I don’t get it. This was my first thought when I heard about Citron and Rose, the new Michael Solomonov project in Merion. Sure, I was also excited to hear that Mike Solo was coming to the ‘burbs. I loved Marigold Kitchen. I love Zahav. My mouth waters when thinking about finally trying Federal Donuts. But a restaurant that’s not open on Friday or Saturday night? On the Main Line, where we’re famous for only supporting a single seating, even on weekends? It just seems silly.

Of course, I’m neither Jewish, nor do I know much about the Orthodox Jewish community. I suppose it is relatively large in the Merion area, but this is still the suburbs. It’s one thing for a little ethnic restaurant to open in a densely populated urban neighborhood that happens to be predominantly that ethnicity, but here we’re talking about high-end dining, in a non-urban setting.

The other thing about that little ethnic restaurant is that it doesn’t exclude anyone. Technically, the same is true at Citron and Rose – one doesn’t have to be Kosher to eat there – but, most non-Kosher people I know prefer to go out to a fancy, expensive meal on a weekend night. Not everyone of course, but especially suburbanites who work normal 9-5, Monday-Friday jobs. Do we ever go out during the week? Sure, but even then it’s more likely to be somewhere casual, comfortable, quick and probably somewhat cheap.

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An olive oil and vinegar shop called Bella Oliva is coming soon to downtown Wayne, next to Gryphon Café. Though details have yet to emerge, one would imagine a similar concept to A Taste of Olive in both West Chester and Ardmore.

Interestingly, though WC and Ardmore both also feature a Carlino’s, there really isn’t a good place in between to get a decent bottle of EVOO or aged balsamico, so this should be a nice addition to the scene. Hopefully they’ll be strict about their oil provenance, as EVOO fraud is rampant in Europe.

Speaking of which, if you’re interested in Olive Oil, or food in general, I highly recommend checking out Tom Mueller’s book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. It’s a fascinating history of “liquid gold” and account of the modern day problems facing the industry. Would make a great foodie gift!

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Amy’s Mama at Shoo Mama’s (img via website)

Looking for a break from the lunch routine? Though neither place is exactly new to the scene, two independent businesses are serving fresh, interesting and casual fare. First, Dixie Picnic in Malvern (in the shopping center with Giant). Started as a restaurant on the Jersey Shore town of Ocean City, this location opened a few years ago. The menu features a wide variety of sandwiches, many of which are available in Bette’s Box Lunch, which comes with a side salad, a deviled egg, and an “upcake”, the Dixie Picnic version of a cupcake (in which all surface area is covered with frosting).

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As the last major food truck event of the year approaches – Philly’s Night Market, October 4^th in Chinatown – I can’t help but think about food trucks as a trend in the culinary world and how they will continue to grow as influencers in our suburban communities. The idea of food trucks in general, of course, doesn’t really jive with suburbia. These guys need plentiful foot traffic to survive – especially when they’re serving less than mainstream cuisine, which many often do – and thus are typically located in urban areas.

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Put simply, Tired Hands Brew Cafe is one of the most exciting local openings in recent memory. It didn’t bring big city pedigree like White Dog Wayne, nor did it bring the hype of Xilantro. So why is it exciting? Because it’s a downright cool place that, unlike those other two, is also the type of place you want to visit every weekend. It’s comfortable, but modern and extremely well-designed (chalkboards! exposed beams! exposed brick!). You can go with your buddies. You can go on a date. You can bring the kids. And every time you go, there’ll likely be different beers on tap and different food on the menu.

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