On The Table

Andrei, 31, and his sister Natalia Olenicoff, 23, of Laguna Beach in 2004. Sister's Grief Repurposed in Unusual Dining Spot

Laguna Beach resident Natalia Olenicoff is set to open an unusual restaurant with a two-fold purpose: it will serve as a living memorial to her older brother and will experiment with the concept of eating with a conscience.

Diners at Andrei's Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails in Irvine, expected to open in June, can expect to select from seasonal menu items made from natural and local ingredients. And Olenicoff, 28, who by day works for her father's real estate development company Olen Properties, intends to donate her share of the restaurant's profits to the Andrei Foundation. Her father also invested in the restaurant, whose kitchen will be headed by Yves Fournier.

The foundation contributes to CHOC, Guide Dogs for the Blind, St. Jude Children's Research and others. It was established to preserve the memory of Olenicoff's brother, Andrei, who died at 32, killed in a car accident in 2005, a year after his wedding.

Heather Gardea Nouvelle at French 75

The day after Mother's Day, on May 11, Laguna Beach's French 75 will temporarily close for at least three weeks for renovations, though the establishment will retain the same staff, food and ambiance, said general manager Nadine Hotong.

The restaurant intends to re-open with fresh décor by the first week of June.

"As some of you are already aware, French 75 Laguna Beach is going back to its roots; to being the only French 75 as we were originally. We are under new private ownership and are looking forward to making some exciting changes," Hotong said. French 75 was part of the Culinary Adventures Inc. restaurant group that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. The new owners declined to be identified until after the renovations take place, Hotong said.

Eating Out With Kids For Free

Just when dining out may be nixed from a tightened family budget, there are some tasty solutions that won't deprive you the pleasure of sitting down, relaxing, and having your meal served to you.

An Internet search can uncover free meals offered at local restaurants for kids. Every restaurant purposely develops experiences just for their target customers, and for family restaurants that means doing everything they can to attract more families.

"Some of these free meals are not just macaroni and cheese, mind you," said Heather Gardea, a Laguna Beach resident and executive chef for Coco's and Carrow's restaurants. "I became known as the 'family value chef' because I have a knack for finding the highest quality foods at affordable prices and pairing them into multi-course meals for under $8. I carefully balance proteins, fats and carbs so that the optimal nutrients can be had in one sitting."

Free kids meals are offered at any Coco's, in Corona del Mar, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Carrows, in Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, both after 4 p.m.

Greens on the Menu and in the Kitchen

Several Laguna Beach restaurants support local farmers and the slow food movement, according to an announcement from the city's Visitor's Bureau.

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa's chef keeps an onsite garden, but also buys from local farmers, such as Morning Song Farm in Rainbow, Calif., just outside of Temecula. They also contract for produce with Ingardia Brothers, based in Santa Ana. Only free trade certified coffee from Peet's Coffee is served.

La Sirena Grill works with several independent organic suppliers for organic dairy products and free-range poultry.

Montage Laguna Beach's forager is Kerry Clasbee of Fresh Off The Farm, who delivers specialty produce from organic and family farms from Sonoma to Paso Robles. They pour organically grown grape varietals also.

Nirvana Grille uses free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, natural dairy, and acquire organic produce such as green beans and heirloom tomatoes from South Coast Farms in San Juan Capistrano, when available. Strawberries are from several Orange County farms. Seafood, wild fish and sustainable sea bass are from a variety of purveyors, based on seasonality. Used vegetable oil is converted into fuel and all cleaning products are enzyme-based and ecofriendly. Because the city of Laguna Beach does not have a recycling program in place with restaurants, employees recycle the bottles and glass, reaping the income.

For Splashes Restaurant and Bar at the Surf & Sand Resort and Spa, Gwen Guliksen of Artainable Cuisine shops for organic produce at the Santa Monica Farmers Market and gets much of their beef from Brandt Farms just outside San Diego.

The restaurant's managers embraced several energytrimming measures. They now buy olive oil in 50-gallon drums that are refilled. They converted to longer-lasting frying oil, which reduces the amount needed. Kitchen grease and oil is recycled to produce bio-diesel fuel. All restaurant to-go containers and utensils are biodegradable. Kitchen rag use was trimmed to 300 a day from 600 by handing out towels to each employee. And last year, Chef Butler purchased a combi therm oven that cooks more quickly and a Pacojet icecream machine that quick-freezes ingredients.

Tabu Grill acquires their produce from L.A. Specialty, including organic baby greens and prepares a seasonal soup of the day. They acquire their fish and seafood locally from Santa Monica Seafood. They also work with Honolulu Fish Company, which delivers fish within 18 to 24 hours after being wild caught to ensure freshness.

Taco Loco serves hemp beer.