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Chhaya Café’s, 1823 E. Passyunk Ave., short but substantial move has now entered its final stages with its new location’s opening weekend set for mid-to-late August. As reported by the South Philly Review in February, the move will take the neighborhood cafe only a couple doors down but will nearly doubled capacity from 28 to 55. Construction now appears to be at an advanced stage, as some gorgeous hardwood floors are in place along with large windows opening up on to East Passyunk Avenue, giving it an open air layout.
Contrary to the normal slow-ahead approach taken by restaurants on the verge of changing locations, chef/owner Varnana “V” Beuria recently introduced several new summer-centric food and drink items to the menu. Highlighted by the cheesesteak waffle, it also adds breakfast tacos, a summer salad and several beverage options to the current menu. In further anticipation of the move, Chhaya will also be introducing its version of the citywide, Philly’s widely available beer and a shot of bourbon special — offering pourover and a shot of espresso for $4 any day after 2 p.m..
Diners can expect to find their Chhaya favorites still available at the new location with some new items introduced as workers settle in. Always one to offer seasonal options, the chalkboard in front of Chhaya is always worth checking out.
A taste of reality
“Frankenfood,” Spike TV’s entry into competitive food programming, aired the Philadelphia leg of its tour last week. The show celebrates unorthodox food combinations by offering local chefs the chance to impress judges Tony Luke Jr. and chef Josh Capon with their mash ups of seemingly incompatible flavors or ingredients. Philly’s winner was chef Ralph Mazzocchi of Ralph’s in Lancaster. He took home the prize with his Angry Ralph’s Lobster Mac and Cheese, a concoction that included white chocolate, white wine and whiskey. The dish is currently available in Reading Terminal Market at Molly Malloy’s, whose chef, Bobby Fisher, was a guest judge on the episode.
In related news, Tony Luke Jr. took a break from the show last week to stop by the South Philly Review’s sixth annual Pizza Olympics and put word in for his Whitman neighbors at Flat Iron, 26 E. Oregon Ave. The newly opened bar and grill brought along a frankenfood of its own in a mac and cheese pizza that was a crowd favorite.
“Frankenfood” airs 10 p.m. Sundays.
Scarduzio sighting
Fencing went up last week at 1646-48 S. 12th St,, marking the start of work on Chris Scarduzio’s long-awaited restaurant project. Previously home to the since-moved Artisan Boulanger Patissier, construction was first approved by the East Passyunk Crossing Zoning Board in 2013, but the building has sat in limbo until now. Scarduzio, who ran the now-closed Table 31 (being converted into Chops) at the Comcast Center, has been vague in previous reports about the concept and has only noted he planned for it to affordable.
For that report to hold true, Scarduzio would have to take a sharp turn from the offerings of his previous and current restaurants. Located in Caesars Atlantic City as part of a grand Roman display, his restaurant Mia focuses on Mediterranean and Italian fare at a price point of about $47 per entrée. His most recent, though short-lived, endeavor at Avance attempted to assume the fine-dining mantle of Le Bec-Fin.
The notes on the approval from EPX Zoning Board titles the restaurant as East Passyunk Bistro, so it does appear a more low-key experience for South Philly diners is on the way.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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