The LCB seems pleased with sales. During one week in June, the LCB said, 1,335 bottles worth $18,961 were sold to 815 customers.
For Garces to get his license, he will have to go before the Washington Square West Civic Association, which happens to be a plaintiff in the suit against the LCB.
What's new
Habib Troud last week moved Ristorante Castello - lock, stock, and vinegar barrel - from Montgomery Commons in North Wales into the former Alison at Blue Bell (721 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell, 215-283-9500). It's now Castello at Blue Bell, with the same staff and menus in a luxe, jewel-box setting. It's BYOB for now, open lunch and dinner daily (3 to 9 p.m. Sundays). Menu is at www.ristorantecastello.com, though it still read "North Wales" earlier this week.
Drexel Hill now has an Indian restaurant with the recent arrival of the casual Shere-E-Punjab in Drexeline Plaza off City Avenue (5059 State Rd., Drexel Hill, 484-452-8041), in a former ice cream shop. It's the second location for the Northern Indian BYOB, founded in 2006 in Media by veteran chef Zail Singh Sher Gill, who previously cooked at Ardmore's Khajuraho. His son Pushpinder Singh runs this location, whose specialty is a buffet lunch daily. It's open for lunch and dinner daily; entree prices range from $9.95 to $15.95.
What's coming
The former Le Bus/Bubble House at 3402-04 Sansom St. in University City is destined to become a branch of Baby Blues, a BBQ-blues joint that grew out of Venice, Calif. Owners Danny Fischer (a Philly guy whose dad, Lou, was a big cheese with the Gino's Burgers chain) and Rick McCarthy (a Jersey guy whose brother owned a soul-food stand in Georgia) say it's on the way for October or November.
Jolly Weldon of Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar (2006 Chestnut St.) will get in touch with his Baltimore roots - he and his brother Garth ran the Prime Rib there and in Washington for many years - with a Maryland-style crab house at the former Mio Sogno at 15th Street and Oregon Avenue. The name has not been determined, though he's looking to open next month.
Chef chat
New chef at the Wilmington landmark Harry's Savoy Grill is Tony Clark, who spent 10 years as a private chef in Center City. Clark was on the Four Seasons crew before briefly owning Tony Clark at Broad and Sansom Streets.
Contact columnist Michael Klein at mklein@phillynews.com. For real-time restaurant news, follow his blog at http://go.philly.com/insider and on Twitter @phillyinsider.
