Restaurant news: Black Rock opens in Coral Springs; Harvest Seasonal Grill closes in Delray Beach

Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel

Beef birria tacos served at Talkin'' Tacos, located at The Walk of Coral Springs.

Pick-ITA-Up / Courtesy

The burratina appetizer at the new Pick-ITA-Up in Fort Lauderdale includes mixed greens, red onion, fresh tomato, basil pesto and small orbs of burrata.

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar / Courtesy

The cedar-roasted salmon at Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar in Delray Beach, which abruptly closed in early April.

Nour Thai Kitchen / Cour

The new Nour Thai Kitchen in Oakland Park, which opened in March, features dishes like crab fried rice.

Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel

The Bite Eatery, Pompano Beach''s first food hall, represents the newest attraction in a city eager to evolve from sleepy bedroom community into touristy beach mecca.

Black Rock Bar & Grill / Courtesy

A partially-cooked sirloin grilling on a lava rock at the Fort Lauderdale location of Black Rock Bar & Grill. A new Coral Springs location of Black Rock debuted on April 3.

Rod Stafford Hagwood / Courtesy

Sushi Maki on downtown Fort Lauderdale''s Las Olas Boulevard recently closed.

Stay up to date with South Florida dining news:

Sign up for our twice-weekly Eat Beat newsletter, filled with restaurant news, guides and recipes. Go to SunSentinel.com/newsletters to sign up.

Join our Let's Eat, South Florida Facebook group.

Now open

Black Rock Bar & Grill, Coral Springs

A new location of this Michigan-born, grill-your-own-steaks chain hosted its grand opening on April 3 in the space formerly occupied by The New York Bagel Factory. As with its Fort Lauderdale location (which opened in April 2019), Black Rock's DIY gimmick is simple: Customers grill and flip their raw Angus beef steaks and seafood to desired doneness over 755-degree volcanic bricks served tableside. The restaurant (which touts a mammoth 14-page menu) also features hamburgers, French dips and Reubens, rib slabs and Maine lobster tail. For dessert, there's a towering brownie "volcano" loaded with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate and caramel, and speared with shooting sparklers. 2554 N. University Drive, Coral Springs; BlackRockRestaurants.com

Tito's, Lake Worth Beach

This cult-favorite Mexican-Venezuelan food truck making the rounds in West Palm Beach has expanded south, shuffling into its first brick-and-mortar at a Marathon gas station on South Congress Avenue. The eatery, which debuted March 24, comes from co-owner Jose Viloria, who tells the South Florida Sun Sentinel that the comfort-food menu is identical to that of its food truck. The street-food menu features tacos, tortas, tostadas, burritos and quesadillas, along with pepitos, tostitos and cachapas (cheese-filled corn pancakes). There are also Venezuelan-style hamburgers with pineapple, ham, potato chips, fried plantains and pink sauce, and hot dogs loaded with Colombian chorizo. 3965 S. Congress Ave., Lake Worth Beach; 561-222-9570; TitosWPBFL.com

Prospect Pizza, Oakland Park

This slice shop from owner Kenneth Mooney debuted in mid-March on Prospect Road, replacing the former Tic Tac Dough Pizza, Subs & Brew, which shuttered in early 2022. The no-frills, New York-style menu slings plain pies for $12 to $16, along with calzones, strombolis and subs, including roast beef and chicken parmesan. There are also specialty pies such as the Hawaiian and the "Jimmy," topped with meatball, onion and ricotta. 53 NE 44th St., Oakland Park; 954-900-3678; ProspectSubs.com (website is under construction)

Rice Mediterranean Kitchen, Fort Lauderdale

This Mediterranean build-your-own-bowl mini-chain with seven locations in Miami-Dade County debuted its first Broward County kitchen in mid-March. The eatery from chef-owner Ali Shabani (Rice House of Kabob), on tony Las Olas Boulevard inside the Bank of America building, spotlights family recipes drawn from his Persian roots. Bowls, wraps and salads may be customized with proteins such as braised brisket and lamb, basmati or brown rice, sriracha-tomato hummus and Greek yogurt sumac. There are also eight herb-infused dips (including charred carrot tahini and honey nut feta), wild-caught snapper wraps, and sirloin kubideh salads. 401 E. Las Olas Blvd., No. 115, Fort Lauderdale; 954-928-9620; RiceKitchen.com

Nour Thai Kitchen & Bar, Oakland Park

Isaan food, from northeastern Thailand — think pungent spices, more chilies, fewer curries, more fermented fish — is the focus of William Manthy and Edric Espinoza's new "unapologetically bold" restaurant in Oakland Park. Nour Thai, which debuted in mid-March in Oakland Park's growing Culinary Arts District, is adorned with murals of fish from Thailand's Mekong River and features crispy money bags (deep-fried pockets of sweet potato, cornpeas, onions, curry powder), spicy basil fried rice and duck noodle soup. The menu also includes sashimi, sushi rolls and poke bowls. 3554 NE 12th Ave, Oakland Park; 954-533-0569; NourThai.com

Opal & Ore, Delray Beach

Chef-restaurateur Giovanni Geraca has debuted this Mediterranean-Italian kitchen on Delray Beach's ever-bustling Atlantic Avenue. The menu, which draws on French and coastal Italian techniques, includes starters such as Sicilian schiacciata, a flatbread topped with buffalo mozzarella, scallion butter and Greek olives, arancini balls, black truffle bruschetta and charcuterie plates. Entrees include pan-seared swordfish paired with caramelized onions, capers and a white wine-infused lemon-butter sauce. There is also fresh lobster with creamy tarragon sauce and beurre blanc (a French butter sauce) on a bed of fettuccine. For nonseafood eaters, the menu has pork and sage butter rigatoni and slow-cooked Bell & Evans chicken with mushrooms and cream sherry sauce. 506 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-265-5699, OpalandOre.com

Garden District Taproom, West Palm Beach

Drinking dens touting pour-your-own-craft-beer taprooms are now nothing new in South Florida (cough, Hopportunities, cough), but here you’ll be able to drink heartily without having to tip the robot. A grand opening is planned for this downtown sudsy emporium from husband-and-wife owners Rosie and Josh Hanson on March 31. Situated across the street from a Brightline stop, Garden District Taproom features craft beers, ciders and seltzers on draft. Drinks are dispensed from nozzles on a "tap wall," accessed by scanning a coded wristband over the screen displaying your drink of choice. There's even a dog-friendly patio shaded with lush palm trees. 410 Evernia St., No. 119, West Palm Beach; 561-584-8544; GardenDistrictWPB.com

Brandon's Bistro, Pembroke Pines

A Broward County dream team — retired Super Bowl champion Kayvon Webster, ex-NBA player Brandon Knight and influencer Starex Smith (aka food blogger The Hungry Black Man) — have partnered up to form this kitchen, which quietly debuted in a Pembroke Pines strip mall in early March. The restaurant, under chef Gerald Harvey, serves coastal cuisine rooted in the Southern Black diaspora, such as braised oxtail, blackened catfish and hominy cakes. There are also smoked turkey legs with mac and cheese, collards and roasted peppers, and braised short rib in a blueberry glaze atop a bed of garnet yam puree. 207 N. Hiatus Road, Pembroke Pines; 954-955-7927; brandonsbistro.com

Talkin’ Tacos, Coral Springs and beyond

They may have started out with a humble food truck in 2020, but the owners of Talkin’ Tacos, Mohammad Farraj and Omar Al-Massalkhi, have some ambitious plans. Their fast-casual Mexican restaurant brand has opened a fourth eatery at The Walk of Coral Springs Previous locations are in Miramar and Miami-Dade County's Brickell and Wynwood neighborhoods. Menu favorites include their signature Birria Tacos, Southwest Chicken Tacos, Birria Ramen, Street Corn in a Cup, Churros, Tajin and Chamoy Gummies, as well as house-made lemonades, horchatas and mangonadas. Two more Talkin’ Tacos are expected to open later this year in SoFlo, and franchise restaurants are slated for Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and New York. 2866 N. University Drive, Coral Springs; talkintacos.net

Seabra Bakery & Café, Boca Raton

This Portuguese and Brazilian bakery from the owners of the Seabra Foods ethnic grocery chain (which has supermarkets in Parkland and Pompano Beach and out of state in New Jersey and New York) debuted in February in Boca Raton. Co-owners Antonio, Adam, Anthony and Aaron Seabra have opened a spot that specializes in custom-order cakes and housemade Portuguese rolls (pão da avó), along with wraps and paninis stuffed with grilled chicken, prosciutto, beef tenderloin and roasted turkey. There are also sandwiches named after South Florida cities, including the Boca Raton, a chicken cutlet handheld topped with Canadian bacon and vegetables. 465-475 NE Spanish River Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-631-9022; Instagram.com/seabrabakery

