Romantic BYOB on Washington Square

Colleen Kelly-Lawler and husband Josh Lawler in their new BYOB on Pine Street, the Farm and Fisherman, with regional, sustainable offerings.

By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Posted: March 10, 2011

The Farm and Fisherman, opening this week in Washington Square West, marks a homecoming for chef-spouses Josh Lawler and Colleen Kelly-Lawler.

This makes sense. After graduating from Drexel University, they worked in New York restaurants. Then he landed the chef de cuisine at the farm-to-table mecca Blue Hill at Stone Barns, an hour-plus up the Hudson in Tarrytown, N.Y., while she had twin boys 15 months ago.

With her parents in Washington Township, Gloucester County, and his now in Cape May, they've set up a romantic white-tablecloth BYOB at 1120 Pine St. (267-687-1555).

Lawler focuses his menu and approach on regional and sustainable produce, meat, and fish. Kelly-Lawler runs the front of the house. Prices range from $8 to $15 for small to medium plates and $20 to $29 for entrees. It's open for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays. Menu is at www.philly.com/farmfish.

A lounge with polish

Hop Sing Laundromat, a lounge named for the cook on the TV series Bonanza, is being readied at 1029 Race St. I describe it more fully at www.philly.com/hop, but you should know that the entryway will be an actual shoeshine shop and that there will be no chef and kitchen. Menu will be 25 items - five dishes offered by each of five restaurants in the neighborhood. Hop Sing staff will pick up the food and deliver it to the tables in Chinese wedding banquet boxes. Attorney Bill Morrin says it should be open in mid-April.

What's new

Great American Pub has opened at 516 King St. in Paoli, replacing Casey's. It's related to the Hemcher family's GAPs in Conshohocken and Wayne but not to the one in Narberth. It's open daily for lunch and dinner.

Steve Lin has opened a second Megu Sushi, in Moorestown Commons (300 Young Ave., Moorestown, 856-780-6327) next to Barone's Tuscan Grill. The stylish, modern BYOB includes a 10-seat sushi bar, and it's open daily for lunch and dinner. See www.philly.com/megu for photos.

What's coming

McKenzie Brew House, with locations in Glen Mills and Malvern, is preparing No. 3, in the former Charlie Brown's at 324 W. Swedesford Road in Berwyn, just off Route 202. It's up for fall.

Bubba's Texas BBQ, a sitdowner with bar attached to the open kitchen, is being considered for the former market at 19-21 W. Girard Ave. in Fishtown. Developer Steve Ehrenhalt is partnering with Robert "Bubba" Kolbasowski, a Texan who has his own mobile smoker - a 10-by-17-foot, 7,000-pound thingamabob that he pulls around town, drawing droolers as he passes. Timetable is not yet in place.

Contact columnist Michael Klein at mklein@phillynews.com. Follow his blog at http://go.philly.com/insider and on Twitter @phillyinsider.