It's official: M Bar, the global tapas restaurant and bar from Mancini's owner Jack Mancini, will open in June at 1301 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. The space, formerly belonging to Bar Amici, has been completely overhauled and is located adjacent to Rocco's Tacos.

To make way for the new launch, Mancini has closed his 10-year-old eponymous Italian restaurant, widely known for its music and lively outdoor patio. Mancini's will reopen in a new space next to M Bar this August.

What's most interesting about M Bar is it won't stay true to the same

Italian theme that's made Mancini's a success on Las Olas. Instead, the

restaurant will focus on small plates, modern cuisine, and burgers

paired with custom cocktails, wine, and craft beer. Mancini also

promises his new restaurant will have a sleek, industrial atmosphere, a

pretty big departure from the classic Mediterranean feel of Mancini's.

Mancini has revealed some of the dishes for his new restaurant as well.

Chief among them: maple-glazed pork belly with sauerkraut and jalapeño

apple sauce, cured Spanish mackerel with pickled watermelon rind and

green peas, and grilled giant prawns with chili and garlic. Apparently

riding the premium-burger trend, prime beef burgers ground in-house

should factor heavily into the rotation.

The restaurant also promises varied craft beer and wine lists and

specialty cocktails from "shotologists" and "master cocktailians."

(File photo on the right.)

OK, we kid, we kid. M Bar definitely sounds like a more modern offering

than Mancini's and should make a good tandem next to Rocco's on the

trendy, proletariat eastern side of Las Olas. Stay tuned for an update

in the coming days.

M Bar

1301 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

• Openings and Closings