Ristorante Ferrantelli in Dana Point Shuttered, Coupon Holders Will Get Refunds

On a warm winter's day, mainstay Ristorante Ferrantelli located near Dana Point harbor should have customers sitting on its spacious patio enjoying an Italian meal; instead it bears several red and white 'for lease' banners.

In addition, the once popular eatery owned since 1992 by Laguna Niguel resident Masood Ghalami, had left 436 people who bought online coupons from LivingSocial wondering what to do with the place locked up tight.

Until now.

LivingSocial spokesperson Brendan P. Lewis said: "According to our records, 436 people purchased a voucher for this specific deal. In light of the merchant's closing, we have cancelled the deal and are in the process of issuing a refund to all our members who purchased a voucher. Those refunds should be reflected on their card-on-file in the next couple of days."

If a member has any further questions or concerns, customers are encouraged to call a LivingSocial customer advocate at 877-521-4191. 

Here is the original posting on LivingSocial that ran Jan. 10-13: You promised your sweetie you'd prepare a classic Italian feast for date night, but she was less than enthused by the spread of instant mac 'n' cheese and microwaveable pepperoni pizza. Expand your culinary chops with today's deal from Ristorante Ferrantelli: Pay $20 for $40 to spend on food and drink at dinner or $10 for $20 to spend on lunch at this upscale Dana Point eatery that dishes out authentic Italian cuisine in a romantic setting. Reel in a boatload of succulent seafood selections, like shrimp risotto swimming in a garlic and herb-infused white wine sauce; or homemade lobster and mushroom ravioli in a champagne saffron cream sauce, topped with jumbo shrimp. If you prefer a meatier meal, try the Italian sausage rigatoni with mushrooms, onions, and fresh peas in a garlicky tomato cream sauce. With heaping portions, a massive wine list, and a gorgeous outdoor patio, Ristorante Ferrantelli scores high marks from Google and CitySearch users. Forgo the frozen food section, and wow your honey with a real taste of Italy when you snag this deal.

Not Always Easy

However, before Patch called the online coupon company based in Washington, D.C., on Friday afternoon, the only information customers had was printed on a white sign pasted to the front window of the restaurant stating: "The restaurant is closed and will not be re-opening." It lists Ghalami's name above a phone number. 

A worker who was painting the trim near the front door of the restaurant said a friend's mother "purchased $100 worth of the LivingSocial coupons to use at the restaurant a few months ago. She's pretty mad."

He said several people visit the restaurant every day, unaware that it has been closed.

The restaurant was supposed to be vacated on Jan. 11, but when federal marshals came to lock the doors, Ghalami refused to leave, according to Jeanne Lager of Collins Holdings, the company that manages the center. Mitchell Land and Improvement is the long-time owner of the center.

"When they arrived, he refused to leave the premises," she said. "We had to go back to court and re-file, and they returned on Jan. 19 and finally locked the doors."

Lager said before Jan. 19, Ghalami was seen trying to remove some of the decor from inside the restaurant including, "tearing off molding and removing plastic plants."

Getting Ready

On Friday, mid-day, a crew was busy painting the building, but the inside has yet to be tackled, Lager said.

"Right now, we are working on getting the outside cleaned up; we've had numerous people interested in the property," she said.

Lager said that Ghalami owed them in excess of $70,000 in back rent, and added that his monthly rent was in excess of $15,000. The restaurant has been in bankruptcy since August.

The restaurant sued the landowner in 2010, but Collins came out the victor, winning $663,415, Lager said.

However, Ghalami has not paid back any of the money, she said.

"It's a great space with a spectacular view," she said, pointing to the harbor just a few feet away. "We're sorry this happened, we feel bad, but we're looking forward to someone new coming into the center."

Ghalami could not be reached for comment.