Everyone loves the little strips of paper found in the cookies traditionally served along with the check at Chinese restaurants, much more than the cookies themselves, which, if you ask me, are fairly inedible. And when I say "traditionally" I of course am referring to Chinese restaurants in America, for the fortune cookie is yet another U.S. invention. The "fortunes" are typically vague or inane or both. (I once had one that said I would soon have new clothese.) But the fortunes collected in this article from Mashable show that someone in the fortune-writing room has a sense of humor.

What's the oddest fortune you ever received in a cookie?

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Darden Restaurants will bring its Yard House brand to Orlando and the I-Drive Live development currently under construction on the former site of the Mercado. (Kings bowling center recently opened there.)

Yard House describes itself as “an upscale-casual eatery known for its extensive menu of American fusion fare, more than 100 taps of international, craft and specialty ales and lagers, and a mix of classic and contemporary rock.” Expect burgers, tacos, sandwiches, salads, pastas and such.

It’ll be a big place with over 14,000 square feet inside and out and a seating capacity of 400. An opening for spring of 2014 is projected.

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EXCLUSIVE -- HUE, one of the vanguards of the downtown Thornton Park revitalization of over a decade ago, is closing. An exact date for “last call” has not yet been announced, but it is expected to be in the next few weeks.

HUE opened on the corner of Central Boulevard and Summerlin Avenue in December of 2001. Although it was denied later, original designers of the restaurant had said the name was an acronym for Hip Urban Eclectic, which it certainly was. The word Urban came to it naturally, as it was one of the first brands for Urban Life Management Restaurant Group. The company also owns and operates Citrus and Cityfish. ULM will likely redevelop the space into a new concept.

There has been talk of a redevelopment for the HUE space for some time. It was always an odd design, occupying a corner space with a central bar and two wings with minimal dining space. The showcase, however, was the patio space with an overview of the cross-section of Thornton Park. It was, from the early days, a place to see and be seen.

“We are proud of the role we’ve played in establishing and growing the downtown Orlando dining scene,” the company said in a statement.

Urban Life Management Group says that it will honor any certificates for HUE, including SJO Dining Deals, at either Citrus or Cityfish.

The closing of HUE comes on the heels of a neighboring restaurant’s restructuring. As announced earlier, Prickly Pear, part of FMI Restaurant Group, no longer is taking reservations or walk-ins and is now open only as a catering and private party venue.

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J. Christopher Windus, currently the executive chef at Todd English’s bluezoo, has been named the executive chef of the soon to open Alfond Inn in Winter Park. Windus was previously sous chef for Chez Vincent. He will oversee all food operations for the the Alfond, including Hamilton’s Kitchen and Bar. 

Windus will begin at the Alfond on May 27. Opening dates to be announced.

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I’ve been to the pizza restaurant at 3201 Edgewater Drive in College Park many times, first when it was Alfonso’s and more recently as Ragazzi’s, but I had always gotten pizza for takeout. Pizza, to me, is more of a takeout food, rather getting a whole pie to go home or a slice to eat while you walk.

But on a recent visit with out of towners looking for a bite to eat after a long plane ride, I suggested we go there and dine in. It was a thoroughly pleasant experience.

We had pizza, of course, because that is its forte. And this one was done just right. The crust -- so important to a proper pizza -- was just thick enough to hold the weight of the toppings, which were considerable. We had the Supreme, which had pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions and mushrooms. It was a delicious pizza, and more important, it made good eating as cold leftovers (always has been a standard of excellence in my book).

But here’s something else I’ve never done here: I orders some other nonpizza dishes to try. I loved the meatball appetizer, which really could have served as an entree all on its own. Not only were the meat orbs well formed and firm, they also were simmered in a red sauce that was thick and tomatoey and worth spooning on its own.

I also had the eggplant parmigiana, a nicely done slice of eggplant dipped in egg wash and dusted with flour, fried to a golden crisp and then topped with melted mozzarella. Even better: it included a side dish of pasta with more of that wonderful marinara.

The atmosphere is casual, sporty and leans slightly more towards being a bar, but there were several families dining with kids when I was there, and they did not look out of place.

Servers were all friendly and attentive, and I enjoyed everything about the experience. 

Ragazzi’s Pizza and Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily. Here’s a link to the website. The phone number is 407-999-9973.

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The view from the top of the spire of St. Nicholas.Onboard ICE 209 -- Currently traveling via train from Hamburg to Berlin, the second of a three-city tour that will end in Paris. While Berlin and Paris are revisits, Hamburg was a first for me.

Although it is the second largest city in Germany, Hamburg seemed more like a smaller town. I found it pleasant enough, but I don’t see myself planning to revisit anytime soon.

