Hidden treasures

Call it “anti-marketing” or “reverse marketing.” These restaurants either have no sign, a tiny sign or are so tucked away you’ve got to know they’re there to know they’re there.

Mori Sushi

Sure, Mori, whose sign features only a line drawing of a fish, is more expensive than your average sushi bar. But your average sushi bar doesn’t cultivate its own rice

in Northern California, make its own tofu, use fresh wasabi and steer clear of farm-raised fish. Omakase is the way to go, for those who want the full experience.

* Omakase, average $80 per person. 11500 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A., (310) 479-3939.

Whisper Lounge

One could easily visit the Grove and miss this antidote to mall dining off the main thoroughfare. There’s a list of wines by the glass and a menu of approachable American and Mediterranean fare, such as grilled King salmon over a spring vegetable ragout. But note: “Whisper” is a misnomer. A pianist plays here four nights a week, and the room can get pretty noisy.

* Salmon, $27. 189 The Grove Drive, Suite F-90B, L.A., (323) 931-0202.

Cliff’s Edge

When the weather’s fair, the lovely patio, surrounded by trees so that you feel miles from Sunset Boulevard, is the only place to sit. But first you’ve got to find the place. (If you get to the neighboring 99 Cents Only store, you’re very warm.) The eclectic dinner menu leans to Italy and France. For weekend brunch, those with a sweet tooth opt for Nutella-stuffed French toast.

* French toast, $12. 3626 Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, (323) 666-6116.

Upstairs 2

It’s possible to be a customer at the Wine House, the wine retail shop where this sharp year-old wine bar is located, and not know about the second-floor restaurant. However, Chef Todd Barrie’s small-plates menu makes it well worth discovering. Think cold, smoked blue marlin and duck confit flatbread.

* Marlin, $11. 2311 Cotner Ave., West L.A., (310) 231-0316.

Firefly

A favorite of sophisticated hipsters in the SFV, this progressive-

American dining room has an expansive patio bathed in starlight and candlelight. Just about everyone orders the fried olives with garlic aioli to start. Then perhaps it’s onto monkfish baked in foil or pan-roasted lamb chops with duck fat toasted lentils.

* Lamb chops, $25. 11720 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 762-1833.

-- Leslee Komaiko