Bear's Food Shack and Tequila Bar, Lake Worth Beach

An unlikely fusion of Mexican and Hawaiian dishes — plus intoxicating tequila cocktails — distinguishes this beachy laidback shack that arrived downtown in early March. The eatery, from owner Mia Rizzo, actually combines two restaurants: the El Diablo that previously occupied this Lake Worth Beach space and Bear's Food Shack in Delray Beach, which shuttered last fall on Atlantic Avenue. The menu includes poke bowls, acai bowls and smoothies along with quesadillas, burritos, fajitas, tacos, enchiladas and protein bowls. 717 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach; BearsFoodShack.com

Sakura Ramen, Coral Springs

Asian street foods tantalizing enough to merit their own Instagram account are on the menu at this ramen house, which debuted in early March in the Coral Landings III plaza off West Sample Road and North State Road 7. The restaurant, registered to Zheng Xing Zheng, offers seven ramen bowls along with stir-fried Japanese curry, takoyaki (fried octopus balls), Korean spicy cheese noodles, shrimp tempura bao buns, pad Thai and Chinese scallion pancakes. For sweet tooths, there are bubble teas, milkshakes, powdered Thai doughnuts and something called "dirty bread," which is deep-fried, dusted with cinnamon, stuffed with Nutella and dunked into a coconut-based dipping sauce. 6192 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs; 954-247-9380; SakuraRamen99.com

Pick-ITA-Up, Fort Lauderdale

Replacing the former Bowlicious on Commercial Boulevard is this clunkily named Italian restaurant whose slogan is "Italian fast food where fast means good." (Only good? But we digress.) The restaurant opened to the public on March 16, per social media, and the majority of entrees are $12 (save cauliflower pizza, which is $15). They include five types of paninis such as boscaiola, a crisp handheld of pork sausage, caramelized onion, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and arugula; and 12 pastas from linguini and middleneck clams to rigatoni with basil garlic pesto and creamy burrata. Lentil soup, pasta fagioli, fresh burrata and six pizza styles round out the offerings. 1823 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-900-3621; Facebook.com/pickitaup

The Hampton Social, Delray Beach

This Chicago-spun restaurant and bar that leans strongly into the phrase "Rosé All Day" is bringing a pair of locations to South Florida, the first of which debuted March 15 at the new Atlantic Crossing shopping village. Its menu touts mostly trendy seafood fare, including colossal crab cakes and grilled octopus in creamy herb sauce, olives and pistachios, along with oysters and avocado corn pizzas, lobster rolls and smash burgers. Entrees include honey-glazed salmon and short rib atop a bed of creamy polenta. On social media, the 308-seat restaurant is a whole vibe: Instagrammable walls dripping with faux ivy, coastal decor, walls of rosé bottles, chair swings and market lights, and messages like "Let your dreams set sail" written in cursive neon. The project comes from Chicago's Parker Hospitality, which plans to open another outpost in Miami's Mary Brickell Village later this spring or summer. 40 NE Seventh Ave., Suite 100, Delray Beach; TheHamptonSocial.com

SoFresh, Fort Lauderdale

This Tampa-based, build-your-own-bowl chain is opening new Florida locations, and the Fort Lauderdale one debuted in early March on the ground floor of the Wells Fargo building on North Federal Highway. Bowls, salads, wraps and quesadillas begin with a base of kale, spinach, brown rice or cauliflower, and include proteins (garlic-herb chicken, salmon, ahi tuna), mix-ins and sauces. The chain also serves smoothies, pressed juices and lemonade. 506 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; LoveSoFresh.com

5th Element Indian Grill, Delray Beach

Coming in hotter than red curry is this Florida-born Indian chain, which debuted Feb. 22 inside the Palm Court Plaza storefront once occupied by Mr. Chen's Hunan Palace (which abruptly closed in January). The restaurant, registered to Vijaya Kumar Indhupuru, serves tandoor-baked chicken tikka and lamb kebabs, paneer, chicken curry and goat masala. 5th Element's Delray location joins sister stores in Pompano Beach, Sanford, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast and Jacksonville. 5130 Linton Blvd., Unit E1, Delray Beach; My5thElement.com

