Soco, the southern contemporary restaurant in downtown Orlando’s Thornton Park, is hosting a mezcal tasting dinner on Monday, April 19, at 6 p.m. The evening will include four courses prepared by chef/partner Greg Richie with each course paired with a mezcal from Bozal. If you’re unfamiliar with mezcal and want to learn more about the agave-based nectar, Bozal’s ambassador Eric Timmerman will be on hand. The dinner, which will begin with a welcome cocktail called a Socorita (Bozal Ensamble mezcal, lime, Chartreuse, fresh orange), costs $85 per person. Tickets may be purchased by emailing Soco’s general manager. Bozal, by the way, means wild or untamed, so the evening has great potential.
“You know what we need more of in this town? Chicken nugget fast food chains.”
~ No one. Ever.
Nevertheless, a Louisiana nuggeteria called Raising Cain’s is scouting locations to unload product in Central Florida, as is a Texas franchise called Cowboy Chicken, according to Orlando Business Journal.
Over on North Goldenrod Road, TajineXpress is bringing a taste of Morocco to the area (that’s more like it). Despite what the name might imply, it’s a full service restaurant. The express part of the name, or Xpress, if you will, is meant to convey a quicker way of cooking tajine foods, which generally take a couple of hours. TajineXpress is also featuring a special iftar menu for Ramadan, which started Monday and goes through May 12. During the holy month, observers abstain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. Iftar basically means breakfast in the literal sense although it is the meal eaten after sunset. The meal eaten before fasting begins at sunrise is called suhoor. Ramadan mubarak to all who observe.
Maki Hibachi has opened in a storefront space in the newly constructed self-storage building at the corner of Colonial Drive and Magnolia Avenue, right across the street from the depressingly vacant former Orlando Sentinel complex. So, plenty of parking available?
Bombay Street Kitchen has opened up on South Orange Blossom Trail in the freestanding building that once housed Abhiruchi Indian Cuisine. It’s from the same people who brought you Aashirwad and Tamarind Indian restaurants and the former Bombay Cafe.
Is anyone keeping a tally of how many area restaurants are based on the street food concept?
And finally, the good people at Orlando Weekly will be sponsoring the annual Orlando Taco Week, which is two weeks long. During the promotion, participating taco technicians will offer $5 tacos. It starts on April 20 and finishes May 4, except for some businesses that will continue through Cinco de Mayo, which falls on May 5 this year. Some restaurants will offer takeout but you’ll be limited to just five tacos. I suppose that’s so you don’t buy a few dozen and then try to resell them for $6. Check out the list of participating restaurants at the Orlando Taco Week website, then get ready to go bozal.
