So we’ve got Morton’s, Fleming’s, Ruth’s Chris, Greystone, The Strip Club and The Palm (on the way), all steakhouses, all Downtown. Make room for one more. Look for a late 2004 opening of LG’s Steakhouse. The new OliverMcMillan building under construction on the corner of Sixth Avenue and F Street will house the fourth LG’s Steakhouse in California and the first in San Diego. Others are in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and La Quinta. LG’s serves 100 percent USDA Prime beef and is known for its tableside Caesar salads and garlicky escargots. The 7,200-square-foot, two-story restaurant will seat 240.

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Riko Bartolome’s long-awaited Asia-Vous opened last month in Escondido. This French-Pan-Asian-themed restaurant has been under construction for more than a year. You may remember Bartolome from his years as executive chef at 101 Grand, also in Escondido. He also was the opening executive chef for the Hotel W’s RICE restaurant Downtown.

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Fans of La Taverna in La Jolla will be happy to know (and probably already do know) that its sister restaurant, Sorella (meaning sister), opened last month. At Sorella, Chef-owner Mary Ann Vitale’s popular home-style Italian cuisine is offered take-out style. Shoppers choose among selections that change daily, but some of her most popular dishes, such as her lasagna and chicken Parmesan, are mainstays. This tiny food shop also has a few tables for dining but they are usually taken. Sorella della Taverna is at 7420 Girard Ave.

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Joseph Melluso, owner of Downtown’s Tin Fish, has taken over the Boston & Maine Fish Co. in Horton Plaza. “Our goal is to create a fresh and delicious quick-service dining option that is truly authentic to New England-style seafood, using the most authentic ingredients,” he says. Melluso quickly revamped the menu and has begun importing key ingredients directly from New England.

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Kurt Metzger has signed on as executive chef and g.m. at Just Fabulous Kensington. Just Fabulous is the little jewel box of a restaurant that was recently opened on Adams Avenue by Beryl Bird, one of San Diego’s top purveyors of pastries (Just Fabulous Desserts). Metzger trained at the Los Angeles Culinary Institute in Burbank and studied hotel and restaurant management at Cal Poly. He was director of food and beverage at Pasadena’s Bistro 45 and served as executive chef at Roxxi’s in Pasadena. Metzger’s new menu offers items such as “Summer Tomato Soup with Chevre and Pignoli Wonton,” “Scallop, Shrimp and Fresh Asparagus Salad” and “Panini of Roasted Vegetables.” Of course, all of Beryl’s famous cakes, cookies and pastries are available for dessert.

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Axis Martini Bar in Del Mar has appointed Matthew Gladstone as executive chef. Gladstone, proprietor of Gladstone Gourmet Foods, a celebrated catering and event planning company, joined Axis in May.

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Jean-Marie Josselin’s UTC restaurant 808 closed quietly last month. Although Josselin had much success with A Pacific Café in Maui and 808 Las Vegas, his San Diego effort never seemed to pick up any steam. It’s just speculation, but one reason could have been that Josselin, the award-winning chef, cookbook author and television personality, frequently worked the front of the house instead of the kitchen, at least on my visits. They just never got the food quite right. Too bad, because Jean-Marie is a wonderful guy — San Diego will miss him.

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After nearly two years of planning and construction, Osetra has opened on Fifth Avenue in Downtown. This two-story, beautifully designed bar and restaurant offers high-end eating and drinking with a seafood theme. A floor-to-ceiling glass wine rack takes center stage. It holds more than 7,000 bottles of wine. “Wine angels” float up and down the structure throughout the evening fetching guests’ wine selections. This glitzy Las Vegas style restaurant features a raw bar, oysters, Kobe beef and, of course, caviar.

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Congratulations to San Diego Gaslamp Hilton’s William Geary who was recently named 2003 Executive Meeting Manager of the Year. Geary achieved the highest percentage in sales, exceeding his goal by 37 percent for 2003.

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Arterra Restaurant in Del Mar has received Restaurant Hospitality’s 2004 grand prize for America’s Best Wine List.

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San Diego Hotel W and Restaurant RICE have appointed Matthew Herter as executive chef. Herter will develop a fresh new menu concept he defines as “contemporary global cuisine.” He most recently served as executive chef at Nectar at the Prava Hotel and Spa. Before that he was executive chef at the Hilton Gaslamp’s New Leaf Restaurant.

Terryl Gavre believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown, and can be reached at (619) 233-4060, Ext. 316, or terryl@sandiegometro.com.