Comfort food? Not yet

Tim and Liza Goodell have been busy lately. The owners of Aubergine in Newport Beach and Troquet in Costa Mesa have branched out with Whist in Santa Monica and two new Orange County restaurants, Red Pearl Kitchen and Lodge. Each of the restaurants has a distinct personality; better than cloning the same concept over and over.

The latest, a playful take on the hunting or fishing lodge, is the perfect concept for its setting. Lodge is in an eccentric mall called the Camp, a stone’s throw from Memphis restaurant and the funky Lab (which bills itself as the “anti-mall”); in other words, the stomping grounds of O.C.’s youthful bohemians.

It’s out there, all right. The Camp’s buildings appear to be constructed of corrugated galvanized aluminum and glass -- very low-profile. There’s an outdoor and mountaineering store, a surfing and snowboarding shop and a yoga school.

Following the arrows pointing toward the Lodge, we pass plantings of native grasses and artfully placed rocks. Hidden speakers project the sound of waves washing on shore, so it’s startling to see a couple of scuba divers in full gear emerge from a swimming pool at night. It turns out the Camp includes a scuba center, too. And around a bend, we find a campfire burning all by itself, with no “campers” around.

At Lodge, you’re greeted by a roaring fire (probably fake) in a ‘60s-style stone fireplace. The bar stools are molded fiberglass in bright colors. A few token deer heads and a pouting boar’s head hang on the wall. And the view -- well, it’s the lights of the Lab “anti-mall” across the street.

The place is only half full, yet the noise level is enough to make ordering a challenge. It looks like girls’ night out at one table -- the one having the most fun -- and a birthday party at another.

The food is right in keeping with the design: American comfort food from the Ozzie and Harriet era. That means iceberg lettuce in blue cheese dressing, pork and beans, meatloaf, pot roast and the like, along with macaroni and cheese and, of course, a burger and a BLT.

The steamed mussels and clams are nice. So are the plump little peeky toe crab cakes and the meaty baby back ribs. Artichoke stuffed with garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs and Parmesan is a good appetizer to share, the bracelet-like onion rings, too. The main courses could use some tweaking, though. The chicken pot pie is as floury as wallpaper paste, and some of the meat dishes aren’t well executed.

The Lodge is very new, and it’s hard to tell how it will shake out. Still, I’m beginning to wonder whether the Goodells have the infrastructure to keep the quality up at every one of their restaurants. Time will tell.

*

The Lodge at the Camp

Where: 2937 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday; dinner, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 5:30 to 10 p.m. or later Thursday through Saturday; closed Sunday.

Prices: Dinner appetizers $6 to $11; main courses $9 to $28.

Drinks: Full bar.

Parking: Lot parking in the Camp.

Info: (714) 751-1700.