In rough economic times, some see the glass as half-empty, others see it half-full. For every restaurant closure, there appears to be an opening in the neighborhoods and suburbs. And in the case of Stars in San Francisco, the downturn created an opportunity.

Founded by Jeremiah Tower, and once the sole after-theater spot in the Civic Center, Stars was purchased by Singapore businessman Andrew Yap a few years ago. Now, citing the desire to keep the family's business interests closer to home, he has sold it to Stars executive chef Amaryll Schwertner and her business partner Lori Regis. Both are now the proprietors.

Schwertner took over the Stars kitchen 18 months ago. Soon, her long-time collaborator Regis was filling in in various areas, one time in the pastry department, another time training the front of the house. Regis is now the managing director.

Even before they assumed ownership, they started tweaking the concept, warming the cold, corporate look, covering the large windows with sheer Indian silk, and painting the former clubby section of the restaurant red.

Regis describes Schwertner as a spontaneous chef, drawing on a Mediterranean palate. So, will Stars ever have the pizzazz it had in the 1980s? Regis says Stars today is more relevant to the times we live in -- giving quality, value, comfort and hominess.

With the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco slated to open a couple of blocks away and the city about to expand into a million square feet of office space nearby, Schwertner and Regis will be sitting pretty.