Forget the sports bar.

The owner of the new Brick restaurant in downtown Fresno -- formerly the sports-themed Heroes -- is going for a classier vibe.

Brick opened about three weeks ago at 820 Van Ness Ave. White table cloths, a grand piano and black and white pictures of movie stars all contribute to the sophisticated feel owner Kyle Kirkland is going for.

It's a change from the restaurant's past. The business opened as Hero's in 2009, then became Austin's, then Heroes again when Kirkland, one of the owners of the nearby Club One Casino, took over. He closed it last November to make the change to Brick.

Kirkland describes Brick as "sophisticated, but in a comfortable sense. You don't necessarily have to come in a jacket and tie, but just a little more sophisticated than the typical joint."

Two meeting rooms with leather couches can be curtained off for privacy.

The menu features elaborate salads, such as a watermelon and strawberry salad with spinach. There are sandwiches, pizza and the trademark chicken under a brick, in which the boneless half chicken brushed with garlic and spices is cooked under a brick to maintain the moisture.

Most dishes range from $9 to $12.

Brick -- named for the building's brick walls -- has a full bar with wine, and 12 beers on tap, including two from Fresno-based Tioga-Sequoia.

A large screen quietly shows the Turner Classic Movies channel and plans are in the works for Jazz Fresno to play at the restaurant monthly.

The restaurant, which is still tinkering with its hours and menu, plans to be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will likely stay open later when big events happen downtown.

Details: brickfresno.com.

-- Mickey's Yogurt is up and running in the former Starbucks at 2195 Shaw Ave., near Armstrong Avenue.

Mickey's carries self-serve yogurt and toppings, including fresh fruit, candy, nuts and hot fudge. Customers pay by the ounce.

Melisa Howell, a local real estate agent, and her family opened the shop this month.

So who's Mickey?

He's Howell's dad. Mickey France is a retired businessman who ran real estate companies and a costume shop in Southern California. He always wanted to open an ice cream shop, Howell says. Together, the family opted for a healthier version with frozen yogurt.

They blame the grandkids for the name. The entire family voted on a name for the restaurant, including France's nine grandchildren.

"The grandchildren outnumber the rest of us by 2-to-1," Howell says. "They all wanted it to be named after grandpa."

-- The owner of Bella Pasta opened his new venture, The Steakhouse, last month. The building at 2731 W. Clinton Ave., near Highway 99, has been home to a string of restaurants over the last few years that didn't last.

Fabian Rodriguez hopes to make this one last with old-fashioned steakhouse favorites, such as rib-eye steak, veal chops and pork chops, all served with a choice of baked potato, rice pilaf and soup or salad.

Rodriguez has a connection to the mix of older neighborhoods and new developments west of Highway 99: His first house was in the area.

-- Burgers, hot dogs and sausages are selling well at the newly opened Cravings Wood Grilled Burgers N' Dogs, at 2220 Herndon Ave., at the southeast corner of Herndon and Armstrong avenues in Clovis.

"All we do is burn wood," says owner Scott Hinman. "We don't have a griddle."

The restaurant has 25 toppings and a three-step process for adding them.

First, there's what Hinman calls the "wet stuff," options such as ketchup, chipotle mayo, thousand island dressing, etc. Then there's "chunky stuff," including tomatoes, sauerkraut and wax peppers. And lastly, the final touches: salt and pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, bacon bits and more.

-- Passports are for sale for A Taste of Clovis, part of Clovis' centennial birthday celebration. The celebration, which runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 27 at Sierra Vista Mall, is free, but the Taste of Clovis passports cost $5.

Passport holders can sample food from 16 Clovis restaurants beginning at 5 p.m. Passports can be bought at Sierra Vista Mall's customer service booth, Heart's Delight and Bear Creek Gifts.

Details: happybirthdayclovis.com.