Il Fornaio at Lakeshore Towers to Open Friday

The long-awaited Il Fornaio, of Bay Area fame, is scheduled to open Friday in its own building next to the Lakeshore Towers in Irvine. This “gastronomia” embraces a grand Italian caffe, a restaurant, a retail bakery serving foods to eat there or take away and three separate seating areas on outside piazzas. Restaurant menu selections include Dal Girarrosto Toscano (meats, chicken and duck from the rotisserie, Tuscan style), house-made pastas, roasted seafood, pizzas, pastries and desserts. Prices average $9 for pastas and about $12 for entrees. Restaurant hours are Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The bakery will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 18051 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. Reservations: (714) 261-1444. Incidentally, the opening of Il Fornaio marks the homecoming of Il Fornaio partners Larry Mindel, Franco Galli, Mark Walker and Gianpanolo Putzu. They opened Prego in Irvine for Spectrum Foods in 1986. When Spectrum was sold and Mindel resigned as chairman and CEO, they left one by one to follow Mindel to Il Fornaio. Now they are back together in Irvine.

Barbacoa on Newport Harbor will begin serving lunch tomorrow, with a menu that includes tropical pizzas, island pastas and seafood entrees. Prices range from $5.50 to $13.50, and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. For reservations or takeout, phone (714) 646-6090. The address: 3333 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach.

RJ’s the Rib Joint on Campus Drive in Irvine is closed. So, too, is Pasta Grill, the redo of the former Salud in Huntington Beach.

Anne Pattis, the first woman to receive the Southern California Restaurant Writers’ Maitre d’ of the Year award, in 1988 when she was with Antonello, recently opened Raffaello Ristorante in Tustin. With partners Mario Petillo (former headwaiter at Antonello), Pete Valente, John Coehlo and Paul Roper, she’s taken over the old Gypsy restaurant. They serve northern Italian fare at moderate prices: lunch, $5 to $9, dinners (including soup or salad) in the $13 range. The restaurant is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and serves dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It’s at 1998 N. Tustin Ave. (714) 283-8230.

The table dance is the highlight of the Greek dancing now performed at Mene’s Terrace Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Chef Albert is the strong-toothed dancer who picks up a small table with his jaws. Mene’s serves Greek food for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is at 23532 El Toro Road, El Toro. Reservations: (714) 830-3228.

Upgrades in the carpeting and exterior sign are only the beginning of what’s new at the Cat & the Custard Cup in La Habra. The lunch and dinner menus list such new dishes as Creole sausage sandwich, grilled mahi-mahi, linguine with smoked salmon, swordfish piccata and sauteed venison. Lunch prices range from $7.25 to $13.50; dinner entrees, $20 to $24. 800 E. Whittier Blvd. (714) 992-6496.

The handsome art deco, ocean-view Towers restaurant in the Surf & Sand Hotel, Laguna, recently introduced a new Sunday brunch menu, highlighted by seven cooked-to-order main courses. In addition, guests select from an array of offerings on the fresh seafood and salad table. Then, after the main course, it’s on to the dessert table and such temptations as chocolate chip cookies, a chocolate bombe, mango chocolate cake, liquored fruit and French pastries. The changing menu of entrees may include sauteed crab cakes with creamed corn and poached egg, blueberry pancakes with citrus pecan butter and honey glazed Canadian bacon, or roasted leg of lamb with thyme and rosemary. The $30 brunch includes Domaine Chandon champagne. Service is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1555 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. Reservations: (714) 497-4477.

There’s a new look to the all-day menu at the Warehouse in Newport Beach. In fact, one whole side of the menu is new. With prices from $3.50 to $12.95, offerings include such salads as Cobb, broiled vegetables and a seafood combo of shrimp, crab legs and greens. You’ll find 11 different sandwiches, seven burgers, as well as pastas, chicken pot pie, meat loaf and beef hash. The Warehouse serves daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday). It’s at 50 Via Oporto. (714) 673-4700.