Daily Loaf

The University of Tampa Film Society hosts the Black Box Film Festival, a showcase of the year’s best student-directed films complete with a plethora of panel discussions and workshops with film industry professionals from across the country. Highlights include a lecture on the pitfalls of indie filmmaking (and how to avoid them) with The Reel Truth author Reed Martin; a presentation by the EXTREME stunt and driving team; and a screening of National Campus Movie Festival winner Sarah Wilson’s latest flick. The fest also secured an advance screening of Touching Home, starring Ed Harris and Robert Forester, which sees nationwide theater distribution in April 2010. Brothers Logan and Noah Miller, the co-producers, directors and actors of Touching Home (which also screens at Muvico BayWalk), lead a free “Guerrilla Filmmaking” workshop in conjunction with the Sunscreen Film Festival, and the dynamic movie-making duo are on hand to answer audience questions and sign copies of Either You’re In…Or You’re In the Way, their book documenting the whole crazy ride, from Hollywood nobodies to a silver screen debut with Oscar-nom actors on board. (Pictured: Noah Miller (left), Ed Harris and Logan Miller in Touching Home. Photo by David Moir) Black Box Film Festival, Sept. 24-26, University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, utampa.edu, contact jbusche@ut.edu for complete schedule of events; Guerilla Filmmaking workshop and Touching Home BayWalk screening, Fri., Sept. 25, Muvico BayWalk 20, 151 Second Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 5:15 p.m. workshop, 7 p.m. screening, book signing to follow screening, touchinghomemovie.com. –Franki Weddington Read the rest of this entry »

• The Table is in the midst of another shake-up, with 717 South Michael Stewart, former GM Joe Moledo out and Andrew Wilkins (formerly of Mad Fish and Ceviche) in as GM. This comes after a long history of turmoil, including the loss of chef Pedro Flores earlier this year. Looks like the restaurant’s new thrust will be for lower price points and fewer staff changes. (Mouth)

• Ella’s Folk Art Cafe, the first of a new generation of restaurant slated to open in Tampa and Seminole Heights, started serving this past weekend.

The Columbia, OktoBEERfest, Domenica Macchia, and Grattzi’s after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Domenica Macchia is on the move. Again. This week, my favorite fast-talking, passionate chef will take over the kitchen at Bella Brava, replacing outgoing chef  Trevor Lyman at the modern Italian restaurant on downtown St. Pete’s Central Avenue.

New Bella Brava co-owner Mike Harting (fresh from a long career with Outback Steakhouse), started looking for a new chef a couple of months ago. Macchia — who’s first generation Italian, and tried to get a job at Bella Brava in the restaurant’s early days — was the right fit. She left Diner 437 this past weekend, after opening the gastro-diner to pretty much universal local acclaim a few months back.

So, of course, I woke her up this morning to get her thoughts. She’s worried about people thinking she’s switching jobs too much, and doesn’t want to say anything bad about her previous employers, but most of all she’s happy. Excited. Even when she’s groggy from sleep, talking to Macchia is like talking to a culinary machine-gun:

Why’d you leave Diner 437? Read the rest of this entry »

In the St. Pete Times food section this week:

Is cooking your new resolution? Janet Keeler touts the filling carb goodness of gnocchi, simple Chicken Tortilla Soup made from rotisserie chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry.

John and Colette Bancroft review the Argentinean 2007 Silvertop Torrontes.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Table (535 Central Ave. St. Petersburg, 727-823-6372), which closed rather quickly the day they won our Reader’s Poll award for Best New Restaurant, has re-opened. Former manager Joe Moledo teamed with the building’s owners and Michael Stewart of 717 South in Tampa to re-open the doors with food from former Table co-owner and chef Pedro Flores. I gave Flores a nod as Best Chef in Sarasota this year, so the food should be at least as good as before — maybe better, since Flores spent most of his time at the Sarasota location after the St. Pete spot opened. According to Moledo, prices are a little lower, but the same Atlantic-rim cuisine will be represented on the new menu. No lunch, but The Table opens at 3 p.m. for happy hour.

Elements Global Cuisine in Gulfport has closed, but the doors are still open thanks to new tenant Le Moulin Jaune (3121 Beach Blvd., Gulfport, 727-343-9894). That makes two French joints in this thriving bay-side dining district. Owner Alex Hambert also got the keys to the space next door just today, and plans to have a full bakery open there within two months. For now, the restaurant is open for continental breakfast, and lunch and dinner. When the bakery opens, the main space will be closed during breakfast.

Bella Brava has re-opened for lunch, and Roy’s opened for lunch for the first time starting last week (take a sneak peek at Bella Brava’s lunche menu after the break).

Abol Bunna (3644 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, 813-964-6889), a new Ethiopian/Italian restaurant, opened a few weeks ago in South Tampa, just a few blocks away from Queen of Sheba. Hopefully, that’ll drum up extra business for both places.

In case you missed it, the new Z Grille is open. Just found out that it’s only open for dinner, but they plan on adding lunch, then breakfast, hopefully by the beginning of the year. All-day dining, seven days a week? Nice.

India Grill, in downtown St. Petersburg, has lost its lease. May re-open elsewhere. May not.

Merino’s Deli in Seminole Heights has closed due to the economy.

Bella Brava lunch menu after this break: Read the rest of this entry »