Holiday Concert and Barbecue Celebration Puts on the Ritz

A star-spangled Fourth of July celebration will unfurl Saturday at the Ritz-Carlton with a concert and buffet barbecue dinner. The buffet, from 5 to 8 p.m. on the ocean-front lawn, will include salads, grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, honey-dipped chicken, apple pie and ice cream sundaes. It’s $45 per person, $20 for children ages 5 to 12. The 7 p.m. concert will star the All American Boys Chorus. The address: 33533 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point. Reservations and information: (714) 240-2000 or (800) 241-3333.

Normally, Five Feet Too in Newport Center Fashion Island closes on July 4. But last year owner Michael Kang realized that three different fireworks displays are visible from the restaurant. So on Saturday he’ll be open from 4 to 11 p.m. You can begin in the lounge with bloody Mexicali oyster shooters for $1.50. Then Kang will cook up such special holiday courses as Golden Comet (zucchini blossom with goat cheese and walnuts). Entree prices range from $12.50 to $19. The address: 1145 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Reservations: (714) 640-5250.

JW’s Sea Grill in the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Tennis Club has a new name and a new menu. It’s now JW’s California Grill, where spices and exotic marinades enhance lamb, veal and seafood. Lunch, with such selections as warm teriyaki New York steak salad, Peking duck salad, and crab cake sandwiches, is priced from $4.95 to $9.95. New dinner entrees, including grilled lamb loins with wild cherry relish and garlic custard and pan-fried catfish with Louisiana spices and papaya salsa, range from $9.95 to $19.95. The restaurant opens at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday; it closes at 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The address: 900 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 640-4000.

Cattleman’s Wharf recently introduced a $6.95 prime rib dinner, served between 5 and 7 p.m., Sunday through Friday. Kids under age 5 eat free. Other $6.95 sunset dinners are sauteed chicken, fish of the day or stir-fried beef or chicken--all accompanied by salad, vegetable and hot, fresh bread. The address: 1160 W. Ball Road, just west of Harbor Boulevard in Anaheim. (714) 535-1622.

Tea Quarterly magazine recently proclaimed McCharles House in Tustin the “best traditional tea service in North America.” The restaurant and tea room serves tea Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a candlelight tea menu from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. During summer months, tea is served both inside the Victorian House and outdoors, amid the herbs, hollyhocks, roses, Canterbury bells and other blooms. The address: 335 S. C St. Reservations: (714) 731-4063.

“Fresh Mex” is the concept of the two Chevys Mexican Restaurants which opened recently in Fountain Valley and Irvine. These are the first Southern California units for Warren and Scooter Simmons, who founded the family-owned company in Northern California six years ago. By “fresh,” they mean an emphasis on food that is not canned or frozen, salsa made every 30 minutes and tortillas produced at a rate of 900 per hour (by “el machino”). The place is family-oriented, with a special menu and balloons for the kids. Noted for fajitas made with fresh chicken breast and outside skirt steak, and homemade chili rellenos, lunches begin at $4.95 (with 15-minute service guaranteed), while dinners are priced from $6.25 to $13.95. Both Chevys are open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. In Irvine, where the 140-seat patio overlooks Woodbridge Lake, the address is 4700 Barranca Parkway, in the Woodbridge Shopping Center, (714) 559-5808. In Fountain Valley, the address is 18727 Brookhurst St., (714) 963-3008.

Prego Ristorante recently launched a Thursday evening Wine Tasting Al Fresco series with live jazz from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Held on Prego’s open-air patio, the weekly tastings, at $2.50 a glass, focus on a different vintner’s selection each week. Spuntini , which translates as little bites, accompany the wines, and Walter Lakota and the New York Connection entertain. The address: 18420 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. (714) 553-1333.

Il Fornaio Cucina Expressa, an offshoot of Il Fornaio restaurant and bakery in Irvine, opened in the South Coast Plaza area this week. The focus here is self-service Italian fare in a dramatic setting, with prices from $2.95 to $12.95. The Expressa will open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday and at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and will serve until 11 p.m. Sunday through Friday, till midnight Friday and Saturday. The address: 650 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, between the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel and the Plaza Tower. (714) 668-0880.

Pastas, salads, even pizzas . . . in an Indian restaurant? They’re part of the light summer lunch fare at Gandhi. A few examples: fettuccine or linguine with lamb or shrimp in a Masala sauce; spicy shrimp salad; pizza with a naan base, topped with chicken tikka, homemade cheese, tomato curry, cilantro and garlic. These new lunches, including homemade ice cream, are $5.95 to $7.95. Gandhi serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday at 1621 Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana, in South Coast Plaza Village. (714) 556-7273.

Tapas Bar and Grill, which has featured flamenco on Thursday nights, now has a Saturday program as well. Two dancers and a guitarist entertain from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays and 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturdays. The restaurant also recently launched a “Go for the Gold” Olympic promotion. Come in and have a meal, receive an entry form and choose the country which will receive a gold medal in any one of 20 Olympic events. Correct entries go into a drawing (to be held Aug. 12) for a trip to Spain via Iberia Airlines. Tapas is located at 4253 Martingale Way, Newport Beach. (714) 756-8194.

South Coast Repertory and El Torito Grill in Costa Mesa have teamed up for a Latin Combo package. For $59 ($69 on Fridays and Saturdays), you will get two tickets to a performance by the comedy troupe Latins Anonymous at SCR and a three-course dinner for two at the restaurant. Prices include tax and tip. Dinner begins with salad or soup; then moves to an entree of shrimp or steak fajitas, mesquite-grilled fresh fish or a grilled chicken breast with roasted tomato-herb sauce. The finale is your selection from the dessert tray. The package is available through Sunday through either SCR at (714) 957-4033 or El Torito Grill at (714) 662-2672. El Torito Grill is at 633 Anton Blvd.