Hickory Lane’s burger
A seemingly continuous cascade of restaurants are popping open their doors before the calendar ticks over to 2012. Last night was the first night of service for Hickory Lane, a BYO bistro located in the shuttered L’Oca spot on Fairmount Ave, just across from Eastern State Penitentiary. Former Rouge chef Matt Zagorski has the reins, and is planning a menu of hearty, seasonal fare. He and partner Jack Henderson did a quick revamp on the interior, concealing the open kitchen somewhat and adding dark wood touches. Lunch will follow in the coming weeks, and a liquor license has been hinted at in the near future.
Another redo has also just launched, this one on the eastern edge of town. Rob Holloway is serving elevated neighborhood fare at the East Girard Gastropub (call it E.G.G.), in the space he purchased whenMike Stollenwerk closed Fathom to concentrate on Fish. More tables now surround the bar, and while seafood is still on the menu, there’s one big new addition: meat! Snacks start around $4 and top out at $18, in line with what the Fishtown crowd expects.
In West Philly, food-truck pioneer Tom McCusker of Honest Tom’s Taco Shop has finally opened his brick-and-mortar location (we first mentioned it last March). Open 8 AM–9 PM daily, the shop serves his famous breakfast tacos with locally roasted GreenStreet coffee, and then switches over to a bill of fare similar to the mobile operation, with the addition of big, burly burritos. A communal table and counter with stools fill the interior, and outside picnic seating will be introduced as soon as the weather is willing.
