Mindell has been getting adjusted to Avalon for the last week or so; she teamed up with bartender Michael Derks (also known as a guitarist for GWAR) and his sister, Q Derks, Avalon’s original chef, for a pop-up brunch under the name “The Jerks” on Sept. 30. She says that Rooster Cart is on hold at the moment because her truck is out of commission, but she plans to bring it back. She’s also working on a series of brunch events with other chefs. (The next one is tentatively planned for Oct. 27 at Empire, 727 W. Broad St.)

Bloody Mary French toast was among the dishes at Avalon's
Sept. 30 brunch. (Photo by Justin Vaughan)

At Avalon, she’s developing a new menu, which she plans to introduce in a couple of weeks. She says she will focus on small plates and European flavors. “I want to keep Q’s original vision” of Mediterranean cuisine and tapas, she says. “That concept of small bites with beverages never goes out of style. I just want to do an updated version of it.”