Cupertino residents some time in 2015 will be able to create their own hamburgers when The Counter comes to Stevens Creek Boulevard. Representatives with the custom burger-creation restaurant shared their plans to come to Cupertino during a Dec. 9 city planning commission meeting.

The restaurant will come to new retail frontage just steps from the under-construction Biltmore Apartment project near 10159 South Blaney Ave. The restaurant will take up 3,735 square feet of a 7,000 square-foot building pad. The Counter will have 76 indoor seats, 15 counter bar seats, and 12 outdoor patio seats near a fire pit. A maximum of 14 employees will be on hand during operating hours, according to Cupertino city staff.

South Bay residents might already be familiar with The Counter's locations in Mountain View, Palo Alto, Fremont and within Santana Row in San Jose. When it eventually opens, the Cupertino location will operate Monday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Representatives from The Counter visited the Cupertino Planning Commission Dec. 9 asking for a use permit to operate a counter area that will serve alcohol. Project applicant Jared Taylor referred to the chain as "iconic" in the Bay Area and said it would help generate interest along Stevens Creek Boulevard. The building will sit roughly 125 feet from the south-west corner of Stevens Creek Boulevard and South Blaney Avenue.

"We really draw in a nice clientele of families, and people coming in for lunch," Taylor told the commission. "We really feel that this restaurant and this location is going to help activate Stevens Creek Boulevard by having people out there on the patio, having the fire-pit out there, and seeing people at lunch as you drive by."

The Counter is a full service, sit down restaurant and bar that offers lunch and dinner options to customers. The proposed floor plan includes a separate bar area integrated within the restaurant and an outdoor patio area. Representatives from The Counter will also work with Cupertino city staff to tinker with how the exterior facade looks facing Stevens Creek Boulevard. Ideas include clear glass, back lit design features, or local artwork.

The retail building that will serve as The Counter's home is part of a much larger apartment complex expansion that been in the works for more than three years. In September 2012, the Cupertino City Council gave developers the go-ahead to add 80 residential units and the 7,000 square foot retail and commercial building along the Stevens Creek Boulevard frontage. The development is currently under construction and is expected to be operational by early 2015, according to Cupertino city staff.

The project wiped out the Blaney Plaza strip mall, which also was home to Chilli's and Shan Restaurant. The Village Falafel is the only retail pad that was not acquired by developers and has remained operational during the months and months of construction.

Prometheus, a San Mateo-based real estate and property management group, manages the property. The new apartments will be a continuation of the already-established Biltmore Apartments on S. Blaney Avenue. An additional 12 units were also planned to be added at the current Biltmore apartment site.

For more information about The Counter, visit thecounterburger.com

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Cupertino: The Counter coming to Biltmore site

TIME History Food & Drink How a McDonalds Restaurant Spawned the Slow Food Movement The McDonald's arches logo is displayed outside a McDonald's fast food restaurant BloombergBloomberg via Getty Images The Slow Food Manifesto was signed 25 years ago, on Dec. 10, 1989

When Italys first McDonalds franchise opened at the heart of Rome in 1986, the opposition came from all angles. Officials said it didnt have the right construction permits; celebrities called it the Americanization of Italy; politicians said it ruined a historic center; neighbors said it was noisy and its odor unbearable; thousands of people rallied outside the location in the Piazza di Spagna.

One of the opponents, an Italian journalist named Carlo Petrini, took a novel approach by handing out plates of penne to the protesters.

I was alarmed by the culturally homogenizing nature of fast food, Petrini told TIME years later, in the magazine May 17, 1999, issue.

The McDonalds franchise, said at the time to be the worlds largest, remained but Petrinis grievances would extend far beyond the Piazza di Spagna. He established the Slow Food association that year, aiming to protect traditional foods and advocating for agricultural biodiversity,

On Dec. 10, 1989, three years after the franchise opened in Rome and 25 years ago today, he joined representatives of 15 countries in Paris for the signing of the Slow Food Manifesto, and the international Slow Food movement was born.

