OPENINGS: Poke Hana has opened on Colonial Drive near Mills Avenue ... The Sanford Brewing Co. Bistro, by the same folks who brought you the Sanford Brewing Co., will open in the Maitland City Centre by the end of the year.
NEWS: One of the world's foremost authorities on all things cheese, Max McCalman, is now the maître fromager at the Wine Room in Winter Park. McCalman is a multiple James Beard Foundation Award winner and is the author of Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best – itself one of the best books on cheese ... Magic Place, the stylish mixed-use condo and residential development currently under construction on U.S.-192 in Kissimmee, will house a 30,000-square-foot food hall called Gourmet Market at Magic Place. The food hall will bring together 20 independent (not chain) concepts under its slick roof. Projected opening is spring 2020 ... More food hall news: The Food Factory at Oviedo on the Park is taking shape and will feature 800-square-foot "micro-restaurants" framing the Factory Bar, a full-service craft cocktail bar. Expect gourmet sandwiches, vegan cuisine, specialty Cuban and poké. The Food Factory is slated to open in fall 2019 ... Papa Llama celebrates its second anniversary with a brunch pop-up at Redlight Redlight Sept. 16 from noon-3 p.m.
EVENTS: Hunger Street Tacos will serve a seven-course omakase-style menu paired with wine and mezcal on Sept. 7 at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House. The dinner, designed around authentic Mexican flavors, will have two seatings (5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) of 10 guests each. Tickets are $100 ... Also Sept. 8, the annual Taste! Central Florida goes from 6:45 to 10 p.m. at the Orlando World Center Marriott. More than 60 food and beverage vendors will take part in the event in support of the Second Harvest Food Bank and Coalition for the Homeless ... Dining in the Dark, in support of Lighthouse of Central Florida, is Sept. 13 at the Mezz. Dishes by Bernard Carmouche (Muddy Waters), Greg Richie (Soco), Marlene Spiegel (Wildtree), Phillip Fong (B&A Catering) and Oudom Ketsatha (Oudom Thai & Sushi) will be served to night-vision-goggled guests. Cost is $200 ... The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is officially underway and goes through Nov. 12.
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