RESTAURANT ROUNDUP:

For readers in the mood for some flavors of the true New Orleans but who don’t feel like hopping on a plane to get it, the French 75, at 327 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach, introduces its Mardi Gras Sunday brunch with music from The New Orleans Jazz Trio.

The menu consists of jambalaya gumbo and chicken crepes, as well as serving stations with salads, seafood and omelets — and dessert that includes beignets and flourless chocolate cake.

The cost is $35 per person and $15 for children 12 and younger.

For more information call (949) 640-2700.

Italian eatery opens at Fashion Island

The Canaletto Ristorante Veneto recently opened its doors inside Fashion Island (next to Starbucks and Neiman Marcus) in Newport Beach.

Executive Chef Maurizio Mazzon serves up his authentic Italian food, which includes Venetian breads served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, seafood and grilled meats.

Mazzon’s signature dishes consists of swordfish carpaccio with sliced artichokes, black risotto with shrimp, scallops and cuttlefish, and a Mediterranean sea bass cooked in a salt crust.

The restaurant also features an authentic collection of Italian wines.

For reservations call (949) 640-0900.

— Matt Brown