EATING OUTSIDE

This warm summer weather gives you a chance to move out and gain a new perspective on a favorite restaurant. If outdoor eating is what you’re after, Los Angeles offers everything from luxuriant hidden gardens to star-studded patios to simple places by the seashore. Here are some recently reviewed spots--some bucolic, some not--where you can go out and get a good meal. All prices exclude drinks.

BISTRO GARDEN (176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, (213) 550-3900). This restaurant is known for seeing and being seen and, of course, for its garden. A full range of food is served, everything from a chicken quesadilla to chocroute garni alsacienne . French windows overlook the garden area, which can be viewed from the “galleria” indoors. The garden is filled with fresh flowers, has a fountain as its centerpiece and seating for 80 people. Mon.-Sat., lunch and dinner; Sun., dinner only. All major credit cards. Dinner for two: $25-$65.

CAMELIONS (246 26th St., Santa Monica, (213) 395-0746). Behind its wrought-iron gates are two trellis-lined, tree-shaded patio areas that have the feeling of an Italian country villa. The back patio is secluded; the front patio is heated and encompassed by a tent. Menu highlights include grilled New York steak and boursin sauce, angel-hair pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, basil and parmesan and a beautifully grilled chicken bathed in a deep-toned, creamy sauce. Tue.-Sun., lunch and dinner. All major credit cards. Reservations essential. Dinner for two: $35-$60.

COLUMBIA BAR AND GRILL (1448 N. Gower St., Hollywood, (213) 461-8800). A spacious place with three separate dining rooms, Columbia has a sunny patio right in front. It’s a great place to sit and watch the industry folks who populate the place. The food was designed to please the Hollywood crowd that has been chowing down at Musso and Frank’s for years. There is a fine shrimp cocktail, a respectable hamburger and thoroughly modern meals like a cheese-and-shrimp stuffed pepper in avocado salsa and grilled free-range chicken. Desserts are highly recommended. Mon.-Fri., lunch and dinner; Sat., dinner only. Full bar. Valet parking. All major credit cards. Dinner for two: $29-$66.

GEOFFREY’S (27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (213) 457-1519). Geoffrey’s, housed in the ship-shaped Holiday House, has an elegant flower-banked terrace that winds around the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean. The restaurant features Malibu Fare--an all-spa (low-calorie) cuisine. For lunch, there is grilled Hawaiian ahi; for dinner, appetizers include sauteed prawns and saffron crayfish tails. Entrees include medallions of beef and grilled Norwegian salmon. Open daily. All major credit cards. Reservations advised. Dinner for two: $80-$115.

IVY AT THE SHORE (1541 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, (213) 393-3113). The terrace has a definite tropical bent and is furnished with ‘20s and ‘30s rattan and bamboo furniture. The swimming trunks Montgomery Clift wore in “From Here to Eternity” are framed for all to see, as are a collection of Hawaiian and Tahitian shirts and theater memorabilia from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Wild ginger, palm trees, hibiscus and jasmine adorn the patio area. The menu is made up of unfrightening food like crab cakes, meat loaf, pizzas and steak--it sort of makes you feel like a kid. The Maui onion rings are superb, as are the desserts. Lunch and dinner daily; Sat., Sun., late breakfast. Full bar. Valet parking. All major credit cards. Dinner for two: about $65.

LALO AND BROTHERS (17237 Ventura Blvd., Encino, (818) 784-8281). The quiet patio is surrounded by citrus trees and the tables are shaded with designer umbrellas. The food salutes the hybrid world of “French-California” cuisine; the menu changes with the seasons. For a summer lunch, there’s homemade pasta or a warm shrimp and chicken salad with a mango vinaigrette dressing. For a dinner appetizer, there’s duck ravioli with pommery mustard sauce. Entrees include venison steak with red currant sauce and a roasted rack of lamb. Dinner daily; lunch, Mon.-Fri. Valet parking. All major credit cards. Dinner for two: $35-$65.

MICHAEL’S (1147 3rd St., Santa Monica, (213) 451-0843). You’d be hard-pressed to find a prettier place to be on a sunny morning (or afternoon, for that matter) than in this gorgeous garden with its plants and its art and its gurgling fountains. What more luxurious way to start a Sunday than with tiny Olympia oysters eaten with walnut toast followed by what must be the world’s best blueberry pancakes? If you’re more of a dinner person, there’s bound to be something for you on the very expansive menu: pork, veal, salmon, white fish, steak, lamb, duck, quail, pasta, salad. Lunch and dinner daily; brunch on the weekends. All major credit cards. Dinner for two: $150.

OUTSIDE CHINA (12650 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 760-0896). There is a roomy patio with large heaters for chilly nights, and you are served by people in black tunics who look weirdly stylish. The whole experience is self-consciously trendy fun. Sweet pungent shrimp ($5.50), battered in a crunchy glaze, are a sensuous knockout. The honey spare ribs ($4.50) are tender and perfectly basted, and pan-fried noodles with seafood are crispy and spectacular. Outside China also has a large dim sum collection and distinguishes itself with fine desserts such as little French pastries, wrapped mousses and fruit tarts. Lunch and dinner daily. MC,V. Dinner for two: $15-$25.

RUBY’S (Balboa Pier, Balboa, (714) 675-RUBY). Ruby’s, which has been at the end of the Balboa Pier since the ‘40s, has spotless white walls and counters, traditional white restaurant uniforms, and ‘40s soft-drink posters. It’s famous for hamburgers and traditional counter-top food like grilled hot dogs and tuna salad sandwiches, and, of course, a healthy fountain selection. They even cater to the contemporary palette with cashew chicken salad. But before you go inside, you might spend time on the Flying Bridge, a rooftop deck where you can wait for seating (Ruby’s seats only 34) while listening to swing music and watching the waves roll by. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. No credit cards. Take-out available. Lunch/dinner for two: $4-$9.