Wolfgang Puck, Unchained

Puck, ObaChine Splitsville: Wolfgang Puck has divested himself (and his Wolfgang Puck Food Co.) of the ObaChine restaurants. At one time he’d had three: in Seattle, Phoenix and Beverly Hills. The ObaChines in Seattle and Phoenix were sold a few months ago.

We asked Frank Guidara, president and chief executive of the Wolfgang Puck Food Co., about the decision to let the restaurants go. It was a matter of strategy, he said. He pointed to the expandability and compatibility of the other businesses that the company oversees. For instance, the frozen foods division makes pizzas that are similar to the ones sold in the Wolfgang Puck Cafes, and both of those concepts can easily be expanded. (The cafes, for instance, can be turned into “grand cafes” with more upscale dining rooms.) The Asian-oriented ObaChine concept wasn’t as adaptable.

And then there was the profitability issue. “It just didn’t generate the kind of profits it should have,” Guidara says. “It was a good idea, but not a solid investment.” So the Wolfgang Puck Food Co. will take the money from the sale of the ObaChines and put it into its other divisions, such as its new line of canned soups, scheduled to hit grocery stores in the coming months.

Meanwhile, the Beverly Hills ObaChine is now in the possession of nighclub owners Mark Fleischman and Daniel Fitzgerald. (It’s a homecoming of sorts for Fleischman--a few years ago he owned Tatou right across Beverly Drive.) They’ll close the place Monday for renovations and reopen it in early October as as pretty much the same upscale Asian restaurant that ObaChine was--chef Naoki Yuchiyama will remain, turning out essentially the same menu--only under the new name Tsunami. The downstairs satay and sushi bar will add music and dancing, and a private dining room and lounge. Says Martin, “Beverly Hills can get ready for something hip and fun.” (The question is, does Beverly Hills want something hip and fun?)

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A Baby Bizou on the Way: Cafe Bizou, the very popular Sherman Oaks boi^te (at 14016 Ventura Blvd.), might be gaining a sister. Owner-chef Neal Rogers and partner Philippe Gris plan to take over the old Papashon location at 91 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. But le nouveau Bizou won’t be ready for business until some time in October. Rogers wants to rip out all of the kitchen equipment and replace it. He also wants to brighten the dining room by making it more open.

The decision to open a second restaurant took Rogers and Gris five years. Their hesitancy is perhaps understandable--they opened the first Cafe Bizou (at a smaller location a few blocks away from the current Bizou) by maxing out their credit cards. Now, however, they have a little buffer in the bank. Rogers plans to open the Pasadena location only for dinner, so he can split his time between the two restaurants. “I’ll be going back and forth,” he says, “just keeping my beady eye on everything.” Luckily, he already has a kitchen crew he trusts in Sherman Oaks.

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Beside the Bay: A new restaurant from the owners of Bistango in Irvine is opening in Newport Beach at the old Gladstone’s 4 Fish space in the Bayside Center. Dubbed Bayside, natch, the new place will serve contemporary American food with an emphasis on fish and shellfish. More than 700 wines will complement the menu put together by chef Paul Gstrein. The floors are made of jakoba wood, the chairs and banquettes are upholstered in jewel tones, the bar is stainless-steel mesh and large windows overlook the bay. Bayside should open around mid-September.

* Bayside, 900 Bayside Drive, Newport Beach; (949) 721-1222.

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A Sudden Shark Death: The Shark Bar on La Cienega Boulevard closed abruptly July 29. It was part of a chain of restaurants owned by Soul Food Concepts out of New York. The official word on the closing is “no comment.” In June, Marlene Clark had been appointed general manager in order to make it a little less like a club and more like a restaurant, and new chef Deborah Kelly had come in from Chicago to take care of the food. The three other Shark Bar restaurants--in Chicago, New York and Atlanta--remain open.

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A Lot of Money Goes a Long Way: Gladstone’s 4 Fish has finished its $3-million renovations. The waiting area now has seating and an unobstructed view of the ocean. The inside bar is bigger, and the front dining room now has a better view as well. The middle dining room has been completely redone with 23-foot-high ceilings and sliding balcony doors. Steve Herbert, vice president of this Gladstone’s (and R.J.’s in Beverly Hills), told us, “Before, it was like eating in a barn.” It’s at 17300 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades; call (310) 573-0212 for reservations.

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From Brioche to Onion Loaf: There’s a new baker in town supplying restaurants. You may have tasted his fig bread at One on La Brea Avenue or his baguettes at Mimosa on Beverly Boulevard. Last week he opened his shop, Le Pain du Jour, to the public. His name is Franck Herve-Commereuc and he runs his French bakery with his wife, Karine. Le Pain du Jour is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Sunday, providing 32 types of loaves, including baguettes, ba^tards and ciabattas--and rolls.

* Le Pain du Jour, 828 Pico Blvd., L.A.; (310) 399-4870.

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A Green Thumb: Behind Alto Palato, owner Danilo Terribili is growing tomatoes, peas, Swiss chard, zucchini, eggplant, lettuce, flowers and lots of herbs in a huge garden that runs the length of the restaurant. He began tending the soil and planting seven months ago and is now starting to see the results of his labor. You’ll see his results in Alto Palato’s new menu and in the daily specials. Alto Palato is at 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; call (310) 657-9271 for reservations.

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Pettera’s e-mail address is pettera @cwix.com.