With its prime locations diagonally across from the Burns Court Cinema and in the center of Burns Square, Galileo Ristorante and Retropolitan are well-situated for an evening dining crowd. New ownership took control of the restaurants at the end of June and started making small changes  through the summer. I thought it was a good time to meet the new owners to find out what else is being planned. I recently spoke to Chad Weidner, one of the new owners, to learn more. Jack Littman-Quinn: How did you decide on [...]

 bis·tro (bis-troh) noun, plural bis·tros (bis-trohz)      1. a small, modest, European-style restaurant or café.      2. a small nightclub or restaurant.     Question: When is a bistro more than just a bistro?     Answer: When the bistro concept is stretched beyond its traditional definition. Such is the case with Piatti Italian Bistro and Bar, the new restaurant concept launched by the owners of Il Panificio. Perhaps underscoring the restaurant’s intended characteristics, Piatti, which is attached to Il Pancifico in Gulf Gate, stands apart from other buildings in the area. Sleek in design and appearance with a large glass front, [...]

If there is any truth to the old saw “you can’t judge a book by its cover”, then the culinary corollary might be, “You can’t judge a restaurant by its outward appearance.” This is most definitely the case at Bellagio Ristorante. Located on a small stretch of Washington Blvd. (Rt. 301) south of Ringling Blvd. that’s dotted with small shops, the front entrance to Bellagio is small and unassuming. If one were not specifically looking for the restaurant tucked back from the street, it could easily be overlooked. However one step inside [...]