The Bite Eatery, Pompano Beach

After three-plus years of pandemic and supply-chain delays, nine food vendors and one cocktail bar have finally shuffled into this food hall in the tony Harbor Village Plaza near the Intracoastal Waterway. The 9,000-square-foot space carries a dizzying swarm of dishes — from ropa vieja and housemade pasta to lobster rolls and half-pound Reubens — from the following vendors: Deli Shack, Mama Mia Pasta & More, Abuelita's Cuban Bistro, Captain Lobstar, Ceviche Time, Beef Boyz, Moop Gelato, Taco Vibez, Papa's Pizzeria. The Bite Bar, with a breezy island motif, serves craft cocktails. 2715 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; 954-361-7702; TheBiteEatery.com

Belladukes, Boca Raton

Belladukes‘ owners — Lisa Mullen and Lisa Klepper — say the gourmet market and coffee bar features a weekly rotating menu, bespoke grab-and-go meals, charcuterie specials and sweet treats, as well as craft beer and fine wines by the glass or bottle. There are three generations of friendships behind Belladukes. In addition to being childhood friends, both women's parents were friends and now their children are pals too. By the way, the name comes from each family's dog, Duke for the Mullens and Bella for the Kleppers. Free parking is available in the Tower 155 Garage and metered parking on the street. 155 E. Boca Raton Road, Boca Raton; 561-990-1516; belladukes.com

Red Pine Restaurant & Lounge, Boca Raton

Pricey traditional Chinese cuisine from high-end restaurateurs is having a moment in Palm Beach County, and the latest example is this eatery from Farmer's Table owner Mitchell Robbins, which soft-opened March 8 inside the One Town Center building a wok's throw from the Town Center mall. The menu touts wok entrees, dim sum, housemade egg rolls and steamed xiao long bao (savory bone broth soup pork dumplings) from chefs Chi K. Chan (formerly of Mastro's) and Michael Schenk. The idea is "to bring traditional Chinese cuisine to a fine-dining environment, the side of Chinese cuisine that kind of got lost being Americanized for so long," manager Charles Eisenhart says. The restaurant offers communal-style seating, and its red marble-topped bar slings 10 craft cocktails and mocktails. 1 Town Center Road, Boca Raton; 561-826-7595; RedPineBoca.com; OpenTable for reservations

Bariloche Gourmet, Fort Lauderdale

Gourmet fast-food is the concept for this new restaurant that opened on Feb. 17 three blocks from Fort Lauderdale beach. The name of the eatery refers to San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina. "Yes, I lived in Bariloche for a long time," says Valeria F. Camporro, the owner along with husband Juan M. Delutault. "Bariloche is an amazing tourist city in Argentina [known] for its incredible natural landscapes and, of course, the food as well." The signature dishes are sandwiches de miga, empanadas, pizzas, pastries and desserts. The new restaurant can seat 32 people indoors and outdoors. The couple also has a Bariloche Gourmet in Miami. 2915 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-918-8312; Instagram.com/barilochegourmet

Double Roads Tavern, Jupiter

Nightly jam sessions, a righteous vinyl shop and smoky barbecue are the norm at owner Vince Flora's live-music tavern, which reopened after a two-year hiatus in late January. After pandemic troubles shuttered his original Double Roads in April 2021, Flora, a jazz player and blues rocker, revived it up the street out a former Outback Steakhouse. On the menu are smoked hamburgers, IPA beer-steamed shrimp, pulled-pork frittatas, arepa hush puppies, Nashville-hot mahi mahi and a barbecue-Cuban sandwich mashup stuffed with pulled pork, swiss cheese, pickles, brisket and mustard barbecue sauce. 103 U.S. Hwy 1; 561-437-3348, DoubleRoadsTavern.com

Brewlihan, Oakland Park

John and Stacey Hoolihan's buzzworthy hive of mead — better known as honey wine — opened its brewhouse in August and its long-awaited public tasting room in late February, adding to the city's growing cluster of craft-beer bars, breweries and distilleries perched along North Dixie Highway. The 1,700-square-foot mead house, decorated with science flasks and honeycomb motifs, has 16 taps and sources its honey from Florida beekeepers and fruits from farmers in the Pacific Northwest and New York. 3472 NE Fifth Ave., Unit 1, Oakland Park; Brewlihan.com

