Table Talk: What's old is new

We all love the new. How about two new projects that are celebrating the old?

Jose Garces has taken over the long-shuttered Old Original Bookbinder's in Old City, turning the main dining room into banquet space while freshening up the bar for walk-ins. The Olde Bar (125 Walnut St., 215-253-3777) is a cozy, old-time oyster bar, open nightly, with a raw bar, snacks (fried belly clams, roll mops), and a few entrees from chef Mike Siegel. Full bar pours wine and cocktails, especially drinks with rye and sherry designed to pair with shellfish.

Mark Bee, who owns N3rd and Silk City in Northern Liberties, has revived the old Frankie Bradley's, the back-street steakhouse institution that closed in 1986 and subsequently spent time as Hesch's (Harry Jay Katz's steakhouse) and Sisters (the city's longest-serving lesbian bar). Franky Bradley's (1320 Chancellor St., 215-735-0735) - his lawyer suggested a variant spelling - celebrates a throwback atmosphere: dim lighting, red banquettes, U-shaped bar, much found art. Bee and manager Joe "Joppy" Ferrone call the look "American medieval." Bee has chef David Kane (Bar Ferdinand, Pif, Pumpkin, Silk City) executing appetizers, sandwiches and entrees ranging from $18 for the gnocchi to $29 for a ribeye. It's open from 5 p.m. daily. A dance club upstairs is forthcoming.

Dan Creskoff, a former manager for TLA Video, is not so sure that the DVD is dead. At his new CineMug (1607 S. Broad St., www.cinemug.coffee), he offers ReAnimator coffee, a light menu and more than 1,700 titles to rent in a cinematic atmosphere.

Joncarl Lachman and Bob Moylan, whose second anniversary of Noord is nearing, plan to open a second restaurant - a bistro with a bar at 943 S. Ninth St. in the Italian Market. Food will be French/North African themed. They hope to open in May.

Michael Schulson is going next door from Sampan with an ambitious, two-level project called Double Knot, due to open this summer. At street level, Double Knot will occupy what was Sansom Cinema (120 S. 13th St.) and will be a coffee shop and bar set up like an old-fashioned curio shop, with, as Schulson said, "cool things to sell." So retail and coffee. Tufted banquettes and a corrugated bar are part of the look by Groundswell Design. Double Knot will have a much larger footprint underground - actually the size of Sampan. To get to the basement, you'll take a hidden staircase down from the coffee shop. The theme downstairs will be Japanese - a sushi bar and a full sit-down restaurant specializing in grilled dishes, also known as robatayaki. Industrial look.

Leigh Maida, Brendan Hartranft and Brendan Kelly, the crew from Memphis Taproom, Local 44, Strangelove's and the soon-to-open Clarkville, have released info on their next project: Coeur will take over the short-lived Mildred at 824 S. Eighth St., in Bella Vista. Target opening is September.

Society Hill Society, the ambitious bar-restaurant that last spring replaced the easygoing Artful Dodger at Second and Pine Streets, is closed. Owners are not speaking about it.