Surveying the Local and Holiday Scene

Zagaterias: Chef Pascal Olhats is in a class by himself among O.C. restaurants, if you believe the 1998 Zagat survey for Southern California eateries. His restaurant, Pascal in Newport Beach, came in alone at the top of the food category, followed by Aubergine, also in Newport, and a six-way tie for third among Gustaf Anders in Santa Ana, the Ritz in Newport, Five Feet in Laguna Beach, the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point, the Cellar in Fullerton and Pavilion in Newport. But when it comes to hangouts, this year’s Zagat reviewers (all 6,500 of them--mostly women in their 30s) prefer California Pizza Kitchen, Cheesecake Factory and Jerry’s Famous Deli.

Salmon Claus: He may sound like a character out of Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” but he’s just a big-hearted fisherman. This Mr. Claus is flying down from Alaska to host a reception at the Irvine McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant. The reception is also a fund-raiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. If you want to see Salmon Claus in his holiday red slicker, taste some of his salmon samples or listen to his fish stories, come to the restaurant and write your name on an ornament to be hung on the restaurant’s Giving Tree. The ornament serves as your invitation to the reception from 5 to 7 p.m. today. No purchase is necessary, but any donations directly benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Ornaments will be entered into a drawing for two round-trip tickets from Alaska Airlines.

* McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, 2000 Main St., Irvine; (714) 756-0505.

Drive Time: If you want to help children in need this Christmas, several restaurants are sponsoring toy drives:

* Odessa Restaurant is accepting unwrapped toys valued $5 or more for children ages 3 to 12. They will benefit Childhelp USA, which gives refuge to battered or abused children. Drop the toys off at the restaurant during dining hours (6 to 10 p.m. daily) or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays until Sunday. Odessa Restaurant, 680 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; (714) 376-8792.

* The House of Blues is accepting unwrapped toys and clothes for children up to 18 years old. The gifts will go to Tuesday’s Child, a nonprofit organization benefiting the families of children with HIV or AIDS. Drop off gifts at the restaurant between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. until Sunday. The House of Blues, 8439 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; (213) 848-5100.

* Le Colonial is accepting wrapped or unwrapped toys and gifts for teenagers 12 to 19 years old right up until Christmas Day. Drop off between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. at the restaurant. The toys will be given out at 5 p.m. on Christmas Day at a private dinner hosted by Le Colonial for youth shelters such as Angel’s Flight, L.A. Youth Network and Options House. Le Colonial, 8783 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 289-0660.

Parties, Parties, Parties: If you’re after an authentic high tea for the holidays, head for Gilliland’s in Santa Monica on Saturday. You can have Elizabethan pound cake, scones and Devon cream, tea sandwiches and “the perfect cup of tea.” There are two seatings, one at 3 p.m. and one at 4:45 p.m.; $18 for adults, $12 for children under 12. Gilliland’s Restaurant, 2424 Main St., Santa Monica; (310) 392-3901. . . .

Patrick Healy is cooking up a four-course meal (with complimentary glass of bubbly) for New Year’s Eve at the Buffalo Club. Two seatings, same menu. The first seating is $75 a person; the second is $125, which includes entertainment and party favors. The Buffalo Club, 1520 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 450-8600. . . .

Josiah Citrin and Raphael Lunetta are celebrating New Year’s at JiRaffe with a prix-fixe menu. First seating, 6 to 7 p.m., is $55 per person; second seating, 8:30 to 10 p.m., is $75. JiRaffe, 502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 917-6671. . . .

Typhoon is holding a jazz New Year’s Eve party with Les McCann and his Magic Band. Dinner is a nine-nation royal Asian Banquet featuring dishes from China, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma and the Philippines. The $100-a-head price includes entertainment and a glass of bubbly at midnight. Seating begins at 8 p.m. Typhoon, 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica Airport; (310) 390-6565.