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Downtown Disney eateries lure locals and tourists alike

It’s time to take a stroll in the park, at least the part that’s open. And that would be Downtown Disney for some dining. While Disney’s California Adventure theme park won’t have us strolling the avenues till February, the non-admission esplanade of themed dining, shopping and family-oriented entertainment that is Downtown Disney, has begun to welcome customers.

Although the official opening of all the restaurants in this public area is scheduled for January 12, Catal Restaurant and Uva Bar had a soft opening on New Year’s Day and is currently available for dining.

This one is under the aegis of famed chef Joachim Splichal and his business partner/wife, Christine. You know them. Their imprimatur is on a whole passel or restaurants. In OC, we have Pinot Proven & #231;e in Costa Mesa and the reopened Topaz Cafe, now called Tangata, at Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum of Cultural Art. LA has the world-famous Patina. Scattered around Los Angeles, the Napa Valley and Las Vegas, N.Y. and Washington, D.C. are more Pinot bistro concepts and three Nick & Stef’s Steakhouses.

Catal is the upstairs part of this restaurant, 240 seats, where a full menu of Mediterranean cuisine made from the freshest ingredients is available. Downstairs is Uva (it means “grape” in Spanish) with 140 seats, where there are 40 wines by the glass and a vast menu of tapas that actually encompass all the flavors of the Mediterranean countries. For further information, call (714) 774-4442.

The Splichals also have another restaurant opening in Downtown Disney on the 12th of this month: Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria. This restaurant features a vast menu inspired by the flavors of southern Italy, cooked by chef Corrado Gianotti, formerly of Tutto Mare in Newport Beach.

Pizzas will be the thin-crusted and savory variety, all baked in a wood-fired oven, of course. The menu is more than I’d expected them to present. Corrado has sprinkled it with intrigues such as lemon-cured salmon and a shrimp and eggplant combo in fresh tomato sauce over pasta. Risotto and Chianti-braised lamb shank are further punctuation marks.

Joining the parade of restaurants in this new complex is Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, the baby of entrepreneur Ralph Brennan of New Orleans, where he already owns a group very famous restaurants.

He’s so dedicated to giving us the real gumbo and jambalaya and everything in between that defines New Orleans cuisine, 10 of his restaurant managers, chefs and the sous chef moved here from their former positions in his dining empire to run this restaurant. I’ve known him for a very long time and often make reservations in his restaurants for friends visiting The Big Easy.

This is a completely different kind of dining experience for OC and I can’t wait to satisfy my cravings for his food next week when it opens. By the time you read this, they should be having their soft opening. Phone (714) 776-5200 for further information and delicious food, which I guarantee.

Y Arriba! Y Arriba! is a new Latin dining and entertainment concept billed to be “as hot as a jalape & #324;o pepper, and as scintillating as the samba, with a kick like caf & #233; Cubano.”

Big concept restaurant with 600 seats, tapas from throughout the Latin world, and a lot of ongoing entertainment. The Cachaldora/Currais family that owns this is best known for their highly acclaimed Club Tropigala in the heart of Miami Beach.

The two executive chefs are Alex Garcia, who is seen regularly on the Food Network’s popular show, the Melting Pot, and Jose Charles, originally from Madrid.

The teatro here will feature live entertainment throughout every day and evening, ranging from an in-house dance orchestra, to Latin specialty acts and concerts by the great Latin stars of the day.

Y Arriba! Y Arriba! will also showcase emerging Latin entertainers. It, however, is not scheduled to open until February 1. Phone (714) 533-8272.

Rainforest Caf & #233; has also thrown its hat into the ring at Downtown Disney and is in the midst of its soft opening. Many of you have probably already seen the animation that dominates the same caf & #233; in South Coast Plaza. From torrential downpours and thunder to animated jungle animals and very tropical d & #233;cor, this concept guarantees that your eyes are wide open trying to track all the elements around you. Food is California casual. They are already completely open for business. Phone (714) 772-0413.

Espn Zone has food and bars and video monitors everywhere bringing in sportscasts from around the world. You might even choose to scale their rock wall.

Anyone half interested in anything althletic or wanting a video game and arcade entertainment format will have a good time here. I can imagine the tired out grownups lingering over their food while the kids, still sporting too much energy of their own, are playing half-court basketball. (714) 300-3776.

You may know that the Robert Mondavi Winery is opening Golden Vintage Winery and that super-chef and world-famous restaurateur Wolfgang Puck is opening Avalon Cove restaurant as well. However, both of these will be inside the new theme park itself. All of the others are in the “free” zone that is situated between the two theme parks.

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