Cannery in Newport Beach to Reopen With History Intact

The Cannery, Round 3: Ron Salisbury, the man who expanded El Cholo Mexican Restaurant into a chain of three and created Sonora Cafe on La Brea, is at it again. Together with a private owner, he will resurrect the Cannery, the seafood restaurant that was run for 28 years (until its closing last year) in an old waterfront cannery in Newport Beach. After the closing, a businessman decided he couldn’t bear to see it torn down and asked Salisbury to run another seafood restaurant in the space. The result will be the Cannery Pacific Seafood Grill and Cantina at 3010 Lafayette Blvd., to open around March next year. The old canning-machine parts will remain as part of the decor, as will the photos of the place as a working cannery. An open stairway connects two stories of seating. There will also be an outdoor deck for dining.

Felix Salcedo, chef of Sonora Cafe, will help Ron’s son Creed Salisbury design the menu, which will feature Pacific seafood and preparations inspired by Mexico, Japan, Washington and Alaska. Steve Herbert from Gladstone’s Malibu will be the managing partner.

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Menus of the Fall: Many restaurants’ menus are shifting to reflect the change in the weather:

Chadwick, the new Beverly Hills spot in the bungalow that used to house Chez Helene, has started serving afternoon tea. The weekly menu includes sandwiches, scones, tea cakes and loose leaf tea from Serendipitea. Tea is served from 2 to 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, $30 a head.

* Chadwick, 267 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 205-9424.

It’s truffle season at Tanino in Westwood. The perfumed fungus will go into a la carte menu specials ($18 to $65) and a four-course truffle tasting menu of soup, antipasti, pasta and fish or veal ($140).

* Tanino, 1043 Westwood Blvd., Westwood; (310) 208-0444.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House adds a mustard-glazed strip of seared buffalo to its menu through December. The buffalo (without any sides) is $26.95.

* Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 224 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 859-8744 and at Park Place, 2961 Michelson Drive, Irvine; (949) 252-8848.

Babita restaurant in San Gabriel celebrates pomegranate season by making chiles en nogada from now through December. Poblano peppers are stuffed with pork, fruits, nuts and caramelized cactus and topped with cream, goat cheese, nuts, and pomegranate seeds. The movie “Like Water for Chocolate” inspired Roberto Berrelleza to begin offering them at his restaurant. Chiles en nogada won’t be on the regular menu; you have to call ahead to reserve an order ($19.50).

* Babita, 1823 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 288-7265.

The Bistro Garden at Coldwater continues with its Oktoberfest specials from now until Tuesday [Oct. 31]. The German and Austrian dishes, such as schnitzel and bratwurst, run from $5.95 to $19.50.

* The Bistro Garden, 12950 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 501-0202.

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Doing Diwali: Flavor of India restaurant is celebrating Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, tonight through Saturday. This festival, which marks the beginning of the Hindu new year, represents the lifting of spiritual darkness. Flavor of India will have two special menus for the next couple of nights. Prices range from $15.95 to $19.95 for the three-course menus.

* Flavor of India, 9045 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 274-1715.

Bombay Cafe also has three-course vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus to celebrate Diwali. The menus are $27 and $32 respectively. The Diwali festival will run tonight through Sunday night.

* Bombay Cafe, 12021 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 473-3388.

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A Sterling Winery Dinner: The Bel-Air Bar & Grill will be pouring five Sterling Winery wines with a five-course meal plus hors d’oeuvres at 7 p.m. Monday. Dishes include butternut squash soup, filo-wrapped shrimp, pan-roasted salmon and mustard lamb chops. It’s $75 plus tax and tip.

* The Bel-Air Bar & Grill, 662 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Bel-Air; (310) 440-5544.

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Halloween Parties: Creep out your friends on Tuesday by taking them to Typhoon for Halloween specials that will include deep-fried water bugs stuffed with ground pork ($5.95), stir-fried spicy frogs ($7.95), eel soup with soft turtles ($15.95) and ant egg salad ($7.95). The regular menu is also being served.

* Typhoon, Santa Monica Airport, 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica; (310) 390-6565.

Tarot card readings and goofy menu names are part of the annual spookfest at Cha Cha Cha Encino. This year the menu specials run from $6 to $22 on Tuesday night.

* Cha Cha Cha Encino, 17499 Ventura Blvd., Encino; (818) 789-3600.

Costumes are requested at One Pico’s masquerade dinner. The five-course meal includes a mesclun salad and a cheese plate. The main course is your choice of roasted salmon, Chilean sea bass, steamed lobster, grilled veal chop or roasted sirloin with truffle sauce. Seating is at 7 p.m., the price is $95.

* One Pico, at Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 587-1717.

Angela Pettera can be reached at (213) 237-3153 or at pettera@prodigy.net