IN THE NEWS: Starr Restaurant Organization has some major growth plans — and only part of them involve Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports. The Old City-based company, which has 16 restaurants in three cities, will roll out a host of in-hotel restaurants with food-and-beverage services in Philadelphia, Atlantic City, New York City, Las Vegas and South Florida. Growth in stand-alone restaurants is also in the works. The company will offer “sister” versions of proven restaurants like Barclay Prime, adding to a track record of rolling out Buddakan, Morimoto and The Continental to new locations and markets. Plans linked to hotels include: At the planned W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the Starr organization will open a sister restaurant (as yet unnamed) to Philadelphia’s Barclay Prime, a steak house on Rittenhouse Square. Starr will also oversee all food-and-beverage operations, room service, banquets and catering. The contract also calls for putting out breakfast, lunch and dinner — the first time Starr has provided breakfast (though brunch is often on the menu). philadelphia.bizjournals.com …

The Miami Herald’s Rochelle Koff gives three stars to Mario’s Catalina Restaurant (1611 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, 954-563-4141), while Victoria Pesce Elliott awards three and a half stars to The Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill at The Standard Hotel (40 Island Ave., Miami Beach, 305-673-1717), and Linda Bladholm reviews The Muffin Tin Restaurant (12655 S. Dixie Hwy., in the South Park Center, Pinecrest, 305-235-9020, themuffintin.us). … The paper notes Norman Van Aken is set to open Tavern N Town at Key West’s Beachside Resort Oct. 15 (305-296-8100). miamiherald.com … The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel’s Judith Stocks gives three and a half stars to Ireland’s Steakhouse (Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, 250 Racquet Club Road, Weston, 954-349-5656) and three stars to Prime Catch (700 E. Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach, 561-737-8822). sun-sentinel.com …

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times’s Gail Shepherd reviews Nirvana (1701 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach. 561-752-1932). browardpalmbeach.com … The Palm Beach Post reviews Raindancer Steakhouse (2300 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561-684-2810). palmbeachpost.com … Miami New Times’s Lee Klein reviews Chipotle Mexican Grill (14776 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami Beach; 305-947-2779). miaminewtimes.com … MangoandLime.net visits Karlo Bakery (1242 Coral Way, Miami, 305.858.1080). … SouthFloridaGourmet.com reports that chef Alex Patout has left Christabelle’s Quarter, the replica of a New Orleans French Quarter building that still contains the door of his award-winning Alex Patout’s Louisiana Restaurant in the French Quarter. … The website also notes the opening of contemporary French/Asian spot Zabor (in the former spot of Max’s Grill, 2 Aragon, Coral Gables. 305-569-6141).

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

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