Tapas, Feast in the East, South African dinner.

Back in November, Joseph McFadden, executive chef at Euphoria Fish House at Margaritaville Resort Orlando, travelled to Spain to represent the United States at the World Tapas Competition hosted by the city of Valladolid. NBC did not cover the event.

Other countries participating were: Mexico, Ecuador, Spain, Ukraine, Portugal, Canada, Japan, Panama, France, Chile, Denmark, Ireland, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, and India. The winner, chosen by members of the World Association of Chefs Societies, which actually chooses to go by the acronym WACS, was Pascal Etcheverria, of Restaurant Le Carré in the lovely town of Bayonne, France. Etcheverria’s tapa was Mejilla de res, zanahorias, paté de pato y maracuyá (beef tips, carrots, duck paté and passion fruit).

It was announced about a year ago that the block that holds F&D Woodfired Italian Kitchen in the Hourglass District (which is inside the Curry Ford West District) would be developed for the construction of a mixed-use complex. That meant that F&D’s free-standing building – which has been home to myriad restaurants for decades, including International Cafe and other Latin American eateries – would have to be demolished and the restaurant relocated.

That relocation is coming, 

Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe was recently voted 2021 Best New Restaurant in our Foodster Awards for Independent Restaurants. Much of the restaurant’s popularity is due to chef/partner Emmanuel Clement’s French-influenced menu. In the February issue of the Community Paper, he shares his recipe for Blackened Double Lamb Chops with Garlic and Potato Gratin for my monthly Local Flavor column.

You’ll notice in the photo that Clement frenches the bones of the chops. That is, he scrapes off the gristle on the “handle” of the chop. It makes for a prettier presentation but is totally unnecessary.

The recipe calls for eight double chops — ask your grocer’s butcher for them — but you could easily make it with four or even two. (Make all the potatoes, though, because you’re going to want extras.) Click here to see the recipe.