Movies and Pop: the Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Phenoms

Unless you’ve been on some other planet these past weeks, you must know that a Planet Hollywood has opened in South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana and that the wraps will come off a Hard Rock Cafe in Newport Center on Sunday. So what do these big-city, internationally famous nightspots bring us in the way of food? And how much does it cost?

At Planet Hollywood, 1641 Sunflower Ave., where the decor focuses on movies and television, the menu is “California classic,” which means you’ll find pastas, salads, pizzas, a selection of grilled meats and fish, hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers etc. Prices range from $5.95 for buffalo wings to $9.95 for Chinese chicken salad; $8.95 for a pizza to $16.95 for grilled swordfish with lemon and fresh-herb olive oil. The full menu is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. (the place closes at 2 a.m.), and there’s no admission or cover. (714) 434-STAR.

The Hard Rock Cafe at 451 Newport Center Drive--another mini-museum, this one focusing on rock ‘n’ roll--will serve veggie burgers too, and also fajitas, but mostly the emphasis will be on such hearty, all-American fare as grilled hamburgers, chicken, fresh fish, ribs and big salads. There’ll be fresh soup daily and fresh desserts, including the Hard Rock’s famous banana split. Prices will start at $5.95 for salads and sandwiches; entrees will range from $8.95 to $12.95 (for steak).

It’ll be open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight (from noon on Sundays), and you’ll be able to order food till 11:30 p.m. No admission or cover here either. The Hard Rock will present a free grand opening bash featuring the Neville Brothers on Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m. (the Nevilles go on at 6) and will open officially for business Monday evening at 5. (714) 640-8844.

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All during November, if you take a can of food to donate to Share Our Selves, a charity in Costa Mesa that feeds the hungry, Scott’s Seafood Grill at 3300 Bristol St. in Costa Mesa will take $10 off your bill for two or more entrees. (714) 979-2400.

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Julia Child will receive the 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award and Dinah Shore will be given the 1992 Bon Vivant Award on Sunday, Nov. 22, at the annual Ritz-Carlton World of Wines Festival at 33533 Ritz-Carlton Drive in Dana Point. Shore will be honored during a champagne brunch that starts at 11, Child at a black-tie dinner-dance that will start at 8 after an hourlong reception.

Other highlights of the festival, which begins Nov. 19 and will continue through the 23rd: a black-tie reception and dinner-dance featuring food cooked by Ritz-Carlton chefs formerly associated with Michelin-rated restaurants in Europe (benefits the Olive Crest Abused Children’s Foundation); a luncheon prepared by chefs from some of Southern California’s better Italian restaurants; an American wine tasting, with selections from 100 wineries; and “The Greatest Combinations,” a seminar on pairing foods and wines. Costs range from $34 for a Madeira tasting seminar to $150 for the gala dinners. (714) 489-5897.

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The Single Gourmet dining group will visit Carmelo’s in Corona del Mar on Nov. 12, Dizz’s As Is in Laguna Beach on Nov. 16 and Mystery Cafe in Santa Ana Heights on Nov. 20. Pascal, Five Crowns and Bistango are on the list for December. These evenings begin at 6:30; costs range from $39 to $52. Information: (714) 854-6552.

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Salvatore Cucina Italiana at 27001 La Paz Road in Mission Viejo will serve a multicourse Italian seafood feast on Monday between 5 and 10 p.m. Fresh mussels with olive oil, garlic and white wine, lobster soup and angel hair pasta with red caviar sauce will precede fresh salmon filet in roasted red sweet pepper sauce or, if you prefer, scampi alla Salvatore. $24.95 ($19.95 to members of Salvatore’s dining club), includes coffee and dessert. Reservations: (714) 859-4572.

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WINE DINNERS: Rare Robert Mondavi vintage wines--the 1979 Cabernet Reserve, 1978 Cabernet, 1986 Opus One and 1974 Zinfandel--and Mondavi’s new sparkling wine will be served with dinner tonight at Antoine in Le Meridien, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. The cost: $110, not including tax and tip. It starts at 7. (714) 476-2001.

Miljenko (Mike) Grgich, the man credited with putting California chardonnay on the map, will be at Mr. Stox, 1105 E. Katella Ave. in Anaheim, Friday night for a dinner showcasing three vintages of his Grgich Hills Chardonnay and also his 1986 Alexander Valley Zinfandel and his 1990 Fume Blanc. The event will start at 7 and will cost $75 including tax and tip. (714) 634-2994.

Chef John McLaughlin will serve Robert Mondavi wines with a special five-course menu on Nov. 13 at JW’s in the Anaheim Marriott, 700 W. Convention Way. Highlights of the menu: steamed Maine lobster with sweet corn and crisp polenta, osso buco of wild boar with barley risotto. Seatings between 6 and 10 p.m. (714) 750-0900.

At Bistango, 19100 Von Karman Ave. in Irvine, Wednesdays are wine dinner nights as chef Paul Gstrein matches four courses with wines from four wineries. The dinners cost $37.50 plus tax and gratuity and are served between 5 and 10:30 p.m. (714) 752-5222.