Bill Lee’s last project opens in Carmel’s Barnyard.

A brand new restaurant debuts in Carmel’s Barnyard Shopping Center this week. For being so new, there’s something eerily familiar about it.

Local restauranteurs Bill and Teresa Lee introduced Billy Quon’s Sur (601-4667) to friends and neighbors on Monday, demonstrating they have more lives than most cats: This is Bill’s 10th restaurant project in the area, including spots like Bahama Billy’s, Volcano Grill, Kula Ranch Island Steakhouse and Lucky’s Roadside.

If you feel like you’ve seen this movie before, it’s not just for a script Lee has written at previous places (steaks, burgers, seafoods, cocktails, fun ambiance) and the ally in the kitchen. (Exec Chef Herman Hernandez, bringing his signature southern fried chicken, $19, with him.) Sur’s location is the same one where he and his team launchedBixby’s Martini Bistro, and the name Quon harkens to earlier projects like Billy Quon’s Restaurant in Ryan Ranch.

That adds some poetic drama. More comes from the fact that this represents a tied-up loose end from 2005: Then 53, Lee sold Bixby to Hola! Mexican restaurant chain when he suffered a heart attack a week after opening – and what he says will be the final restaurant he opens in his career.

“This is it,” he says. “I promised my wife this is our best and our last.”

Says Teresa, “I told him, ‘We gotta get out with our people. Home’s overrated.”

Lee adds he was sorry he ever sold Bixby’s or Bahama Billy’s.

“We’re happy to take over a spot we built out ourselves,” he says. “That’s our million-dollar baby right there.”

Adding to the intrigue: Opening 10 local places over several decades means a lot of folks love Lee’s exploits. But selling or closing 10 places means plenty of people aren’t happy with him either.

Those individuals include Joe Loeffler, who partnered with Lee to open (and still owns) the bustling Kula Ranch in Marina (883-9479). The two inked a non-compete clause at the time, prohibiting Lee from opening his own spot in Carmel, among other places. Loeffler is considering a lawsuit since he feels Lee is breaking that agreement with Sur. Lee counters Loeffler is merely looking for a payday.

Lee’s former chef at Lucky’s, Michael Whalen, a one-time Weekly contributor and chef at Michael Mina’s RN74, was among those surprised to hear Lee tell Mike Hale ofMonterey County Herald, “I don’t have any regrets. I always put in 100 percent, and try to be honest and forthright. It’s too small a town.”

“Every time I hear Bill Lee appears to have landed on his feet, I’m angry on behalf of all those he burned along the way, myself included,” Whalen writes via email. “As for his quote, that’s pretty bold from someone who put up 0 percent of the investment [at Lucky’s] and walked away when it failed. I’m curious how and where he finds his next financial backer.”

Lee dismisses Whalen’s beefs, calling him a gifted but overcalculated chef, and describes the recruitment of Sur’s silent partners simply: “My partners have known my background. When you’re batting .800, someone’s gonna hire you.”

He describes the Lucky’s failure after seven months as an admirable effort.

“I consider Lucky’s an amazing success: We established a restaurant out of the dust. If we were financed properly, it was well on its way to being a great place. We did a lot with that property. I’ve been very successful, but when a [backer] gets short on the pocketbook situation it changes things,” he says. “Every single dime I spend I spend like my savings.”

His Lucky’s partner Erasmo Aiello chuckles when he hears that. “For me, that’s the past,” he says. “I’m glad I’m not a partner with him in any venture. Because that was a nightmare.”

Same for Rocky Point, where owner Peter Wang, a Chinese real estate mogul, and Lee parted ways after a short spell.

“That was a tremendous success: Look at what we accomplished,” Lee says. “I was working with someone not familiar with the business, but I enhanced its appeal and put it back on the map.”

He’s assembled a worthy team at Sur. Gladys Parada of popular Babaloo Cuban Food Truck is back from Florida to serve and likely help manage. Linda Stamenov will also serve. Teresa will direct traffic. Chelsea Belle Davey has painted badass original Big Sur landscapes to accent nice decor, including sweet booths from now-closedTra Vigne of Napa. And the Lees’ 14-year-old son – who started Thin Ice Hawaiian shave ice company with his dad serving local farmers markets – will wash the dishes, starting off like dad did.

Many of them were at the soft opening March 21, where tempura artichokes ($9), thick cut glazed bacon with garlic-sweet corn cheesebread ($7) and crab bisque ($6-$7.95) impressed from a menu with portabella seafood bake ($19), filet sliders on brioche ($22), cioppino ($25), a “spicy warm nut snake” on a serpentine dish ($5), barbecue baby back rib stack ($22), sand dabs in a cone ($11), Garrapata enchiladas ($19), panko-crusted soft shell crab ($23), Angus beef meat loaf ($16), street tacos ($8), classic escargot ($12) and a Big Sur fish fry ($26).

Lee was there too, looking over a full house with an appearance of satisfaction and active eyebrows.

“I always love this period of time, designing, putting things together, hiring new staff, all the things that go in, so many moving parts,” he says. “It keeps you busy.”

QUICKBITES

ICYMI (somehow): In-N-Out actually opened in Seaside this week. Get in the know first by following @MontereyMCA.

Dishes Bistro, long one of Marina’s nicer restaurants, has shuttered. Rumor is it will become a Vietnamese joint.

One of the most dynamic and value-rich lunch buffets rolls 11:30am-2:30pm Tuesday through Sunday at Monterey Cookhouse (642-9900) with 10 hot dishes, salad bar and soup for $12.95.

Cibo Ristorante (649-8151) has heaters for its new 500-square-foot sidewalk patio. And great $3-and –up happy hour.

Kevin Clark, one of the forces behind Monterey craft beer at Peter B’s Brewpub, is hearding for Urban Moose Brewing Co. in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.

Time-honored Pâtisserie Boissiere (624-5008) on Mission in Carmel is searching for a new home after lease negotiations went south. More online.

Hofsas House throws its annual Food Bank for Monterey County fundraiser Thursday, March 24, with help from TusCA’s Steve Johnson, A Taste of Elegance’s AnnieHobbs and Mundaka’s Brandon Miller, plus goodies from Lula’s Chocolates and Sweet Elena’s. Scheid Vineyards and Mad Otter flow wine and beer ($50, RSVP 624-2745).

Speaking of A Taste of Elegance: On March 15, it won a Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence (CATIE) award at the Catersource Conference in Las Vegas for The Best Buffet Presentation and Menu. A nice nod in an international contest for ATOE, which won out over organizations as far off as South Africa.

Porter’s in the Forest is now open for dinner, and it’s paying for your ride there. More on the blog.

The report on Mountain Mike’s in Seaside’s City Center from franchisee Robby Basati: “We are still shooting for an early April to mid-April opening.”

In my column last week I rooted Scotland native Kenneth MacDonald in Ireland. His response to my apology was interesting and classy (“We are all the same north of the border”). His burger, sustainable sand dabs and organic salads remain excellent, which is why I rank his Edgar’s (620-8910) highly.

Peter York: “Rock ‘n’ roll is the hamburger that ate the world.”