Mr. Stox to Hold a Hands-On Cooking Class

If in your Walter Mitty dreams you see yourself as a celebrated chef, join the next “participation cooking class” at Mr. Stox in Anaheim on June 15. You even get to wear a toque. The evening will celebrate seafood and wines of the Loire Valley. Once outfitted with aprons and side cloths, participants will be divided into small groups and assigned a course to prepare, cook and serve. No experience is needed.

The session begins at 6:30 p.m., and it’s $70 per person, gratuity included. Information: (714) 634-2994.

COMING AND GOING: Alfredo Rivas, who has managed Zeppa, Five Feet and Trees, is now manager of Emperor’s Fortune restaurant in South Coast Village in Santa Ana. The restaurant has expanded its lunch and dinner menus, adding several vegetarian dinners, soft shell crab, tea smoke duck, flaming lobster and more. And the carts have just arrived for serving dim sum. . . .

Eugenio Martignago from Bistango will be chef for the new Rex of Newport, due to open in Newport Beach’s Fashion Island in October. Incidentally, the new restaurant will become Rex Chandler’s special-occasion showpiece. The oceanfront Rex, to be re-named 21 Oceanfront, will offer more popular prices, but Chandler promises everything else will remain the same.

YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE: The Mezzanine opened last month in the Brinderson Towers at MacArthur Boulevard and Jamboree Road in Newport Beach, but the trick is to figure out how to get to it. The secret: the entrance is on Fairchild Road, which arcs between Jamboree and MacArthur, just north of their intersection. The Swiss owner, Christopher Boo (pronounced “beau”), a chef by training and graduate of a Swiss hotel school, served as restaurant manager for the Newport Four Seasons before opening the Mezzanine. He brought his brother, Juerg, from Switzerland to be chef. The restaurant serves breakfast in the bar area from 7 to 10 a.m.; lunch is from 11:30 to 2:30, but an all-day menu is available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the restaurant or to go. Boo plans to begin dinner service at the Mezzanine by the end of the year. Information: (714) 724-1066.

ADIEU: Showley-Wrightson in Eastbluff shopping center, Newport Beach, has closed. The hoped-for baton-passing to former employees didn’t jell.

WHAT’S NEW: A third Gambino’s (there’s one in Mission Viejo and another in San Clemente) debuted in Fullerton last week, a remodel of the former Jimmy’s family restaurant. Owner Hadi Gambino promises “exactly the same menu” (and it’s a big one, with eight veal dishes, 10 chicken entrees) as in the other restaurants. Dinner prices range from $4.95 to $12.95, including soup or salad and bread. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Saturday and dinner nightly. The Sunday brunch buffet features everything from antipasti to pasta, hot entrees and dessert and includes champagne for $7.95. Information: (714) 447-1184. . . . Look for a new brew pub, the Fullerton Hofbrau on State College Boulevard just south of Chapman Avenue, due to open in about a month. (714) 870-7400. . . . La Pergola, which recently opened on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, specializes in northern Italian cuisine. It’s the joint effort of Joe Ingardia (of Ingardia Produce fame), Giuseppe Galatti and Beni Spitoli. The restaurant serves lunch Monday through Friday, 11 to 2; and dinner, 5:30 to 10, Monday through Saturday. Sunday’s it’s brunch only--a buffet of Italian specialties--11 a.m to 4 p.m., $14.95 for adults; half-price for children under 10. Information: (714) 646-1225.

CELEBRATING: To mark the second anniversary of Spaghettini in Seal Beach, owners Cary Hardwick, Laurie Neuse and Jess Barraban (who is also chef) will throw a big party on June 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. A jazz band will play and the buffet of northern Italian fare is complimentary. Invitation only? No, just come, urges Hardwick, explaining, “We want to thank the community.” Information: (213) 596-2199.

ACCENT ON WINE: Continuing a series of dinners and wine-making presentations to honor California vintners, Antoine at Le Meridien hotel in Newport Beach will spotlight the wines of Chateau Montelena on June 29. A four-course dinner, created by chef de cuisine Roy Breiman, will follow a half-hour reception at 7 p.m. Vigneron/general manager Bob Barret will represent Chateau Montelena. The price is $85 per person, tax and gratuity not included. Reservations: (714) 476-2001, Ext. 2158.