When one door closes, another opens: Goodbye, I. Cugini; hello, Katsuya Laguna Beach

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I. Cugini restaurant in Santa Monica will close after serving Father’s Day brunch on June 19. Serving Southern California since 1990, the restaurant no longer fit with future plans, said owners King’s Seafood Co. ‘It was a very difficult decision for us to make,’ says Sam King, chief executive of King’s Seafood. ‘We truly enjoyed operating I. Cugini over the past 21 years.’

1501 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401; (310) 451-4595.

Laguna Beach will be the home of Katsuya’s sixth location in California with sushi chef Katsuya Uechi at the helm. Set to open in mid-June, designer Philippe Starck will go for a ‘welcoming aesthetic’ to fit the O.C.’s vibe. Unique to the Laguna Beach location: a kid’s menu.

-- Emma Wartzman