LOS ANGELES, May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- El Torito Restaurants, Inc., a subsidiary of Prandium, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: PDIM), announced today that it has opened another new El Torito Express(TM), this time in the heart of Los Angeles at 6258 Wilshire Boulevard. The restaurant joins 8 other Prandium concepts in the city of Los Angeles and becomes the third new El Torito Express - a fast-casual southwestern themed concept. "We are excited to continue our expansion," commented William D. Burt, president of El Torito Restaurants, Inc. "We feel that our unique blend of Southwest and traditional Mexican ingredients and the easy access to the restaurant will attract new guests that are interested in not only fast casual dining, but also want the quality food for which El Torito has been known for the past 45 years." Catering to busy consumers looking for high quality, fresh food in a casual, contemporary dining atmosphere, El Torito Express is a celebration of American Southwest cooking. El Torito Express is the first Southwest grill in its category to utilize a mesquite-burning grill -- "La Parrilla" -- imparting a sweet, smoky flavor to items placed over glowing mesquite coals locking in savory juices and seasonings. El Torito Express prepares warm tortillas daily on a traditional comal and only serves the freshest salsas, beans, rice, guacamole and homemade sweet corn cake. Conveniently located close to the intersection of Fairfax and Wilshire Boulevards in Los Angeles, near the LA County Art Museum and the Peterson Automotive Museum, El Torito Express boasts a modern, yet, simplified approach to Southwest decor that is reflected through use of bold color palettes and a variety of textures and materials. Decorative elements such as tile and bright wood panels are combined with contemporary colored walls to create an environment that expresses the best of fast-casual dining. The new 2,500 square foot restaurant has an interior and exterior seating capacity that accommodates approximately 50-75 guests including patio seating. El Torito Restaurants, Inc. was started in Southern California in 1954 and in 1986 became a subsidiary of The Restaurant Enterprises Group, Inc. which today is known as Prandium, Inc. which operates more than 300 full-service or fast-casual restaurants in 28 states and also licenses 23 restaurants outside the United States and is known around the globe primarily for its Chi-Chi's, El Torito, Koo Koo Roo, Hamburger Hamlet, Casa Gallardo and now El Torito Express restaurant names. Prandium, Inc. is the largest operator of full-service Mexican restaurants in the world with sales of approximately $473 million and EBITDA of approximately $28 million in 1998. Prandium, Inc. and El Torito Restaurants, Inc. are located at 18831 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92612. For further information call (949) 757-7900, or the company's investor relations hotline at (949) 757-3032. The company's websites are www.prandium.com and www.eltorito.com. To email us: invest@prandium.com. Forward looking statements and comments in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Federal securities laws. Such statements relating to, among other things, the company's new restaurant opening plans, the timing and location of new restaurants, consumer preferences, tastes and eating habits, and competition from other restaurants and food service establishments are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature. These risks are further discussed in the periodic reports and registration statements filed by Prandium, Inc. from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. El Torito Express location: 6258 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90042 Phone: 323-937-1864 Fax: 323-937-3892 Brand or product names are registered trademarks or service marks of their respective holders.  