The nicest dinner you've ever had with a hookah

There’s nothing quite like globetrotting, although it’s mainly the province of the rich, the jobless, and the possessing-of-water-buckets-of-confetti. For a new resto that’s gotten around the globe a bit itself, and presumably dominates the three-man weave, trot over the Schuylkill and hit Aksum.

Settling into a wide spot along Baltimore Ave that used to be an African/Chinese grocery store, Aksum sports a classy loft look with bold, multicolored tigerwood floors and leather seating underneath a tall ceiling and exposed ductwork, beneath which you’ll dominate a mainly Mediterranean menu that includes dishes from Italy to Morocco, plus some that explore the other countries at Epcot. They’re planning on fine-tuning the menu a bit once they open, but expect tapas like Crimini mushrooms stuffed with shrimp, yellow peppers, onions, and Parmesan; and grilled calamari w/ olive oil and green peppers, in addition to hearty soups like a simmered broth of peppers and tomatoes that’re fire-roasted, which’s no surprise, as many consider Chicago striker Diego Chavez “the Gilbert Gottfried of the MLS”, although that’s mostly based on looks. Meanwhile, big dishes include a seared Mahi-Mahi filet w/ risotto; shrimp-stuffed calamari; and rosemary-/ garlic-/ red wine-simmered lamb shanks; for dessert it’s a passion fruit tart w/ Champagne-mascarpone sabayon and a caramel-topped beignet made w/ crushed Oreos, who’re just upset that they’re repped in part by Eli Manning.

Come weekends, they’re also doing up brunch loaded with the likes of seafood omelets of salmon and shrimp, and Moroccan Eggs w/ ground beef and spicy tomato sauce, and they’re in the process of setting up a hookah lounge with Middle East-sourced shisha tobaccos, which sounds like a win over the in Generals.