SPAGHETTI FOR PEANUTS

Well, not peanuts exactly, but when you want good Italian food and don’t want to spend a fortune, here are some recently reviewed restaurants to consider. GIANNI (South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa, (714) 540-3365). This restaurant might be described as a white-tiled sidewalk cafe located under an escalator, or as a stripped-down, mall-size version of Prego. It has the same basic menu as that excellent Irvine restaurant: pizzas and pastas, a little off the beaten track but thoroughly Italian, plus a few light meat dishes. One of Gianni’s secret weapons is an excellent mozzarella, which pops up in the carozza . The pastas, including the nice light gnocchi , are generally easy to like, as are the chicken dishes, which dominate the meat portion of the menu. There is also a crowd-pleasing tiramisu . Open for lunch daily, for dinner Mon.-Sat. MC, V. Dinner for two: $16-$40.

LA LOGGIA (11814 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 985-9222). Spare but warm, La Loggia has big windows looking onto the street, an open kitchen and a spattering of modern paintings adorning the walls. The menu rotates every two weeks featuring a variety of veal, pizza, fish and pasta dishes including bianchi e neri-- black-and-white linguine with scallops and shrimps in a light cream sauce. There’s complimentary bruschetta , garlicky toast topped with chopped tomatoes, and standard Italian fare: clams and mussels steamed in white wine, and pasta al pesto . Open nightly for dinner, for lunch Mon-Fri. Major credit cards. Dinner for two: $20-$50.

PAESANO (1076 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 936-5918). This is your typical neighborhood joint, with garish pink walls, comfortable booths, great zabaglione and a loyal clientele. If the atmosphere isn’t enough to keep you occupied, there’s also a piano player jamming on “Exodus” on weekends. There’s also a special salt-free and fat-free menu with low-cal pasta, chicken, fish and veal dishes, served with steamed vegetables and a green salad. Paesano has really good canelloni, the cloud-like kind, and it does good renditions of both minestrone and eggplant parmigiana too. But skip the veal and peppers; even though the sauce is just right, the veal has absolutely no taste. Open for dinner Tues.-Sun. Reservations required for six or more. Full bar. MC, AE, V. Dinner for two: $25-$50.

TOMMY LASORDA’S RIBS AND PASTA (14130 Marquesas Way, Marina del Rey, (213) 827-5330). It’s no surprise that Tommy serves up enormous platters of he-man food geared for athletic, carbo-heavy diets. All of it looks hearty, and much of it is very good. Skip the pale French fries and the cheesy baked-potato chowder and indulge in the linguine with big pink shrimp and a gloss of cream. Baby-back ribs are tangy, and there’s splendid barbecued chicken. Choco-holics would be wise to check out the mud pie for dessert. In case you forget just who it is who owns this place, the restaurant is packed with photos of the Dodgers’ skipper. Open Mon.-Fri. for lunch, brunch Sat. and Sun., nightly for dinner. Full bar. Valet parking. Major credit cards. Dinner for two: $25-$50. Pregame dinner: 4:30-6:30 p.m., $8.45 per person.

VINNIE’S ITALIAN KITCHEN (5538 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 705-3800). Located in a shopping center off Reseda Boulevard in Tarzana, Vinnie’s is a popular neighborhood restaurant, a small place that is growing to accommodate the demand. The menu lists enough dishes to satisfy anyone, but there are also daily specials posted on a board. Frequent offerings include stuffed artichokes, veal chops and cioppino , a sort of Italian bouillabaisse. And they have their own take on lasagna: instead of the usual dense square of pasta, heavy with dark meat sauce, Vinnie’s presents a light layering of crinkly edged noodles, cheeses (ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella) and bright tomato-meat sauce. Open daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Reservations for groups of five or more. MC, V. Dinner for two: $20-30.