•Say ciao to Chow and hail the resurrection: The troubled pan-Asian eatery Chow closed its doors this summer. Already opened in its place? Divina, the restaurant that had preceded Chow. A haute-Mexican eatery that served dishes that seemed straight out of the magical-realism novel Like Water for Chocolate, Divina first opened in 1998. It was run by Alejandro Garcia and his wife, chef Lorena Vega-Beuggie, and enjoyed a lauded run for seven months. But the couple was forced out by landlord problems and decided to operate Au Bar, a club on South Beach instead. Less than pleased with club-kid clientele, however, they jumped at the chance to reincarnate Divina in its original location.
•Hang on to your appetites: Executive chef-proprietor Michelle Bernstein is leaving The Strand stranded. She'll become chef de cuisine under the direction of executive chef Christian Schmidt at Azul, one of two restaurants at the Mandarin Oriental Miami, which is under construction on Brickell Key. The Mandarin Oriental, which public relations rep Larry Carrino describes as “decadent and also very elegant,” will house a second eatery called Café Sambal. In addition to the regular menus, both restaurants will offer spa menus and “a substantial amount of outdoor dining,” Carrino notes. Look for the formerly food-barren Brickell Key to join the culinary big-time in November.
•The truly disappointing news from North Miami Beach is that the noteworthy Gourmet Diner is for sale. Belgian-born chef-proprietor Jean-Pierre Lejeune, age 64, cites health problems as the main reason. He plans to retire, spending his time relaxing in his house in Islamorada and visiting family in Belgium. After he's served us so diligently over the past seventeen years we wish him the best -- but only if he leaves behind the recipe to the custard-fruit tart.