Restaurant Buzz – Xochitl, El Sitio, Barnacle Ben’s, Apollinare

Every other week, we’ll poke around for all the juicy restaurant gossip, say hello to new establishments in New Jersey and Philadelphia and goodbye to others.

El Sitio is Collingswood’s newest cafe, taking the corner spot (729 Haddon Avenue) previously occupied by Word of Mouth. The BYO brings grilled South American steak and seafood specialties, like Argentinean beef and Peruvian ceviche.  Entrees run about $20-25. Philly.com has a copy of the menu here.

Xochitl in Philly (408 S. Second St.) made its debut this week after a hefty makeover that involved a new chef, new menu and new look in the dining room. Chef Lucio Palazzo, of Percy Street Barbecue, will take over the revised menu that still features a good deal of modern Mexican dishes. Felicia D’Ambrosio at City Paper has the full rundown, but I’m eyeing up the sections of tortas and tacos (specifically the beer-braised pork cheeks with walnut mole sauce). The prices have significantly dropped (about $10-12 entrees), which means two things: I can spend more on tequila, and I’m going to have to pay a visit very very soon.

Rather than the images of buoys and wooden crab traps that the name conjures, Barnacle Ben’s of Moorestown was tastfully decorated in blue linen, with large windows and blown glass light fixtures. My dad alerted me that after 30 years in the area, the seafood joint is finally shutting its doors. As a former waitress there, I can’t say I’m surprised. For all its outward charm, the food was lacking spark and sadly, so was the clientele. Still, we’re sad to see them go under. For now, the website is still live, though the most recent update is from November. Owners could not be reached for comment; the restaurant phone just rings and rings.

On the radar:

Apollinare, a high end Italian restaurant currently in the “soft open” stages in Northern Liberties (1001 N. 2nd Street). How’s this for authentic? The original Apollinare was located in Umbria and (according to their Web site) the walls were dug up from the foundations of a Franciscan convent. Our preview dinner was rescheduled last week due to snow, but we’ll be checking it out soon! The menu is still in the works, but currently has a mix of fresh pastas, pizza, and a handful of meat and seafood dishes for less than $20.