Tre Chic

Why did the restaurant cross the road? Or, move down the street, rather. Rumor has it there were lease renewal issues at Tre Scalini's 11th Street location across from la fontana de XM radio. In January, the legendary BYOB settled into the vacant storefront formerly occupied by Trattoria Lucca on the mouth of East Passyunk. We checked it out recently to see how they survived the move. The atmosphere is a huge upgrade, with a semi-open kitchen and roomy tables spread through dual dining rooms in soft buttercups and tans. If you remember what the old space looked like, this is like going from the Comfort Inn to the Ritz. The supple pastas are still enchanting. The meat and fish dishes are still excellent in quality and value. Read more about the food in the Courier-Post.

In other Passyunk news, Le Virtu, the much-delayed Abbruzzese restaurant on the same block has a sign up. The sign looks like a carved bass relief excavated from the ruins of Pompeii, but it's a sign nonetheless. The windows and sliding glass doors are in; they'll open to a courtyard garden that will surely become one of the most coveted al fresco tables in town when Le Virtu opens. If it ever opens, that is. The original date was June of last year. Owie. But considering it's monsoon season in Philadelphia, we can be patient.

Photo: Courier-Post