Owner Says Chadwick Will Return

Chadwick Closes: Chadwick, the 2-year-old Beverly Hills restaurant dedicated to the ideals of organic growing, closed on Sept. 14. Named after Alan Chadwick, the British-born gardening guru, the restaurant is owned by chef Ben Ford, the son of actor Harrison Ford. Ford, along with co-chef Govind Armstrong, had earned acclaim for cuisine that was both serious and playful. He said that the restaurant would reopen early next month, after a review of its finances. “It’s simply a financial restructuring,” Ford said. “Chadwick will remain Chadwick with me as the chef. I’ll know more in the next week.” So will all of us. Stay tuned.

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Ago Goes National: Agostino Sciandri and his partner, actor Robert De Niro, plan to open an Ago Restaurant in Ian Schrager’s Shore Club in Miami in December, followed by branches in Chicago and New York City. The Chicago Ago will be housed in a 1926 building on Michigan Avenue that the Hard Rock Corp. intends to turn into a 400-room hotel. It will open in the fall of 2003. As for New York, Sciandri says, “It’s another big project, but I can’t discuss it yet.”

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New Chef for Le Merigot: Desi Szonntagh, who was executive sous chef at the Bel-Air and chef at One Pico in Santa Monica, has taken over the kitchen at Le Merigot Hotel in Santa Monica. He intends to blend California and Provencal cooking to create a simple, flavorful menu. Szonntagh will oversee the hotel’s main restaurant, Cezanne, as well as food at the hotel spa and cafeteria.

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A Sunset Make-Over: Dodd Mitchell has another venture to add to his long list of restaurant design projects. He’ll be remaking the Hyatt on Sunset, a hotel known for its marvelous views but never considered one of the hippest spots in town. Mitchell is planning poolside dim sum on the roof and a downstairs restaurant that will included a hand-carved Indian stone bar and an atmosphere “dripping with sexuality.” He’s looking for a chef to head a Pan-Asian kitchen. The name is still in the works, but the opening is firmly scheduled for mid-November. The Hyatt on Sunset is at 8401 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

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Duck News: Lucky Duck Restaurant and Bar, that hopping La Brea hotspot, is now open for dinner nightly as well as serving lunch Monday through Friday. Starting Monday, Oct. 7, the bar area will be serving half a dozen kinds of noodle soup (under $7 a bowl) and will, of course, prefer to be known as the Duck Soup Noodle Bar. And next month, owner Philip Chiang’s mother, legendary restaurateur Cecilia Chiang, will host a dinner of Chinese fall dishes Oct. 23.

* Lucky Duck, 672 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 931-9660.

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More Duck News: We’ve reported on the end of the road for Harry’s Bar and American Grill in its soon-to-be-torn-down ABC Entertainment Center building in Century City. Another casualty is Jade West, which has been serving there for 29 years. (Unlike Harry’s, it’s not gone for good, just moving to a new location in Century City.) To mark the occasion, Jade West is offering two of its specialties at 1973 rates--Chinese chicken salad at $3.95 (instead of $10) and Peking duck at $14.75 (instead of the usual $36). This deal holds through the end of October; if you want the duck dinner, you have to order in advance.

Jade West, ABC Entertainment Center, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Century City. (310) 556-3388.

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KO for Kids: The Arroyo Chop House will host amateur boxing Oct. 11--not in the restaurant itself, but under a tent in the parking lot. The boxing is sanction by the American Boxing Federation and proceeds will benefit Huntington Memorial Hospital’s pediatric services, hence the $160 tab ($190 for ringside seating). Of course, that does include a steak dinner at 6:30 p.m., with plenty of time to clear your table for the fighting at 8. Reservations essential; all tickets will be held at the door.

* Arroyo Chop House, 536 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, (626) 577463.

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Small Bites: On Saturday, Wolfgang Puck and Barbara Lazaroff will host the 20th American Wine and Food Festival, which benefits the Meals on Wheels programs of Los Angeles. Chefs participating in the evening include Michael Mina of Aqua in San Francisco, Tom Colicchio of Craft in New York and Paul Prudhomme of K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans. The event will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at Universal Studios back lot in Universal City. Advance tickets cost $250; $300 at the door. For information:(310) 234-1984.... Jean-Francois Meteigner is trying his hand at elegant vegan food. On Sunday, La Cachette is offering an eight-course vegan dinner with dishes like lentil smoked tofu salad with balsamic vinegar. Dinner without wine is $55 per person.... Evan Kleinman, chef at Angeli Caffe on Melrose, is leading a culinary vacation in Tuscany, Oct. 26 to Nov. 1. The trip, which costs $3,000 per person not including air fare, includes cooking and excursions around the region. For information, (323) 936-9086.