Alex Thao, owner of Rama, Celedon and the nightclub Thirty-Two, will take over Region in Hillcrest on Nov. 1 and begin remodeling the space to move Celedon into it. Thao will then use the current Celedon location on University Avenue to introduce CHOW Noodle House by the end of this year. Michael Stebner, owner of Region, says he’s moving back to his native Phoenix, where he’ll open a restaurant similar to the Region concept.

The ever-popular Ranchos Cocina in North Park and Ocean Beach has started charging $1.25 for its table chips and salsa, making it perhaps the only Mexican eatery in San Diego County that does so. The family-owned operation also ranks as having one of the biggest selections of vegetarian Mexican food. The reason for the chip charge: too much waste left behind by customers who don’t finish their second and third baskets, according to one of the family members. Charging for a second portion of chips is being considered instead.

It appears that I’m not the only burger madman in town. Since writing a column in this paper recently on my favorite burger joints, I’ve received some good tips from readers with their own recommendations, including Jack’s Old Fashion Broiler in Hillcrest, which earned a huge blue ribbon in my book. (See last week’s food review in the GLT.) Next on my list of places to check out is the bar lounge at the Catamaran Hotel, which one of my sources insists makes the absolute best burgers in San Diego because they’re comprised of filet mignon “scraps” left over from large banquets held regularly at the hotel. And they’re supposedly flame-broiled, too!

And speaking of burgers, Hamburger Mary’s this week officially kicked off with a new name, a whole new look and an expanded menu. Now called Urban Mo’s, owner Chris Shaw says the restaurant’s 17-year licensing agreement with the Newport Beach-based corporation has come to an end. Rather than renew, “We decided to break away on our own,” he said. In its independent incarnation, the menu now features a build-your-own hamburger section and expanded dinner items that include swordfish, barbecued pulled pork and meatloaf, to name a few.

The anticipated new fine-dining restaurant at The Grand Del Mar resort, called Addison, opened last week to the tune of 6,000 square feet, encompassing four indoor fireplaces, outside patios and sweeping golf course panoramas. Executive chef William Bradley, who recently returned to San Diego after opening Scottsdale’s acclaimed Vu restaurant, heads up the kitchen. Known for his artisan approach to cooking, he’s developed a preview menu to be offered through Oct. 1. The restaurant is named in honor of Addison Mizner, an architectural visionary credited with launching the Florida design renaissance in the 1920s. The blueprint pays tribute to Mizner’s pioneering architectural style.

The second annual Culinary Competition will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, in the Casa del Prado courtyard in Balboa Park to benefit the Center for Community Solutions and to honor National Domestic Violence Month. The elaborate showdown, which features 20 food stations and two cooking stages boasting modern-day kitchen equipment and projection screens, will give way to two teams, each involving five chefs who will face off in “Iron Chef” style. Participating restaurants that will dole out food samples include Oceanaire, Asia Vous, Terra, Cantina and JRDN. Tickets are $100 per person and can be obtained at the entrance, as well as by calling (858) 272-5777 ext. 120 or by logging on to www.ccssd.org.

After a three-month trial run, the new and sensational Spicy Green Bean Dish at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro has earned permanent status on the franchise’s revised menu due to strong sales. The beans are the Blue Lake variety, and they’re stir-fried in canola oil with pickled chili paste and ground garlic. They sell for $5.95 and are worth every penny! The restaurant currently has locations in Fashion Valley and La Jolla, with another slated to open in Chula Vista in mid-October.