Dinner

DINING OUT Josef Bishof built a replica of his hometown just off the San Diego Freeway in Huntington Beach. It's called Old World Village and it's the location of Paolo's Ristorante, which serves some of the freshest, most authentic Italian food in town. Chef and owner Paolo Pestarino is following in his father's foot steps -- both have been chefs on cruise lines that traveled the world. For the love of a lady, however, Paolo came ashore at Newport Beach, where he opened his first restaurant.

Friends of Vallee Marion, a 15-year-old Huntington Beach High School student who was injured in an automobile accident July 16, have planned a benefit concert, dinner and raffle fundraiser tonight to raise funds for her expenses. Vallee, a member of her school?s Academy of Performing Arts, suffered brain injuries in the accident, and remains in an induced coma. The concert will feature teen girl band Early April, which wrote a song for Vallee that will be performed at the event.

o7 The Independent visited Vista View Middle School and asked eighth-graders, "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" f7 "Stay home with my family. My grandparents are going to come and we're going to eat a lot." Jessica Stone, 13 "I'm going to my grandma's house in Santa Ana. All of my relatives will be there like my aunts and uncles, their friends and neighbors. My grandma will do the cooking." Rachel Varle, 13 "My mom is having relatives and family over to have dinner.

The California Riviera estate of Maria and Ray Francis was the setting for a dinner gathering of members of Orange County Performing Arts Center's Founders Plus. Organizers called it "Escape to Paradise." The annual September party brought together longtime friends who have supported the center since its founding. Newport's Nora Jorgensen-Johnson co-chaired the dinner event with Shari Esayian. Both women have been dedicated OCPAC patrons, performing countless volunteer tasks over many seasons.

Frank Tahvildari has spent each Thanksgiving for the last 16 years serving dinner to others. And he's not bored yet. He's doing it again this year. The owner of Tumbleweeds Bar & Grill, 21094 S. Beach Blvd., and two other restaurants in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach could easily take the day off, relax, eat and watch football with family and friends. But he chooses to give. "It's a day of appreciations - appreciating people and appreciating life," he said. "Life is not just about taking.

Usually everyone has their favorite when it comes to Italian restaurants. The neighborhood place is often the one people claim as the best. Maybe it is one they have a fond memory of or that serves a specialty dish. I am always willing to add another favorite to my ever-growing list of Italian restaurants. There is my first favorite, which is Micelli’s in Hollywood. It is an old eatery that has Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling and a piano player who is accompanied at times by waiters who take a break to serenade the crowd.

Golf event to be held at SeaCliff March 22 The fifth annual Huntington Beach High School Golf Tournament will take place on March 22 at SeaCliff Country Club. All proceeds from the event benefit athletic and student programs at the school. Registration will take place at 9 a.m. the day o68f the tournament, followed by an 11 a.m. shotgun format. The price per golfer is $225 and includes golf, an auction and awards dinner. Those not golfing are welcome to attend the raffle and dinner at a cost of $50. Tee and green sponsorships are available and the event committee welcomes merchandise donations.

John Volo Taking my cue from a show on the Food Network, I donned my best tourist garb and attempted to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner on Main Street for less than $30. My first stop was Java Point Cafe, which is nudged inside Huntington Surf and Sport. Java Point serves a variety of coffee drinks and baked goods from an area only slightly larger than my bedroom closet. Since I prefer my caffeine cold, I opted for an iced mocha ($3.50). Warm drinks that caught my eye included the Dawn Patrol (espresso with coffee)

For lovers of moonlighted walks and dinner by candle light ... Ahhh, the die-hard romantics. The perennially starry-eyed. The heart-gripping, soul-wrenching, star-gazing dreamers. This is your day. If you haven't already, buy a ring to prove it. If you're not ready for a diamond ring, diamond earrings are always a good precursor. Or at least get her enough long stem roses to unleash your sensitive side in all its unabashed glory. THE DATE 10 a.m.: Wake her with the ultimate aphrodisiac -- chocolate-dipped strawberries -- on her pillow.

DINING OUT As long as there's a highway rimming the coast, there will be seafood places offering the daily catch like Sam's Seafood. After 89 years in the same location -- third building -- it is still serving excellent and inexpensive lunch and dinner daily. Was there ever a Sam? Who knows, but Ruben Placencia has been chef here for the last 30 years preparing a menu that hasn't changed since 1987, which was the same time Manager Tommy Cho arrived as bartender.

