Anyone read the latest issue of City Paper and notice the article on an unnamed South Philly restaurant that doubles as a mysterious organized crime hangout?

The article doesn't name the restaurant, and says that the police aren't sure which mob exactly is involved.

Anyone know what restaurant the article is making allegations about? The article hints:

"the business located not too far from the stadiums."

"During the day, Italian immigrants from the neighborhood and men from as far away as Toronto and Naples visit the owner and his men. In several rooms above the restaurant, there are meetings, card games and parties almost every night."

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2007/09/27/ganging-up

I hate gossip articles like that City Paper piece. They get everyone chatting and speculating that "it's this place" or "it's that place" and all they tell you is that the owner and the restaurant "for the time being, will go unidentified".

Same thing with the next part of the column, which reads, "Mazzone will be checking out soon is a certain trendy hair salon in Old City". Why say it if you can't name it?

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Brian B

Years ago I was walking by a place on 12th street. My friend said that it was a mafia spot. Not really believing her I glanced in as we walked by. The place was small and I could see clear to a table in the back.

Sitting at the large round table were a bunch of Italian dudes in pinstripe suits with slicked back hair. They were playing poker and smoking cigars.

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How did you know that the dudes were Italian?

I guess I better comb my hair over the side, so as not to be labled Italian. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

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"Simply put it is possibe to have convenience if you want to tolerate insecurity, but if you want security, you must be prepared for inconvenience"
General Benjamin W. Chidlaw December 12, 1954

Everyone who reads your post is now dumber.

And how did you know they were playing poker?

You sure were able to discern a heck of a lot o' info just by glancing in to the back of the restaurant, as you say. Maybe you should join the CIA.

i read that article too- pretty interesting. i read another article a while back saying how OC groups in italy always worked through the american mafia but the americans are targeted so hard now and getting so weak that they're starting to send their own guys over. so what this guy said seems to make sense.

Maybe they were speaking Italian and the original poster is fluent and heard them say "full house" in Italian as he was walking by and glancing in, but then I guess they could have been talking about the show...so maybe they said "three of a kind" in Italian...

Good point, besides, they were mostly likely playing knock-rummy.

Who says I'm not already in?

But you're right. They might have been black dudes trading magic cards.

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