Casa Corona now has restaurants on both sides of town.

The Mexican restaurant opened its second location last week in the former El Toro Tambien restaurant at the northeast corner of Bullard and West avenues in Fresno.

Casa Corona's original location at Cedar and Herndon avenues remains open.

El Toro Tambien, apparently a Bee reader favorite judging from how many of you called to mourn, closed abruptly months ago due to financial difficulties.

Now that restaurant's customers are showing up at the new Casa Corona and liking what they find, says Elsa Rodriguez Killion, who owns the restaurants with her siblings, Armando and Melina Rodriguez.

"They're saying 'Wow,' " she says. "They're amazed."

The new owners brightened up the place with some lighter colors, tore out the carpet and replaced it with a stained concrete floor, and added an embossed tin ceiling over the bar.

The menu is the same as the first Casa Corona's, featuring its trademark chili verde, shrimp and black bean flautas and Cesar's garlic shrimp named after the chef.

The Tower Sports Club is also newly opened.

The bar, at 1294 Wishon Ave. in the Tower District, is a cross between a sports bar and a country club.

Owner and bartender Pete Mejia, the former owner of Zapp's Park bar, used to tend bar at country clubs. He's brought that comfy, classy feel to his new place.

It features armchairs centered around tiny tables with their own lamps. Blues and jazz, such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, play in the background.

"I think this is what people are looking for," Mejia says. "They want to have a drink ... have an espresso and talk to [their] friends."

The back of the bar is more sports-themed and includes a pool table.

All TVs will be on during big games, but only the ones in the back will show sports all the time, he says.

Mejia invites customers to bring in food, saying Pacifica Pizza and Livingstone's restaurant have delivered to the bar.

Tower Sports Club has a full bar, including beer, wine and coffees such as Irish coffee and espresso. It has free wireless Internet.

At the other end of the Tower District, Zen Wok Fusion has opened at 609 Olive Ave.

The restaurant, formerly Karsh's Subs & U-bake Pizza, opened for lunch in November and began serving dinner in early January.

The Asian bistro has chefs from Dai Bai Dang and P.F. Chang's, but touts prices below those found at Panda Express.

The restaurant delivers to the surrounding neighborhood.

If you're looking to get your drink on this weekend, check out the Clovis Centennial Cocktail Competition.

As the city prepares to celebrate its 100th birthday, local bars and restaurants are competing to create one of two official signature drinks of the centennial.

You get to be the judge. Between Jan. 12 and 5 p.m. Jan 16, customers of the six competing businesses can try the drinks and cast their ballots for the people's choice award winner.

On Sunday, judges will choose their favorite. Both winners will be featured at the Feb. 27 centennial event.

Participating restaurants and bars are: Kimmie's Tavern, Michelangelo's Pizzeria, Old Town Saloon, Bobby Salazar's, The 500 Club and Salsa's Cantina.

Pizza Patrón, a Latino pizza place where customers can pay in pesos, has opened its first restaurant in Fresno.

The restaurant is at 3235 N. First St., at the northwest corner of Shields Avenue and First Street and touts its "Más Pizza. Menos Dinero" low-cost concept.

You can pay in American dollars, of course, or pesos -- though bills only.

The Dallas-based chain sells pizzas like "La Patrona," which features pepperoni, ground beef, ham and sausage. The full menu is online at www.pizzapatron.com.

And get ready to see plenty more Pizza Patrón restaurants. Pizza Patrón has signed a deal with California Brand Development to bring 20 more restaurants to the area over the next 48 months, with six of them in Fresno.