Taco Mesa Goes a Little Upscale

The owners of Taco Mesa, which has been serving health-conscious Mexican food from a converted Taco Bell in Costa Mesa, have opened a full-size restaurant in Fullerton.

The new restaurant, Taco Mesa Bar & Grille, offers a broader range of specials than the original at slightly higher prices. Two blackened chicken tacos at the Fullerton location are $6.95; in Costa Mesa they’re $2 less. The same goes for the plate of three enchiladas with green tomatillo sauce, cream, cheese and onions marinated in lime.

The Fullerton location, which seats 250, was an El Torito. The owners, from Mexico City, are Sergio Calderon and his sons, Ivan and Marco, who have all worked for El Torito.

Both restaurants use low-fat cooking methods--broiling, grilling or steaming--and do not add lard, MSG, preservatives or coloring to foods.

Hours at Taco Mesa Bar & Grille are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, till 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

295 E. Imperial Highway. (714) 773-1273.

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Millie’s Country-Western Cafe, a recent addition to Irvine’s restaurant scene, is country everything, from music videos to cartoons and movies. It even has a general store.

The Millie’s chain includes 17 home-style and two Mexican restaurants, all in Southern California.

Highlights at the Country-Western Cafe are a full breakfast menu, four kinds of steak, rotisserie chicken and barbecued meats. Prices run from $4.95 to $14, but the average is about $7.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

14825 Jeffrey Road. (714) 552-3144.

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Taking its name from a northern Italian red wine, Barolo has opened its doors in Tustin, serving foods from northern and southern Italy. Lunch and dinner menu prices run from $6.95 to $9.95, with salad and homemade bread.

Specials, which are higher (from about $9.99 to $12.99), include linguine with salmon and scampi, farfalle (bowtie pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula in a pink sauce with a touch of vodka), and salmon in a brandy-mustard sauce.

Barolo’s co-owners are chef Gaetano Ianni (formerly of La Griglia in Anaheim Hills) and Alberto Russa (most recently floor manager and bartender at Romeo Cucina in Laguna Beach).

Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; till 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sundays.

13771 Newport Ave. (714) 528-0046.