ALMOST FULL-MONTY IN NAPA VALLEY’S 2010 NAPA UNCOVERED CALENDAR

“Robust, full-bodied and playful with a long finish”: Those are a few of the adjectives commonly use to describe the 2010 Napa Uncovered Calendar.  The Napa County Farm Bureau announced the official release of the 2010 Napa Uncovered Calendar, in which 14 NCFB members uncover their assets to raise funds for farmland protection.   
In this calendar, Vineyard Manager for Clos Du Val winery Al Wagner, a.k.a. Mr. July. is seen with another one of his favorite straw hats. “The calendar shows the bare essence of Napa and is an entertaining and subtly revealing look at Napa agriculture,” said Mr. Wagner.
The 14 models - growers, ranchers and winery owners including grower Ernie Ilsley from the Stag’s Leap District, Hugh Davies, President of Schramsberg Vineyards and brothers Matt and Joe Hardin whose families arrived in the Napa Valley in 1840 - enthusiastically supported the approach to Farm Bureau’s serious mission of protecting Napa’s agricultural legacy.
  Calendars can be purchased at www.napauncovered.com for $23 with tax and mailing, or $40 for the limited edition of the autographed calendar.  Proceeds from the calendar support Napa County agricultural preservation.

TRULUCK’S SEAFOOD, STEAK AND CRAB HOUSE OPENS IN FORT LAUDERDALE

Truluck’s Seafood, Steak and Crab House at The Galleria in Fort Lauderdale is the newest location of Truluck’s Restaurant Group which operates locations throughout Florida and Texas, as well as La Jolla, California.
Their specialty is fresh, never frozen, seasonal seafood following the guidelines of the Ocean Conservancy. “We’re excited about introducing customers to our fresh approach to seafood. We believe that we must be champions in the movement of sustainable seafood,” said David Tripoli, Truluck’s Director of Marketing. “We don’t just talk fresh seafood,” explained Truluck’s Ft.
Lauderdale General Manager Scott Gardiner. “Each day, our very own boats go out into the Gulf of Mexico to our fisheries on the Isle of Capri, then deliver the seafood to the customer’s table in hours.”
On the menu there are also 100% antibiotic- and hormone-free Niman Ranch beef, pork and lamb, aged steaks and chops, and a wine program featuring 100 selections by the glass
Truluck’s Seafood, Steak, and Crab House, is open for dining from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sun. through Thurs. and 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Fri. and Sat.  The lounge opens at 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. 2584-A East Sunrise Blvd. at The Galleria in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, www.trulucks.com or call (954) 396-5656. 

THE MIAMI CITY CLUB IS BACK, DOWNTOWN MIAMI

The Miami City Club, which was founded over 70 years ago, and had closed its doors, is back on the top floor of the Wachovia Financial Center. All of the current employees not directly associated with the old managers have been asked to stay. Ruth Shack, Board Chair of the Club which reassumed direct management of the Club, made the announcement to Club employees this morning in the club’s main dining room. The Club’s board named John Collier, previously General Manager of the Banker’s Club, the new interim general manager. The Miami City Club was formed in 1994 through the consolidation of the City Club of Miami, which had been founded in 1984, and the Miami Club, which was founded over 70 years ago. Contact: Ruth Shack: 305.371.2711 / John Collier 305.373.2600

CHEF TIM ANDRIOLA OPENS BANCROFT SUPPERCLUB WITH ORGANIC CUISINE, SOUTH BEACH

Chef Tim Andriola, the chef/partner of Timo in North Miami Beach, and nightclub operators Dimitri Fragoulias and Sergio Quinonez have opened a culinary nightclub, the Bancroft SupperClub in the Art Deco Bancroft Hotel on Collins Avenue, where natural American cuisine, based on organic ingredients, fuels the sizzling night life. “My commitment is to find the finest in natural and organic foods,” said chef Tim Andriola, “and I will be sourcing and working with the best farmers and purveyors in the region. My role at the Bancroft is to realize its objective to be a culinary destination, the rest of the team will handle the after 11:30pm experience.”
According to Dimitri Fragoulias, Bancroft SupperClub is "a club that provokes and pushes the senses to a new level; a high quality environment that offers the ultimate experience beginning with world class organic American cuisine from a renowned chef, … that turns into an electrifying and innovative nightclub…”
The Bancroft SupperClub is open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and entertainment. 1501 Collins Avenue, South Beach. (305) 630-8540 www.bancroftsupperclub.com

