Look for a late January or early February opening of Modus, a restaurant and bar to be located at 2202 Fourth Ave. at the corner of Fourth and Ivy. If the location rings a bell, it’s the old French Side of the West space. Partners Nathan Coulon and Scott Johnson are teaming up to offer a classic French restaurant that will stay open late, serving food until 2 a.m. Coulon, who grew up in the kitchen of his parent restaurant, The Belgian Lion, most recently has been chefing at Michele Coulon in La Jolla (eponymous for his sister, the well-known pastry chef). Johnson, you may remember, was g.m. at Nine-Ten in La Jolla and also opening g.m. at Region in Hillcrest. With braised short ribs, duck, escargot and frisée salads on the menu, it can’t open soon enough for me.

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Have you been in Dmood lately? Dmood Café and Lounge opened in November at 4628 Park Blvd. Partners Dr. Farzin Tayefeh, Nadereh Fanaeian and chef Cecilia Tajonar offer Persian-Mediterranean fusion cuisine in a circa 1930s store front that used to house a Persian carpet store. Mirza, borani, hummus and shami are just a few of the starters. There are kebabs and specialty entrées as well. Check it out.

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Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe has changed hands. The new owners are Stephen Poskus, Owen Perry and Brian Quinn. Poskus, the managing partner, spent the past few years as g.m. at Mille Fleurs (although those in the business may remember him from Charlie’s in Cardiff ages ago). Barry Lane is still executive chef and Josh Crane is chef de cuisine. Look for a dining room makeover and subtle changes to the menu (but don’t worry, they’re not touching the roasted chicken or the pizzas.)

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Carlsbad has yet another new dining hot spot. Red Dahlia opened in November in the La Costa Towne Center. Husband and wife team Sean and Julianna Firtel define the cuisine as “Progressive American.” Firtel is a graduate of San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy. After a stint at San Francisco’s Flying Saucer, Firtel moved to San Diego where he spent time at Mille Fleurs and Roppongi. Look for casual cuisine: steak frites with homemade ketchup, chicken and polenta in a porcini broth and crispy skin wild salmon are house favorites. Ben Rollins is pastry chef and Aliza Cicerone, formerly of Ridge Vineyards, is running the wine program. Visit them online at reddahlia.net.

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Downtowners have a new hangout. Dussini Mediterranean Bistro opened in December in the space formerly occupied by The Old Spaghetti Factory. The three-story space, centered around a brushed steel staircase and a three-story glass wine cellar, includes mezzanine dining, an upstairs lounge, and a loft bar and billiard room. Dussini is owned and operated by OSF International, the company that operates The Old Spaghetti Factory restaurants. The menu features Mediterranean favorites including olive tapenade, monkfish nicoise, osso buco alla milanese and paella. The executive chef is Earl Schryver, who most recently was executive chef at Laguna’s Surf and Sand Resort. Carrie Richards, g.m., has more than 20 years in the business; her resume includes P.F. Chang’s, King’s Fish House, Flemings and Croce’s. Dussini is located at 275 Fifth Ave. in the beautiful historic brick building designed by Irving Gill.

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.