Restaurant News: Rocco's Comes to Boca, Clematis Social Reforms, Johnny V's Offers 'Stimulus' Dinner

Photo by Flickr user Jinfinite8

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•    A pair of West Palm Beach eateries are taking their shows on the road to the rather tonier confines of the Shops at Boca Center. Come fall, Rocco's Tacos will be slinging tortillas and margaritas in the current Big City Tavern space, the same eats and drinks that have made the Clematis Street Rocco's one of the street's real rockin' restaurants. And later this year, look for Opus to become Opa, as in Opus 5 morphing into Taverna Opa. Opus operator Burt Rapoport and partners have sold the mod American cuisine spot to Opa's Lirim Jacobi, who'll turn the sleek space into another all-night Greek party once he finishes opening two more Opas in Miami.

•    Another former Rapoport spot, Clematis Social, is in the process of becoming Reef Road & Rum Bar. Dr. Feelgood's Clive Mash and the folks behind Rocco's Tacos hope to turn the old Social into a moderately priced seafood joint come September. We'll see if it has longer legs than Social, which lasted all of six months.

•    The heat is on local restaurants this summer, so they're firing up the specials to keep business from cooling off. In Fort Lauderdale, Johnny V Las Olas is dishing a three-course "Summer Stimulus" dinner Sunday through Thursday and until 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, plus two-for-one drinks and early-bird $5 tapas. Just up the street, Bova Prime is doing three courses for $29.95 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, along with 30 percent off any bottle of wine (the price will hit $35 come August 1). And up in Delray, Nick Morfogen's 32 East is serving a daily four-course meal for $35; throw in wine and it's just another ten bucks.