Keeping the spirit of a sibling

Natalia Olenicoff has fond memories of her brother Andrei, an adventurer and philanthropist who exposed her to the many nature activities in Laguna Beach as a young child, and conveyed the importance of helping others through his own generosity.

“He’d always take me to Diver’s Cove after school and we’d hang out on the beach and explore the tidepools all afternoon,” she happily recalls. “We also liked to ride mountain bikes together.”

When Andrei died in a car accident in 2005 at age 32, Olenicoff wanted to find a way to honor his memory. She decided to start a restaurant that embodies his best traits, including his sense of adventure, openness to new friends and commitment to environmental responsibility.

Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails, which opened recently in Irvine, aims to serve food that is healthy and tastes good, while helping to sustain the local economy and environment.

“My family and I feel this is a great way to keep his spirit alive and hold everyone together,” she said. “It’s turned out the way I think he would have wanted.”

Olenicoff will also donate all of her profits to the Andrei Foundation, an organization she established that contributes to numerous charities, including Foundation Fighting Blindness, Guide Dogs for the Blind and the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

“Andrei had a rare degenerative eye disease, which would have left him blind in five years’ time,” she said. “He played a pivotal role in helping organizations that researched similar diseases.

“Continuing to help his cause is just another way of giving back to him.”

The modern American eatery uses locally grown, sustainably farmed and fair-traded ingredients in most dishes, which Olenicoff said enhances the flavor of the food and also supports a more responsible attitude toward our community and the world around us.

Chef Yves Fournier adds a Mediterranean edge to the menu, which Olenicoff said is good for your body, but is also delicious and decadent.

“We use lots of fresh vegetables and cooking everything with olive oil,” she said.

Some of the best dishes include seared calamari, sweet peas ravioli and grilled wild salmon. A variety of small plates are also offered.

The full-service bar also offers “conscious” cocktails and wine, made in-house with all organic juices and ingredients. Despite the upscale setting, the prices are also reasonable — cocktails start at $6, small plates range from $7 to $13, lunch menu items are all about $10 and dinner courses range from $10 to $30.

“This restaurant was never about making money,” Olenicoff said. “It’s all about keeping Andrei’s name alive and giving back.”

Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine and Cocktails, 2607 Main St. in Irvine, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar hosts daily happy hours from 3 to 6 p.m.

For more information, call (949) 387-8887.