Nuevo Porto
Popular Javier's Cantina & Grill opens at Crystal Cove Promenade in Newport Coast. For 13 years, its former Laguna location was acclaimed for its regional Mexican cuisine. The new spot features contemporary design by Dodd Mitchell, designer of many of the trendiest restaurants in Los Angeles, and new menu items including spare ribs, osso bucco, a 16-ounce bone-in prime center-cut rib-eye, and Cabo Azul, a large seafood entree with an assortment of Ensenada-style shrimp tacos, Maine lobster enchiladas and grilled chili relleno with fresh shrimp and crab. 7832 E. Coast Hwy., Newport Coast, 949.494.1239; also at Irvine Spectrum Center, 45 Fortune Drive, Irvine, 949.872.2101.