Selanne is ready for hungry guests

The wood is in, the ovens are prepared and Selanne Steak Tavern is ready to open its doors in Laguna Beach.

The restaurant named for Anaheim Ducks’ star Teemu Selanne, one of two proprietors along with Kevin Pratt, will serve its first cocktail and meal beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, according to a news release.

Selanne, which will double as both a casual tavern and an upscale steakhouse, opens in a spot formerly occupied by French 75, at 1464 S. Coast Hwy.

Executive chef Joshua Severson’s menu includes, as the restaurant’s name implies, steaks and chops while also giving a nod to fish and poultry.

Dishes include: Skuna Bay salmon with truffle dumplings, cauliflower and black garlic; a bevy of steaks, including an 8-ounce flat-iron and an 8- or 12-ounce Angus filet; and a macaroni and cheese made with five cheeses and brioche-crumb topping, the release said.

Guests can choose multiple seating options, from the upstairs dining room, downstairs tavern and bar or the outdoor patio.

Pastry chef Heather Fisher updates classic desserts with apple pie in a jar, s’mores, sticky toffee pudding and pumpkin crème brûlée, according to the release.

An upstairs wine cellar houses 500 bottles, with a focus on California vineyards that produce chardonnay, cabernets and cabernet blends.

The building is filled with contemporary touches, including smoked-glass mirrors, quartz mineral accents, framed butterflies, and abstract pieces by Laguna Beach artist Nick Gaetano, the release said.

Starters range from $7 to $21 and entrees from $26 to $51; and the restaurant is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and Sunday; and 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, according to the release.

Leo Finn is the operations director, and Jim Shumate is the restaurant’s general manager.

For more information, call (949) 715-9881 or visit Selanne’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Selanne-Steak-Tavern.

— Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce