Confessions of a cheesesteak slinger | Let’s Eat

We have a cheesesteak columnist! Meet Tommy Rowan, who knows his way around a flattop.

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— Mike Klein

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Philly runs on cheesesteaks, and Inquirer staff writer Tommy Rowan — a son of Fox Chase (St. Cecilia’s, Father Judge, Temple) — is as Philly as they come. “Raising the Steaks” is his new weekly chronicle of the iconic sandwich. This week, Tommy looks back at his college days working the grill for Marlene Frusco in Mayfair. Frusco’s Steaks was one of Philly’s first cheesesteak shops owned by a woman, and Marlene’s lessons have stuck with Tommy like hot Whiz on a seeded Sarcone roll.

Comté ravioles, bathed in brown butter banyuls sauce, are only one of the French-y treats at the new Superétte, a restaurant, bottle shop, and wine bar rolled into one on East Passyunk Avenue. Read on and treat yourself to Jessica Griffin’s lovely photos.

“Beer, beer, beer, beer, beer”: In Clearwater covering the Phillies’ spring training, staff writer Alex Coffey could not escape the siren “sales call” of Mark Estes in the stands at BayCare Ballpark. Vending has taken him to four Super Bowls, an NBA finals, a World Series, and the Kentucky Derby, but, he says, Phillies games have always held a special place in his heart.

✍️ Alex, by the way, recently wrote a moving tribute to Varga Bar owner Rich Colli, who died unexpectedly at age 44.

You can tell it’s Ramadan when Manakeesh restaurant in West Philadelphia offers qatayif — the cream-filled, fried-to-order pancakes that manager Adam Chatila says give you “that nice sugar rush to give you the energy to keep going so you’re ready for the next day.” Hira Qureshi writes that customers drive from as far as King of Prussia and New Jersey for them.

New Jersey is famous for its tomatoes, sweet corn, and oysters. At the Stockton Maple Project from Stockton University, as Rita Giordano writes, officials want to prove that maple sugaring is an untapped industry.

Intel from King of Prussia: Dueling Tommys are on the way. Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, an island-themer based on the retail brand, has set next Wednesday for its opening inside the mall’s connector, next to the relocated store. (This is the first of the dozen or so Marlin Bars that will open in an indoor mall.) Meanwhile, on Mall Boulevard on the mall’s outskirts, Tommy’s Tavern & Tap — a North/Central Jersey bar-pizzeria chain favored by New York Giants fans — is renovating the shuttered J. Alexander’s, as I reported in January. Opening of the 400-seater is penciled in for late summer. Your next question likely may be: When are Eataly and Netflix House opening at the mall? Unofficial word is “fall 2025.” Deli is on its way soon to KOP as well, as Brandon Parish of Cherry Hill’s Kibitz Room says construction is wrapping up on his location in Valley Forge Center, the former KOP Grill & Tavern and Michael’s Deli. One more: The funhouse Dave & Buster’s just posted a liquor-license application at the Overlook on Goddard Boulevard, next to the United Artists movie theater across from the mall. No comment from D&B’s on timetable.

Tú Rinconcito — “your little corner” — will be a Mexican spot at Third and Church Streets in Old City (the former Home Cuban Cafe) serving breakfast, then segueing into takeout for the rest of the day. The owners are awaiting city inspections to open.

Lassan Indian Traditional. Pema Lama and Shyam Dimdung, natives of Nepal, have worked for years in such Philadelphia-area Indian restaurants as Saffron Indian Kitchen in Bala Cynwyd, Tiffin, and the closed Bombay Kitchen in North Wales. Last September, they became first-time owners by taking over the Lafayette Hill strip-mall space previously occupied by Caspian Grille before its move to Flourtown. Lassan quickly became a takeout hit in this slice of Eastern Montgomery County despite competition from the two nearby Nirvana locations, as well as Smell the Curry and New Era in Chestnut Hill.

Dining in at Lassan had its challenges, though. Lama and Dimdung had only three tables, each seating four people. And they were directly in front of the cooking line and takeout kitchen. You might gladly put up with the total lack of atmosphere and the sound of the point-of-sale ticker, but there was a more serious issue: If the tables were occupied, you had to wait for someone to finish their meal.

