For now, the deli and deli menu are on seven days, plus Sunday nights. Bistro M serves nightly Tuesdays through Sundays.
South Philly news
The debut of
Le Virtù, a long-in-coming Italian restaurant, should be any day at 1927 E. Passyunk Ave. (215-271-5626), on the Broad Street side of the Passyunk strip, near Tre Scalini. Sunny yellow walls, wooden tables, side courtyard, mural-backed bar stocked with Italian wines - many of which have to be special-ordered. Owners Francis Cratil and Cathy Lee, a young couple who led culinary trips to Italy (his roots are in Abruzzo), have imported chef Luciana Spurio, who grew up in Ascolana and moved to Abruzzo; Cratil says Spurio's visa took 16 months to secure. Her menu is filled with grilled meats and homemade pastas; figure $13 for pastas to $30 for a steak. Cratil and Lee worked with Ciro Rendina at his now-closed South Philly BYOB Buon Appetito. Rendina locked up the space, but shortly afterward left for Italy. It will be open nightly except for Tuesdays.
Nick Meglina, meanwhile, has sold his South Philly restaurant Felicia's and plans to open an Italian pub near Le Virtù, at 1909 E. Passyunk Ave.; no name or opening date yet. He wants to reestablish Felicia's in Center City, but but does not have a location. New occupant of the Felicia's space at 11th and Ellsworth Streets will be the Devil's Den - a resto-bar with at least two dozen beers on draft and about 200 in bottles, plus a Continental menu. Owners have the Old Eagle Tavern in Manayunk. It's due to open before Christmas.
Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/michaelklein and http://go.philly.com/foodanddrinq.
