On Oscar Night, CHOC Is the Big Star at Planet Hollywood

And the Oscar for best altruistic performance goes to . . . Planet Hollywood! No surprise.

On Monday, the South Coast Plaze Village restaurant will again host an Academy Awards night party, and as president Frank DiBella points out, “Who could do it better? Our whole insides is the Hollywood scene.�

Outside, paparazzi, adoring “fans� and a lush red carpet will greet the guests to the benefit for Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange. The “whole insides� are always filled with Hollywood memorabilia, and for the party, they’ll also have huge TV monitors, live and silent auctions and a buffet dinner that runs from chicken crunch to Snickers pie.

“We’re donating 100% to CHOC hospital,� DiBella said. “Food, labor, everything.�

Planet Hollywood’s South Coast Village location first staged an Academy Awards benefit last year. Nine other U.S. locations have followed suit.

The party, which lasts from 5 to 9:30 p.m., is co-hosted by the CHOC Padrinos. Cost is $75, and preferred attire is “Hollywood glamour,� of course.

1641 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. (714) 532-8683.

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You don’t like the food? Want to complain about the service? Now you can tell the chef to his face--in both cases. Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Golden Truffle in Costa Mesa has introduced the Chef’s Lunch, where chefs will be servers as well as cooks. Could be a great way to bring down overhead, but chef/owner Alan Greeley insists it’s all just for fun. . . .

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