Valentine for Lovers of Books

On Valentine’s Day, you can dance, dine and feel good about books if you attend the “Taste of Huntington Beach,” sponsored by the Huntington Beach Library Patrons Foundation. All proceeds for the $20-per-head lunch will go toward purchase of furniture and fixtures for the library expansion, which is underway.

The buffet lunch, which runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., will be supplied by 26 area restaurants and six wineries. The Athenian, Bukhara, Maxwell’s and Chevy’s are among the restaurants participating. This year, a caterer, the Elegant Alligator, is also planning to serve crocodile. Mmmmm.

For entertainment, the library has invited a three-piece band and Greek dancers. Last year, the event drew 800 people. The library is at the corner of Talbert Avenue and Golden West Street. For tickets and information: (714) 960-8836 (until 5 p.m.) or (714) 842-4481.

Louis Cotton, co-owner of French winery Laboure-Roi, will be present at a dinner featuring his wines on Friday at Antoine. Among the selections to be poured are an Echezeaux and a Clos Vougeot, both from 1978. The menu is still in the planning stage. The cost is $85 per person, plus tax and tip. Reception is at 7 and dinner starts at 7:30. Antoine is at Le Meridien Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach. (714) 476-2001, Ext. 2158.

Making healthy choices when dining out is the subject of a yearlong dinner and lecture series planned by Ferrantelli’s in Dana Point. Scheduled for the last Tuesday of every other month, beginning Feb. 23, the dinners will include healthy recipes and preparation techniques from the restaurant’s chef, Christopher M. Reischl. Lou Gaudio, a personal trainer who owns a Dana Point health club, is also scheduled as a regular speaker, and the restaurant plans to invite guest lecturers from the medical field. Dinners begin at 7:30; seating is limited to 40. Cost is $35 to $45 per person for each Tuesday session. 25001 Dana Point Harbor Drive. (714) 493-1401.

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Chanteclair has revamped its menu to include less costly and less caloric lunches. The French restaurant is now serving dejeuner leger , a menu that includes soups, salads and lighter dishes; fruits de mer, a collection of five seafood dishes; and cuisine moderne, items priced under $10. The menu is the creation of chef Byron Gemmell. 18912 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine. (714) 752-8001.

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Prego Ristorante has created a new position--banquet coordinator--and has hired Ginger Peters to fill it. Peters will oversee the restaurant’s banquet and catering functions, including weddings, rehearsal dinners, meetings and private parties; 18420 Von Karman Ave., Irvine. (714) 553-1333.

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Last week, Newsbites reported that Carmelo’s Ristorante is offering limousine service with dinner for $49.95. Oops. Make that $49.95 PER PERSON for groups of four or more. That includes dinner. Still, it’s not exactly the bargain we thought it was; 3520 Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. (714) 675-1922.