Table Talk: Vegan Latin flavors at Bar Bombón

Nicole Marquis (HipCityVeg, Charlie was a sinner.) has added the similarly vegan Bar Bombón, a Latin themes near her HipCityVeg flagship at 133 S. 18th St. (267-606-6612), the corner store across the alley from a.kitchen. Marquis and crew have not only created an Old San Juan-style, 10-seat barroom and 30-seat dining room out of the snug storefront but also sidewalk seating on the Moravian Street side.

Menu includes Puerto Rican empanadas (from her mother's side), arepas (inspired by her aunt and uncle in Venezuela), and tacos. Figure on $14 for most taco plates. It's open at 5 p.m. daily.

Good, ol' Midwestern nostalgia - including pu pu platters and wedge salads - has landed in Washington Square West by way of Bud & Marilyn's (215-546-2220), a retro themes at 13th and Locust Streets from chef Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran (Lolita, Jamonera, Barbuzzo).

The space, on the ground floor of the Independent Hotel near the partners' Little Nonna's, was last Rhino Bar & Fish after years as Bump.

Bud & Marilyn's, named in honor of Turney's grandparents (Wisconsin restaurateurs Bud and Marilyn Briese), is taking the heartland to heart with nightly specials including a Friday-night fish fry and a Sunday meat-and-three (a family-style dinner with biscuits and jam and a farm salad to start followed by three shared sides and each guests' choice of meat entrée). It's open initially at 5 p.m.; lunch and brunch will follow. Happy hour is 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays.

Korean fried chicken - the not-so-greasy, twice-fried birds - has an outlet in Fishtown, as entrepreneur Andy Choi has taken a pizzeria at Memphis and Norris Streets as Andy's Chicken (2001 Memphis St., 215-291-0700). Menu also includes homespun Korean rice specialties - bulgogi, spicy pork, and kimchi and pork fried rice ($7.99) - and two soups. Hours: noon to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Misconduct Tavern, the sports bar on Locust Street near 15th Street, has opened a branch at 18th Street and JFK Boulevard, in the Sterling building across from the Comcast Center.

Cescaphe Event Group and Joe Volpe are poised to take over the Water Works, the grand space at the foot of the Art Museum overlooking the Schuylkill. Water Works recently changed its policy and now accommodates only weddings and private parties. Volpe and his crew, who expect to take possession on Nov. 1, will do the same.

Rob Marzinsky, last at Fitler Dining Room, has signed on as chef at Michael and Jeniphur Pasquarello's next project - a bistro called Buckminster's, replacing Burg's Lounge at 21st and Federal Streets in Point Breeze this fall.

Bowing out this month were Bean Exchange, which dispensed coffee at Seventh and Bainbridge Streets for nearly a decade, and the Center City location of Olive Garden (1346 Chestnut St.), after 12 years.