ORANGE COUNTY DINING

In these capsules of recent reviews, dollar signs indicate the average price of a meal for one, without beverages.

$: less than $10.

$$: up to $20.

$$$: up to $30.

$$$$: more than $30.

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BLUE AGAVE SOUTHWESTERN GRILL: A fun, slightly kitchy theme restaurant, but the food does not suffer. Good beef, such as carne asada adovada in blackened tomatillo sauce. Some thoughtful fusion dishes (kebabs with chipotle-spiked orange marmalade), some trad Mexican (excellent carnitas) and 92 primo tequilas at the bar.

* Blue Agave Southwestern Grill, 18601 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda. (714) 970-5095. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

THE BUNGALOW: The Bungalow specializes in trendy cocktails (a million fruit-juice-based martinis) and expensive, high-quality prime beef, the pride and joy being the ribeye. But this toniest of Orange Coast steakeries also offers fine seafood (e.g. a decadent lobster tail), novel appetizers and a meaty rack of lamb. $$$

* The Bungalow, 2441 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. (949) 673-6585. Open for dinner daily.

CAFE CALIFORNIA: For a warm, energetic, contemporary-looking place with a bit of Asian influence on the menu, try Cafe California. For appetizers, try the chicken spring roll or the corn crisp calamari. For entrees, the crab-crusted halibut perfectly cooked and the mois “chicken under a brick” is redolent of garlic and rosemary.

* Cafe California, The Shops at Mission Viejo, (949) 347-9333. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

CAFFE PIEMOTE: A family-owned place that serves excellent northern Italian food with a personal touch. Try the calamari saltati alla marinara, tagliolini alla Bolognese and osso buco.

* Caffe Piemonte, 498 E. 1st St., Tustin. (714) 544-8072. Lunch Tuesday-Friday, dinner Tuesday-Saturday. $$

CAPRICCIO: It doesn’t hold back on big flavors like garlic and capers. The massive pasta dishes are smothered with aromatic sauces and, with some dishes, savory shrimp, mussels and clams.

* Capriccio Italiano Ristorante. 25380 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo. (949) 855-6866. Lunch Monday-Friday, dinner daily. $

FIVE CROWNS: A theme restaurant that has been doing the Olde English inn thing so long it’s acquired a paradoxical authenticity. The food’s more than acceptable, too. Salads and appetizers are always good, and you can’t go wrong ordering the roast duck.

* Five Crowns, 3801 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. (949) 760-0331. Dinner daily. $$$