"This is not Chuanlu Garden on Mills. We are still closed for renovation. We will take legal action against this ..read more

OPENINGS & CLOSINGS: Meat N' Bone, the South Florida-based premium butcher offering high-quality cuts of wagyu, beef and pork "sourced from the finest farms in the world" will open next week in the old P Is for Pie space in Audubon Park at 2806 Corrine Drive ... Nearby, Phở Bar, the South Florida-based Vietnamese outfit with locations in Davie and Pembroke Pines, will open a kitchen and bar at 1012 E. Colonial Drive on Dec. 15 ..read more

Gastropubs hit a wall in this city after the Ravenous Pig and the now-shuttered Smiling Bison and Rusty Spoon set the ceiling where it needed to be — high. Many masqueraded as gastropubs, their chefs opting to shun effort and creativity in favor of menus laden with burgers to pair with their beers. These "restbarants" and "fooboozeries" felt no different than your average Orlando Ale House, but with upgraded ingredients and interior design ..read more

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