Jan NorrisSale marks end of 16 years under Mark Frangione and Karen Howe; catch up on all the local restaurant news.
In a move that surprised fans and the dining community, The Pelican Cafe, a fixture in Lake Park, has changed hands.
Mark Frangione and spouse Karen Howe transferred the popular Italian restaurant to new owners, Alex and Destiny Constantinos of Boca Raton, over the past two weeks.
“We’re in our mid-60s,” Frangione said. “After 16 years of breakfast, lunch and dinner, putting in 80-hour weeks, we’re tired.”
Frangione and Howe, originally from Connecticut, bought the restaurant, then named Cafe du Parc, 16 years ago. Renovations and additions to the small old house, including a covered patio, have grown the restaurant and attracted an affluent crowd that comes for the food and live entertainment.
It’s on U.S. 1 just south of Park Avenue between Riviera Beach and North Palm Beach.
They managed through fat and lean, Frangione said. The economy tanked in their opening year.
“I put a sign on my door — ‘Failure is not an option.’ We survived it. Then when COVID hit, I put the sign back on my office door. We did curbside pickup and home delivery and managed to get through it.”
A number of loyal patrons visit because of the couple’s nightly presence. The personality of the restaurant is tied to their hospitality — as hundreds of social media comments indicated once the story of the sale broke.
They wanted to leave the restaurant in the right hands, Frangione said.
“We did it the right way. We waited to find the right mix, making sure they were the right owners to take over.”
The Constantinos are “the perfect fit,” he said. “They’re a younger us.”
Like Frangione, Alex Constantinos has restaurant experience and, like Karen, Destiny’s background is in the corporate world.
Diners have no need to worry about losing out in the switchover, Frangione said.
“They are keeping the whole brand. The name, all my recipes and my staff. Most of the staff have been with me for 16 years. They are my family.”
The Italian fare includes Sunday gravy — his mother’s recipe. And, he said, morning meals will still include the famous “decadent donuts” he devised, serving them gratis initially..
North Palm Beach Country Club
Last week we told you about the competition to take over the North Palm Beach Country Club restaurant and banquet space. The Village Council selected Lessing’s Hospitality Group by a unanimous vote. You can read the full story here.
New Mediterranean in Jupiter
Ara, a “globally inspired” Southern Mediterranean restaurant, replaces the American grill Crosby’s in Jupiter along the railroad tracks on Cypress Drive. It comes with an experienced local owner, Steven Fondu, and chef Kayla Casale, who brings a resume that includes California’s prestigious The French Laundry.
Texas Roadhouse roars into Lake Park
There’s vibe and atmosphere, then there’s “deafening” noise at some restaurants.
Texas Roadhouse, the chain that opened on Congress Avenue in Lake Park in July, has raves from food fans, but big knocks against the decibel levels. It’s the first new full-service restaurant in the town for some time.
Despite the glass-rattling din from the music that brings the staff and occasional customer to the floor for a line dance, and lack of acoustics, Lake Park Mayor Roger Michaud said the town is glad to have them.
“They provide our town and neighboring communities a wonderful family environment and dining experience for all to enjoy,” he said.
Bizaare redux
A favorite Lake Worth Beach restaurant is making a second debut. The uber-popular Bizaare Avenue Cafe at 921 Lake Ave. is now the Not So Bizaare Avenue Cafe, owned by Lisa Mercado, who brought the former Living Room, a similar concept, to Boynton Beach.
Cozy seating arrangements, a lively bar area and quirky decor are the hallmarks of both editions. Food will lean toward Pacific Rim. Think pupu platters and lots of sharing plates. Drinks with umbrellas may appear. It soft opens the week of Aug. 13.
Jan’s a journalist covering the South Florida dining scene for 30-plus years. (She knows where the bones and onion peels are buried.) She’s a Florida native, remembers the state pre-Disney, and travels frequently to visit family and friends from the Keys to the Panhandle.
