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Briefs: New restaurants open as others close

By Times staff, wires
In print: Wednesday, September 24, 2008

De Santo Latin American Bistro, above, is no more, but the glamorous Push Ultra Lounge upstairs is still hopping.
	[MARTHA RIAL | Times]

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Another helping of new restaurants

As some restaurants close, others open, including Curriez at 8556 Park Blvd. in Seminole. Curriez offers a full Indian lunch buffet for $7.95 and dinner for $11.95. We welcome another place in the Tampa Bay area that serves Indian food. In Tampa, the Bungalow has opened in a cool 1919, um, bungalow at 2202 W Kennedy Blvd. It's a late-night place, with lots of TVs and a broad, all-American menu (burgers, sandwiches, pasta). There has been talk of two Ethiopian restaurants opening in the next few weeks in Tampa, one on Kennedy near Himes, the other in the Westchase area, but details are sketchy. (Watch this space for more details or go to www.blogs.tampabay.com/dining.)

Save the date for South Beach event

The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is Feb. 19-22, and plenty of network celebrities will be there, including Emeril Lagasse, who will be honored. Martha Stewart will be the MC of the dinner honoring Lagasse. Some of the food glitterati expected include cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey, Baroness Philippine de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Charlie Trotter, Eric Ripert, Nobu Matsuhisa, Tyler Florence and Paula Deen.

Tickets go on sale Oct. 27. For events and information, go to www.sobewineandfoodfest.com or call toll-free 1-877-762-3933.

Share your sad story, win a cooking class

It's time to apply for Wishbone U., an annual holiday cooking class for people who, well, haven't had much luck preparing the big feast. This year's class will focus on desserts. To gain admittance, send a brief note pleading your case about why you need help.

The 12 most desperate students will be selected to attend a hands-on class Oct. 19 at Apron's Cooking School at Publix at Shoppes of Citrus Park in Tampa. Apron's resident chef, Bil Mitchell, will share his expertise and recipes.

Submit your entry, including your name, age, city of residence and daytime phone number, to: Wishbone U., c/o Taste, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731 or e-mail features@sptimes.com. Put THANKSGIVING in the subject line.

Deadline is Oct. 8. Nominations of bad cooks by good cooks will be accepted, but they cannot be submitted anonymously. The experience — and recipes — will be shared in Taste on Nov. 19.

Make your own 100-calorie snacks

One-hundred-calorie packs are popular snacks for people watching their weight. But those tiny packages get expensive, and you can have more variety if you make your own. Some 100-cal ideas:

• 11 Baked Tostitos Scoops with 2 tablespoons salsa ( 2.2 fat grams)

• 48 pretzel sticks (no fat)

• 7 mini Oreos (4.7 fat grams)

• 13 Sweet Tarts (no fat)

• 23 Skittles (0.9 fat grams)

• 26 gourmet jelly beans (no fat)

• 6 dried apricots, cut into four pieces each (no fat)

• 8 Ritz Bits peanut butter sandwiches (5.4 fat grams)

• 12 Twizzlers cherry bites (2 fat grams)

Compiled from Times staff, wires

Three Downtown St. Petersburg restaurants close

The Kitchen, De Santo and the Table have been shuttered. The Sarasota location of the Table has closed as well. Management at each hopes to retool and possibly reopen. Bella Brava, downtown's popular after-work drinks spot, is closed for lunch while a new menu is developed; owners hope to welcome a noontime crowd again next month.