Today, the movement boasts more than 150,000 members across 150 countries. TIME described Petrini in 2004 as a revolutionary who changed the way we think about eating.

And it was all thanks to McDonalds.

Read TIMEs 2008 story about the movement: Can Slow Food Feed the World?

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How a McDonalds Restaurant Spawned the Slow Food Movement

Regional News of Monday, 8 December 2014

Source: Citifmonline.com

The Police have begun formal investigations into the collapse of a restaurant under construction in Cantonments, a suburb of Accra on Saturday.

The incident resulted in the death of one person and twelve others sustained various degrees of injury.

It took a rescue team drawn from the Ghana Police Service, the Military, the National Disaster Management Organization and the Ghana National Fire Service about 12 hours to pull out the body of a carpenter who was trapped under the debris. The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge told Citi News they were thirteen in all and one unfortunately found himself under the rubble, the twelve were rescued sent to the hospital then nine of them treated and discharged.

Normally in a rescue operation like this our major objective is to rescue the people who are under the rubble, so immediately when we rushed here that is what we did, she added.

Meanwhile, one of the workers [name withheld] in narrating their ordeal to Citi News said, We were at the top, one of the carpenters was down there then suddenly the building collapsed and we fell down. I was hurt at my knee and bruises on my elbow but the carpenter who was down there died.

We have been building the project for the past one year now. The building is a Lebanese restaurant. I have been working here for the past three months. It was only yesterday that we worked at night, and that happened.

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Police begin investigations into collapsed building

P.F. Chang's is on track to meet its goal of opening the new location at 720 Briarwood Circle by the end of 2014.

The restaurant, which describes its menu and atmosphere as mixture of American and Chinese cultures, is now slated to open Dec. 15, according to the company website.

Ann Arbor City Council approved plans for both P.F. Chang's and Bravo Cucina Italiana to have freestanding restaurant buildings in the Briarwood Mall parking lot in January.

Bravo Cucina Italiana has set an opening date of Dec. 11.

The restaurant will have an outdoor dining area and a pedestrian plaza with landscaping and bicycle parking. More than 100 employees are expected to staff the location.

The Arizona-based chain has over 200 locations, including those in nearby Northville Township, Dearborn and Troy.

Darcie Moran is a cops and courts reporter for MLive and The Ann Arbor News. Email her at dmoran@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter @darciegmoran.

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P.F. Chang's sets December opening for new Briarwood Mall restaurant

McDONOUGH Officials are projecting as many as 296 new full- and part-time jobs could be up for grabs in the McDonough area.

They said a critical construction loan for a hotel and restaurant should help bring to life a project for McDonough that will benefit its communitys economy and generate jobs for residents.

Home2 Suites hotel with 92 studio suites and a Wild Wing Caf are tapped for construction at 60 Mill Road, southwest of the Jonesboro Road exit from Interstate 75.

The hotel and restaurant will join Home Depot, Sams Club, Logans Roadhouse, Chilis Grill & Bar, OCharleys, Red Lobster and others in the retail center.

Officials said a La Quinta Inn will be constructed on the site next year as well.

The project is being developed by Global Hotel Group and Shetal Patel, a physician. The investors turned to AVANA Capital to facilitate a construction loan, which will then be converted into an SBA 504 Green Loan.

Were thrilled to see this come to fruition. This project will bring some needed rooms to McDonough and another terrific restaurant option, said Subhash Sam Patel, president and chief investment officer of Global Hotel Group. The jobs that will come as a result of this project will help strengthen the economy in McDonough and in the region.

Global Hotel Group and partner company Global Management & Investment Group manage more than 2,300 rooms for a variety of brands, including Hilton, LaQuinta, Wyndham, Accor, Choice and IHG.

Home2 Suites, a relatively new concept by Hilton, is designed to provide amenities of home with the facilities of a hotel. A typical room features a sleeper sofa, office area, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator, as well as a separate sleeping area and bathroom for one-bedroom suites. Suites have a 42 HD flat-panel television, Serta Suite Dream beds, and alarm clock with iPod port and MP3 jack.

