The following are summaries of recent Times...

The following are summaries of recent Times restaurant reviews.

Kitayama, 101 Bayview Place, Newport Beach . (714) 725-0777. Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., daily from 6 p.m. to 10:30.

Kitayama, the first really serious Japanese restaurant in Orange County, is an exquisite addition to the local dining scene. The sho-ka-do lunch is the most beautiful $14 meal anywhere, and the omakase kaiseki, a multi-course feast at $50 per person, is unforgettable.

Five Feet Too, in Fashion Island, 1145 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 640-5250 . Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.

The gentrification of Chinese cuisine reaaches new heights of absurdity in this self-consciously chic restaurant, the second effort of owner chef Michael Kang. Many dishes are precious and ill-conceived. The signature deep-fried catfish is excellent, and some imaginative dishes work well. Curried beef spring rolls are delightful.

Capers, 34150 Coast Highway, Dana Point. (714) 661-3983. Open daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5 to 10 p.m.

A bright new seafood restaurant occupying the site of the former Dana Trader, Capers has a beachy, casual air well suited to the location. The food isn’t half bad when the kitchen plays it straight, but the kitchen tries too hard to be creative, often with disastrous results. There is a noble, garlicky Caesar, some fair broiled fish and several good shrimp dishes. Be wary of the ill-conceived attempts at nouvelle .