Two West Philly establishments have received nominations in Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2012 list. The Rotunda was nominated in the Best Indie Music venues category and Fiume (45th & Locust) received a nomination in the Best Bar category.

You can help The Rotunda and Fiume win by casting your votes on this page. You can come back and vote daily until Monday, May 21. The awards will be announced in Philadelphia Magazine’s August issue.

Mariposa Food Co-op celebrates its new store at 4824 Baltimore Avenue with a Grand Opening ceremony, and a day of food, special sales & sampling, and fun for the whole family this Saturday, April 21. The ceremony will feature Congressman Chaka Fattah and other special guests.

Mariposa has been open to the public for shopping in its new location at 4824 Baltimore Avenue since March 17, and the response has been great. “Since our initial opening, we’ve had 151 new members join, bringing our member count to over 1,300,” says Mariposa’s Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Chakka Reeves. “This event is our way of thanking the many people and organizations who made our expansion possible.”

During the ceremony, Fattah will talk about the National Cooperative Development Act, legislation that calls for increased support for cooperative businesses to encourage economic growth and job creation. Mariposa expansion, Reeves says, “has created eight new jobs and leveraged $2.5 million into the local economy.”

The Grand Opening ceremony will take place from 11-11:45 a.m. The special sales and samples will be throughout the day and there will also be an opportunity to sign up to become Mariposa Food Co-op members. For more information on how to join Mariposa, call 215-729-2121 or go to http://www.mariposa.coop/join.

Renovations have begun on the storefront at 4533 Baltimore Ave., which will be the location of a controversial Subway restaurant. Judging by the sign above, some people are still not happy about it.

Il Rimedio (4443 Spruce Street) adds something new to the West Philly scene. The menu offers luxe flavors and a slightly more sophisticated approach to brunch. The food is delicious and carefully prepared, and although the dark wood and white tablecloths bring a more formal feel to the room, the service is friendly and not pretentious in the least.

Two friends and I (with a two-year-old in tow) visited Il Rimedio last week for the Saturday brunch. We each ordered an item from one of three menu categories: Benedicts, Crepes, and Grains. The house smoked trout, grilled asparagus, and wild mushroom hollandaise sauce Benedict ($10) featured perfectly poached eggs anchored by a generous portion of firm, subtly smoked yet fresh-tasting fish. The wild mushroom hollandaise sauce was smooth and infused with flavor. The same sauce accompanied the crepes with egg whites, sauteed spinach, pecorino cheese and turkey bacon. The Parisian among us noted the authenticity of the crepes, which, like the poached eggs, require a close eye and a deft touch.

Although the mascarpone polenta ($6) looked good, from the Grains section we ordered the stuffed Italian bread French toast with whipped molasses cream cheese filling, black currant maple syrup, and honey walnut compound butter ($10). Being skeptical of the concept of “stuffed” french toast, and not a big fan of a sugary breakfast, I expected something beyond my control. Instead I was happy to find that the sweetness of the syrup and molasses was nicely balanced by the salty nut butter and the tangy sesame/sourdough flavor of the seeded Italian bread. Each of the dishes came with a side of herbed new potato hash, which was fine but not remarkable. The side of pork belly ($4) was a disappointment, because I expected something crispier. On this point I defer to those more familiar with the preparation of pork bellies. Next time I’ll opt for bacon ($4) instead.

Il Rimedio is a grown-up place featuring adult tastes, although children might appreciate the crepes with Nutella, fresh strawberries, mascarpone, vanilla bean anglaise, and mint coulis ($8), or the Greek yogurt, berries, and honey ($6). While the staff was certainly pleasant and family-friendly, the acoustics and the set-up are not. Chef Dan Freeman is happy to adapt dishes to meet different dietary requirements, and encourages you to make a request if something doesn’t meet your needs. At this early stage of the business — only a month in — some changes may occur, but the quality of the food and the skill of the chef will no doubt establish Il Rimedio as a strong option for a festive morning meal. We have yet to try dinner, but based on the brunch, our hopes are high.

– Jen

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The owners of Han Dynasty, a popular Chinese restaurant with four locations in Philadelphia and the burbs, have reportedly just closed a deal on a West Philly location at 3711 Market Street, the space previously occupied by MidAtlantic Restaurant. We’ll keep you posted on the opening schedule.

The restaurant has recently made the list of the 50 best Chinese restaurants in the U.S., which is no surprise to anyone who has eaten there. “You won’t find General Tso’s in the house, and that’s a good thing,” Eater Philly says.

Rimedio, a Northern Italian cuisine restaurant, is officially opening on Saturday, March 24 in Rx’s former space at 45th and Spruce and will serve its first brunch from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Dinner will be served from 5 – 10 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

The brunch menu features three varieties of crepes, all served with a side of herbed new potato hash ($8-$11), grains including stuffed Italian bread French toast ($10), and benedicts ($8-$11).

The dinner menu includes risotto ($15-$18), antipasto ($9-$15), house-made pasta ($17-$20) and fish, chicken, lamb and steak entrees ($24-$29). See the complete menu here.

For more information, call 215-222-9590.