Emperor’s Fortune Shortens Its Name, Broadens the Fare

The Emperor’s Fortune restaurant in Santa Ana’s South Coast Plaza Village is now called simply Fortune. And owner Bill Lieu has changed the menu to embrace more “family-style” Cantonese, Szechwan and “traditional” fare (sweet and sour pork, for instance).

But for you who loved the restaurant’s original contemporary Chinese cuisine, those signature dishes are still available as house specials. The new menu also features colored pictures of various dishes.

Prices are a bit lower, according to manager Eddie Decosta, with lunch entrees averaging $6; dinner, $9. (714) 850-9008.

In Irvine, Fortune’s busy Bill Lieu has joined with Rodney Friedman to open the Good Earth, offering the same type of food found at other Good Earth locations in Newport Beach and Santa Ana. A nonsmoking restaurant, it serves breakfast at all hours, plus chicken, fish, Mexican and vegetarian dishes. And, says Friedman, they’ve introduced several new salads.

The Good Earth serves beer and wine and is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and till 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s in the Crossroads shopping center at Culver Drive and Barranca Parkway. (714) 857-0995.

After Canterra closed in the Hotel San Maarten in Laguna Beach last November, the hotel’s restaurant remained dark for many months. Now, Marigot is open, with a menu that rotates weekly and offers such entrees as turkey-breast picatta, filet mignon, blackened sea bass or prime rib, and shark (with orange and thyme sauce one week). The average plate price: $10.

The restaurant features a full bar and in September will begin Monday comedy nights. Open for lunch Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner, Sundays through Thursdays, 5 to 10 p.m., and till 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The Sunday buffet brunch is $14.95, including champagne. Marigot is at 696 S. Coast Highway. (714) 497-5863.

To help celebrate the “Fantasia d’Italia” at the Westin South Coast Plaza, Italian master chef Sesto Masotti will be in residence from Sept. 17 to 23.

Masotti, owner/chef of La Bolognese restaurant in Milan, and his assistant, Lillo Puccio, will prepare Italian specialties for both Westin restaurants.

Meanwhile, hotel executive chef Daniel Simard’s special “Fantasia” menus will be served through the end of September. Highlights for Alfredo’s Ristorante include scallops in strudel pastry with celery root and truffle and lamb steamed in spinach leaves, served with chestnut, apple and carrot purees.

In the Cafe, specialties range from whole wheat pasta with potato and cabbage to chicken breast with apple.

As part of the celebration, Alfredo’s chef Wade Simpson will prepare three items from the “Fantasia” menu for a cooking class on Saturday, Sept. 22.

The class, third in a series, will include wine tasting and luncheon for $50 per person. The Westin South Coast Plaza is at 666 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. Reservations: (714) 540-2500.