At Gustaf Anders, Smoke Gets Blown Out the Door

Gustaf Anders has announced that it will join a half-dozen other Orange County restaurants and ban smoking, effective Sept. 1.

“We feel the vast majority of our patrons will appreciate the fact that they will soon be able to enjoy a fine meal without having to sit near smokers,” said Bill Gustaf-Magnuson, co-owner of the continental restaurant, which specializes in Swedish dishes.

Diners will still be able to smoke on the restaurant’s outdoor patio.

1651 Sunflower Ave., South Coast Plaza Village, Santa Ana. (714) 668-1737.

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Q Tortas, one of two restaurants in rustic Silverado Canyon, has temporarily closed. A sign on the door says the Mexican restaurant is closed for a month for remodeling. No one was answering the phone there this week.

The closure leaves canyon diners with a choice of the Pali Cafe or dinner at home.

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The Westin South Coast Plaza has introduced a pasta menu, which it will feature until the end of July. Dishes are from Mediterranean countries, Asia and the recesses of chef Hans Loschl’s imagination. They include smoked salmon with spinach linguine, zucchini fettuccine al mare, spicy shrimp and mint noodles, chocolate fettuccine with pistachio nut sauce and apple lasagna.

686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. (714) 662-6694.

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The Hotel Laguna is hosting an oyster weekend beginning tonight at 7 p.m. with a champagne tasting and seminar on shellfish. Bill Marinelli of Marinelli Shellfish will match different oysters with complementary champagnes. The cost is $30. Champagnes include Domaine Chandon Brut, Roederer Brut Estate and Laurent Perrier.

Friday through Sunday, Hotel Laguna will offer oyster and shellfish specials and bring in some beers to complement those specials, among them Bass Ale, Harp Lager and Guinness Stout. The price for the specials with beer is from $5 to $8.

425 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. (714) 494-1151.

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McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant will host a wine-tasting on July 22 to benefit the American Cancer Society. The wines are being donated by Raymond (a California vineyard), and all proceeds will go to the charity.

The tasting runs from 5 to 8 p.m. The first glass is $3, and each glass after that is $2.

2000 Main St., Irvine. (714) 756-0505.

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The McCharles House Tea Room in Tustin is getting a head start on the Christmas season. The Victorian-style tea house has decorated with garlands of evergreen and roses, harking back to an 18th-Century tradition of planning for Christmas in July. Those were the days when gifts were hand-made and required months of preparation, explained McCharles House owners Audrey and Vivian Heredia.

335 S. C St. (714) 731-4063.