Recent Restaurant Reviews and Lots of News

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Restaurant Reviews

Braccia Pizzeria & Ristorante

Braccia interior

Well, here’s something different in the world of pizza eating.

Braccia Pizzeria & Ristorante is one of new eateries that have stepped in to take over the leases of closed restaurants on Winter Park’s Morse Boulevard. Or as the acronymic name for one of the recent departees indicated, Not On Park Avenue.

Braccia is small but has a certain charm in its glassed in wine cabinet, floor to ceiling blackboards and distressed wood tabletops. The charm does not extend to the Astroturflike greenery that has been applied in freeform to one of the brick walls; that’s just odd.

Chicken Salad Chick

Chicken Salad Chick trio

Now comes Chicken Salad Chick, a restaurant that serves a variety of salads chicken. Why do I keep thinking of the old Saturday Night Live skit where Gilda Radner worked in the Scotch-tape Store at the mall?

CSC is a franchise that started in Auburn, Ala., by Stacy M. Brown, a self-confessed chicken salad junkie and the chick of the name. What started as a business that operated out of her kitchen and moved to a real restaurant after someone turned Brown into the health department has blossomed into a franchise with a few dozen locations, all in the South (and Florida). Orlando’s Chicken Salad Chick is in the Plaza at University at Alafaya Trail across from UCF.

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Restaurant News

Sights, Sounds and Tastes of Morimoto Asia

Disney Springs is very much still under construction, but Morimoto Asia is getting ready for its September 30th opening. Click through to see an advance peek, including a video with an exclusive look at the backstage kitchens.

Morimoto traps

Walt's and Neverland Tunnels Planned for Disney Springs

Springs Construction Workers working on what will be the springs of Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Wednesday.

I’ve learned of a couple of new venues that are planned for the (currently) very dusty Disney Springs project. One will be a restaurant called Walt’s — not sure where they came up with that name — and another will be a bar and lounge known as the Neverland Tunnels.

Asian Gastropub Coming to Thornton Park

Cityfish construction bar

First on SJO -- The pieces are starting to come together for what will be taking over the former Cityfish space in Thornton Park. The concept will be an Asian Gastropub with a menu designed by Greg Richie. Richie, of course, is a partner in the Thornton Park Restaurant Group and is also the executive chef of their Soco, also at Thornton Park Central.

Not Magical, But Venetian Room Offering Special Menu Through October

VR dining room

The Venetian Room, one of the few remaining truly fine dining venues in Central Florida, is not participating in Magical Dining Month this year.

However, the restaurant is offering its own special menu, shown below, with a seductively low price. And it isn’t just for the month of September; VR’s prix fixe menu is available through October, so you can still eat your little Magical Dining Month heart out this month and make a reservation for Venetian Room next month.

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Scott Joseph's Orlando Restaurant Guide \| P.O. Box 568344 \| Orlando \| FL \| 32856

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