Updates for Fort Lauderdale's M Bar, Mancini's on Las Olas

Though chef Ted Inserra is holding down his chef gig at Old Fort Lauderdale Breakfast House, he's been on double duty behind the line at Jack Mancini's M Bar with chef Kevin McCarthy. "I'm there a couple of nights a week to help get things organized and to pitch in," said Inserra. "Kevin...

By Melissa McCart

October 10, 2011

[
        {
          "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
          "component": "16971022",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "15769925",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Rectangle 2x - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782206",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "16575154",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
          "component": "15782207",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Though chef Ted Inserra is holding down his chef gig at Old Fort Lauderdale Breakfast House, he's been on double duty behind the line at Jack Mancini's M Bar with chef Kevin McCarthy.

"I'm there a couple of nights a week to help get things organized and to pitch in," said Inserra. "Kevin is an old friend of mine."

McCarthy is the former

chef of Armadillo Cafe and its three siblings, the first of which opened in west Davie in 1990. The restaurant earned accolades in publications around the country as well as being named the 1999 New Times' Best Southwestern Restaurant. By 2009, all four restaurants had closed. The holdout on North Federal hung on until "rising overhead costs" caused its shuttering.

M Bar, which opened in July, has been hobbled by challenges such as chef and menu switches, which could perhaps account for the delayed opening of Mancini's next door.

Though Jack Mancini's namesake restaurant has been scheduled to open the week of Fort Lauderdale Boat Show around October 27, a phone call to the new restaurant led to an out-of-service message, and a manager on staff at M Bar today had said he was not sure when the sister restaurant will debut.

Restaurant opening dates are notoriously tough to predict for owners, due to permitting and construction issues. Navigating two restaurants in transition can only add to the mix. Clean Plate Charlie will keep you updated.

Follow Clean Plate Charlie on Facebook and on Twitter: @CleanPlateBPB

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning New Times Broward-Palm Beach has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.