Restaurant Happenings South fl

Fort Lauderdale

STAR CHEF TODD ENGLISH OPENS DA CAMPO OSTERIA IN FORT LAUDERDALE
da Campo Osteria, 3333 NE 32nd Avenue,  Fort Lauderdale, at il Lugano Hotel & Residences.  (954) 226-5002. www.ilLugano.com

Renowned Chef/Restaurateur/author/entrepreneur and TV star chef, Boston-based Todd English, is coming to South Florida at il Lugano Hotel & Residences, on the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale.
The menu, designed by Chef English and executed by Executive Chef Seth High, is Northern Italian and regional Italian cuisine with homemade pastas, flatbreads and grilled entrees prepared in a wood burning oven.

CHEF JOHNNY VINCZENCZ OPENS SMITH & JONES BAR & GRILL IN FORT LAUDERDALE

Smith & Jones Bar and Grill, 1313 Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, is slated to open mid-November 2008.
Lunch and dinner will be served seven days a week. (954) 391-9466.

Chef and restaurateur Johnny Vinczencz of Johnny V Las Olas, is set to open  Smith & Jones Bar and Grill, a 200-seat indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar, mid-November. “With Chef de cuisine Dwayne “Big
At night, the space is transformed into a rocking roadhouse, featuring a happy hour, late night specials and a rotating roster of live music on an elevated stage.

Miami

MEAT MARKET AND CRUDO BAR OPEN ON LINCOLN ROAD, SOUTH BEACH

915 Lincoln Road, South Beach. (305) 532-0088. www.meatmarketmiami.com

The glamorous Touch has closed, but partners David Tornek and chef Sean Brasel have opened a 4,400 square-foot, 180-seat  contemporary steakhouse where Pacific Time left off. Both Chef Brasel and Mr. Tornek continue to operate Touch Catering, and its new Kosher Touch division, both located at 860 N.E. 79th Street in Miami.
Crudo bar is open nightly at 5 p.m and Meat Market is open nightly for dinner from 6 to 11 p.m. Sunday – Thursday, and till midnight on Saturday and Sunday.  Lunch and brunch to be announced.

LOFTIN’S 1116 OCEAN OPENS AT CASA CASUARINA, SOUTH BEACH

Casa Casuarina, 1116 Ocean Drive, South Beach 305-672-6604
The late designer Gianni Versace’s famed  Miami Beach mansion originally built in 1930s, Casa Casuarina, now owned and operated by Peter Loftin, is opening its door to the public for the first time. The executive chef is Dale Ray who has worked under Michel Richard at Citronelle, Washington, DC, Jean-Louis Palladin of The Watergate Hotel restaurant and Charlie Trotter in Chicago.

BRAZILIAN CHURRASCARIA FOGO DE CHÃO OPENS ON SOUTH BEACH

836 1st Street (between Jefferson and Meridian Avenues), South of Fifth, South Beach. 305.672.0011. www.fogo.com

The Brazilian churrascaria Fogo de Chão, founded in Brazil by brothers Jair and Arri Coser in 1979, and successfully operating in the US since 1997  in Dallas, Atlanta, Beverly Hills and Chicago is opening a 12,000 sq. ft., 250-seat rodizio-style restaurant with gaucho chefs and service in South Beach.
All you can eat beef, pork, lamb and chicken, grilled on a churrasqueira, are brought to the table on roasting skewers and sliced and served tableside as the gauchos servers are alerted by flipping small cards. Other offerings are a gourmet salad bar with variety of cheeses, vegetables and cured meats; limitless sides served tableside such as garlic mashed potatoes, caramelized bananas, crispy polenta and Brazilian cheese bread; a vast wine and cocktail list including caipirinha.

Aventura

THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY, A BEVERLY HILLS IMPORT, DEBUTS IN AVENTURA

19575 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura Mall.  305.466.7195 www.thegrill.com

Modeled after the big city grills of the 1930’s and 40’s,
The Grill on the Alley, a Beverly Hills CA import serving classic American fare with a menu of prime steaks, chops, fresh seafood, and classic cocktails is opening in Aventura.   The Grill’s executive chef is John Sola, and the extensive menu will offer USDA Prime steaks and chops, fresh seafood and the day’s soups and desserts.