For those few who don’t already know (the scuttlebutt has been flying for some time now), the Cohn Restaurant Group is taking over the beloved Thee Bungalow on March 15. “Lesley and I have always loved the funky location and its 35-year history,” says David Cohn. Cohn intends to retain Thee Bungalow staff as well as most of the “signature dishes” (like that famous Duck with Cumberland sauce). Larry Abrams will serve as executive chef. He most recently served as sous chef at La Jolla’s Fresh and Downtown’s Oceanaire Seafood Room.

Ed Moore, proprietor of Thee Bungalow for the past 19 years, will continue to develop his Third Corner concept, located across the street. Moore has been active over the years cultivating the San Diego restaurant scene and is founder of the annual “Chef’s Celebration Dinners” that raise money for a local chefs scholarship fund. March 13 marks the “last supper” at Thee Bungalow under Moore’s ownership, and what better way to go out than with a chef-studded dinner to raise money for the scholarship fund. The six-course, $150 dinner will feature an all-star lineup of many of San Diego’s favorite chefs past and present. Slated to participate are Scott Meskan, Doug Organ, Joe Savino, Derek Ridgeway, Jonathan Pflueger, Deb Schneider, Deb Helm, Jeffrey Strauss, Jim Phillips, Allstaire Revell, Don Coulon, Bernard Guillas, Juan Flores, Larry Abrams and Moore. For more information, call (619) 224-2884.

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Blanca, a restaurant located in the Beachwalk Plaza on South Highway 101 in Solana Beach, is set to open some time this month. TSA Contracting converted the 4,200-square-foot former bicycle shop for owner Seth Bass. AkarStudios of Santa Monica did the design and architecture.

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On March 9 the Downtown Morton’s restaurant hosts a “Wine and Chocolate Tasting.” Guests will enjoy a variety of decadent chocolates, including an assortment of truffles, miniature hot chocolate cakes and velvet petits fours, paired with noted wines such as Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto and Mariah Zinfandel. Cost is $40 person. For more information and reservations, call (619) 696-3369.

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Beauty Bar opened a San Diego branch this year. Located at the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and Euclid Avenue (4746 El Cajon Blvd.), this is the sixth location of the popular-with-the-under-30-crowd cocktail lounge. Beauty Bar combines drinking with low-level beauty treatments (like manicures and henna tattoos) and music. Taking over the former Playhouse (a notorious Hell’s Angels hangout), the funky-chic décor includes a back bar constructed from an old barber shop in Northern New Jersey and vintage hair dryer chairs from Paul’s Beauty Salon in Austin, Texas. The venue has a large outdoor patio for smoking and a small stage for live performances. Other locations include Los Angeles, New York, Austin, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

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Vagabond Restaurant opened last month at 2310 30th St. It is the latest concept brought to you by Philippe Beltran (French Side of the West, Alize). Beltran has teamed up with owner Jerome Gombert to offer this “kitchens of the world” eatery to Golden Hill. This newly constructed 40-seat restaurant has a full bar menu and features dishes from around the globe. From the “Piatto Italiano,” a sampling of two Italian appetizers, to “Crispy Garlic Calamari,” Tien-Dat Style, the cuisine is sure to be an exciting culinary adventure.

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.