Michael Klein: Collingswood goes a little Southwest retro

Little Louie's BBQ in Collingswood has not only posters but also old-time western flicks on a 70-inch TV. Be-sides smoked meats it serves "Breakfast Anytime." (SHARLA FELDSCHER)

By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Posted: November 03, 2011

Collingswood's restaurant scene, already thriving, got smoking this week.

New is Little Louie's BBQ (505 Haddon Ave., 856-854-0600), a Southwest retro-style setting for chef Gerald Dougherty, who's trading on his love of barbecue and his white-tablecloth experience (Founders at the Bellevue, Bogart's in the Latham Hotel, the Moshulu). It's the former Prime 505.

Little Louie's, named after a fictional dachshund, features a $6 roasted rotisserie chicken to go and meats and chicken representing North Carolina, Kansas City, Memphis, and Texas. It's not strictly ribs, pork and the like. Dougherty also offers smoked duck, BBQ spaghetti, salmon, and "Breakfast Anytime," a plate of hickory-smoked ham in maple syrup with eggs, fries, and Texas toast.

All this, and old-time western flicks on the 70-inch TV, too. Leslie John Koeser of Koeser Designs did the interior, and Andrew Warner Landscaping put out old wagon wheels, faux cactus, barrels topped with a steer skull. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Outdoors indoors

Table 31 at the Comcast Center (17th Street and JFK Boulevard) is now keeping its outdoors operation going well into the winter, thanks to an enclosure added to its plaza seating area. Chef-owner Chris Scarduzio seems most excited to be able to serve crowds of visitors attending the holiday video shows in the center's lobby.

What's coming

Hickory Lane is already in the wings to replace L'Oca at Fairmount Avenue and Corinthian Street, across from Eastern State Penitentiary in Fairmount. Chef Matt Zagorski (ex-Rouge and 500 Degrees) is working with Jack Henderson on the American bistro that Henderson says he hopes will open by mid-December. Hickory Lane was an early name for Fairmount Avenue. Henderson is familiar with the building, as he was partnered with L'Oca chef Luca Garutti at its 2006 debut but left two years ago. Garutti, facing criminal charges after a DUI arrest, flew the coop last month.

Robert and Benjamin Bynum of Warmdaddy's and Relish are behind Heirloom, a 50-seat BYOB being prepped for a late-November debut in the former Shundeez Market at the top of the hill in Chestnut Hill (8705 Germantown Ave.). Under chef Al Paris (Mantra, Circa, Zanzibar Blue), Heirloom will feature American regional cuisine; decor will include reclaimed wooden tables and Pennsylvania stone.

The city's second Yogorino (1205 Walnut St.) is open. . . . The Willow Grove location of Mad Mex opens Nov. 11. . . . PBandU, the peanut butter-themer in Wayne, is spreading to Moorestown Mall in January. . . . The city's first Crumbs Bake Shop comes to 133 S. 18th St. in early 2012. . . . In the spring, Spread Bagelry will open a bake shop across the street, at 269 S. 20th St.

Contact Michael Klein at mklein@philly.com or @phillyinsider on Twitter. Follow him at www.philly.com/food and catch his blog at www.philly.com/insider.