Restaurant closings:
After 28 years of serving Hannibal Square, Chez Vincent will close Dec. 21. Owners Vincent and Teri Gagliano, who also run Hannibal’s Lounge, are retiring and have sold both businesses to a “respected local chef and restaurateur” … Lewis Lin’s wagyu shabu-shabu house, Hinabe (originally called “Nabe”), has closed in the Dellagio Town Center. Hinabe neighbor Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi’s exclusivity on Japanese cuisine forced the restaurant Lin runs with owners Khoa Nguyen and Keren Swan to change its name (Nabe to Hinabe) and alter their concept (shabu-shabu to hot pot). The tweaks, evidently, didn’t cut it. The trio plan on working with the landlords and Dragonfly to come up with some sort of an agreement, which may require a total concept change. Stay tuned … Pho Ga Hien Vuong, the soup bar by the owners of Z Asian Vietnamese Kitchen, has closed at 5282 W. Colonial Drive.
Restaurant openings:
Kappo Tsan, the kappo-style restaurant fusing “Japanese craftsmanship with Taiwanese soul” by Norigami chef David Tsan, is aiming for a Dec. 15 Christmas week preview opening at 11815 Glass House Lane. Former Hanamizuki chef/owner Toshi Kishimoto will oversee the kitchen and take charge of the cooked items, while former Soseki/Bar Kada beverage director Benjamin Coutts will oversee the wine and sake program … Fragaria, specializing in plant-based New Zealand-style ice cream (vanilla ice cream blended with real fruit in a specialty machine to produce an airy, velvety soft-serve) will open in the old Melt Brownie/Sourdough Bread House space at 110 N. Orlando Ave. in Maitland at the end of the year … Filipino bakery The Baker’s Son by Jun Valerio has opened at 4797 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Kissimmee. This is the fourth location in the country, with others in Houston, Sugar Land and Jacksonville … Kungfu Fried Chicken & Bar (not to be confused with Kungfu Kitchen) has opened at 11358 S. Orange Blossom Trail near Whisper Lakes offering fried chicken, wings and tenders in addition to a host of Chinese classics and boba … Masa, the popular arepa food truck out of Apopka, will offer its arepas at the newly reopened Cupid’s Hot Dogs in Longwood’s West Lake Plaza at 254 W. State Road 434.
Events:
Quantum Leap Winery has popped up in the old La Femme du Fromage stall at East End Market offering its wines, cheeses from La Femme du fromage, seasonal soups from chef Jamie McFadden of Cuisiniers Catering, broccoli salad from George’s Cafe, and hummus, chips and mixes from Hummus Bar. The pop-up will last through the holiday season … Sarah Santa of June Crush is partnering with the Ancient Olive Gourmet in Winter Park for “Aperitivo Hour: An Evening of Olive Oil & Connection” Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. Cost is $72 and includes an olive oil tasting and food pairing. Visit theancientolive.com/events for more … Coro Restaurant will host a five-course Italian wine pairing dinner featuring oysters, flounder, pasta “assassina,” milk-braised veal belly and burnt ricotta cheesecake Dec. 16. Seatings are at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Cost is $95. Visit cororestaurant.com for more information.
