Grub Street Grub Street Philadelphia

Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant owners Shawn Gormley and Nicolas Moore put the word out this morning that opening chef Jordan “Red” Sauter has moved on. His replacement is Ben McNamara, a culinary vet who’s helmed kitchens at the long gone Dickens Inn, New Wave Cafe, Dark Horse Pub and most recently St. Stephen’s Green. McNamara’s new menu retains his predecessor’s fried mac and cheese and ’50s style diner burger, and adds things like roaster wings; a five cheese grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with braised short ribs, Canadian bacon or grilled chicken; and risotto crab arancini.

• Robert Mondavi's widow Margrit, 85, is working with a ghost writer on a "frank" memoir about her life in and around the wine business, including a story about a famous, costumed Roman orgy the couple hosted at their home in the eighties. [Decanter]

• Margrit also recently gave the famed Wappo Hill mailbox from the couple's recently sold estate to chef Richard Reddington, at his request, to feature in his new Yountville pizzeria Redd Wood. [Grub Street]

• Grateful Dead bandmember Phil Lesh is busy opening a restaurant and music venue in Marin County called Terrapin Crossroads. Meanwhile, the "earthy, savage blend" of the Dead's Steal Your Face album inspired a Mendocino winemaker to make a Syrah blend and name it for the album. [Mass Live]

Though it may only be temporary, West Philly hen house Roost has stopped clucking at 45th and Springfield Ave. Meal Ticket reports the owners, who are also behind Milk & Honey Market, shut down their rotisserie and fried chicken operation, but hope to reopen it elsewhere in the near future. They’re reportedly looking at properties near Drexel’s campus and in Center City. With a move, they hope to grow their take-out concept, and provide seating for customers to dine on location. [Meal Ticket]