Restaurant

With one of the hottest summers on record finally drawing to a close, Popsicles and hot dogs are making way for more creative culinary experiences. Enter Costa Mesa Restaurant Week, a perfect opportunity to try out 34 area restaurants with fixed-price menus that are ideal for all palates and budgets. Starting Friday, Restaurant Week runs through Aug. 24. * A price good for the soul Soul food favorite Memphis, 2920 Bristol St., is offering a steal of a deal. A prix fixe lunch there will set you back $14.12.

Long lines of cars and more than 200 people snaked through the Chick-fil-A at Harbor Boulevard and Gisler Avenue on Wednesday, turning out for a fan-based event meant to support the chain restaurant under national criticism after its chief executive took a public stance against gay marriage. Men, women and children - some coming from as far away as Riverside - stood in line for more than an hour and a half to order their waffle fries and chicken sandwiches during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. The line switch backed through the interior and wrapped around the exterior of the 163-person capacity building, though customers were patient and voiced few complains on the wait.

Jose Alonso had mixed emotions Tuesday night. The El Torito Grill head chef was happy to still have a job, but sad to see that a big part of his life was shutting down, as it was the Newport Beach location's last day of operation after 26 years at the location. Alonso started working at the El Torito at Fashion Island 23 years ago, when he cleaned the restaurant. Two weeks after he was hired, he said he was promoted to prepare for the cooks. After three years of prep, he moved to a spot on the line, where he worked for another three years until he became the second chef.

A man arrested by Newport Beach police on suspicion of carrying a loaded, unregistered gun and making threats is expected to be in court Friday for a pretrial hearing, records show. Henry Saxon Learmont, 36, of Castaic is accused of threatening a business associate while at Islands restaurant about 9:30 p.m. July 17, according to Sgt. Joe Cartwright. Upon arriving to the eatery at 1380 Bison St., police found Learmont in the parking lot in possession of a loaded gun and arrested him, Cartwright said.

There's a new chef in town. After bouncing around more than four kitchens over the past decade, Greg Harrison has taken the reins as Five Crowns' executive chef. "I'm going to change it up," he said in a crisp white chef's uniform, his enthusiasm evident as he sat on a bar stool. "I'm bringing new ideas to the table. " Harrison, 35, replaced Ryan O'Melveny Wilson, 31, from Lawry's Restaurants, the restaurant group that includes Five Crowns, on June 19. Wilson, the grandson of Five Crowns founder Richard Frank, acted as executive chef after veteran Dennis Brask retired after 26 years at the helm in February 2011.

Mostly everyone who frequents Landmark Steakhouse in Corona del Mar knows about the crazy, fun optometrist. He's the guy who likes to party and every once in a while he'll create a theme so he can have some more fun with his friends. They were at it again June 15, this time with a vintage punch bowl, loud-colored clothing and big hair. Hans Steimann, the 31-year-old optometrist from Santa Ana, was at the center of the night with a smile, of course, and a hug for you if you dressed up for his Awesome 80s Prom party.

The Landmark restaurant in Corona del Mar has been sold, owner Mario Marovic said in an interview this week. “I had to make a decision,” Marovic said. “Am I going to work more? I'm ready to spend time with my family.” Marovic said the arrival of his second child in April factored into his decision. His daughter, Kate, is 10 weeks old, and his daughter, Grace, will be 3 next month. “Work begins the second I wake up in the mornings through the minute when I go to sleep,” he said.

The Shore House Cafe in Newport Beach has closed, according to sources. The Balboa Peninsula restaurant on Balboa Boulevard and Main Street was first spotted featuring a "for lease" sign on its doors in early June, according to the Orange County Register. The Daily Pilot reported last year that the business had filed for bankruptcy. The Shore House, once part of a regional chain, closed about three weeks ago, said Fountain Valley resident Sarkis Hagopian, who works at a nearby business.

After more than 30 years of operation at Fashion Island, Coco's Bakery Restaurant will close May 31, officials confirmed this week. The casual, family-style restaurant has seen several months of declining sales, according to Jim Kensinger, executive vice president of operations of Catalina Restaurant Group, which owns the Coco's chain. Concluding the restaurant's lease at the end of this month, the Irvine Co. plans to utilize the space to create a new free-standing structure that will house Fig & Olive and other eateries, said Erin Freeman, the Irvine Co.'s senior vice president of corporate communications.

One retail center, two business partners and three restaurants opening - all within about four months. It would sound like a crazy plan to most, but for restaurateurs Noah Blom and Leonard Chan, it was opportunity calling. The three restaurants - a waffle sandwich and brew house, oyster bar, and a cocktail and classic American dishes eatery - are moving into the SouthCoast Collection shopping center on Hyland Avenue in Costa Mesa. "This is more about the center, and more about a collective effort of trying to create a culinary center in Orange County," Blom said.