Hold the Pickle, Relish and Remodel: New Burger Restaurant Delayed

The owner of a planned gourmet hamburger restaurant, which had been set to on Coast Highway, has put his project on hold indefinitely.

David Mainiero, owner of the proposed restaurant (which he previously called both and ) tells Laguna Beach Patch that a number of factors were involved—one of them being several lawsuits in Florida that his father has been named in. Mainiero himself was named in one of the suits, which involve his father's former business partners hurling accusations of embezzlement and money laundering.

"Although Urbun and I are named in the litigation regarding my father's partnership dispute, it all really doesn't have anything to do with me or what I'm doing with my business ventures here in California," Mainiero tells Laguna Beach Patch. "That is beginning to come to light in the litigation process as hard facts trump their supercharged, yet empty, accusations. It's an impressively wild, fictional web they've spun. But, despite their talent for creative writing, I can unequivocally tell you that no one in my family partook in any such wrongdoing and certainly did nothing criminal. It's a shame that litigation-based smear tactics are going to jeopardize my goodwill and reputation here in Laguna, but I am fully confident that the truth will prevail."

Mainiero also cited a combination of permitting delays and "newfound hurdles to construction according to our approved design" as factors that weighed in to his decision to postpone plans.

Mainiero's father, David Sr., opened a chain of burger restaurants in Florida called BurgerFi with business partners John Rosatti and Lee Goldberg. Their relationship soured earlier this year, however. A recent story in the Palm Beach Post reported that Rosatti and Goldberg made claims that David Sr. had been stealing from BurgerFi and other business ventures the three were involved in so that David Sr. could "support his lifestyle, decorate his home, and open competing restaurants." Goldberg had estimated a loss of around $1 million. David Sr., meanwhile, has countersued his former partners.

"My intent has been, is, and will be, to open a community-oriented business in what I consider as one of the most close-knit, terrific communities that I've encountered in Laguna Beach," Mainiero tells Laguna Beach Patch. "I believe the support of the community and the personal relationships that it comprises of are just as important as the food and service in a restaurant and that's a large part of the reason my family moved here to be a part of the Laguna Beach community. It's unfortunate that this issue has followed us here, but I am confident that the truth will prevail and I will soon fulfill my original goal."

Mainiero says he would still like to open his restaurant—now back to being called Urbun Natural Burger—before the end of summer.