Restaurant at Waterworks

I walked all over town on Sunday, taking photos along the way, for four hours and one spot I didn't take any photos was from Kelly Drive looking across the river to the Waterworks. There was a ton of construction going on with mounds of dirt and vehicles everywhere. I had no idea what was going on. But reading this Daily News article, I see that some dude is opening up a restaurant there.

Michael Karloutsos, a local consultant and GOP fund-raiser, has created a Mediterranean oasis with al fresco "cliffside dining" that he hopes will draw Philadelphians and tourists by the thousands.

With its elaborate dining room, upscale menu, bar and lounge, Karloutsos wants it to be a place where people come to see and be seen. He's also banking on the fact that Philadelphians have long had a fascination with and nostalgia for the building - and they'll want to visit at least once.

"We're going to have something for everyone here," Karloutsos said. "What the restaurant will do is to pay respect to the history of the place, and to remind Philadelphians what was here."

The article had a good deal of history of the Waterworks location as well. Apparently, it was closed down around 1900 due to the Schuylkill being so polluted. Oddly, it reopened as an aquarium. I say odd since the place was surrounded by polluted Schuylkill punch.

The outdoor dining area will overhang the river and will have a really nice view of Boathouse Row just upriver. The head chef is 24-year-old Adan Trinidad, formerly of El Vez. Giving a 24-year-old free reign in a new multi-million dollar space is pretty cool.