OPENINGS & CLOSINGS:
Look for Okonomi, William Shen’s casual sushi concept that’s been popping up at UniGirl, to find a permanent home inside Mills Market shortly after his Japanese curry concept, Cowboy Curry, opens later this month … The Mardi Gras-themed Voo-doo Room (not to be confused with the Voodoo Room at the House of Blues) will pop up inside the old Jack & Honey’s space at 808 E. Washington St. in Thornton Park Thursdays through Sundays until midnight. Denny Tornatore, owner of the recently shuttered Tornatore’s Ristorante and Italian Market in College Park, has curated the menu … Taco’s Lab (not to be confused with Taco Labs, the Boca Raton-based chain of taquerias) will open in the old King Bao space at 1881 W. Fairbanks Ave. in Winter Park. Taco’s Lab promises a “full-blown flavor experiment engineered to blow your mind” and “taco insanity.” No word on when it will open …
Construction on Sparrow, Good Salt Group’s wine bar and lounge with a menu by Wendy Lopez inspired by the culinary traditions of Southern Europe, will be completed this month. Plans are to open in March … Tikka Bowls and Tacos, a fast-casual Indian-Mexican mashup, has opened downtown at 255 S. Orange Ave., Ste. 109 … Beer news: Runabout Brewing Co. Kitchen and Raw Bar has opened at 4721 S. Orange Ave., where Gatlin Hall Brewing used to be, offering a menu of seasonal seafood, smashburgers, oysters and pizzas … Brewlando Maitland has opened its taps inside the former Sanford Brewing Co. space at 160 Independence Lane … Oviedo Brewing Co. will close its doors Feb. 28 after five years … More closings: Park Avenue Tavern, the subpar Winter Park outpost of the NYC original, has shuttered two years after opening in the old Dexter’s space at 558 W. New England Ave. … Keke’s Breakfast Cafes on South Chickasaw Trail and in MetroWest have closed. Keke’s in Winter Park, Apopka, Lake Mary and Windermere have shuttered “temporarily,” while they transition to a new franchisee.
NEWS & EVENTS:
Pacchioni’s World Inspired Cheesesteaks, a food truck by Daniel Pacchione with a menu curated by Michael Collantes (Soseki, Bar Kada), will officially debut Sunday, Feb. 23, from noon-5 p.m. at the Faire of the Dog: Lovers Market outside Will’s Pub. You can also catch them the day before at GB’s Bottle Shop offering cheesesteaks fusing Korean, French and Caribbean flavors … Sumterville-based ranchers from RHN Wagyu will be featured guest speakers at Wagyu 101 taking place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at Palm Beach Meats Orlando. A sample tasting will be part of the event. Cost is $40. Visit palmbeachmeats.com to register.
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This article appears in Feb 12-18, 2025.
