The following are summaries of recent Times...

The following are summaries of recent Times restaurant reviews.

* The Cat and Custard Cup, 800 E. Whittier Blvd., La Habra. (213) 694-3812 or (714) 996-6496. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Mondays from 5:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays till 10 p.m., Saturdays till 10:30 p.m., and Sundays from 5 to 9 p.m.

Cafe El Cholo, 840 E. Whittier Blvd., La Habra. (213) 694-4600 or (714) 525-1320. Open Mondays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m .

The Cat and Custard Cup and Cafe El Cholo are located across a La Habra parking lot from one another and their themes couldn’t be more divergent. One is a lovingly reconstructed English pub with a campy Continental menu and dark, medieval trappings. The other is bright, festive and Mexican, with fajitas, guacamole and frosty margaritas. Both are charming, cheerful, and worth a wide detour.

* 3-6-9 Shanghai, 613 N. Euclid St., Anaheim. (714) 635-8319. Open daily except Sundays from 11:30 a.m., Mondays through Thursdays till 9:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays till 10.

One of the best small Chinese restaurants in the heavily ethnic San Gabriel Valley, 3-6-9 Shanghai has opened this storefront sister in an Anaheim shopping mall, bringing nearly all of its popular dishes. Handmade breads and savory dumpling preparations excel here along with such exotic cold appetizers as tea smoked chicken and braised baby bamboo. The restaurant is cheap and basic; tell them to tread lightly on the MSG. The steamed pork with rice powder is a revelation.

* The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, 33533 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point. (714) 240-5008. Open nightly for dinner from 6 to 10:30 p.m.

A meal at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton is always a memorable experience, but in some instances the memories tend to be a bit flawed. Amidst the beautiful surroundings, elegant service and well-heeled clientele, chef Fabrice Canelle has introduced a creative, eccentric but imperfect cuisine, a blend of French, Californian and international influences. The menu is small, and dishes have a tendency toward the sweet. Salads, Sonoma duck liver, lamb and outstanding desserts are the hallmarks.

* Voila Bistro and Grill, 16871 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach. (714) 841-1166. Open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 to 10 p.m., Sundays from 4:30 to 9 p.m.

A new local dining spot, Voila Bistro and Grill is a surprising find indeed, a combination of Paris casual and Huntington Beach chic. Chef Rochelle Robinson turns a brilliant onion soup--a bistro classic--and does fine braised duck and lamb dishes. Dessert souffles such as chocolate and lemon are on the varied menu, and given proper notice the chef will even make a cheese souffle. Salads, pizzas and a respectable little wine list fill things out nicely.

* Heritage Brewing Company, 24921 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. (714) 240-2060. Open Sundays through Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays till 2 a.m.

Heritage Brewing Company has the somewhat dubious distinction of being Orange County’s only brewpub, a rowdy place with dart boards, foosball and a young, party crazed crowd. If the beer had any flavor at all one could even call the place lively. Four brews are offered--pale ale, golden ale, Irish red and Dana porter--along with a variety of salads, finger foods and sandwiches, the best of which is beef on wick, wafer-thin roast beef on a salted bun. The burgers aren’t bad.

* Kotobuki, 24356 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills. (714) 587-0290. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Totally awesome. That’s how Hiro Watanabe, sushi-maker extraordinaire, describes most of his creations at Kotobuki, his pint-size, big-hearted new Japanese restaurant. Hiro-san’s food has a quirky appeal--from Philadelphia roll (crab, avocado and cream cheese) to the more authentic preparations such as uni (sea urchin) and hamachi (yellowtail). Put yourself in the chef’s hands and let him do his thing. He probably will anyway.

* Panda Inn, 2 Center Point Drive, La Palma. (714) 522-6082. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Panda Inn, an upscale Chinese restaurant chain, recently arrived in La Palma. It can credit its success to its attractive, mildly Americanized interpretations of traditional Mandarin cuisine. Purists beware. Shy away from the complicated fare (lemon this, orange that) and stick to basics: the well-crafted soups, the excellent lamb and pork dishes, and the first-rate sauteed vegetables. Don’t go home without a serving of mango pudding for dessert. It is a real palate cleanser, with a refreshing taste.

* Ciao, 1730 E. 17th St., Santa Ana. (714) 972-3101. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturdays from 4:30 to 9:30.

Ciao is one of those indistinct little neighborhood restaurants you can drive by 100 times without noticing, but it happens to be an exceptional one. Bina Crivello, a Sicilian mater familias who runs the restaurant with the help of her five sons, makes most of the food herself: crusty pizzas, earthy pastas, and a good rich tomato sauce to go with them. Bring a hefty appetite, and leave room for the excellent tiramisu--intense, mocha rich, and drooling mascarpone cheese.

* Morell’s, in the Irvine Hilton, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine. (714) 863-3111. Open daily except except Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 6 to 10.

Morell’s is one hotel restaurant making an obvious effort to keep up with the times, but one still comes away with the impression that instituitional practices die hard. It’s a quietly elegant room done up in various shades of pink, and there is a formal quality to the service. Appetizers such as sweetbreads and smoked salmon are among the strong suits. Desserts are visual stunners. The basically sound main dishes suffer occasionally from a desire to impress.

* Singapore Corner, 1401 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. (714) 494-0787. Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Albert Tan and Ruby Barkineyn, Singaporean and Indonesian respectively, serve up credible versions of their native dishes at this hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint. Satay, the region’s most famous dish, is grilled skewers of various meats eaten with spicy peanut sauce. Nasi rames is a quintet of pleasantly unfamiliar dishes surrounding a mound of white rice. Ask Tan about specials, which range from yellow rice noodles to various things eaten from banana leaves. Laughably inexpensive.

* Emperor’s Fortune, 3820 Plaza Drive, Santa Ana. (714) 850-9008. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays till 11.

Emperor’s Fortune is the latest incarnation in haute Chinese, a Hong Kong-elegant dining room designed with obvious expense. Everything is well-crafted, even if the taste spectrum tends to be on the bland side, and there is considerable imagination in the presentations. Peking duck, with an amazingly crispy skin, is the big hitter, and you will want to try such dishes as Shrimp Go Nuts, mussels in garlic sauce, and any of the wonderful desserts (from Grand Finale). Expect to have your wallet lightened considerably.

* Showley-Wrightson, 2531 Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 760-9700. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays from 6 to 9:30.

Showley-Wrightson is an unlikely little gem of a restaurant, hidden away in a tony Newport Beach shopping center (the owners have tried to infuse the place with atmosphere, but it still looks like an upscale grocery store with tables). Wonderful breads like fougasse and a dense walnut loaf begin the proceedings, and there is a wide array of entrees and desserts to choose from, all made on the premises. Don’t miss risottos, grilled smoked beef, or the flourless chocolate cake. They pack picnic baskets, too.