Biz News: Publication ranks Hoag Hospital as O.C.’s best

Hoag Hospital topped the list for Orange County in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-20 Best Hospitals Rankings.

Along with being listed as the county’s highest-ranked hospital, the Newport Beach facility was ranked eighth in the state overall.

“Receiving this prestigious national recognition is a tribute to Hoag’s commitment to delivering the highest-quality, patient-centered care each and every day to the Orange County community,” said Hoag President and Chief Executive Robert T. Braithwaite, in a news release.

“We are so proud of our dedicated employees, medical staff, volunteers and our board who demonstrate compassion each and every day while providing this community a level of personalized care that is unsurpassed.”

New Japanese restaurant opening at South Coast Plaza

Marugame Udon, a quick-serve Japanese udon and tempura restaurant chain, will hold a grand opening for its new Costa Mesa location Saturday.

The restaurant inside South Coast Plaza will be offering discounts all day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The first 100 customers in line when the restaurant opens also will receive gift cards.

The eatery is located on Level 1 of the shopping center’s Din Tai Fung Wing, near Carousel Court.

Marugame Udon is the largest cafeteria-style chain of udon restaurants in the world, according to a news release. It has more than 1,000 locations in Japan and specializes in sanuki udon from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture.

For more information, visit marugameudon.com.

Laguna Beach resort debuts texting service

The Ranch at Laguna Beach resort has implemented a new texting-based concierge service.

Santa Monica-based Go Moment’s platform, called Ivy, helps deliver guest services such as answering questions about housekeeping, food and beverage options and other front desk tasks.

“Since adding Ivy to our team, we’ve seen outstanding results not only in guest service feedback and operational efficiency, but also as a revenue generator,” Christopher Wylie, rooms division director at The Ranch, said in a statement.

“A guest on the golf course can ask for towels and have them waiting when he returns to his room. The simple questions our staff would previously have to handle one at a time, Ivy can answer in seconds — giving our employees more time to focus on more complex requests and the attentive service that guests appreciate.”

H.B. distillery to expand with new facility

Surf City Still Works — a Huntington Beach craft distillery that makes gin, vodka and other spirits — recently celebrated its first anniversary and will be opening a new 25,000-square-foot facility behind its current space on Heil Avenue.

The expansion includes adding a brewery and restaurant, according to a report from the Orange County Register. When the larger space opens, Surf City’s smaller facility will close.

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