- Local
- Community
- Journalism
Support the independent voice of South Florida and help keep the future of New Times free.
Updated.
Kapow! Noodle Bar has gone the way of Banana Republic by introducing sliders to the menu. This item signals a move to a conservatism to align with its Mizner Park location, prompting chef Roy Villacrusis to depart for other projects.
The noodle bar conceived by Rodney Mayo and Scott Frielich is the latest restaurant from the folks behind Dada,Tryst, and Longboards, among other restaurants. Vaughan Lazar of Pizza Fusion is the third partner. "We are sad to see Roy go. He's a rock star, a great chef, and a true class act," Vaughan Lazar wrote to Clean Plate Charlie.
For the moment, it appears Kapow is in search of an identity, though the partners say otherwise. "The same hard-working crew that's been behind
the line since the day we opened are still back there pouring their
hearts into each dish. With the exception of the Korean BBQ sliders, orange and soy glazed ribs, and a couple of dumplings, the menu hasn't
changed since we opened," wrote Lazar. "We haven't wavered from our original vision to serve amazing
Asian-influenced fare in a funky, casual setting."
"They are some great guys who have started some great restaurants," said
Villacrusis when we contacted him about his departure. "I really
respect them. But they did not trust the original concept they had come
up with." Villacrusis cited Miami's Pubbelly and Momofuku as
inspiration prior to the opening.
Villacrusis, whose prior experience includes Dirty Martini and the acclaimed (and now closed) Kubo in Palm Beach, earned the 2011 New Times Best Restaurant in Palm Beach County award. He is also the only chef to
have won the Grand Chef Throwdown at the Palm Beach Food and Wine
Festival two years in a row.
Clean Plate Charlie will keep you
updated as we learn the direction of Kapow! Noodle Bar as well as where
Villacrusis lands next.
New Times on Facebook | Clean Plate Charlie on Facebook | Melissa on Facebook | Clean Plate Charlie on Twitter | Melissa McCart on Twitter | E-mail Melissa |
Keep New Times Broward-Palm Beach Free... Since we started New Times Broward-Palm Beach, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering South Florida with no paywalls.