GABRIEL FENTON NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF AT BOURBON STEAK MIAMI, FAIRMONT TURNBERRY ISLE, AVENTURA

Celebrity Chef Michael Mina has appointed Gabriel Fenton as executive chef for BOURBON STEAK Miami at The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura. Mr. Fenton was formerly executive sous chef at Mina’s Michelin two star restaurant in San Francisco and was part of the opening team for seven of the celebrity chef’s ventures including BOURBON STEAK Miami. Mr. Fenton came to the Mina Group after working with Bradley Ogden at Lark Creek Inn and Stanley Novak at Harvest Moon Inn.
Chef Fenton’s Chef’s Market prix-fixe summer ( $36 per person) includes a choice of asparagus soup with peekytoe crab beignet and Meyer lemon; Bay scallop ceviche with avocado, grapefruit and espelette crackers; or organic mixed greens topped with Florida citrus, roasted beets and chèvre. main dish selections from the wood burning grill include an organic chicken breast served with a crispy thigh confit, truffled macaroni & cheese and caramelized onion jus; Alaskan halibut over baby squash, black olives and preserved lemon; or for an additional $10—a New York Steak Pavé accompanied by fingerling potatoes, cipollini onion and a foie gras emulsion. For desserts. there’s the restaurant’s signature beignets made for dipping in a Valrhona chocolate pot de crème or refreshing sorbets. $36 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. A la carte menu also available. Bourbon Steak Miami at The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, 19999 West Country Club Drive, Aventura. (786) 279-6600 www.bourbonsteakmiami.com

CHEF FARID OUALIDI IS NEW CHEF DE CUISINE AT TRINA, ATLANTIC HOTEL, FT. LAUDERDALE

Moroccan-born Farid Oualidi, the new Chef de Cuisine at Trina, the four-time AAA Four Diamond Award-winning restaurant and lounge at The Atlantic Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, has revamped the menu with fresh, local seafood and regional ingredients. He comes to Trina from La Cigale in Delray Beach, Rue 57 and 21 Club in New York City.
Chef Oualidi’s menu includes appetizers such as Arugula Salad, with feta cheese, watermelon and fresh mint; Chorizo Flatbread, with tomato sauce, bell peppers, Manchego cheese and olive oil. Entrees list Oven-roasted Sea Bass with sautéed baby watercress, braised cherry tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, raisins, capers and Kalamata olives; Trina Bouillabaisse with Lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, sea bass, scallops, fennel and potatoes in a tomato-saffron broth topped with garlic croutons; NY Strip Steak with lobster potato puree, asparagus and Béarnaise sauce. Desserts such as Smore Gateau, Creamsicle Mousse Torte and Tiramisu Ice Cream are offered in small portions.
Trina Restaurant & Lounge, the indoor/outdoor restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is located at 601 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, (954) 567-8020 www.atlantichotelfl.com

GONZALO RIVERA APPOINTED EXECUTIVE CHEF OF THE TIDES SOUTH BEACH

Nicholas Clayton, President of Kor Hotel Management, has appointed Gonzalo Rivera Jr. as Executive Chef of The Tides South Beach. Born and raised in California and with a Mexican background, Chef Rivera comes to Miami from the West Coast where he worked at Strip Steak at Mandalay Bay Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas; and Michael Mina Las Vegas at Bellagio Casino & Hotel and at Nemi Restaurant in Mexico City, among some of Michael Mina Group restaurants. At the Tides, he will be responsible for all culinary operations including menu creation at La Marea Restaurant, Coral Bar, and al fresco dining on the Terrace.
Mr. Rivera describes his culinary concept as “Coastal Comfort ” with a menu listing appetizers like Crab Cakes with basil aioli and sundried tomato relish; beef kibbeh with Greek yoghurt and Naan bread; Amberjack tuna ceviche with red fresno chili, compressed watermelon, and cilantro; and lobster corn dogs with mustard crème fraîche. The entrees include buttered poached lobster with fresh corn tamales, coconut and chile broth; yellow tail snapper with jasmine rice, edamame, snap peas and lime vinaigrette; cioppino with israeli couscous, mussels, stone crab, baby scallops, and black grouper. And for dessert, buñuelos or beignets with caramelized mango, tamarind coulis, and flan ice cream. The Tides, 1220 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, (305) 604-5070 www.thetidessouthbeach.com .