Less than three months after he left Bambu on Hickman, chef Philippe Chin is ready to serve exotic and adventurous dishes to diners. His new restaurant, Cuizine, opened Tuesday in the former site of Vino Veritas, 100 Laurens St. S.W. in Aiken.

The "Second Mortgage" section of the Cuizine menu includes line-caught Florida halibut fillet with cucumber spaghetti, coconut milk-curry broth and Greek olive oil-smashed Yukon gold potatoes for $28.50, and skillet-roasted maple leaf farm duck breast with honey-cinnamon carrots, au gratin potatoes and Moroccan spiced au jus for $24. The regular menu, which features skinless organic tomatoes, colossal shrimp tempura and lemongrass-scented lobster bisque, is available for tapas-style dining.

The hours are 4 to 10 p.m., with bar food available until midnight Tuesday to Thursday, and 4 to 11 p.m. with bar food available until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Call (803) 644-1234.

D. TIMM'S JAZZ Cafe, which closed in May, will reopen in mid-October, but if you want to eat there, you'll have to bring your own food. Building owner Peter Knox IV said the building at 302 Sixth St. will be available as a catering hall and event space.

WHEN THE APPLEBEE'S at 3150 Wrightsboro Road opened in 1986, it was the first one in Augusta, and only the second for Atlanta-based franchise owner Restaurant Concepts II LLC. The regional marketing manager, Windy Dehem, said the decision to close the restaurant Sept. 18 was made because of the age of the building, and the chain's new restaurant at 2125 Windsor Spring Road.

HARVEST TABLE BUFFET, which opened at 2501 Washington Road in April 2004, closed six months later and reopened in May 2005 as a lunch-only affair, has closed for good. A manager at the restaurant on Gordon Highway said the last day the restaurant was open was Sept. 2.

Reach Patrick Verel at (706) 823-3332 or patrick.verel@augustachronicle.com.