After being barred in January from working at Mims Food & Drink in Wayne (and basically any restaurant within 10 miles of Bryn Mawr), chef John Mims recently started a new dig in Phoenixville. It’s about 17 miles away from Carmine’s Creole Café, which is run by the former partner he had a falling out with— subsequently signing a noncompetition agreement that stated the two couldn’t operate within ten miles of each other. So Mims cut the drama in a heartbeat (he got the keys on a Monday and opened on Friday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer) and dove back into what he knows best — Creole food. His menu ranges from $6 to $24 and he offers a four-course tasting menu from Tuesday through Saturday for only $30. It’s a BYO, so call ahead and Mims will even give you the menu so you can pair it with your favorite wine or beer. Reservations are highly suggested and can be made by calling 610-351-1800.

Right next door to John Mims’ lives another John — Johnny’s New Orleans Pizza Kitchen. The place opened on April 3 and specializes in brick-oven style pies with crispy pita-style crust. On every table you can find flavored oils and asiago cheese in lieu of the typical shakers of red pepper and Parmesan. Have you ever had duck comfit, jambalaya or lump white crab pizza? That’s all on the menu at this joint, along with a few salad and pasta dishes. Sounds interesting, but I think I’d rather stick to Old City’s Soho Pizza for my brick-oven pie fix.