Restaurant fills void on the sand

Organic egg dishes for breakfast, artichoke sandwiches at lunch and a flat-iron steak for dinner.

Beginning today from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Newport locals and visitors alike can eat all day long at the Beachcomber restaurant in the Crystal Cove Historic District.

It was supposed to open Tuesday, but operators pushed the big day back to work out a few last-minute kinks.

The restaurant, owned by Doug Cavanaugh who also runs Ruby’s, will feature California cuisine that complements this spot on the sand.

“They are bringing in an element to Crystal Cove that is very exciting,” said Laura Davick, founder of the Crystal Cove Alliance.

The 1,000-square-foot restaurant is right on the sand, with seating both indoors and outside. Like the entire historic district, the restaurant is true to its roots. The main dining room is filled with copper and original wood; in the back there’s also a palapa bar, said restaurant Operations Director Jaime DeJong.

The restaurant motto — “Every night is Saturday night and Saturday night is New Year’s Eve” — will be carried out in traditional fashion with the 5 p.m. martini flag raising every night during the summer.

With a menu boasting coastal delights such as grilled swordfish and salmon, DeJong said the restaurant aims to cater for health-minded Newport Beach.

“We’re trying to be very conscious as far as our surrounding neighborhoods,” DeJong said.

The restaurant team conducted several test runs of meal service over the weekend and, so far, everyone has responded positively, DeJong said.

The restaurant will be open for all three meals daily. Breakfast prices range from $6 - $10, lunch dishes are $8 - $14 and dinner entrees average $18. There are also kids meals available.