Maple and Cream Restaurant, Plantation

This new brunch restaurant specializing in coffee and prodigious latte art quietly opened in late February by the old Fashion Mall, a slight jog north of the Plantation Walk hullabaloo. The restaurant, registered to manager-partner David Gonzalez, offers diner fare such as biscuits and maple sausage gravy, croissant french toast and a shaved ribeye skillet mixed with eggs, potatoes, peppers, onions and smashed avocado. For lunch, there are so-called "light eats" — including roasted beet hummus, avocado toast and panzanella salad — but also comfort items such as fried cinnamon rolls and tempura chicken thighs plated with cornbread and broccolini. 375 N. University Drive, Plantation; MapleandCream.com

Cluckin Hot Chicks, Dania Beach

Yet another new chicken franchise has landed in South Florida: Cluckin Hot Chicks had its soft-opening on Feb. 25 on South Federal Highway, replacing a former Checkers fast-food restaurant. Registered to owners Ahshan Latif and David Shaw, this fast-casual spot leans into Nashville-style hot chicken and every other poultry configuration imaginable: wings, tenders, quarters, sandwiches, waffles and tacos. Chicken is doused in 10 different sauces, from honey-cinnamon "Sweet Heat" to "What the Cluck." (The menu is, of course, pun-heavy.) Sides include fries, coleslaw and mac ‘n’ cheese. A grand-opening party is planned for March 10. 645 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach; 754-777-7901; CluckinHotChicks.com

Point Break, Plantation

With a name like Point Break, you might expect Keanu to show up at the restaurant and nod approvingly at your choice of healthy lunch. But no, the name is really a rechristening of Poke House, a lunch-only poke shop from local restaurateur Memphis Garrett (Fort Lauderdale's Ya Mas! Taverna, No Man's Land) that opened without fanfare a year ago. The 1,300-square-foot storefront is in the Shoppes at Cleary plaza. Now that Point Break is a fast-casual eatery serving pan-Asian street food for lunch and dinner, Garrett ditched half the poke menu in favor of tuna tacos, Hawaiian fried rice, tonkotsu ramen, poke gyoza, coconut shrimp and chicken karaage. 8970 Cleary Blvd., Plantation; 954-999-5758; EatPointBreak.com

Moxies, Fort Lauderdale

The second South Florida entry of this popular Canadian restaurant chain is massive, fitting 366 seats and a pair of indoor-outdoor bars across two stories at the new-ish Main Las Olas building. After several months of delays, the restaurant finally soft-opened on March 1 with American and global cuisine, from hamburgers and N.Y. strip steaks to miso ramen bowls and beef vindaloo. The menu, created by chef Brandon Thordarson, also includes pot stickers, Thai chili chicken, French onion soup, baby back ribs and short-rib bolognese. Its two-story dining room and mezzanine is adorned in elegant white crossbeams, faux-grass walls, marble-topped tables and indoor palm trees. 201 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-666-6861; Moxies.com

Tin Roof, Fort Lauderdale

This Nashville-spawned, music-minded, bar-food chain with a popular location on Delray's glitzy Atlantic Avenue has moseyed south to downtown Fort Lauderdale, quietly opening on St. Patrick's Day inside the former Township bar, according to its social media. CEO Bob Franklin told the South Florida Sun Sentinel last spring that Tin Roof would feature nightly live music acts and a menu different than that of its Delray Beach outpost: Nashville hot chicken, fried pickles, burgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, cheese fries and salad bowls. 219 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-654-7330; TinRoofFortLauderdale.com

Buccan Sandwich Shop, West Palm Beach

Clay Conley, arguably one of Palm Beach County's most-decorated chefs (and a multiple James Beard Award nominee), has quietly created the Buccan Sandwich Shop takeout window into the side of Grato, his elegant Italian eatery in the Flamingo Park neighborhood. The sandwich counter is a spinoff of the lunchtime menu at Buccan, his small-plates bistro in Palm Beach, where fresh-sliced hot and cold meats are served on long rolls, along with soups and salads. There are handhelds stuffed with Grato's meatballs, plus corned beef Reuben, prime N.Y. strip cheesesteak, Buffalo chicken, turkey club, falafel pita and double-cheeseburgers topped with remoulade. The takeout window (look for the giant pink flamingo on Buccan's Kanuga Drive side) opened for delivery-only this week, with plans to debut the full takeout window experience by mid-March. 1901 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; BuccanSandwichShop.com