So the pair cut through the wall and renovated a storage area into a 36-seat dining room — and added reservations.

As a BYOB, it’s date-night appropriate. The plating was always elegant, and now it matches the decor. It’ll start with complimentary papadam — the thin, crunchy crackers — alongside chutneys. Order the Himalayan potato salad ($7.75, shown at top), layered potatoes with black salt, mustard seed, curry leaves, and ginger, and bound with Greek yogurt. Creamy korma and koftas are popular; shown below is the artichoke malai kofta ($16.95). In a few visits, I haven’t found a naan I didn’t like; in particular, the sweet, almond- and coconut-filled Peshwari ($5) was my favorite.

Lassan Indian Cuisine, 539 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill. Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Wheelchair accessible. BYOB.

Put this on your calendar: FDR Park’s Southeast Asian Market, featuring 80-plus vendors each weekend, will return on April 5. Organizers are expected to release more info soon.

The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia and chef Jacquie Kelly of StrEATS of Philly are leading food tours to Japanese restaurants in advance of this year’s Cherry Blossom Festival. From March 26-30, there’s a two-hour guided lunch tour ($115pp) that takes in Bleu Sushi, AKI Nom Nom, and T-Swirl Crepes. On March 26 only, there is a 3½-hour progressive dinner tour ($259pp) that starts at Fat Salmon, heads down the block to Umami Steak & Sushi then segues by Uber to Yakitori Boy for dessert, Champagne, and karaoke. (Speaking of which: Check out The Inquirer’s guide to cherry blossoms.)

White Yak, the Tibetan restaurant in Roxborough (elevation: 374 feet), is planning its first-ever collaboration, coming to Ember & Ash (1520 E. Passyunk Ave.) on March 25. Treley and Tsering Parshingtsang and E&A’s Scott and Lulu Calhoun will serve 10 family-style plates, with seatings at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 p.m. ($85pp). Reservations are required and are up on Resy. This will be a Women’s History Month fundraiser (both restaurants are woman-owned), with a cut of proceeds benefiting Women’s Way in Philadelphia.

The Fishtown Kensington Business Improvement District’s first-ever Stouts & Snouts will showcase beers, cocktails, and pork-inspired bites (there are vegan versions, too) at more than a dozen bars and restaurants on Saturday. Details are here.

Mac Mart, the mac-and-cheese specialist in Rittenhouse, will give up its storefront when the lease expires in February 2026. It’s open for now, but owner Marti Lieberman told Kiki Aranita that she’ll continue to franchise as she returns to the food truck world.

Brewerytown’s only brewery is closing. Mike Paul, owner of Crime & Punishment, told Jenn Ladd he had various reasons for packing it in after 10 years, including a change in drinking culture and the fact that he’s 37 and tired. (Heard.)

The Chef Conference will be back in April, and Noma Projects — the food-lab offshoot of Noma in Copenhagen — will be a part of it. Read on for the details of the four days.

Down North Pizza founder Muhammad Abdul-Hadi is out with We the Pizza, a cookbook that ties up the story of the shop’s creation with a collection of pizza recipes. Down North is planning a second restaurant — but it’s not pizza.

Critic Gauri Mangala reviews People’s Light’s production of A Raisin in the Sun and finds Lorraine Hansberry’s message has deep meaning 70 years later.

Stephen Starr has told The Inquirer that he will open a restaurant in the former Devon Seafood Grill on Rittenhouse Square. When it opens (likely in 2026), how many restaurants will he own in or near the square?

A) five

B) nine

C) 13

D) a Morimultitude

Find out if you know the answer.

What’s happening at the White Elephant in Huntingdon Valley? It closed last month, but then on Facebook I read that it was being sold but someone else said the sale was off. — Brad Z.

Your massaman curry is safe. With co-owner Boonsong Chitsomkuan retiring and moving back to Thailand, business partner Jon Twaddle told me that they decided to sell the sumptuously decorated restaurant after 23 years in Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center. The sale went through several weeks ago. White Elephant’s new owners, who reopened it March 7, are Ben Tiwsonsoong and Tui Ketchat of Sang Tong Thai in Haddonfield. They said they plan no changes to the menu or decor.

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