Only 2 Mentions of Wolfgang Puck in This Column

Openings, closings, grease fires, chefs’ tantrums, snotty maitre d’s . . . and that’s in an ordinary year. But last year was not ordinary.

True, Wolfgang Puck didn’t close a restaurant, but the economy was crummier than ever. And as California Pizza Kitchen and Planet Hollywood continued to clone themselves, there was a flap over dinner with Julia (Madame Child, that is), Roger Verge lost one of his precious three stars, Paul Bocuse was thrown out of the opera, Bernard left Spago (maitre d’ Erpicum, that is) and L.A. restaurants went non-smoking.

Here, in no particular order--and without once more mentioning Wolfgang Puck--is a look at restaurant ghosts, past and future.

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The La Toque Thing: After years of talking about it, Ken Frank finally sold his 13-year-old restaurant, La Toque. Last year customers wore themselves out attending a series of last meals: the last all-truffle dinner, the last Cinco de Mayo dinner, the final garlic dinner, the final mushroom menu. Meanwhile, the restaurant turned 14.

Now comes the news that Frank will be cooking at House of Blues, Isaac Tigrett’s blues-themed restaurant when it opens in West Hollywood in March. The 28,000-square-foot celebrity-supported restaurant and blues club will have a pivoting bar suspended from the ceiling and a very private room and kitchen upstairs called the Foundation Room, where Frank will cook special dinners for Tigrett’s special customers.

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Yujean & Friends: First he had his eye on the former Trumps space in West Hollywood, but there were others ahead of him. Finally, after having the place checked out by a feng shui master to ensure the environment was in harmony with nature, Yujean Kang bought Ken Frank’s La Toque property. Although he has no plans to close the Pasadena restaurant that bears his name, the new space, to also be named Yujean Kang’s, will clearly become the flagship restaurant.

With his new location due to open sometime this spring, Kang has hired a top designer from Taiwan to completely remodel the space. And because he hopes to attract rich Hong Kong businessmen, Kang’s already shopping for Cristofle silver, luxurious Frette linens and 14K gold-tipped chopsticks that cost $160 a pair.

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Dinner With Julia: The world’s finest French male chefs may have gained a whole new appreciation for their female counterparts after being publicly scolded by the legendary French-born Madeleine Kamman for not being invited to a dinner honoring Julia Child last February. Only two women were on the original “Merci Julia” guest list at the Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, and a few more were invited after this fact was revealed. At the very least, the country gained two organizations that plan to encourage young women to go into the restaurant business with scholarships, job training and a networking system.

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Nothing Lasts Forever: Last year’s list includes long-time favorites Vickman’s Restaurant and Bakery, Stellini’s, Gorky’s Cafe & Brewery, Pioneer Boulangerie, Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room and Nickodell.

The year was brutal for “T” restaurants. Tulipe, Tryst, Tuttobene, Tuttopasta, Tse Yang and Trigo all called it quits. Other closures: Luma, Cafe Morpheum/Asylum, Bice, Duplex, Il Giardino, Picnic, Red Car Grill, Mary’s Lamb, Dale’s Bistro and Rondo.

Now, say sources, Chasen’s and Broadway Deli are for sale.

Considering that 50% of restaurants fail in their first year, look for more closings in 1994.

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There’s No Plates Like Home: First there were the tamales served on the saintly Our Lady of Guadalupe plates. Then there were the shocking messages D.O.A. and drive by stenciled on dishes of Thai shrimp and veal chops. Now that he’s got our attention, Bikini’s John Sedlar is opening Abiquiu, a Southwestern restaurant named after a pueblo in northern New Mexico where Sedlar grew up. “Shirley MacLaine just bought my great-grandfather’s ranch there,” says Sedlar.

Located on the Bikini patio, Abiquiu will be a more casual, spicier version of St. Estephe, Sedlar’s former Manhattan Beach restaurant, and will operate out of a separate kitchen. Entree prices will range from $13 to $18.

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You Can Too Have Too Many Friends: Bernard Erpicum proved that knowing the right people doesn’t necessarily get you the best tables in town. In fact, the former Spago maitre d’ table-hopped one time too many at Drai’s, the celebrity-filled restaurant on La Cienega. Owner Victor Drai showed Erpicum the door for annoying his customers. Erpicum is expected to open his own place down the street from Drai’s in March. Will Drai be invited to the opening?

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While the Chef’s Away: Judges for the Guide Michelin obviously noticed that Roger Verge had been spending too much time away from his restaurants. Besides Le Moulin de Mougins and L’Amandier near Cannes, Verge’s empire includes a cafe in Monte Carlo, a restaurant in Disney World in Florida, another in Tokyo, a couple of cooking schools, a boutique, a line of china and glassware, a line of food products and a stove with his name on it. This year, Michelin withdrew one of Verge’s coveted three stars from Le Moulin de Mougins and left the one-star L’Amandier starless. Prediction? If Verge gets himself back in the kitchen and stays there, the stars will be in his favor.

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Another Aria, Another Place: Tall Paul Bocuse gave his all to open a 60-seat restaurant on the top floor of the restored Lyon Opera. In the end, city officials said “ Non .” So the three-star chef and three employees bought another Lyon landmark--the Brasserie du Nord.

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Cuisine du Councilman: Forget about whether or not L.A.’s ban on smoking is hurting business. According to City Councilman Marvin Braude, unless a restaurant is very competitive and top-notch, you don’t stay in business very long. Fine advice, responded L.A. restaurateurs, from the same man who says one of his all-time favorite restaurants is Souplantation.