Three New Eateries Whet Appetites for French, Scandinavian, Mexican

Out with the old year, in with the new restaurants.

The yellow cottage suggests both Brittany and upstate Maine, but the cuisine at Aubergine, which opened Monday, is “modern French.” Newlywed owners Liza and Tim Goodell come via Newport Beach’s Four Seasons Hotel and Pascal, respectively; a third chef, Florent Marneau of Fontainebleau, also came from Pascal.

The menu at Aubergine changes daily. Entrees start at $9.50; tart tatin of pintade (guinea hen on puffed pastry) with braised turnips and sherry vinegar sauce, and sauteed veal sweetbreads with baby leeks and balsamic vinaigrette, are both $14. Desserts, $6, include a brown butter and vanilla bean blancmange with roasted figs and port essence.

Open Monday through Saturday for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m.

The Viking Cafe serves traditional Scandinavian dishes, desserts and coffees. Custard-filled cakes, kringles and other Danish pastries are baked daily in-house; open-face sandwiches include gravad lax (pickled salmon, $3.50). One wall features a mural dedicated to 8th-Century Vikings; another is dedicated to works of local artists.

Viking Cafe is open Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also in Irvine, La Salsa recently launched its 43rd location nationwide, the fourth in Orange County. As part of the restaurant’s grand opening fiesta, mariachi bands and 99-cent chicken tacos will be featured Tuesday through Dec. 17.

La Salsa in Irvine is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Aubergine, 508 29th St., Newport Beach. (714) 723-4150.

La Salsa, Crossroads Center, 3850 Barranca Parkway, Irvine. (714) 786-7692.

Viking Cafe, 5325 University Drive, Irvine. (714) 262-0404.

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Those wondering which bubbly to give this season were able to do a bit of comparison shopping at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa on Sunday; tasters at the two-part “Champagne and Sparkling Extravaganza” voted with both their pens and pocketbooks. Event organizer Michael Nguyen and guest speaker Peter Koff said the Bollinger 1982 R.D. ($99) edged Krug 1985 for the top spot among luxury cuvees including Dom Perignon; the public preferred Roederer 1988 Cristal ($100). Among more affordable gift wines, Nguyen said, the public liked Mumm 1990 “DVX” Napa ($19).

Royal Khyber in Newport Beach now offers complete meals for takeout. A quarter tandoori chicken is $2.95 (half $4.25, whole $6.75), and that includes naan bread, sauteed onions and yogurt salad; for $1.50 more you can also have spinach, dal (lentils), eggplant or rice pilaf. Owner Arun Puri said it was his daughter’s idea; Shalini Puri is a marketing major at USC, and the restaurant was her term project. She got an A on her paper.

Sundays and Mondays from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., Carmelo’s Ristorante in Corona del Mar offers samplings from its menu, gratis. Entertainment begins nightly at 8:30, and the restaurant figures you might want to order a glass of wine, but you don’t have to order anything to try such dishes as prosciutto pizza or rigatoni ai quattro fromaggi --and no matter how you slice it, that’s four cheeses at no charge.