Bagels With Deli, Delray Beach

A sister location to its flagship New York-style deli on Linton Boulevard, this bakery registered to owners Robert and Dawn Bloom debuted Feb. 5 on West Atlantic Avenue, sharing a strip mall with Joseph's Classic Market. Along with noodle kugel and potato latkes, there are appetizing cases selling spreads and salads by the half-pound (including hummus, macaroni, Greek orzo, chicken and tuna), plus 14 fresh-baked bagel flavors, bialys and flagels (aka flat bagels). The breakfast-lunch menu also offers housemade corned beef hash, egg sandwiches, LEO omelets, wraps, salads bowls and 14 deli sandwiches filled with everything from hot pastrami to honey almond chicken. 8854 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; BagelsWithDeli.com

Smoke Shack BBQ & Burgers, Royal Palm Beach

Born in New Jersey, Timothy Jensen and Greg Stouffer's smokehouse pub debuted its first South Florida outpost in early February in the Cobblestone Village plaza. The sports-themed restaurant serves barbecue sandwiches, footlong hotdogs, beef brisket and baby back ribs by the pound, along with 10 styles of hamburgers on brioche. But Smoke Shack's bestsellers are its specialty sandwiches like Three Little Pigs, packing roughly a pound of 14-hour smoked pulled pork, 4-hour smoked pork belly and whole-hog bacon into a brioche bun, somehow managing to save room for lettuce, tomato and onion on top. A second location is planned for Delray Beach, at 13900 Jog Road, sometime in April. 10233 Okeechobee Blvd., Royal Palm Beach; 561-437-1121; SmokeShackBBQandBurgers.com

Closed

Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, Delray Beach

For years, this casual-dining chain served cheeseboards, salads, flatbreads and vegan-friendly dishes in the Delray Place plaza near the corner of Linton Boulevard and South Federal Highway. The restaurant, created by CEO-founder Dave Magrogan, closed on April 1 without warning or social-media fanfare, announcing the shutdown with a note taped to the front door. "We are making the decision to voluntarily serve our last guest at Harvest Seasonal Grill," the note reads, adding that "it's been a great run" and that its staffers will relocate to new projects, including the soon-to-open Jupiter Grill and Lantana Cabana. Harvest featured organic hummus, tuna tartare and pork potstickers for appetizers, chilled soba noodle bowls and shaved heirloom carrot salads. Mains ranged from cedar-roasted salmon and seared sea scallops to lemon-thyme chicken and smoked eggplant rollatini. Harvest Grills in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are expected to remain open. 1841 S. Federal Highway, No. 402, Delray Beach; 561-266-3239; HarvestSeasonal.com

Sushi Maki, Fort Lauderdale

After a little over a year, Sushi Maki has closed the Las Olas Boulevard location, which formerly housed Beehive Kitchen. The reason? The downtown business district "did not return to normal traffic patterns that we had hoped for," the company said in a message to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. But the Miami-based brand still has a major South Florida footprint, including six venues and 12 grab-and-go stations in partnership with Whole Foods stores (including the location on nearby 17th Street Causeway). The statement added: "We hope to see guests at our newly expanded location at Nova Southeastern University, where we serve sushi and wok-fired dishes." Sushi Maki was started in 2000 by Abe Ng, the eldest son of Allan Ng (himself a major Canton Chinese restaurateur). 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; SushiMaki.com

Vampire Penguin, Fort Lauderdale

This frozen desserts shop across the street from The Galleria mall lasted a few weeks short of a year. Franchise co-owner Sharon Rinaudo was first introduced to Vampire Penguin — a California-based brand known for shaved ice sweets — when her sister opened a location in Aiken, S.C. The corporate office did not respond to the Sun Sentinel's questions regarding any additional plans for the South Florida market. 2585 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 754-223-5148; vampirepenguin.com

Rebel House, Boca Raton

Chef Eric Baker's redheaded renegade on the outskirts of Mizner Park closed on March 27 after 11 years on Palmetto Park Road. The timing couldn't be more bittersweet, since Baker's business partner, David Bouhadana, tells the Sun Sentinel that reservation lines have been "melting" all month since Guy Fieri featured the brash American gastropub on the Feb. 17 episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives." Rebel House debuted in 2012 under cofounders Evan David and Mike Saperstein, its menu and decor standing in punkish contrast to the polished pink buildings that sprouted up around it. They sold the eatery to Baker in late 2019, who put his stamp on the menu with dishes like matzo-fried chicken, Mongolian beef lo mein, pork cheek empanadas and lobster meatballs. AlleyCat, Baker and Bouhadana's hip American-Asian mashup on Mizner Boulevard, has reopened in the Rebel House space. 297 E. Palmetto Park Road; RebelHouseBoca.com

Follow Us