321 Flavor Bites: Tiki beer at Intra; Ossorio is 20; Green Turtle cafe gets a reno
Suzy Fleming Leonard
Hello, June!
The standard topic of conversation these days seems to be: Whaaaaaaaaaat?!! How the heck is it June already? Did May even happen?
I haven't even gotten used to writing 2023, and here it's almost half over.
But I love June, and one of my favorite things about this super steamy month is the Summer 2023 Brewery Running Tour. My then-colleague Michelle Mulak came up with the idea back in 2016. She was the fitness reporter, and thought it would be fun to spend the summer checking out local breweries after a good, sweaty run. She partnered with the Running Zone in Melbourne, and we were all overwhelmed by the response. More than 100 people showed up every week.
Lucky for us, the Running Zone has kept the tradition alive, and the turnout continues to be phenomenal. The free run/walk events start at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday (except July 4) through July 25. The first one is June 6 at Carib Brewery USA, 200 Imperial Blvd., Cape Canaveral.
You can find the rest of the schedule in my story. See you Tuesday! I'll be the one with a smile on my face and mascara sweating down my cheeks.
Read on for more restaurant news, and if you haven't already, click on through to read some of our recent stories about eating and drinking on the Space Coast.
Ed's Heads tikis and Intracoastal beer
Excuse me while I go into fangirl mode. I've loved the work of Ed "Ed's Heads" Volonnino for years. This picture is from back in 2014. Volonnino has been turning palm logs into tropical art on the Space Coast for more than 40 years. You can see his tiki heads in collections across the county. You can also see his artwork on the label of Intracoastal Brewing Company's new Puka Punch Sour, which debuted June 2.
According to the Eau Gallie brewery's website, the beer is as tropical as an Ed's Heads tiki: "Puka Punch Tiki Cocktail inspired sour ale made with huuuuuge amounts of passion fruit, pineapple, orange & lime juices. Sour/tart, tropical, fruity & very refreshing."
Try Puka Punch and the rest of Intra's craft brews at 652 W. Eau Gallie Blvd., in the Eau Gallie Arts District. Hurry. These cans are sure to become collector's items.
Ossorio is turning 20
Happy birthday, Ossorio Bakery & Cafe! The Cocoa Village spot has been a favorite stop for runners, cyclists, ladies who lunch, retirees who breakfast and kids who love ice cream for two decades, and to celebrate, guests are the ones receiving gifts, with 20 days of giveaways.
Stop by Ossorio, 316 Brevard Ave., and with a minimum $10 purchase, you'll be entered to win daily raffles leading up to a drawing for a $100 gift card on Oct. 23, the official anniversary date.
Grapevine Cafe at Green Turtle gets a refresh
The Grapevine Cafe inside the Green Turtle Market has been a favorite beachside lunch and brunch spot for almost 20 years. It deserves a little time off for some freshening up.
The cafe closed for the summer on May 29 and is expected to reopen in the fall with a new look.
The rest of the Green Turtle Market, 855 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach, including the catering department, remains open as usual. And all those fabulous wine dinners scheduled for June, July and August, will go on as planned. The next dinner, at 7 p.m. June 23, will feature a five-course meal and wines from Australia. Cost is $150 per guest. Reservations required.
Want to learn more about the Green Turtle's history? Check out this story I wrote back in January of last year.
Chef's Table wine dinner
The next wine dinner at the Chef's Table at Amici's in Suntree begins at 6:30 p.m. June 14.
The five-course event includes melon caprese; lobster ravioli with saffron cream sauce; roasted cauliflower, sausage and kale soup; filet mignon with potato puree, roasted fennel and asparagus with smoked garlic and thyme butter; and orange olive oil cake with lemon mascarpone mousse. Each course will be paired with fine Italian wines.
Cost is $125 per person. Call 321-255-5377 for reservations.
ICYMI: Soup for Viera
How did I forget to include this in last week's newsletter?
The Soup Shop's journey to Viera has come with lots of twists and turns. They had a spot in a new plaza. Then they didn't. Well, now the Melbourne restaurant has secured a spot and should be opening a location near Viera Hospital within a few months.
Check out my story about the great Soup Shop Saga here.
Looking for great Asian food? Here's where Lyn found it
When lots of folks sing the praises of a certain restaurant, our restaurant critic Lyn Dowling listens. She was glad she did when it came to Wabi Sabi on Merritt Island.
She loved it, and her review, which you can read here, should come with a warning label: Do not read when hungry.
See ya next week!
That's all for this week. I've got dinner plans and need to go put on my stretchy pants.
If you have questions about any of our food content, feel free to reach out anytime via email at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Or connect with me on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard.
Until next time, happy eating y'all
Food Editor
FLORIDA TODAY