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By 6:30 p.m. last Saturday, so many people had arrived for the VIP preview of Crush 1345 (1345 N. Main St., High Point; 869-3514; http://www.crush1345.com) that owner Noell Stevens barely had time to catch her breath.

On that occasion, she greeted guests and old friends, many loyal patrons of Stevens' former restaurant, Pomodoro.

Earlier this year, Stevens and her husband, Ronnie, felt the concept of Pomodoro had run its course and were looking for a buyer. When a deal fell through, Stevens realized she wasn't really ready to sell after all. Instead, she decided to reinvent the restaurant as something a little more casual and a little more affordable. They closed Pomodoro in early October for renovations.

"I wanted to do something creative and fun," she says. "It was an opportunity for us to create something of our own."

Crush 1345 opens today with a grand opening planned Friday. The new concept focuses on tapas, smaller entrees and a new wine list.

"It's fun, fresh, creative food that can appeal to all people," she says.

Crush offers American Tapas -- Spanish appetizers with a continental twist -- such as Cilantro-Lime Ahi Tuna ($9), Vegetable Roll with Thai Cucumber Sauce ($4), Herbed Shrimp over Polenta ($8) and skewers of Welsh Rarebit with Cheese Dip ($5.50).

Entrees consist of steaks and grilled seafood along with a selection of lighter portions such as Gnocchi ($13), Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($14) and Carbonara Pasta Pie ($11).

A notable speciality is a menu of potato cake pizzas that include Artichoke Bechamel ($12), Italian Sausage ($13) and Sliced Red and Yellow Tomatoes ($11).

Open-faced sandwiches such as a Fried Oyster Po' Boy ($12) and House Roasted Turkey Breast ($9) and salads and sides round things off.

Stevens says food and family have always been important to her. Often, her family will gather to cook and connect. This is reflected in her restaurant.

"There are several things from my grandfather on the menu," she says. "And several things from my father. Ronnie's mother prepares all of the restaurant's desserts."

This attitude even extends to "Name Your Tapas," an interactive program in which patrons can submit a personal tapas recipe to the restaurant. Each month, a winning recipe will be chosen to be featured on the menu the following month.

The wine list offers 15 whites and 15 reds by half glass and full glass. Wine flights are also offered and change monthly.

"It's a very versatile wine list with an emphasis on Appalachians and varietals," Stevens says.

Hours for Crush 1345 are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday.

South American Foods Featured At New Eatery

In a strip of shops just off High Point Road, a small eatery called Sabor Latinos Chicken (3738-F Farmington Drive; 834-0905) has quietly opened and begun serving Central American and South American food including fried and stuffed breads such as tostones, empanadas and arepas.

Yeni Pineda, who is of Guatemalan descent, moved to Greensboro with her father from New Jersey and opened the shop. She generally tends things in the restaurant when not waiting on customers at the adjacent tienda, or retail store.

"In New Jersey, you can find Guatemalan food everywhere," Pineda says. "But here it is mostly Mexican and Tex-Mex."

Guatemalan food, she explains, is less spicy than Mexican food. Which is probably why each table has a bottle of hot sauce to appease those expecting something with a little more heat.

Entrees include a half rotisserie chicken with rice and beans or with fried plantains ($8.50) or fried fish with a side salad and bread ($9). Other sides include fried yucca.

Chicken and seafood soups are also on the menu.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sabor Latinos offers Guatemalan tamales. Unlike the corn-based masa version familiar to most, this version is made with rice dough. The tamales are generally stuffed with chicken, but during the Christmas season may be flavored more traditionally with olives and raisins.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily.

Fall Menu Items

Lucky 32 (1421 Westover Terrace, Greensboro; 370-0707) is offering a fall bar menu that includes items such as Tasso Ham and Caramelized Onion Dip, Sweet Potato Hush Puppies, Butternut Squash Soup and Persimmon-glazed West Virginia Char.

Solaris Tapas Restaurant & Bar (125 Summit Ave., Greensboro; 378-0198) is offering some new dinner items including Venison and Vegetable Stew, Mango-Mustard Swordfish and Drunken Shrimp in Honey Bourbon Sauce.

Scoop Shop Employee Works For Change

Kyla Purtell, a 19-year-old UNCG student and scooper at Ben & Jerry's (3332 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro) at the Shops at Friendly Center, is one of four Ben & Jerry's scoop shop employees worldwide chosen to participate in Scoopers Making Change, a youth leadership program designed to encourage youth activism and progressive social change.

Purtell was chosen for her work with Bike Me!, a Greensboro area bicycle collective to promote cycling as a sustainable and affordable form of transportation. Bike Me! repairs used bikes to donate to low-income individuals. Bike Me! will be raising money for the organization and giving free tune-ups for those who show up on their bike from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

For information, call the shop at 856-2178.

Have restaurant news for Short Orders? Contact Carl Wilson at 373-7145 or cwilson@news-record.com.