Fat Tony’s changes hands
Downtown Wilmington’s Fat Tony’s Italian Pub has a new owner. Kirsten Faris on July 30 purchased the restaurant at 131 N. Front St. from Eric Rylander, who recently closed the city’s other Fat Tony’s at Racine Center. “We’re going to not change things in a big way right away, but we are certainly probably going to improve on the ingredients that we use,” said Faris’ husband, Don Faris. “As time goes on, we’ll make some changes to the menu.”

Frying Pan opens in Southport
Southport’s long-famous salubrious breezes swirl a fried seafood aroma around Frying Pan, the town’s newest restaurant. The casual restaurant was developed by the owners of Southport’s popular Yacht Basin Provision Co., which is next door to the new restaurant, 319 West Bay St. Paul Swenson and Maria Tilling in 1993 opened Yacht Basin Provision Co., 130 Yacht Basin Drive. For Frying Pan, Swenson and Tilling partnered with developer Mark Brisson, creating the mondo beach-house scene where shorts and flip flops are welcome.

Hot pants, barbecue at former Sticky Fingers
A major Charleston, S.C.-based restaurant group will bring one of its stores to Wilmington this year, and more of the company’s concepts might follow. Charleston Hospitality Group’s Market Street Saloon will fill former Sticky Fingers, 5044 Market St. “Market Street Saloon is a very high-energy, very vivacious atmosphere, if you will, that’s solely based on saloon girls – the dancing, the singing, the entertainment they provide,” Charleston Hospitality Group director of operations Jeff Diehl said. Diehl compared the atmosphere to the bar in the 2000 movie Coyote Ugly, but he emphasized that the restaurant’s award-winning barbecue and beverages menus are noteworthy. Market Street Saloon is scheduled to open by year’s end, maybe in mid-November, Diehl said.

Atypical Asian restaurant opens on Masonboro Loop
Asian restaurant Tamashii recently landed at the late Sunset Bistro
location, 4039 Masonboro Loop Road. Tamashii features a sushi and entrée menu along with ceviche, poke and tartare served as tastings on individual spoons. Forty-eight-seat Tamashii’s, with its hammered tin bar and deep purple walls hung with bright Asian art, hint at the restaurant’s progressive vibe. Mark Scharaga, who is Tamashii’s owner and chef along with Jonathan White was previously the sushi chef at the now-closed Shallotte Cattle Barn. He oversees traditional and unusual sushi and sashimi. Wilmington native White, who has cooked in Seattle, Alaska and Philadelphia, including time at Philly’s Morimoto, handles entrées.

Cafe Johnnie shuffles up brunch menu
Former Crow Hill owner/chef Derrick Cook was named executive chef of Café Johnnie in Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St. Cook did a test run at Café Johnnie just days after Crow Hill closed on July 15. Shortly afterward, Café Johnnie co-owner Christi Ferretti announced that Cook would stay. Since then, the spot’s Sunday brunch buffet has been exchanged for an a la carte menu including omelets, baked eggs, patty melts, a fried green tomato salad and Cook’s homemade waffles. The brunch buffet will return for various holidays, the owners reported on Café Johnnie’s Facebook page.

Shallotte gas station cook opens own shop
Two o’clock on a Monday afternoon is notoriously a slow time for restaurants – if they’re open at all. But Shallotte’s newest dining spot, The Grille, on a recent Monday was nearly full. “And here’s the thing,” convenience store cook-turned-restaurant owner Sal Rubio said. “They’re all locals.” Diners discovered Rubio when while he was cooking seafood specialties such as shrimp and grits at a BP gas station/convenience store on Naber Drive in Shallotte. This summer, he left the pumps and in mid-July opened The Grille in a former Hardee’s at 4736 Main St.