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Antonio DeCicco’s highly anticipated Villetta opens in three weeks. A $3 million investment with a massive renovation of the fatigued Chez Mimi on 26th Street in Brentwood, Villetta’s opening was delayed, due to meticulous scrutiny by inspectors from the city of Santa Monica (also known as Soviet Monica by many businesses). Curiously, the east side of 26th Street is Brentwood, the west side is Santa Monica, hence the unending inspections.

Some time ago, a chef friend, after signing a Santa Monica lease, expressed an anxiety about opening his restaurant thereabouts. After inspectors informed him where the refrigerator must be, he did as was told. They returned, and then decided the fridge should be in the original location, costing more big bucks. Who said owning a restaurant is a trip.

Antonio’s hired chef Pippa Calland, who cooked at Le Madri in Manhattan and at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in the Napa Valley, to take over the kitchen. “Coming aboard is my pizza baker Daniele Uditi from the Michaele Pizzeria in Naples – you’ve never tasted a pie like Daniele’s. I’m from Naples. I know.”

Antonio’s investors befriended him during his 12 years managing the ever-popular Toscana in Brentwood, where the Italian menu remains consistently dependable, without the foo-foo madness appearing on more menus. A very accomplished young chef, after launching a new restaurant, reported that he added “creative inspirations” to the menu. Loyal customers arrived for a couple of visits, but quickly vanished.

In Manhattan, bizarre dishes are sometimes touted, although NY Times critics Sam Sifton and Frank Bruni haven’t gone too far afield recommending madcap concoctions. Young diners, for a time or two, may find the strange choices curiously adventurous, but they soon prefer standbys – that melt-in-your-mouth ravioli, linguine vongole, a juicy burger, and that tender sirloin steak.

Back to Villetta (baby villa) at 226 26th Street, across from the Brentwood Country Mart, that will be open for lunch and dinner daily. Antonio affirms that he and wife Susan remain sticklers for fresh California produce, and both will host the various rooms that are comfortably scaled. He credits New Yorker Donna Rabin with the “rustic décor,” for the atrium, courtyard, bar/counter, private cellar and the “media room,” where films may be screened for 22 guests. Private parties already are being booked.

More than a decade ago, Antonio, who we met at Giorgio Baldi’s in Santa Monica, revealed he’d fallen in love with Susan and proposed. To check him out, his future father-in-law arranged for his private plane to fly Antonio to the East for a meeting. Antonio was asked how serious he was about the pending marriage, and what kind of a future he’d create for his daughter. All went well. Susan and Antonio wed, and are the proud parents of Julian, Lauren and Caitlin.

About the kerfuffle with L.A. Times’ restaurant critic Sherry Irene Virbila being “outed,” after years of professional anonymity by the owners of Beverly Hills’ new Red Medicine on Wilshire Boulevard, was it necessary to keep Irene and her party waiting 40 minutes when there wasn’t any intention of seating them. Showing them the door and shoving a camera in her face? Why not explain that since they’d just opened, they needed time to shake down the staff and kitchen, and suggest that Irene and her party return later.

Restaurant reviewing is no picnic, which we’ve been involved with for Town & Country magazine, the Hollywood Reporter, Nob Hill Gazette, Jay Weston’s Restaurant Newsletter, Walter Annenberg’s Good Food, and continue with The Courier. How many times have we heard from foodies that it must be “fun.” Not always, what with that never-ending quest hanging overhead for that “certain somewhere” to write about. Not to mention the bad food one encounters. And those unwanted calories!

In 2010, we rediscovered a cozy corner in Beverly Hills that we chose as our Pick of the Week. Trattoria Amici, where once upon a time Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were romancing. Owner Tancredi DeLuca sold it not long ago to his indefatigable chef Gerber Tovar, an engaging gentleman full of optimism. Trattoria Amici’s terrace has flowers in season, and bright red napkins that accent the white tablecloths in the comfy dining room.

We’ve dined there recently and, as we get younger, we appreciate “clean cuisine” (no foo-foo), and here it is, simply and attractively and properly prepared. Gerber’s complimentary white bean puree and chopped tomatoes spark the appetite. Thin-crusted pizzas, piping-hot dairy-free soups, antipasti, pastas, risotti, seafood, meats are featured on the menu. Nothing pretentious, with a quiet atmosphere that allows conversation without fighting the sounds of hard rock.

Count on friendly service from Gabriel Gonzalez of the matinee-idol good looks (destined to be signed by a talent agent for a television series); keeper of the wines Eugene Lopez; Luis Ramirez; Adrian Garcia, along with cheerful Gianpaolo Santoni overseeing all. Ideal for private parties, with the dining room seating 25 to 30, and the patio accommodating 25. Open weekdays and Saturdays for lunch, with dinner nightly. Valet parking. At 468 N. Doheny Dr. in Beverly Hills. Telephone: 310-858-027l.

In 2010, we also predicted success in our column for Sweet Butter, the new-to-the-Valley café and market on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. We discovered this dream come true for caterer Leslie Danelian immediately after it opened in November. Within weeks, Sweet Butter was anointed as one of the five best new eateries in Los Angeles by Bon Appetit’s Barbara Fairchild. Leslie’s the daughter of Los Angeles philanthropist Louise Danelian.

Steve Carell, Chris Noth, Jenifer Lewis, Phyllis Diller stop by for breakfast, lunch or take-out. Homemade dairy-free soups (not to be missed, when available, is Leslie’s chicken pot pie soup), burgers and sandwiches, items such as chicken tenders, cookies and desserts. A wonderful addition for Valley-ites and us all that’s lately attracted a following with executives from CBS and Universal Studios.

Regulars include Leslie’s cousin Tina and husband David Segel. The producer of the harrowing true story, The Stoning Of Soraya, starring Shohreh Aghashoo, David’s the chairman of Mpower Pictures. He’s producing the teen romantic comedy, Hello, I Love You, filming in New Orleans this spring. Also developing Left To Tell, a true supernatural thriller about Immaculee Ilibagiza’s surviving the Rwandan genocide after being imprisoned for 91 days in a bathroom with seven other women.

Over the holidays at the Segels’ beautiful estate in the Pacific Palisades, Tina prepared a festive dinner. A lover of wine, David poured that mouth-filling 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chateau Montelena. In the midst of our hearty evening, we asked David if he might fill our wine glass with a ‘little bit’ more. Pouring generously, of course, he smiled, “No such thing as a ‘little bit’ in this house.”

Barbra Streisand and Warner Bros. are developing the remake of Gypsy in which she’ll star as Mama Rose, the worst stage mother in theatrical history. She pushed Gypsy’s agent/manager out the window to his demise.