Table Talk: Redo, new companion for McCool's

There's a new look at 12th and Sansom Streets these days for Finn McCool's Ale House (118 S. 12th St., 215-940-6506). The Sourias family, which bought the corner shot-and-a-beer and the building several years ago, closed it last summer and gutted it.

The Irish-style pub on the first floor, with requisite exposed bricks and woods, has 16 brews on tap. Chef Miguel Leon, formerly of Mixto and Havana, does a moderately priced pub menu from 11 a.m. to late night.

The previously unused second floor might be an anti-pub: It's a nightspot called Prime Lounge with DJ booth, bottle service, and an international fusion menu (entrees $20 to $26).

That piece of Center City, known as Midtown Village, should soon see the opening of two previously mentioned projects: Time (the "old school" American from nearby Vintage, due later this month at 1315 Sansom St.) and Les Bon Temps (Cajun-Creole from Carmine's Creole Cafe in Bryn Mawr, due in April at 114 S. 12th).

South Philly updates

Lynn Rinaldi of South Philly's Paradiso says she wants to try something different in her corner of East Passyunk Avenue. Her next place, which she hopes to open at the end of May, will be a sushi BYOB. It will be down the street from Paradiso, at 1601 E. Passyunk Ave., the corner of Tasker.

Adobe Cafe, the long-running Southwestern on the Manayunk side of Roxborough (or the Roxborough side of Manayunk), is heading downtown. Its second location, targeted for May 1, will be 1919 E. Passyunk Ave., which last was Elements Sports Cafe after a short turn as Eladio's and many years as Gentile's Villa Di Rieti. Mariano Herrerias, who bought the Adobe seven years ago from Bob Bitros (now at Azure in Northern Liberties), says the downtown Adobe will be "the same everything" - liquor license, moderate prices, and decent vegetarian options. That block also will see Sticks & Stones (1909 E. Passyunk) from Nick Miglino, formerly of Felicia's.

Briefly noted

Basil Bistro in Paoli has started Sunday brunch, gospel-themed. Music now is piped in, but live performances are down the road.

Izakaya will be the name of the Japanese restaurant planned for a June opening at the Borgata in Atlantic City by Michael Schulson, chef at Pod before he went to New York to open Buddakan in Manhattan and as star of Style Network's Pantry Raid. It's billed as a modern Japanese pub - izakaya roughly translates as gastropub - based on Schulson's seven-month culinary expedition through Japan.