🍴 Stars, snubs, and surprises | Morning Newsletter
And signs of progress in Kensington.
The Morning Newsletter
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Morning, Philly. The sun returns from behind the clouds today.
Michelin has officially entered the Philadelphia dining scene. Below, sample Inquirer food writers’ analysis of the honored — and the snubbed — plus the results of our reader poll that asked which restaurants you thought should get a nod.
And nearly two years into the city’s efforts to shut down Kensington’s open-air drug market, some of the neighborhood’s most chronic challenges are slowly improving. But is the crisis too entrenched?
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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By the end of Michelin’s Kimmel Center ceremony on Tuesday night, three local restaurants had gotten a one-star rating, and 31 others got recognition.
But did the vaunted international arbiter of dining get it right in Philadelphia? Restaurant critic Craig LaBan sat down with food reporters Michael Klein and Kiki Aranita to compare notes, including which eateries they think deserve a second look.
Here’s more from our Michelin review:
🍴 Discerning palates: We asked readers last week to tell us which Philly restaurants you thought deserved a star. You agreed with Michelin on just one out of three.
🍴 Taste test: Is there a difference between a Michelin star, Bib Gourmand, and recommendation? Yes, but they’re all a win. Dig into the distinctions.
🍴 Closing time: Barely 12 hours after being included in Michelin’s recommended restaurants, East Passyunk Avenue’s Laurel said its final night of service would be Friday.
🍴 Love at first bite: All three Philly men who earned Michelin stars share another common thread — they’re proud “Wife Guys.”
In other food news:
The owner of the beleaguered Bistro at Cherry Hill, a longtime mall fixture that closed this summer amid bankruptcy proceedings, has been indicted on charges of tax fraud.
Percy on North Front Street has rebranded to become an all-day diner after receiving mixed reviews for its initial, pricier iteration.
And LaBan reviews Stephen Starr’s Borromini, which aims to be an Italian Parc. His take: The vibes are immaculate. The food, not so much.
Under the renewed efforts of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, some residents and city officials agree that many of Kensington’s most chronic challenges have been improving, albeit slowly.
The neighborhood has fewer shootings and more drug arrests amid an expanded police presence. Riverview Wellness Village, Parker’s new $100 million recovery and treatment facility in Northeast Philadelphia, now houses more than 200 people.
But the open-air drug market persists — an intractable problem that has been a main character in Kensington’s story for decades. Some critics, including harm-reduction groups, say the administration’s efforts push the issues to other areas of the city or don’t target the source of the ills.
Reporter Ellie Rushing has the progress report, nearly two years in.
What you should know today
Police are seeking to question two men in connection with the death of an American Airlines flight attendant who they believe was attacked in his South Philadelphia home last week.
The head of Delaware County nonprofit the Opioid Crisis Action Network traded cash for sex acts to women in addiction, officials said, and has been charged with trafficking.
A former West Philly ward leader was sentenced Wednesday to a year in federal prison for stealing more than $140,000 from his ward and a church where he served as a deacon.
Immigration advocates say the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center has become a “hunting ground” for federal agents. They want agents barred from the building. And in South Jersey, the Trump administration told Democrats it has no timeline to begin holding undocumented immigrants at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
The new Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit could put hundreds of dollars in the pockets of roughly 1 million people. Here’s how it works.
Philly City Council is attempting, once again, to change city law to allow members to keep their jobs while running for higher office. Plus, Council delayed legislation that would advance Parker’s signature housing initiative.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority is planning sweeping layoffs. Almost 300 of the agency’s 1,200 employees will be affected starting in January.
The Union put sporting director Ernst Tanner on “administrative leave” as Major League Soccer investigates allegations of misconduct.
SEPTA’s trolley tunnel will stay closed at least until next week amid repairs to the overhead power system.
Quote of the day
Philly-area federal workers are finally getting paid again. But after Jan. 30, if lawmakers once again fail to agree on keeping the government open, some federal workers could once again face a lapse in their pay.
P.S. Philadelphia International Airport will reopen two U.S. Transportation Security Administration-run security checkpoints that were closed amid the government shutdown.
🧠 Trivia time
Philadelphia School District students this week were invited to give their honest (and sometimes brutal) reviews of what?
A) Uniform proposals
B) District leadership
C) The pending facilities closure plan
D) School lunch options
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re ...
🏈 Watching: The trailer for HBO’s in-season Hard Knocks featuring the Eagles and NFC East.
🎸 Honoring: Late WMMR host Pierre Robert with a memorial concert.
🎤 Saying goodbye to: REC Philly’s Fashion District space as it closes due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
⛪ Obsessed with: These four roommates’ church-turned-apartment in Spring Garden.
🥕 Considering: How the uncertainty of SNAP benefits impacts children with autism.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Coming to a former refinery site in South Philadelphia
BRITS CHEWED LITTLER
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Nick Scola, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: DuPont. Axalta, a Philly-based spin-off of the Wilmington chemical company, hopes its merger with a global paint giant will boost sagging sales.
Photo of the day
🦀 One last crabby thing: The artist behind the “Boob Garden” and “Rave Coffin” strikes again in South Philadelphia with “Crab Couch,” which, as columnist Stephanie Farr notes, comes with claws and killer side-eye.
Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Back at it tomorrow.
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