After 2 1/2 Years, Alia Has a Menu;Yes, There are Belly Dancers

Two new businesses appear close to opening on the 100 block of North 6th this week; one has been publicly in the works for ages, and the other sneaks in with nary a mention in the local press.

On the north side of the block, Alia - a fabled Mediterranean restaurant - has been under interior renovations since early 2005. To put that in perspective, when contractors began work on Alia:

- Northside Piers was still a waste transfer station

- The Edge was a recently-defunct truck rental business and an impound lot

- The Finger building was still...ah, never mind

Alia has sported various "coming soon" banners for much of the past two years. But this week's appearance of a take-out menu - and a website whose FAQ section includes the frequently-asked "Are there belly dancers?" (A: Belly dancing available on request and on special events) - implies that the falafel may finally hit the fryer sometime soon.

Meanwhile - in a tale of two development styles - across the street at 108 North 6th, a yet-to-be-named bar with an extremely cool-looking interior is nearing completion with nary a mention in the press (not even a job posting on Williamsboard or Craigslist). One state liquor authority hearing notice from April '06 is the only evidence the place even exists.