OPENINGS
Fat One’s, the hot dog kiosk by former *NSYNC-er Joey Fatone, will open in the Florida Mall on Sept. 10 … Se7en Bites has closed in their current location, but plans a soft opening of their new, larger location at 617 N. Primrose Drive on Sept. 17 … The new Planet Hollywood Observatory will ride the bus to Flavortown thanks to a burger and sandwich menu developed by the schlock jock of cookery, Guy Fieri. The restaurant is slated to open this fall … Over at Universal CityWalk, the steampunk-themed Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen has opened … Inside East End Market, Gideon’s Bakehouse is undergoing renovations and will reopen next month with a “cookie bar” and additional yum-yums like handmade ice cream and iced coffees … Gyu-Kaku, a popular and well-received chain specializing in Japanese yakiniku (grilled meats) dining, will open in Dr. Phillips at the end of September.
CLOSINGS
Wildside Bar & Grille in Thornton Park has closed. Graffiti Junktion will move in next month after the space undergoes renovations … Giraffas Brazilian Grill in Mills Park has closed … The Red Lion Pub in Winter Park will close after 27 years in business. A send-off party is planned for Sept. 17.
NEWS
Brunch is now being served at Pizza Bruno Saturday and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. … Rabii Saber, executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Resort, will represent the Stars & Stripes at the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, commonly known as the Pastry Olympics, Jan. 22-23, 2017, in Lyon, France. Saber will join Bill Foltz (L’Auberge Casino Resort, Lake Charles, Louisiana) and Victor Dagatan (Ritz Carlton Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia) on Team USA.
EVENTS
The Tennessee Truffle in Sanford will hold a five-course dinner with wine pairings at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1. Cost is $55 …
Fred Noe, the seventh-generation master distiller for Jim Beam, will be at Corona Cigar Co. on Sand Lake Road from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, for an exclusive tasting and bottle signing … The 4th annual Lesser Seafood Dinner at Cress Restaurant in DeLand is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. The event will see chef Hari Pulapaka serve a four-course meal of sustainable seafood, some of it caught in Sitka, Alaska, by Pulapaka himself. Cost is $50.
This article appears in Aug 31 – Sep 6, 2016.
