I told you back in February that the RusTeak folks were considering moving that concept to the Menagerie Eatery & Bar space in Thornton Park. That happens this weekend and follows last week’s closing of the College Park RusTeak. My dining companion and I both commented on how busy the College Park location was when we ate recently at a nearby restaurant. I wonder if their regulars will follow them downtown. RusTeak’s new address is 101 S. Eola Drive, which has also been home to Muddy Waters and Mucho Tequila & Tacos. This will be the first occupant that doesn’t start with M.
4 Rivers Smokehouse is now selling its smoked pork and beef sausage links at area Costcos. They’re available in three-pound packages (because Costco). The real news is that apparently you don’t have to wear pants to shop at Costco. I knew they’d relaxed their mask policy but …
Speaking of masks, The Edison at Disney Springs thought that after more than a year of mask wearing it would be fun to host a Masquerade Ball. If such a thing sounds appealing, it’s Friday, August 20 from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. and costs $150 per person plus tax and gratuity. For an additional $250 you can get a VIP booth “for guaranteed seating and a dedicated server.” I’d like to think that all servers are dedicated, but that’s just me. Call 407-560-8155 for more info.
(Shameless plug ahead) Restaurateurs, if you’d like all of your servers to be dedicated, sign them up for Scott Joseph’s Restaurant Server Training Course.
Orlando will consider whether restaurants in the downtown development area can keep their so-called parklets, dining areas that were expanded into off-curb parking spots to accommodate more diners when inside dining was banned. Something good should come out the pandemic, right? The parklets, like the one above in front of Mason Jar Provisions on Washington Street, will be allowed only on streets that have speed limits of 25 miles per hour or less. So if there’s an accident while you’re eating your chicken nuggets you’ll probably only be maimed, not killed.
I told you earlier in the week about some of the area restaurants that received Restaurant Revitalization monies. Some others include:
- Gilchrist Enterprises, McDonald’s franchisee ($3,937,262)
- La Dolbe LLC, operating as Paradiso 37 at Disney Springs ($4,430,815)
- Boston Lobster Feast ($3,864,123)
- We Are Steak Enterprises Inc., operating as Charley’s Steak House ($3,826,682)
- Be Polite LLC, operating as Polite Pig ($3,807,023.50)
- Domu ($2,668,703)
- Kasopa Inc., operating as Taverna Opa ($2,289,392.31)
- Hokkaido Chinese & Japanese ($2,053,849.28)
- Hub City Enterprises, doing business as One Eye Jack’s ($2,043,620)
- CCC Dining Group, Crazy Buffet ($1,805,862)
- Dirk Bill & Gary IV Inc., doing business as Chillers, Latitudes, Cahoots, and Irish Shannon’s ($1,264,009.71)
- Shine Cafe, Maxine’s on Shine ($89,278.50)