The Wild Wing Caf, inside the 9,470-square-feet building, will feature a 1,500-square-feet patio area. Part of the site will be rented out to a local tenant for a non-franchise restaurant.

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Hotel, restaurant project expected in McDonough

Given its prominent position within one of the countrys most celebrated heritage sites, applications concerning The Temple Bar pub have come under particular scrutiny from planning authorities in recent years. Photograph: Aidan Crawley/The Irish Times

Dublin City Council has refused planning permission for an ambitious redevelopment within The Temple Bar pub involving the construction of a new double height oyster bar.

Plans had been put in place to transform part of the premises, currently used for functions including bar and retail space, into a lavish new restaurant with an exposed loft at the first-floor level.

The proprietors had previously gained permission to construct the oyster bar element of the new design. However, an attempt to remove the first floor apartment which currently exists at 47 Temple Bar was rebuffed by the council because the new double-space height would detract from the setting and character of the adjoining protected structure.

The decision is the latest in a series of setbacks for the pubs owners, who initially instigated redevelopment plans in the summer of 2013. Although a planning appeal has already been lodged with An Bord Pleanla, a final decision isnt expected until April 2015.

Given its prominent position within one of the countrys most celebrated heritage sites, applications concerning The Temple Bar pub have come under particular scrutiny from planning authorities in recent years.

The published case decision also cited concerns over additional downlights over the new restaurant, which would be injurious to the amenities and character of the streetscape and would act as a visually intrusive feature in the area.

Speaking in the report, conservation officers said allowing a double-space height within that particular type of building could set an unfortunate precedence.

The report also recommended that proposed alterations should be sensitive to historical context as the facade is the only remaining element of the original nineteenth century building.

Planning officers also mentioned concerns in relation to increased noise penetration from the ground floor use to the upper residential units [floors three and four], which have not been addressed via the submitted application.

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Planning denied for Temple Bar pub redevelopment

Published: Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 10:04 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 10:25 p.m.

PALM COAST While some residents are lamenting the idea of a new gas station and drive-thru restaurant in their neighborhood, the upcoming project keeps inching closer to inevitability as more paperwork gets submitted and signed.

Cindi Lane, a spokeswoman with the city of Palm Coast, confirmed this week that a site plan development order has been approved for a new convenience store at 295 Pine Lakes Parkway, where it intersects with Wynnfield Drive.

Additionally, a commercial permit worth more than $1 million was submitted Nov. 13 by M.E. Construction, an engineering firm out of West Melbourne, according to public records. Barbie Bembry, the citys permitting and zoning supervisor, stated in an email this week that comments were given to the applicant days later, but the city is still waiting for a response.

Some residents are angry that a 12-acre section of Pine Lakes, nestled between two neighborhoods, was zoned commercial even before Palm Coast officially became a city in late 1999. It was zoned that way by ITT, the developer that built much of the infrastructure that would later become Palm Coast.

The bottom line (is that) ITT made a huge mistake zoning it as it did and the city should have altered that and now needs to do something to ameliorate the blow this will have, said resident Michael H. Brown. Anyone who traverses Pine Lakes can see how grossly out of place and potentially devaluating it will be.

A couple of residents also voiced their displeasure about the project to the City Council during a meeting Tuesday.

Council members have said in the past they have no power to stop the owner, M & R United, from building a store at that location.

Lane said the upcoming Mobil store, which will be about 4,250 square feet, will include 12 pump stations. The drive-thru restaurant will take up about 1,200 square feet of that space. The city has not been told which fast food restaurant will be located there, Lane said.

That area of Pine Lakes is a popular place for walkers, runners and bicyclists because the citys trail system runs along that road.

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Plans move ahead for Pine Lakes Parkway gas station

NASHUA New Hampshires first 110 Grill is opening Monday in the Gate City, and is hoping to attract large crowds during the holiday season.

This is a great area for us to open a new restaurant, said Ryan Dion, director of operations at 110 Grill.

The new dining establishment has been constructed at 27 Trafalgar Square near the new Residence Inn by Marriott.

The 6,000-square-foot restaurant has been under construction for about three months.

