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Francesco’s Ristorante and Pizzeria will celebrate its 12th anniversary on May 18 with an evening of fine food and opera singers at the Maitland restaurant.

Owner and chef Francesco Aiello has been busy creating new dishes and promises a unique pasta entree for the anniversary.

You can make a reservation by calling the restaurant at 407-960-5533.

In the meantime, check out some of the new dishes in the gallery below, including Mediterranean salad with orange mint dressing, English cucumbers, red onion medley mixed tomatoes and goat cheese; and a pizza with rapa, sausage semi, dried yellow tomato and finished with smoke flavored oil.

Francesco’s Ristorante and Pizzeria is at 400 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland. It’s open for lunch Monday through Saturday and dinner daily.

I’ve been absent for a while, first physically, in Athens and Istanbul and points between (food and restaurant notes coming soon), and then mentally, as on my return I came down with what I assume was flu that knocked me on my rear end for 12 days. Yes, I had gotten the flu vaccine, but either it wasn’t geared to the strain I had or I got it too early in the season and its efficacy was muted. Anyway, there’s a lot to catch up on.

Let’s start with Quantum Leap Winery, which last week announced that it was essentially being kicked out of the Mills 50 facility it has called home since it opened 12 years ago. The building, about one block west of Mills Avenue and one block south of Virginia Drive, was sold last fall and the new owners intend to use it for their own business (plastics, I hear; shoutout to “The Graduate”). 

The last time we had a Dinner Party at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek, we started on the pool level and worked our way up to to the ninth floor. This time, we’re starting at the top and staying there, with a complete takeover of the wonderful illume on Wednesday, May 22.

This is going to be an extraordinary evening. We’ll start with a reception at 6 p.m. and a Lychee Martini welcome cocktail. Next there will be an array of sushi and appetizers, including oysters, nigirizushi, sushi rolls, king crab and scallop crudo.

That will be followed by the multi-course entree featuring Chawanmushi, a Japanese custard, here made with cage-free egg yolk, seafood dashi and Key West pink shrimp; Seared Seabass Yuzu Kosho; and A5 Wagyu Yuzu Truffle. The main course comes with your choice of pairing – Ken Wright Pinot Noir, Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon Blanc or Ban Ryu 10,000 Ways Sake.

And then we’ll have a beautiful display of desserts to nibble on, with a pairing of Joto Yuzu The Citrus One, as the Disney fireworks begin. If you were lucky enough to be at our last Dinner Party at the JW Bonnet Creek, you know how impressive the desserts are. (See the full menu below.)

It was a star-studded night for Orlando at the ceremony Thursday evening in Tampa to announce additions to the Miami, Tampa and Orlando Michelin Guide. Victoria & Albert’s, one of the Southeast’s most celebrated restaurants, finally achieved Michelin stardom, as was expected. But also earning a star along with V&A’s chef Matthew Sower were Camile (Tung Phan), Natsu (Stone Lin) and Papa Llama (Kevin Ruiz).

A new award this year, the Green Star, celebrating sustainability, went to Lordfer Lalicon of Kaya in the Mills 50 District.

I’ve always thought of Flying Fish as one of Walt Disney World Resort’s more upscale restaurants, even before it underwent a full renovation that elevated the decor to the level of the food.

When it opened, in 1995 and as Flying Fish Cafe, the restaurant had a more whimsical decor and ambience that invoked the halcyon days of Coney Island, including images of fish – flying –  on Ferris wheels and other carnival rides.