With movie producer Joseph “McG” Nichol as a partner, River Jetty Restaurant Group always had a Hollywood connection, but now it’s official. The brand is expanding and will add two L.A. County locations: Long Beach is coming in fall and West Hollywood on Sunset is slated to open by year’s end.

“We’re going to be in that new, beautiful center called 2nd & PCH,” said Jordan Otterbein, Nichol’s partner in A Restaurant, A Market and CdM Restaurant. “We’ll start construction in Long Beach in July and open in the fall.”

The West Hollywood location will follow soon after, slated to open by year’s end.

“We’ve closed the deal and signed a lease. It’s right on Sunset Boulevard, kind of across the street from where the old Tower Records was. My partner McG has his office right across the street. And he is really excited to finally have a restaurant in L.A.”

While the move into L.A. County is thrilling, Otterbein is too busy to rest on his laurels. River Jetty is adding another local dining room and right now he has to focus on that. A Crystal Cove opens in Newport Beach on Wednesday, May 25 in the tony Crystal Cove Shopping Center with Mastro’s Ocean Club, Javier’s Restaurant and Marché Moderne as its neighbors.

A Crystal Cove’s menu by Executive Chef Elvis Morales will include house-made pastas, meats, fresh seafood and pizzas.

“Elvis is the perfect guy because he worked at A and mastered the art of grilling steaks and he worked at Mastro’s prior to that. And then with CdM having pizza and pasta, he’s the perfect guy to execute our new menu, which is a combination of both restaurants,” Otterbein said. “My partner likes to say it’s as if A and CdM had a baby.”

The 5,400 square foot, 200-seat restaurant takes the former spot of pizza restaurant Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana. It will be just as stylish as its sister dining rooms with red leather booths echoing its Mariner’s Mile location on one side and CdM’s signature plush blue banquets on the other.

As he did with CdM, Nichol has weighed in on the look, even helping to choose artwork and using his company Wonderland Sound and Vision to set up its sound system. His sister,  Betsy Van’t Hof, created the interior design. The team collaborated with Culver City-based firm OfficeUntitled on the complete renovation.

Special features include front-facing sliding doors that can be opened for additional patio seating, an open kitchen, a glass-enclosed wine room, a 16-seat private dining room and an antique photo booth, similar to the one found in CdM Restaurant’s downstairs speakeasy. The restaurant’s centerpiece will be a $200,000 24-seat oval-shaped bar, showcasing the preparation of its popular craft cocktails.

Otterbein said A Crystal Cove will start taking reservations this week and he can’t wait to welcome diners. He says he’s come full circle because he worked at Sage on the Coast and this is a return to a neighborhood he enjoys, adding a coveted location to River Jetty’s portfolio.

“A Restaurant just keeps chugging along. It’s amazing to have so many loyal locals, and now CdM is the same thing,” he said. “We’re just super proud that they’ve embraced it and we hope that happens again for us in the Newport Coast.”

Find it:  7864 E. Coast Hwy., 949-715-1140, riverjettyrg.com.

Open: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. -10 p.m. Sunday.  Brunch will be served 10 a.m.-4 pm. Saturday-Sunday. No dancing, but deejays will provide music during brunch and evenings, Thursday-Saturday.

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