The major dining outing was at a restaurant called Bullerei, set in a warehouselike structure in the meatpacking district of Hamburg’s St. Pauli neighborhood. There are actually two dining options: a cafe out front and a pricier dining room in the interior. I’d say that one was casual and the other fancier, but both were casual, if the dress and demeanor of the guests are indicators. A better distinction would focus on price point.

We decided to dine in the pricier dining room, surmising that the menu would be more ambitious. But while we liked the food OK, nothing was outstanding.

Rosario Spagnolo says he will reopen the Terramia Wine Bar Trattoria that he closed in January in Altamonte Springs. Well, sort of. The restaurant is actually a relocation, and it will have a readjusted menu.

When it opens today, Monday, May 13, it will be called Terramia Brick Oven in Altamonte, and will essentially combine the menus of the closed restaurant with that of the pizza concept he continues to operate in Lake Mary. The newer restaurant is at 1150 Douglas Avenue.

Joining the staff as sous chef is Benjamin Schrank, the Central Florida chef who recently closed his burger restaurant in Reims, France, and returned to Orlando, taking a job at Christini’s for a short time. The executive chef at Terramia is Ferruccio D'eugenio, who held that position at the previous Terramia.

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Another edition of the James Beard Foundation Awards has passed, and, once again, passed Florida by. Winner of the Best Chef South Region is Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace in New Orleans, another laurel for a restaurant that has been resting on them for some years now. 

Here is a link to an article on Huffington Post that lists all the winners. I'd give you a link to the Beard website, but it's messed up, just like the awards system.

The problem is, as I've mentioned before, that the chefs and restaurants are chosen based upon the votes of panelists -- journalists and other food professionals -- throughout the country. I have been a panelist since the awards began. Judges nominate and vote for restaurants and chefs whose food they've eaten -- that certainly makes sense. But the panelists don't get out much, apparently. There is no accountability for the selections, and there is no way for a newcomer or out of the way chef to get the attention of the voters unless they've been featured on a Food network program.

Unlike, say, the Michelin, Mobil or AAA ratings, the Beard awards are not decided by actual visits to the restaurants prior to the voting. Any panelist who has been to Commander's Palace in the last 20 years or more could vote for the restaurant without knowledge of how the restaurant has been doing recently. That's flawed. Michelin et. al. send professional judges to the restaurants annually to make fresh recommendations. And, they make a point of scoping out the new places, the ones with local buzz. There is no such system in place for the Beard awards, other than people like me and the other regional judges who each year try to get the word out about our local talent. But we can't drag judges to the restaurants. We have to rely on them coming on their own, whenever they vacation of visit on business. But just try to get a judge who's vacationing at Disney with the family to rent a car to drive to Winter Park or DeLand.

But we'll keep trying.

In related news, an annual list of the World's Best Restaurants has also been published. This award is sponsored by S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. What do you think are the odds that a majority of the restaurants serve those products.

Bottom line: take all these awards with a grain of salt, and season with your own opinion.

What do you think about the results? Leave a comment below. (And by the way, you can log in using your Facebook credentials -- it's safe and easy.)

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Today I’m launching a new type of SJO Dining Deal, one geared specifically for the type of diner who reads the flog, and I’m starting with one of our favorite restaurants, K in College Park.

In the past, the deals have typically been for a specific dollar amount, say $40 of food and drink at the featured restaurant for a purchase price of $20. But the average reader of SJO is someone who loves good food and wine and dining out at good restaurants. Their average check would go well over $40. It was still a good deal, but I think this one is better.

With this SJO Dining Deal at K restaurant, we’re offering three levels of purchase prices for the certificates, but each requires a minimum purchase price at the restaurant. So you can choose the level that meets your requirements. They are:

• $25 certificate for $10 with a minimum purchase of $37.50
• $50 certificate for $25 with a minimum purchase of $95
• $75 certificate for $30 with a minimum purchase of $140

And with this launch, I’m also initiating another new feature. For every certificate sold, SJO will donate $1 to a charity or cause selected by the restaurant. K’s owner and chef Kevin Fonzo has chosen the Edible Schoolyard Project at Orlando Junior Academy as his beneficiary. And, Fonzo has pledged to match each donation.

So, you get a good deal -- in most cases better than 50 percent off -- not to mention a good dinner, and the Edible Schoolyard Project gets some much needed funds. Wins all around.

As always, I will feature only the best restaurants on this site. If you’ve been to K, you know that this is one of the area’s best. If you haven’t, here’s your chance to give it a try.

I hope you enjoy it.

Click here to go to the SJO Dining Deals page.

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