ALL ABOUT FOOD: Comfort food coming back to the Lumberyard

The two-martini lunch crowd has been in crisis for months since Cedar Creek shut its doors. The ladies who lunch have had to go elsewhere to munch. The fusion-phobic comfort food fans are foraging futilely for vittles of comparable volume and unfussy flavors.

For them, and all the rest of us who have been eating on that corner since the original Ivy House opened its doors in the former location of Laguna’s first lumberyard, take heart — it won’t be long, the new Lumberyard Restaurant will be open soon. If all goes according to plan, we’ll be drinking and dining there some time in July. The tradition will continue since the remodel is in the capable hands of Cary Redfearn, with design help from his wife, Suzanne, and the considerable talents of architect Gregg Abel.

As a boy, Redfearn and his family spent summer weekends in Laguna. Eventually weekends turned into weeks, then entire summers and finally, they moved here in 1974. Redfearn returned to live here with his own family in 1987.

Redfearn Cary started pre-med at UC San Diego and to help pay for his schooling began to work in restaurants; first as a lunch busboy, then a waiter and finally moving up to maître‘d. He liked the restaurant business and decided his future really wasn’t in medicine after all. He was hired by the Famous Enterprise Fish Company in Santa Barbara and, in the capacity of general manager, opened a chain of restaurants for them where, as he says, “I learned to make mistakes with other people’s money.”

In 1983, he helped Walt Babcock reopen Walt’s Wharf, a popular fish restaurant in Seal Beach, but Redfearn always itched to have his own restaurant some day. After four successful years there, that itch demanded scratching. With Walt’s help he found a location in Corona Del Mar and put down a deposit. Then Walt, who was to be his partner, changed his mind and Redfearn had a few very scary moments. Fortunately, Walt reconsidered and they opened Oysters 20 years ago. During that time, Oysters evolved into a fine quality fish restaurant with Asian influences.

Cary, with his entrepreneurial eye, went looking for another place, this time in his hometown. When the opportunity arose to buy the lease held by Cedar Creek, he jumped at the chance. Lucky for Lagunans, he appreciated that this is a special place. The location has history and the building is a local institution. He is deeply committed to retaining its essence.

After interviewing a number of high-profile restaurant architects, he met Abel and it was kismet; someone who also understood the significance of the building, not only as a local but also as the son of Chris Abel, who had designed both the Ivy House and Cedar Creek Inn. The French Normandy exterior will remain virtually the same, though the doors have been stripped down to the original wood and look really beautiful. Also, the floral stained glass windows that were added during the last remodel are being auctioned off for The Friendship Shelter and will be replaced by clear leaded glass.

Their concept is to create an ambience where the old customers will feel welcome and families will feel comfortable bringing well-behaved children. He envisions it to be an “everyday restaurant” where people might dine more than once a week or just hang out. He also imagines it to be a meeting place for the business crowd and a great spot for a date.

, a father of two and a soccer coach for eight years, wants the restaurant to be family friendly; it will have a children’s menu but this ain’t no Chuck E. Cheese. This is a grown-up restaurant with an atmosphere more like Houston’s or Gulfstream, where adults can feel like they’re having a nice evening out minus the white linen formality.

To accomplish all this, they have completely gutted the interior taking it down to the original framework, creating a big open room with a large horseshoe bar in the center. One entire wall will be a dramatic wine display. Almost all of the seating will be in booths except for high tables by the windows. Everyone will have a view of the action. The plan includes a completely open kitchen, featuring a sizable rotisserie. The fireplace is being restored and the patio remodeled to have more seating.

, who has presided over fish restaurants for most of his career, was ready for something different. Working with chef Julio Hawkins, they have designed a menu that will emphasize high-quality comfort food with simple bold flavors and reasonable prices: prime rib, steaks with a special rub, rotisserie chicken, burgers, baby back ribs, chicken pot pie, spaghetti and meatballs, as well as fish and seafood. Most side dishes will be served family style and will include a mac ’n’ cheese that Redfearn assures us will be fabulous and an old-fashioned baked potato with cheddar cheese, bacon and sour cream.

Because Walt owns Babcock Winery, the vintner, Walt’s son Bryan, will create a house Syrah for Lumberyard and local artists will design the labels. Redfearn is planning his wine list to include affordable bottles and glasses.

“I’d rather see them on the table than in the cellar.”

Chef Hawkins insists on the finest, freshest ingredients including produce from the Farmer’s Market across the street. His intention is to give familiar dishes a kick in the pants. Fortuitously the chef’s girlfriend is a pastry chef and she will be in charge of such desserts as Hog Heaven pie (a chocolate extravaganza), crème brûlée and a seasonal fruit cobbler or crisp.

An exciting innovation will be the yellow zone curbside pick-up for to-go orders. Call ahead and get rotisserie chicken or ribs with all the sides.

As a customer, we know you will enjoy meeting the personable , who loves to be out front, running food to the tables and schmoozing with his clientele.

ELLE HARROW and TERRY MARKOWITZ owned A La Carte for 20 years. They can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected]