be two baby grands (not pictured) that’ll double as battle stations for pianists Anthony “Tony T” DeCarolis and “Wildman Joe” Marchetti (more on concept here). On Friday, the music, which’ll normally run Tuesday to Saturday from 8 p.m. on, will begin early, at 6; Jolly’s first day will also see the unveiling of their happy hour (6-8 p.m.), which’ll feature $3 cocktails, $3 wine/beer and $3 eats (sliders, flatbread pizzas, hummus, guac, etc.).

After the jump, more interior pics, a few looks at the food and the opening menu/drink list.

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