OPENINGS
A food truck park called A La Cart Street Food and Craft Beer is rarin’ to go this summer in the Milk District … Over in Thornton Park, look for Big Time Streetfood Co. to open next to Burton’s this spring … Foxtail’s Farmhouse, with its additional seating, coffee siphon bar and craft cocktails on tap, opens Saturday next to Foxtail Coffee in Winter Park … Tori Tori, a Japanese pub/izakaya by Domu’s Sonny Nguyen and Johnny Tung, will open this summer in Mills 50. Expect Sonny’s renditions of yakitori when it opens … Look for Lucky’s Market to open in the old Sports Authority space in Colonial Landing Plaza later this year … Caro-Bama BBQ has opened inside the North Quarter Market … Taco news: Gringos Locos has opened on East Michigan Street in SoDo; Tin & Taco will open a hot-sauce squirt away in the old Kimchi’s Korean Grill space on East Michigan this April; Taco Maker Mexican Grill will open a second location on Lake Underhill Road sometime this spring; and Fuzzy’s Taco Shop will open later this month downtown next to Orange County Brewers.
CLOSINGS
Carmel Kitchen & Wine Bar has shuttered in Winter Park …The Nona Tap Room has closed and will reopen as a restaurant/bar under new ownership … Kimchi’s Korean Grill will close Feb. 27.
EVENTS
Two big events to keep in mind: Field to Feast, the outdoor culinary extravaganza at Long & Scott Farms Feb. 17, will see top Disney chefs prepare dishes from locally sourced ingredients; tickets are $175. Also on Feb. 17, the 9th annual Orlando Chili Cook-Off takes place from noon to 6 p.m. at Festival Park. Early bird tickets are $10; $15 at the door; $40 VIP.
NEWS
Ron Rupert, who helped open Disney’s California Grill and Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge, has been appointed executive chef of Wine Bar George, which is now slated for a spring opening … Cavanaugh’s Fine Wines in College Park will transform into Digress Wine, a “welcoming neighborhood wine bar and bottle shop that champions artisanal producers” by early March … Wahlburger’s and Toasted are both now offering the Impossible Burger while BurgerFi is serving the Beyond Burger – both 100 percent meatless options. Maybe now carnivores and vegans can dine together peacefully.
Got restaurant dish? Send tips to dining@orlandoweekly.com
This article appears in Feb 7-13, 2018.
