Eatery works claim in South Coast Plaza

Paul Clinton

Family dining stalwart Claim Jumper Restaurants, which began its

chain in Orange County, debuted its newest entry on Tuesday at South

Coast Plaza.

The company opened its 31st restaurant, and 20th in California, at

the high-end shopping center in the location once occupied by

Birraporetti’s, an Italian eatery that closed almost a year ago.

To fit in with South Coast Plaza’s ritziness, Claim Jumper

officials gave their newest eatery a more upscale look.

“The interior has been designed a little bit more sophisticated,”

said Robert Ott, the company’s chief operating officer. “We think

we’ll do well here. We think we’re a good fit.”

Center owners C.J. Segerstrom & Sons say the family dining

restaurant will be another varied offering at South Coast Plaza,

which is known more for high-end French eateries such as Troquet and

Cafe Pascal.

Claim Jumper opened at 3 p.m. Tuesday after a $4 million remodel.

“Claim Jumper, in its own way, is very high quality,” plaza

spokeswoman Debra Gunn Downing said. “We needed more of that kind of

dining experience here.”

In debuting a more upscale version of Claim Jumper, a restaurant

known for miner artifacts hanging on the walls, large food portions

and homey eating booths, the company is trying out a new concept, Ott

said.

The company opened the restaurant, added an outdoor patio,

refashioned the bar and used a “bolder, but warmer” color scheme, Ott

said.

However, this Claim Jumper retained the antler chandeliers, large

portions of food and wood-paneled lodge-style interior.

Of the about 200 menu items, a few new ones have been added

especially for the Costa Mesa location: a 24-ounce, bone-in, rib eye

steak; blackened ahi roll; and crispy vegetable roll.

“We always try to add a couple of new items,” Ott said. “It’s a

good luck charm.”

The first Claim Jumper opened in Los Alamitos in 1977.