Mexican restaurant set to move in at 40th and Locust

Come springtime, expect to find deli sandwiches, falafel, hot dogs and now tacos -- all on one street, as a Mexican grill becomes the fourth dining establishment to hit 40th Street in the past year. The restaurant, which remains unnamed, will open on the corner of 40th and Locust streets -- likely in March -- in the spot formerly held by the convenience store Friendly Express. Commonly known as Uni-Mart, Friendly Express left campus after 25 years when its lease expired this October. According to restaurant operator Michele Leff, the grill will serve "classic Mexican street food [including] fresh tacos and anything wrapped in a tortilla." The restaurant will feature a take-out area, outdoor seating and a large grill that Leff hopes will create a sense of "theatre," where people can watch their food being made. "We want it to look like a traditional town square cafe of Mexico," said Leff, describing the environment as "informal," "bright" and "upbeat." Meals will range in price from $5 to $12. According to John Greenwood, a top University real estate official, the Mexican grill will close at around 10 p.m., similar to the closing time of neighboring restaurants. Several students were pleased to hear that a new dining option will be joining the string of eateries forming on the 40th Street block. "The more restaurants, the better," College sophomore Josh Dubin said. "[They're] generally cheaper than Penn dining, and the food is better." But others said that the area would be better served by a new convenience store than by a restaurant. "What we don't have in this area is a convenience store," said third-year Dental student Brad Pirok, one of many students angered by the departure of Friendly Express. "We need convenience. We don't need Mexican food." According to Greenwood, who described 40th Street as a "restaurant row," the University did not try to find a convenience store to fill the spot. "There are still going to be convenience stores in the area, with CVS and the opening of the [Freshgrocer] market," he said. Greenwood expressed confidence in the prospects for the Mexican grill, saying that local operators like Leff "are going to have a stronger commitment to the success of the location, as opposed to a chain where [the location] could be one of many." Leff currently operates two other Philadelphia-area Mexican cafes with her husband David Fetkewicz. Lease negotiations for the Mexican grill are expected to be completed in the next month, and construction will begin shortly after. A few stores down from the Mexican grill, Papaya King -- originally scheduled to open by Thanksgiving -- will likely start serving its hot dogs and smoothies toward the end of January.

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