2 Restaurants Make Effort to Serve the Community

A couple of local restaurants have been doing good works lately.

BJ’s Chicago Pizzeria in San Juan Capistrano closed its doors to the public one night last month and had the principal and teachers of Carl Hankey Elementary School in that city serve pizza to about 500 students and their families. The event raised $500 for the school, which is facing budget cutbacks.

31781 Camino Capistrano. (714) 489-9771.

And Marie Callender’s in Tustin recently donated hot meals to more than 300 tenants of a low-income housing area. Said general manager Brian McDonough, “I don’t see it as an expense as much as an investment . . . in the community.”

721 W. 1st St. (714) 731-5541.

Villa Nova, the landmark Northern Italian restaurant in Newport Beach, is under new ownership. The restaurant, which has operated under bankruptcy court protection since last April, was purchased by Andrew Crean, the son of a wealthy builder of recreational vehicles. Crean bought the business for $107,000. He said he will spend $200,000 to renovate the waterfront restaurant, to bring it back to its former beauty.

3131 W. Pacific Coast Highway. (714) 642-7880.

Bistango has changed its name to Bistango Gallery Restaurant to reflect its commitment to art, according to owner John Ghoukassian. The restaurant brings in new artwork every two months, and customers may purchase the pieces. The latest exhibit includes works by California artists Ron Davis, Frank Dixon, Jay McCafferty and Bret Price.

19100 Von Karman, Irvine. (714) 752-0868.

Anne Michaud is a staff writer for The Times Orange County Edition. Information for the Newsbites column can be Faxed to (714) 966-5663, or addressed to: Newsbites/OC Live!, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., CA 92626. Or call (714) 966-7898.