First it was Lubach’s, then it was Mister A’s and now it’s Top O’ the Cove. Late last month, this venerable La Jolla restaurant quietly shuttered its doors, ending an era for San Diego foodies. The restaurant, which word has it sold for some $6 million, likely will be closed for more than two years while the new owners, the folks behind Downtown’s tony Stingaree and Side Bar, go through the process of planning, permitting and renovation.

James Brennan, who is a partner in the new venture, says his company has plans for a “world-class” restaurant, and perhaps a nightclub. This is great news for La Jolla since this restaurant, along with the recent addition of Jack’s La Jolla, a multi-level restaurant and bar concept, will continue the revitalization and bring a younger demographic to La Jolla.

And…George Hauer, who always seems to be a step ahead of the game, has already responded. Last month, he closed his George’s at the Cove for what is described as a “several month, several-million-dollar remodel.” Plans are to give the entire place a new look, maybe even renaming one of the restaurants, Hauer reports.

The very “forward” Jennifer Luce will be heading up the design and architecture plans and, when it’s all over, don’t count on anything being the same. Word on the street is everything, and I mean everything — from the walls and carpeting down to the salt and pepper shakers – is changing.

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Join Karl Strauss Breweries co-founder Chris Cramer on the third annual “Brews Cruise.” The 11-day Alaskan cruise will take place from May 8-19, 2007, aboard Holland America’s Zuiderdam. The “special” negotiated price of $1,359 includes receptions, beer tastings and seminars. For more information: Carefree Vacations, (858) 450-4060.

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Congratulations to Augie Saucedo, chef de cuisine at The Shores, La Jolla, who recently placed first in the Southern California Shrimp competition. A 12-chef field of competitors was judged on 50 percent taste, 30 percent presentation and 20 percent originality. His winning dish, “Global Study on Shrimp,” consisted of shrimp bisque cappuccino with whipped yuza cream and fennel pollen spices; hazelnut dukkah-crusted black tiger prawns with sweet corn salad, beet sherry reduction and truffle oil; and green curry coconut braised black tiger prawns with mochi rice and lemongrass.

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Tony DiSalvo, executive chef at Jack’s La Jolla, recently returned to New York where he and his team cooked for members of the James Beard House. DiSalvo’s menu, titled “The Art of the Chef,” featured dishes such as “Homage to Manny Farber,” which consisted of Sonoma foie gras and Union Square market fruit with ice wine vinegar and “Pollack’s First Stroke,” venison with orange and juniper topping, Tuscan kale and spiced cocoa jus.

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Another Dream Dinners franchise opened last month in Carlsbad. For those not familiar with the very successful concept, Dream Dinners is a storefront kitchen where customers follow recipes using already prepared ingredients to put together “take-home” family meals to be cooked later. The underlying idea is that preparing meals in this way saves time at the grocery store and in the kitchen. Although I wouldn’t go as far as the business — dreamdinners.com — does in claiming that this “eliminates the drudgery of daily planning, shopping, prep work and cleanup,” I do think that for many working people, it’s a lifesaver. Some of us, of course, still enjoy this so-called drudgery.

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The Brigantine Family of Restaurants (Miguel’s, Azul La Jolla, Zocolo Grill) announced the (re)opening of The Brig, located on Poway Road in the space formerly known as The Brigantine Restaurant since 1983. Re-concepting is a smart move for the family-owned and operated company out of Point Loma.

“We are responding to the changing lifestyles of our guests,” says Mike Morton Jr., v.p. of operations. “If they want fish tacos side by side with filet mignon at lunch as well as dinner, The Brig will accommodate them. Because of our long-standing relationship with the San Diego community, many of our guests feel a sense of proprietorship with The Brigantine. Listening to them has always been vital to our continued success.”

Look for new menu items such as Kobe beef sliders and coconut shrimp to go along with an updated interior design and tabletop accessories.

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Hope all the success doesn’t go to his funny, sweet, bespectacled head. Sam Zien, a.k.a. “Sam the Cooking Guy” recently signed a contract to take his entertaining cooking show to The Discovery Channel. San Diego’s local “non-chef” is famous for antics like petting his dog in the middle of a show, cutting himself on camera and my favorite incident in which he pretended to be “tailgating at Qualcomm” until the stool he was sitting on broke under him and the camera panned out to reveal he was really in a Vons parking lot. Sam can be seen locally on Cox Channel 4. Way to go, Sam.

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.