Arthur Boothe and Julian Burgos built their reputation on cocktail bars (Death in the Afternoon, Suffering Bastard and the now-shuttered Bitters & Brass), but the dynamic duo of drink is getting into the grape game and will soon open a wine bar in Mills 50. Lorelei, named after the German siren of lore, will open this February at 737 N. Thornton Ave. across the street from Edoboy. Boothe says the irresistible and perilous mythical figure is representative of his feelings toward the Sunshine State ..read more

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS: Pom Moongauklang, who recently shuttered her longtime Milk District sandwich shop and teahouse, isn't done yet ..read more

William Shen, the mind behind what is arguably Orlando's finest restaurant, Sorekara, is firmly establishing his presence in this city he's called home for a little over two years. Along with James Beard Award-nominated restaurateurs Johnny and Jimmy Tung of the Bento Group, Shen opened udon noodle house Zaru in 2023, followed this year by Sorekara and UniGirl, his onigiri shop inside Mills Market, which we reviewed favorably a couple of weeks ago. With Cowboy Curry, his latest concept slated to open in early 2025, Shen will expand his footprint inside the bustling East Colonial Drive food hu ..read more

King Bao, an Asian restaurant with three locations in the Orlando area, announced this week it will close its Winter Park eatery. The last day of business for the bao destination is Saturday, Dec. 28. “After much thought and consideration, we’ve made the decision not to renew our lease at our Winter Park location,” the store announced in an Instagram post ..read more

Portillo’s, a Chicago-style street food haven known for hot dogs and Italian sandwiches, is set to open a new location in Orlando this week. This latest hot dog hub will open at 315 North Alafaya Trail at Waterford Lakes Town Center Thursday. The 7,800-square-foot restaurant will feature seating for nearly 200 guests, an outdoor patio, a grab-and-go station and double drive-thru lanes ..read more

A couple of industry folks I know and respect (one a chef, the other an avid supporter of local restaurants with a significant online presence) fed me two opposing views on Maroush, the newish Syrian/Middle Eastern restaurant that moved into the Slapfish space in Waterford Lakes. "Fan-fucking-tastic," said the chef. "Everything we had was fresh ..read more

The Orlando Korea Festival is heading back to town with food, live music and a massive cultural celebration. The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Orlando Korea Culture Center, located at 7000 Winegard Road. Guests can expect more than 35 food and drink vendors like Mr. Bulgogi, Mochinut, SoGongDong & K-BBQ, The Tea Social and plenty more ..read more

Now's the time to celebrate one of the world's most beloved forms of stuffed pastry: Get gobbling this weekend at the Orlando Empanada Festival. The fest takes place Saturday, Dec. 7, and Sunday, Dec. 8, at Festival Park, located at 2911 E. Robinson St., and focuses on the Latin American pastry. Guests can shop a craft market featuring more than 60 vendors, play games, enjoy live music and eat their way through 75 authentic empanada options ..read more

I have a soft spot for the old Tien Hung Market in Mills 50. It's where I'd regularly go to pick up rambutan, custard apples and the king of all fruits, durian. In early 2016, I snagged a spiky stinker from the market, walked down the street to a bench in front of Veggie Garden, and carved the thing up — after which then-WMFE host Matthew Peddie and I scarfed the fleshy fart-fruit down, before having to wrest my knife back from a homeless guy ..read more

I'm not going to beat a cavallo morto about College Park's obsession with Italian cuisine, so I might as well just string the lights up over Edgewater Drive, invite the Gambinos to winter in the bungalows next to Buddy's on Bryn Mawr, and lead the procession on the Feast of San Gennaro in Orlando's very own Little Italy. Afterward, I'll pop into Turci Pasta, throw my hands up and surrender to — what else? — pasta ..read more