The grand opening of the 205-seat facility will take place at 4 p.m. on Monday. However, a special VIP party will kick off Saturday evening.

We have been training our staff all week to make sure we are ready for the opening, said Dion, of Andover, Mass.

Dion, who attended the University of New Hampshire, is optimistic that 110 Grill will become a new favorite for diners in southern New Hampshire.

The first 110 Grill previously opened in Chelmsford, Mass.

The owners are planning to expand within the next year or so by building two or three more restaurants, although those plans are still very premature, according to Dion.

We offer creative American cuisine with an upscale, casual dining environment, he said, adding 110 Grill serves a wide assortment of salads, sandwiches, entrees and one of its most popular dishes the 110 sirloin tips.

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110 Grill opens Monday in Nashua

For months, the closing of Leon's Triple L Restaurant in downtown Arbutus left many people wondering what will open in place of the community landmark.

Now, they have a new, full-service, family restaurant named Oak Creek Cafe to fill the hole left when the owner of Leon's Triple L, Leon Lineburg, died April 26. The new restaurant is expected to open Friday, Dec. 12, said Sharon Andrews, 47, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Jim Andrews, 64.

"I want to carry on the community feel that Leon started," said Jim Andrews. "Leon was a huge supporter of the community all the athletic associations, the schools, the churches."

Even in these final weeks leading up to the planned opening, the sounds of construction were easy to hear as workers hammered away inside the building at 5309 East Drive.

The building's interior and exterior are being completely renovated, with new plumbing, walls, electrical wiring and kitchen equipment, the couple said.

"It hasn't been updated in a long time," Sharon Andrews said of the building, which had been inhabited by Leon's for 55 years.

Re/Max New Beginnings business owner Deborah SeBour said the restaurant is a much needed addition to the community.

"I love it I'm so excited," SeBour said. "Arbutus is experiencing a turnover of businesses, and this is what we need."

Terry Nolan, outgoing president of the Arbutus Business and Professional Association said, "We think this is a marvelous addition to our community and it seems to be well thought out and well done."

The couple said they have received a $250,000 loan from Baltimore County to assist with remodeling.

Originally posted here:
Couple renovates former Arbutus landmark

Thank goodness Jumbars is as charming as ever and the quality of the fare continues to be as exceptional as I remembered it.

Too bad for me it's been eight years since I visited this Bethlehem restaurant; I missed the construction of the new entrance about three years ago. Now the entry opens to a vestibule and a second door: it prevents cold outside air from blasting through the small restaurant. A new partition in the dining area also helps to cut down drafts.

These are welcome changes, even though the dining area lost a bit of space, which translates to Jumbars losing its larger tables. Groups larger than six cannot be accommodated at one table now.

The homey, cheerful decor still sets a happy tone with its sage-toned bead board wainscoting and omelet yellow walls. Multicolored Fiestaware and bold floral oilcloth table coverings keep the bright energy flowing. Local art for sale adorns the walls.

I love the happy vibe here, but what I love even more is that all of the food is homemade, including breads, English muffins and salad dressings.

Breakfast offerings include the usual: omelets, waffles, pancakes. The waffles, however, are whole wheat, and there's a tofu scramble on the menu along with quiche. Quiche holds court for lunch, too, along with paninis, burgers and sandwiches the likes of turkey breast on house-made grilled cinnamon raisin bread with Jumbars' own apple cranberry chutney.

Salads have a strong presence as well. One of these days I'm going to try the roasted duck breast on mixed greens with sliced pear, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette.

For our lazy Saturday brunch, a build-your-own omelet ($9.75) and duck confit hash ($10) were savory treats worthy of rare leisure moments.

Caramelized onion, spinach, bacon and Cheddar cheese filled the fluffy omelet, yielding a smoky-sweet flavor combination enhanced by the bacon's chewy crunch and the onion's al dente bite.

The hash, one of the day's specials, was a welcome twist on an old favorite, rich with flavor and the texture of julienne potatoes perfect with two eggs perfectly over easy.

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Restaurant review: Jumbars' charm and quality endures