Simon Says Joi to the World--Maybe

Remember Cafe Jacoulet? Located in Pasadena’s Old Town, the California/French restaurant with Japanese influences was known as the poor man’s Michael’s. Owner Al Simon closed the restaurant in 1990; Tra Fiori currently occupies the site. In the interim, Simon considered what to do with his future. Now he’s decided: He and his former chef, Hisashi Yoshiara (who is currently cooking at Bikini in Santa Monica), will open a restaurant in the old Bekins building on Glendale’s Brand Boulevard sometime in mid-June. Winston Roberts has been hired as architect on the project.

“Joi was the first name they came up with, but Kampai, which is what the Japanese say when they toast someone, has also been bandied about,” says Simon’s son Robert, who co-owned Jacoulet with his father and now owns Bistro 45, also in Pasadena. The menu, of course, will be California/French with Japanese influences.

“My dad is very cost-conscious and will keep the prices moderate,” says Robert Simon. “I know he will not do an expensive restaurant; we learned that at Jacoulet.” Al Simon could not be reached for comment. A message on his answering machine said that he was in Italy, “raising money for Jerry Brown.”

SIMONIZING: Meanwhile back at Bistro 45, Robert Simon is introducing a new concept: “Come to my restaurant five times for lunch or three times for dinner and we will arrange to have your car detailed.” Simon says his own detailer will detail customer’s cars while they dine at the restaurant. “It’s a mini-detail,” says Simon. “It’s much more than a car wash: He goes through the interior and exterior and he Armor-Alls the tires and all that kind of stuff. He’s a sweet kid, so I want to help him out,” says Simon, adding, “and it will be a great promotion for us too.”

GLADSTONE’S 4 MORRIS: Restaurateur Robert Morris has resigned as chairman and chief executive of California Beach Restaurants Inc. He has exchanged cash and stock for the management contract for the new Gladstone’s 4 Fish, which will open later this year in the 200,000-square-foot MCA Citywalk shopping and entertainment complex. Morris, who created such restaurants as Gladstone’s and RJ’s The Rib Joint, where baked potatoes were the size of watermelons and slabs of cake the size of pyramids, was known as the genius behind the “more is more concept.” Morris did not return calls.

MAPLE SUGAR: Apparently all the recent raves about the improved food at Maple Drive are not due to Roger Freedman’s promotion to chef de cuisine. “The food tastes the way it does because it’s my food, my recipes,” says chef-owner Leonard Schwartz. “Michael Rosen came; Michael Rosen had to leave because of the cost-cutting. I gave Roger more responsibility and gave him a title, but he’s been cooking the same food here for two years.” Schwartz will acknowledge that Freedman “came up with a very nice pork-tenderloin salad.” He adds: “We are all in love with it, but there hasn’t been any significant change.”

POLITICS AND POTATOES: Stop in at Regular Jons Cafe in Beverlywood, register to vote, and your breakfast is on them. “You’ll get what we call the ‘fast one,’ ” says co-owner Jon Persoff, who claims it has nothing to do with politicians. “It’s the basic breakfast: eggs, potatoes and toast.” Persoff’s says the deadline for registering to vote in the California primary is May 7, but if you stop in after that date, you can still register for the general election in the fall.

STOCKPOT: “People just don’t want to carry cash anymore,” says Jacqueline Canter. That’s why, after 60 years, Canter’s deli is now accepting credit cards. An institution on Fairfax Avenue, the family-run business faces charges of unfair labor practices arising from a dispute over health insurance and unionization. Workers have been picketing the 24-hour deli for over a year.. . . . Two years ago Michael’s restaurant lowered its prices. Now the Santa Monica restaurant, which has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, has also lowered its obligatory 18% tip to a mere 15%.

BARGAIN: Joe’s Restaurant in Venice is now open for lunch. Don’t miss it. For less than $10 you get soup, salad and choice of entree such as, say, chicken ravioli in basil sauce or grilled salmon with citrus vinaigrette.