If you want to get a running start on the Dollar Stroll or just pick up some stuff for dinner, then you might want to hit the inaugural Thursday edition of the Clark Farmer’s Market today. The Thursday market is, of course, held at the same location as Saturday’s – along 43rd Street between Baltimore and Chester – but with special work-friendly hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

And don’t forget that the “A” section of the park (between Chester and Baltimore) is scheduled to open June 16.

The 4400 block of Chestnut Street is developing a nice inexpensive African/Middle Eastern restaurant scene. The northwestern bookend of the block is the Pakistani kabob spot Wah-Gi-Wah (“spectacular” in Punjabi). The block’s culinary fulcrum is the Ethiopian cafe and restaurant Kaffa Crossing and now on the eastern end of the block is Al-Khartoum Echo Restaurant, a recently opened Sudanese joint.

Al Khartoum maintains the block’s reputation as a solid place to go for inexpensive curry (lamb or chicken, $5.99), shish tawook ($6.99) and kufta ($6.99), but the more adventurous might dip into the Sudanese fare. Examples include molokhia, a stew like dish made from molokhia leaves and a generous amount of herbs and spices usually served over a bed or rice ($5.99).

It appears that there are several options for vegetarians, including staples such as falafel and okra, but you’re advised to ask about most dishes, because many use a meat stock.

Another restaurant, which looks like it will specialize in gyros, appears close to opening next door to Al Khartoum, so the food choices on this little stretch of Chestnut will likely grow even more this summer. Maybe some day it will get its own “stroll.”

One of the coolest events in West Philly and something many of us have been looking forward to all year is finally here. The first Dollar Stroll of the season is taking place tonight on Baltimore Avenue between 41st and 52nd Streets, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dollar Stroll means $1 deals on some popular items from local shops, cafes and restaurants (see the full list of participating businesses on the flyer below).

Local food vendors are lining up to showcase what they are good at and to satisfy every taste and preference in food and drink, from vegan to carnivore and fruit juice to beer. We figure that for about $6 bucks you can get dinner, desert, a couple of beers and about a dozen tunes (see below).

Worthy of special mention is that besides $1 deals you’ll be able to pick up a free-download card with an access code to download the “West Philly Mix Tape” featuring tracks by 11 West Philly bands, including West Philadelphia Orchestra. Download cards will be available at many of the participating locations.

And finally, $1 food and drinks are great, but don’t forget to stop by Curio Theatre to pick up tickets to their 2011-12 preview shows. This local gem put up some hugely popular performances this past season.

The tea, coffee and light fare spot Unitea (265 S. 44th St.), stayed in business for just under a year, closing in late March. It opened with pretty solid reviews, particularly of its tea selection. It had a pretty good location nearby Tampopo and Local 44.

That section of 44th will likely get another foot traffic boost when (Honest) Tom McCusker opens his taco shop in August next door at 261 S. 44th (By the way, we heard what definitely sounded like construction noise coming from that little building today, so that project is underway).

Unitea’s windows are now papered over, which we hope means a new tenant is in the works. Their closing got us thinking … Has that part of West Philly hit its capacity for cafes/coffee shops? Within a few blocks you have Green Line, Cafe Clave and Earth Cup. What would you like to see in that spot on 44th? Just curious.

There are only six days left to help Mariposa‘s online fundraising campaign that will help it into a new home.

The popular local food co-op still needs about $5,000 to reach their goal of $10,000 collected from community members and supporters at the fundraising website Indiegogo.com. The money will go to cover the costs associated with the purchase and renovation of their new space at 4824 Baltimore Ave.

Even individual donations of $5 or $10 may help the co-op reach their goal. To donate, visit this page.

Check out the video about Mariposa’s fundraising campaign.

Mariposa Food Co-op Fundraiser from mariposa coop on Vimeo.

The Marathon Grill (200 South 40th St.) and its lounge MarBar closed their doors yesterday, May 23, after nearly seven years of operation due to declining business, according to a report today in the Penn student newspaper The Daily Pennsylvanian.

The paper quotes Penn’s Executive Director of Real Estate Ed Datz:

“When they [Marathon Grill] came to this location, they brought a renewed vitality to the 40th Street corridor, improving the economy, the activity, and safety of the area in conjunction with other neighborhood development in West Philadelphia.”

The restaurant and bar opened in 2004, replacing a Burger King on the southwest corner of 40th and Walnut. The establishment’s five other locations around the city will remain open, the paper reported. A new tenant for the space, which Penn owns, has not been named.