We thought we would pass along some business happenings from along 45th Street. First, Demetris (photo above), which serves pizza and Mediterranean cuisine, has reopened at 4438 Chestnut Street after being closed for some time for remodeling. The restaurant offers dine-in, take-out and delivery services and the menu features traditional and gourmet pizzas, pasta, salads, charbroiled burgers and gyros among other things. The hours are Monday-Thursday 3:00 – 11:00 p.m., Friday & Saturday 3:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., Sunday 3:00 – 10:00 p.m. For more information call 215-222-8300 or visit their website.

Also, in case you missed it, a new pharmacy, Aspire Rx, has been operating between Walnut and Sansom streets for a few weeks. The exact address is 132 S. 45th Street. The store hours are Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Sat 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., closed on Sundays. For more information call 215-883-0332.

Finally, the pharmacy turned restaurant Rx at 45th and Spruce has been closed for a few days now due to some technical issues (see photo below). This morning quite a few people turned up at this popular brunch spot and were visibly disappointed to see the “Closed” sign. We are trying to get in touch with the Rx owners to see what’s happening and will let you know as soon as we have more details.

If your Friday plans include a bottle of wine or spirits and your usual spot is the Wine and Spirits store near 41st and Market, you’re going to have to shop elsewhere.

The store closed permanently late last week. The owner of the building reportedly no longer wants to lease to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). The PLCB is shopping around for another site in the area.

This also means that the store near 49th and Baltimore will have even longer lines.

Those who fondly remember the original West Philly Vietnam space at 814 S. 47th Street will be happy to hear that the Grill Fish Cafe (Facebook page), the third restaurant operated by Benny Lai and his family, is finally open. In contrast to its gregarious older sibling, Grill Fish offers an intimate setting and a more narrowly focused bill of fare. Being familiar with Vietnam, we expected a good meal. We were pleased to find the service attentive, the flavors bright, and the portions more than generous. Most importantly, without exception, the seafood was perfectly cooked. Someone took great care to do that fish justice; it started out fresh but the chef made it better. The Lai family definitely knows what they are doing, and the smaller size of the Grill Fish Cafe is a showcase for artisanal quality dishes inspired by traditional Vietnamese flavors and techniques.

We started with crispy shrimp ($12). Thirteen juicy shrimp lightly crusted and flash-fried with bits of bell pepper were served with an intense garlic-lime dipping sauce. The octopus ($12), sliced and tossed in a basil vinaigrette with slivered red onions, was exquisitely cooked – toothsome and silky, without a hint of the toughness you find when octopus is clumsily prepared. This is the octopus you need to order for that friend who thinks she doesn’t like it.

Next up: grilled salmon with a dark soy glaze and sautéed spinach ($16). According to my partner, who is a fish snob but not a word snob, the salmon “melts in your mouth.” I don’t know whether to credit the quality of the filet or the touch of the chef, but Matt was right: it was moist, tender all through, and suffused in flavor. The sauce was assertive, but the salmon stood its ground. Lastly, we ordered the whole grilled bronzino in a light clear lemon sauce (market price). Our server offered to fillet it for us at the table, to spare us the bones, but we declined and dug right in.

The subtle lemon enhanced the delicate taste of fresh (but not fishy) fish. With white rice and a side of bok choy ($3), we finished our meal all jacked up on protein and feeling totally satisfied. The cake selection (lemon, chocolate, and carrot) looked tempting, but we decided to save it for another day.

We were the only patrons on a Wednesday at six o’clock –we worried about the business, but we felt lucky to have enjoyed the full attention of the kitchen and staff. Grill Fish has been open less than a week; you’ll want to try it before the crowds start lining up. It’s a small place with a full bar featuring Vietnam’s specialty drinks, such as the delicious lemongrass martini ($9).

In addition to fish, mussels, and calamari, the menu offers lamb, chicken, and seasonal grilled vegetables. We’ll see if the Grill Fish Cafe becomes a destination for folks from all over town. For now, I’m psyched to know that true seafood experts are doing their thing just blocks from my house.

– Jen

Update (6:05 p.m.): Bull Gervasi of Mariposa Food Co-op has just sent us some bad refrigeration news. There was a manufacturer error that is going to set Mariposa opening back a few weeks. They are now going to stay open at the old store for a few more weeks before closing and moving into the new one. We’ll keep you updated on this.

A few days ago Mariposa Food Co-op posted an announcement on their Facebook page that Sunday, Jan. 22 would be their last day open at the old location at 4726 Baltimore Ave. The new store was scheduled to open in the first week of February at 4824 Baltimore Avenue.

Mariposa also announced that they have just received a $5,000 check from their neighbors, the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union whose branch at 5000 Baltimore Ave. is located just a block away from the coop’s new location. The $5,000 donation from PFCU will be used to support Mariposa’s Revolving Equity Fund. This fund is used to subsidize the $200 member capital requirement, offering the benefits of co-op membership to those who cannot otherwise afford it. For more information about the program go here. To join the coop, visit this page.

It looks like the Penn-owned space at 40th & Walnut left vacant after Marathon Grill and MarBar closed last May won’t stay empty for too long. Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar is set to open its doors at this location in June 2012, as The Daily Pennsylvanian reports.

This will be the second location for Harvest. The first original is in Glen Mills.

The restaurant offers a farm-fresh menu with the ingredients coming from over 75 local and sustainable farms. The menu will change according to the seasons. The restaurant will have an “upscale-casual” atmosphere  with a wine bar on the second level. It sounds like it will serve a similar clientele as its predecessor. Has anyone been to the original Harvest Seasonal in Glen Mills?

If you haven’t tried a burger at the Lucky Old Souls food truck, then New Year’s Day could be the start of something special for you.

The truck will be there this Sunday to help patrons through what could be a groggy morning. Along with their grass-fed beef burgers and veggie burgers, the “farm to truck” spot will feature a range of breakfast sandwiches.

The Buttercream Cupcake Truck (and possibly another truck or two) will also be in the park on Sunday from about 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Lucky Old Souls truck has been coming to Clark Park on most Sundays, and will continue doing so. They are slowly building a following in this part of town. The usual hours in Clark Park have been noon-6ish, but they might move earlier for the winter.