Looking for a fantastic dinner experience at a family owned neighborhood bistro? Champagnes Bistro & Deli in Newport Beach is celebrating 23 years in business, and it just debuted an expanded dinner menu that starts after 4:30 p.m. with bistro specialties and a sophisticated yet casual ambience with candles, linens and waiter service. Favorites include new bistro-inspired starters such as caramelized Brussels sprouts ($8.50), firecracker shrimp ($10.95), crab cakes ($12.95), and French onion soup ($6.95)

Frank Tahvildari has spent each Thanksgiving for the last 16 years serving dinner to others. And he's not bored yet. He's doing it again this year. The owner of Tumbleweeds Bar & Grill, 21094 S. Beach Blvd., and two other restaurants in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach could easily take the day off, relax, eat and watch football with family and friends. But he chooses to give. "It's a day of appreciations - appreciating people and appreciating life," he said. "Life is not just about taking.

Still looking for ideas on where to ring in 2011? Here are some great local spots celebrating New Year's Eve. Sol Cocina Celebrate New Year's Eve and New Year's Day in true Baja style at Sol Cocina without leaving Orange County. On Friday, dine on Executive Chef Deborah Schneider's regular dinner menu, along with special twists on traditional Baja cuisine, including grilled Maine lobster with creamy green chile mac n' cheese, and Angus short ribs braised with red wine, buttery pureed potatoes, roasted root vegetables and crispy onions.

Karaoke machines don't scare Richie Fauno. The veteran pianist, who has played for three decades at Villa Nova in Newport Beach and recently took on another gig at La Brique Steak House in Huntington Beach, provides accompaniment the old-fashioned way. Fauno invites customers to name a tune — given his repertoire of hundreds of songs, there's a good chance he knows it — and then plays and sings backing vocals behind them. As far as Fauno is concerned, his craft isn't the low-tech equivalent of singing "You Oughta Know" into a microphone at the local sports bar. It's art on a higher level.

"Cheaters." That's what Harmon Killebrew called the recently revealed Major League Baseball steroid users to a packed dinner crowd at SeaCliff Country Club last week at the KinderVision fundraiser. It was but one of many revealing, interesting moments in the evening. You may recall reading about KinderVision in this column two weeks ago. It is the national child safety education program dedicated to the protection of children from abduction and sexual exploitation. KinderVision plans to host an annual golf/dinner banquet in Huntington Beach, and if next year is anything like this, we're in for a treat.

Friends of Vallee Marion, a 15-year-old Huntington Beach High School student who was injured in an automobile accident July 16, have planned a benefit concert, dinner and raffle fundraiser tonight to raise funds for her expenses. Vallee, a member of her school?s Academy of Performing Arts, suffered brain injuries in the accident, and remains in an induced coma. The concert will feature teen girl band Early April, which wrote a song for Vallee that will be performed at the event.

Victoria Alberty, who runs www.TheLocalHB.com, received the Ambassador of the Year Award at the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 105th annual dinner Jan. 15. The Member of the Year Award went to Janis Mantini of the Boeing Company. This year’s theme was “Decked out in the Decades,” where guests dressed up from different eras throughout the 1900s. The theme of Alberty’s table was the Titanic, and the table won the People’s Choice Award for the evening.

Some friends like to bike or hike. Others play video games or watch sports together; but my friends and I prefer to eat and drink and have long-winded dinners in which we challenge each other to eat more than we actually (and comfortably) should. But dining out is an expensive hobby that a proletariat like myself really can’t indulge in as often as I have been lately; there’s a giant hole in my checking account that just told me so. At a recent dinner along Main Street, I ordered a salad and an ice tea and passed on the appetizers, cocktails, entrees and even dessert.

Several Huntington Beach Pop Warner football teams will hold benefit dinner nights throughout September for Edison High football player Luke Gane. Gane, a junior lineman, is battling aplastic anemia, a condition in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells to replace those that die, including the white blood cells that fight disease. The first benefit dinner will run from 5:30 to 7:30 tonight at the Edison High School practice field. The dinner is hosted by the Jr. Midget Division Gold Chargers team.

Usually everyone has their favorite when it comes to Italian restaurants. The neighborhood place is often the one people claim as the best. Maybe it is one they have a fond memory of or that serves a specialty dish. I am always willing to add another favorite to my ever-growing list of Italian restaurants. There is my first favorite, which is Micelli’s in Hollywood. It is an old eatery that has Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling and a piano player who is accompanied at times by waiters who take a break to serenade the crowd.