Chef Fred DeAngelo, known for opening Palomino and Tiki's Grill & Bar, is in on the ground floor of yet another restaurant: Ola at Turtle Bay Resort. The name Ola — meaning life, living, healthy or alive — is an indicator of the kind of menu DeAngelo plans, with a focus on locally grown ingredients and healthy, lively cooking. Because three of the four partners (including DeAngelo) and the sous chef are of Hawaiian ancestry, the Hawaiian language name "best captured the mana of the new restaurant," DeAngelo said.

The restaurant, on the site of the Sand Bar beach concession at the Kahuku hotel, will open Dec. 1 and will have a sommelier on staff to match wine to food. It will seat 125. DeAngelo continues to operate 'Olino Events, a catering company.

TURKEY-FREE THANKS

MEAT-FREE MEAL AT GOVINDA'S ON NOV. 23

The Vegetarian Society of Hawai'i will again serve a buffet-style, meat-free, low-fat dinner on the eve of Thanksgiving, with "tofu turkey" and "faux ham" as centerpieces along with such standards as stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, green beans and pumpkin pie. The event is Nov. 23 at Govinda's Restaurant, 51 Coelho Way, off Pali Highway just before the Nu'uanu Avenue exit with seatings at 5 and 7 p.m. Seating is family-style.

Tickets are $13 for adults, $9 for children and reservations are required: 595-5301. The Vegetarian Society of Hawai'i is among the largest in the country with more than 1,800 members. Information: 944-8344 or www.vsh.org.