Hopdoddy, the Austin-based burger bar, has permanently closed its restaurant at Pointe Orlando. It had taken over the space that was previously occupied by Funky Monkey in February of 2019. It was the Texas company’s first and only Florida location.

Spoleto Italian Kitchen, the South American-born chain of quick-serve restaurants, may have closed all of its Central Florida locations. Phones are disconnected and the company’s website address leads to a page with an error message. Its South American website is still up, albeit in Portuguese.

Following the permanent closing of his award-winning College Park bakery, Sugarbuzz Dezert Company, Ron James has accepted the position of pastry chef at nearby Tornatore’s Cafe & Pizzeria. James joins owner Denny Tornatore and executive chef Jason Wolfe in the operation as it expands to offer an Italian market next door to the restaurant.

A version of this article first appeared in the bulletin of the Central Florida Tourism Collective.

Nearly 30 years ago, I had front-row seats to “Angels in America” on Broadway. It was a moving performance, and out of the nearly to a hundred shows I’ve seen in New York, one of the most memorable.

But I’m remembering it for something other than the stellar writing and superior acting these days. From my up-close vantage I could see that when the actors spoke, a spray of aerosolized spit emanated from their mouths, enhanced and made more noticeable by the overhead lights. I remember thinking that the actors must be drenched by the end of the play (and those of us in the front row were in the splash zone, too, especially when Ron Leibman as Roy Cohn was nearby).

Actors, of course, project their voices so to be heard in the back row of the balcony, which undoubtedly increases the amount of spray. But it doesn’t matter whether you’re on stage or speaking up in a crowded room: When we speak, we spew.

So then, let’s talk about wearing face masks in restaurants.

In this episode of the Tasting Table, a collaboration with WFTV Channel-9 and Inside Central Florida, I discuss takeout from my own dining room table. I have some tips for what I look for in a takeout experience, and a few recommendations from some recent meals.