Restaurant redux on Mariner’s Mile

Paul Clinton

Baby-back ribs and Guinness beer will be added to the menu if a

group of San Bernardino restaurateurs successfully open a Tony Roma’s

and Irish-themed Bennigan’s in place of the failed Aysia 101.

The Primrose Group of Companies has applied to Newport’s planning

department to operate the two eateries. Both expect to open in June,

about 18 months after the former nightclub shuttered its harbor-side

doors.

“It’s a nice addition to the restaurant mix we enjoy here,” said

Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce President Richard Luehrs. “That’s a

very high visibility building.”

Primrose, operator of about two dozen similar restaurants in

Southern California, is scheduled to come before the Planning

Commission on Feb. 20.

Aysia 101 closed in January 2002, after the Sept. 11 terrorist

attacks chilled patronage to the restaurant and club, which occupied

the second and third floors.

The new operators plan to subdivide the second floor of the 2901

W. Coast Highway building into 6,000- and 5,500-square-foot spaces.

The third floor, formerly Aysia 101’s nightclub, will be reused as

office space.

In August, a Beverly Hills developer bought the property under the

development banner Waterfront Newport Beach LLC.

Ferdinand Fam purchased the parcel and a smaller property at

Riverside Avenue and Avon Street to add additional parking. Together,

officials expect about 250 stalls for the eateries and offices. The

existing underground structure will be also used.

Fam said he bought both properties, about 1.16 acres, for about

$15 million. He also plans to spend $3 million to gut the building,

install a new roof, reconfigure parking to add more stalls and put in

new lighting.

“It’s going to look nice and new,” Fam said. “We’re cleaning it

out.”

The project doesn’t need City Council approval since Primrose

isn’t asking to change the zoning.

That didn’t stop Councilman Don Webb, whose district includes

Mariner’s Mile, from informally approving the eateries.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “We need a good set of ribs on the

bay.”