Duang Dara, 8924 Bolsa Ave., Westminster....

Duang Dara, 8924 Bolsa Ave., Westminster. (714) 891-8775. Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Westminster’s Bolsa Avenue is known as “little Saigon” but its culinary treasures are not restricted to Vietnamese restaurants. Duang Dara, a Thai restaurant in the neighborhood, is authentic and accomplished. Try the larb , a spicy appetizer made from ground chicken; it will blow the top of your head off. Somp tum , made from shredded papaya, is another memorable experience. There are more than a hundred dishes to choose from on this large and diverse menu, created by Vietnamese Beau Dolan and his Thai wife Penkae, but don’t ask Dolan how they taste. Thai food is just too spicy for him.

Pascal, Plaza Newport, 1000 Bristol St., Newport Beach . (714) 752-0107 . Open Mondays through Fridays , 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Sundays through Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays till 10:30 p.m.

Pascal is the latest, brightest and most engaging of the small area restaurants serving unadulterated French cuisine. You don’t have to worry about being terrorized by the waiters or cream sauced to death in this charming country cottage. The chef, Pascal Olhats, is a Bocuse protege with solid area experience, and uses no artificial anything in his kitchen. Don’t miss a delightful Provencal fish soup appetizer, or a lamb salad redolent of sweet basil. An entree of sea bass, coated with thyme and served in a tomato coulis, is worth the trip. Desserts are light and guiltless.

Magic Island, 3505 Oporto, Newport Beach. (714) 675-0900. Open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 6 p.m.; Sunday brunches at 9:30, 10:30 and noon.

There’s no shortage of illusion at Magic Island, a onetime private club that has been recently opened to the public, but the illusion of dining often fails to materialize. The evening begins with a snappy show featuring first-rate magicians, and then proceeds to one of the myriad dining rooms where a stuffy, often over-extended menu is offered. Less is more here: Simpler fare like grilled meats and plain salads tend to upstage the flashier performers, like anything stuffed or sauced. You’re going to have a good time at Magic Island, but at present, it is the kitchen that needs magic. Expensive.