First came Avenue of the Arts, now Philadelphians can welcome its new "Restaurant Row." Adding to a block that already boasts Jones, Morimoto and Palace at the Ben, with their new additions power chef Jose Garces and native son Terry White will turn the 700 block of Chestnut into a foodie mecca.
Garces' new Peruvian venture Chifa is just moments away from opening its doors in the space formerly known as 707. (The inside scoop has put the opening as early as next week.) The chef has already invited staff from his other restaurants to an "off-the-record" tasting of some of Chifa's menu items. While the finer points of the dishes are still being tweaked, word on the street is that the food, and also notably the drinks, will live up to the high Garces standards.
Just up the street, Terry White will open his highly anticipated steakhouse, Union Trust. Housed in the former Union Trust Integrity Bank, the large and ornate space will transport diners back to the days when scotch-drinking, cigar-smoking and expense account-having bankers ruled the world. Who wouldn't want to eat a transcendent steak in an atmosphere like that?
And the countdown begins…
