Lots of dining updates to dish this month, including Blue Elephant’s long-awaited debut in Wayne and lobster rolls and fries in Paoli. Work it off by booking a court at the new Bounce Pickleball in Malvern. Happy spring, peeps!

• Pickleball for All!

If you haven’t tried pickleball, what are you even doing with your life? Fast, fun and easy to learn, pickleball has exploded in popularity. Need proof? Check out the gigantic new pickleball facility in Malvern! Located in the former Great Valley Racquet Club, Bounce Pickleball boasts 14 courts, plus clinics, lessons, leagues and tournaments for everyone—from newbies to pros. Memberships start at $125 annually.

Owners and avid players Talen Singer and Bill Davis spent over $4 million renovating the space, and the pair have major expansion plans, including a Bounce location at the Jersey Shore.

Bounce Pickleball is located at 10 North Morehall Road in Malvern.

• Cabin Fever Cure in KOP

April showers bring plenty of reasons to check out Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park in King of Prussia. A 37,000-square-foot entertainment mecca on Henderson Road, Thrillz caters to adrenaline junkies of all ages. Highlights include:

• “Wipe-out style” obstacle courses (à la American Ninja Warrior)

• Zip lines, trampolines and climbing walls

• VR spinning roller coaster

• Laser tag

• 6,000-square-foot, two-story playground for ages 4 to 10

• Toddler play zone

• Prize arcade

• NASA-developed gyro ride

• 20-foot slides

Private rooms are available for birthday parties and events. Hot tip: Reserve tickets online to avoid disappointment at the door.  

Thrillz is located at 555 South Henderson Road in King of Prussia. Hours vary; check the Web site for details.

• Lobster Rolls, Sliders & Fries in Paoli

Juuuust in time for swimsuit season, Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls and its sister shop Grumpy Guys Sliders & Fries will open this spring in Paoli, in the former Nick Filet. Promising the best lobster rolls outside of New England, Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls got its start after the owners took a road trip to Maine. Inspired by the delicious lobster rolls they sampled, they decided to bring the quintessential New England fare to the Jersey Shore, opening their first location in Cape May in 2015. Word quickly spread and the fast-casual, family-friendly outlet now boasts locations in Sea Isle City, Ocean City, Wildwood, LBI and another restaurant in Cape May. This will be the eatery’s first foray into the Main Line.

Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls and Grumpy Guys Sliders & Fries will open at 111 E. Lancaster Avenue in Paoli. Hours TBA.

• Blue Elephant Stomps into Wayne

After an extended delay (as in years!), the Asian-fusion eatery Blue Elephant has finally opened in Wayne, in the old Matador.

Brought to you by the owners of Azie on Main, Blue Elephant features Italian-Thai dishes with Japanese influences, plus a variety of sushi selections (got all that?). Highlights include black sesame Hokkaido milk bread with miso honey butter, house-made edamame truffle tortellini, green tea tiramisu, tuna bruschetta, and a surf-and-turf specialty roll stuffed with filet mignon, crab and Japanese barbecue sauce. Brunch is available on weekends, and happy hour runs 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM weekdays. Let’s hope Blue Elephant can pack the place in a way Matador seldom could.

Blue Elephant is located at 110 N Wayne Avenue in Wayne (next to Christopher’s). Hours are Monday – Thursday 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM, Friday 11:30 AM – 9:30 PM, Saturday 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM and Sunday 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday 10:30 AM –3:00 PM.

• From Bike Shop to Sandwich Stop

It’s not easy converting a former bike shop into a sandwich joint. After several maddening construction and building code delays, Rocco DiPasquale and Jamie Gaffney are thrilled to debut Fire Nashville Hot Chicken in downtown West Chester. The pair more than compensated for the delays with the massive portion sizes. The double-decker sandwiches feature premium Nashville boneless chicken thighs that are marinated for 24 hours in a buttermilk brine, then dry-rubbed with a mix of spices, deep-fried in canola oil and nestled in a fresh brioche roll. Top it off with your choice of specialty sauce, coleslaw and pickles. Keep some cold water handy; the menu features four of the hottest peppers in the world, including Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Scorpion and Ghost Pepper.

Hungry for more? Sides include Gouda mac-and-cheese bites, cornmeal-breaded fried pickles, loaded tater tots, wings, deviled eggs and house-made carrot cake. Yum!

Fire Nashville Hot Chicken is located at 126 E Gay Street in West Chester. Hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM.

• WAWA Shooter Sentenced

Following a tragic crime that shook the Main Line and left a little boy motherless, 38-year-old Brian Kennedy was sentenced last month to life in state prison for fatally shooting his ex-wife 2019 at a Radnor Township Wawa in 2019. Kennedy was convicted of the shooting death in January. (It took the jury less than 30 minutes to deliver a guilty verdict.)

During the sentencing hearing, Kennedy said he regretted his actions and was not in the right state of mind when he killed his ex-wife. His lawyer noted Kennedy’s battle with mental illness and called the killing a crime of passion. (Kennedy and Miller divorced in 2013.)

“It was horrible,” said Delaware County DA Jack Stollsteimer after the guilty verdict was announced, “One of the most horrible things that people in Radnor have seen in quite a long time.”