No Wait at the Inn

If you wanted to go out to dinner the Thursday before last, you could have called at 4 and gotten a table for two in any restaurant in the city. I know, because I tried it.

With the help of a friend I called 58 restaurants and asked for a table in the name of Smith. Not one--not Spago, not Rebecca’s, not Citrus, not Cha Cha Cha--turned us down. Oh, some of them were not prepared to feed us dinner at 8, but with the exception of an establishment that was closed for a private party, not a single restaurant said that a table was out of the question.

I was so surprised that we tried it again the following evening. After all, everybody knows that if you want a Friday night dinner at restaurants like Chinois, L’Orangerie or the Ivy, you have to book weeks in advance. Guess again. Every one of those restaurants found me a table. In fact, of the 58 restaurants we called on Friday at 4, only four were fully booked.

What does it mean? You may recall that when I tried a similar experiment last year the results were somewhat different. Last year tables were available in all the top of the line, expensive restaurants. The hip new grills and cafes, on the other hand, found my request for a table a few hours hence highly entertaining. One year later they were less amused.

This year, in fact, no pattern was apparent. As might be expected in a town perennially enamored of the new, the restaurants that opened in ’87 were generally the busiest. Of the four that refused me a table on Friday, one is brand new and star-studded (Malibu Adobe), another the year’s biggest new hit (Citrus).

Conventional wisdom says that the stock market crash is taking its toll on really expensive restaurants. But this does not explain why L’Escoffier, one of the most expensive (and traditional) restaurants in town, was completely sold out. Nor does it solve the puzzle of the Saddle Peak Lodge, an expensive restaurant in remote Calabasas, which was not only fully booked on Friday, but also among Thursday’s biggest draws.

I personally suspect that the answer lies in changing tastes. We have become less rigid in our restaurant tastes. It doesn’t seem to matter if a restaurant is stodgy or noisy, haute or hip. We are willing to dress up and happy to come as we are. We’ll spend a lot of money--or we’ll spend a little. Even celebrities aren’t the draw they once were. We are, it seems, learning to eat to please ourselves instead of fashion.

Meanwhile, restaurants keep opening at a furious pace. Their quality gets better and better. Every year there are more good restaurants to go to. We are blessed with an embarrassment of riches.

This may be bad news for restaurants--but it’s good news for the rest of us. No more need to plan your dining schedule weeks in advance. Feel like eating out tonight? All you have to do is pick up the phone. Your table is waiting.

‘A Table for Two at 8 Thursday?’

Restaurant Available? OPENED IN ’87 Champagne, 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. 470-8446 No Citrus, 6703 Melrose Ave., L.A., 857-0034 No Four Oaks, 2181 N. Beverly Glen Blvd., L.A., 470-2265 No Fresco, 514 S. Brand, Glendale, (818) 247-5541 No Gardens, 300 S. Doheny Drive, L.A., 273-2222 Yes Kate Mantilini, 9101 Wilshire Blvd., B.H.,278-3699 Matsuhisa, 129 N. La Cienega Blvd., B.H., 659-9639 Yes Shiro, 1505 Mission St., S. Pasadena, (818) 799-4774 No Trattoria Angeli, 11651 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A., 478-1191 No Tuttobene, 945 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood, 655-7051 Yes CHANGES IN ’87 Bistro, 246 N. Canon Drive, B.H., 273-5633 No Les Anges, 100 W. Channel Road, S.M., 454-1331 Yes Valentino, 3115 Pico Blvd., S.M., 829-4313 Yes FOODIE HAVENS Chinois, 2709 Main St., S.M., 392-9025 Yes City Restaurant, 180 S. La Brea Ave., L.A., 938-2155 Yes La Toque, 8171 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 656-7515 Yes Parkway Grill, 510 S. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, (818) 795-1001 Yes Primi, 10543 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A., 475-9235 Yes Rebecca’s, 2025 Pacific Ave., Venice, 306-6266 No Rockenwagner, 1023 W. Washington Blvd., Venice, 399-6504 Yes St. Estephe, 2640 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, 545-1334 Yes Spago, 1114 Horn Ave., Hollywood, 652-4025 No Trumps, 8764 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 855-1480 Yes West Beach Cafe, 60 N. Venice Blvd., Venice, 823-5396 No CHIC ON A SHOESTRING Angeli, 7274 Melrose Blvd., West Hollywood, 936-9086 No Celestino, 236 S. Beverly Drive, B.H., 859-8601 Yes Cha Cha Cha, 656 N. Virgil Ave., L.A., 664-7723 No Chianti Cucina, 7383 Melrose Ave., L.A., 653-8333 No Pane Caldo, 8840 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, 274-0916 Yes Silvio, 8478 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, 651-1842 Yes Yanks, 262 S. Beverly Drive, B.H., 859-2657 Yes CELEBRITY SPOTS Adriano’s, 2930 Beverly Glen Circle, L.A., 475-9807 Yes Il Giardino, 9235 W. Third St., B.H., 275-5444 Yes The Ivy, 113 N. Robertson Blvd., L.A., 274-8303 No Le Dome, 8720 Sunset Blvd., L.A., 659-6919 Yes Malibu Adobe, 23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu, 456-2021 No Morton’s, 8800 Melrose Ave., L.A., 276-5205 Yes Nicky Blair’s, 8730 Sunset Blvd., W. Hollywood, 659-0929 No 72 Market St., 72 Market St., Venice, 392-8720 No STRICTLY FOR SUITS La Chaumiere, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, 551-3360 Yes La Couronne, 142 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena, (818) 793-3151 Yes La Serre, 12969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 990-0500 Yes L’Ermitage, 730 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., 652-5840 No L’Escoffier, 9876 Wilshire Blvd., B.H., 274-7777 Yes BEAUTY SPOTS Hotel Bel-Air, 701 Stone Canyon Road, L.A., 472-1211 No Le Chardonnay, 8284 Melrose Ave., L.A., 655-8880 No L’Orangerie, 903 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., 652-9770 Yes Michael’s, 1147 Third St., S.M., 451-0843 Yes Rex, 617 S. Olive, L.A., 627-2300 Yes Saddle Peak Lodge, 419 Cold Canyon, Calabasas, (818) 340-6029 No CLASSICS Chasen’s, 9039 Beverly Blvd., W. Hollywood, 271-2168 Yes The Grill, 9560 Dayton Way, B.H., 276-0615 No Jimmy’s, 201 S. Moreno, B.H., 879-2394 Yes La Scala, 9455 Santa Monica Blvd., B.H., 275-0579 Yes Musso’s, 6667 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 467-7788 Yes STEAK Pacific Dining Car, 1310 W. Sixth St., L.A., 483-6000 Yes The Palm, 9001 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hollywood, 550-8811 Yes Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 224 S. Beverly Drive, B.H., 859-8744 Yes

Comments OPENED IN ’87 Champagn: “We have a table at 7.” Citrus: “Maybe at 9:30.” Four Oaks: “We’re too busy; come at 8:30.” Fresco: “Come at 7:30 or 9:30.” Gardens: “Come any time.” Kate Mantilini: No reservations for less than 8 people; they could take 8. Matsuhisa: Shiro: “8:30.” Trattoria Angeli: “7:45 or 9.” Tuttobene: CHANGES IN ’87 Bistro: “9.” Les Anges: Valentino: FOODIE HAVENS Chinois: City Restaurant: La Toque: Primi: Rebecca’s: “Maybe at 8:30.” Rockenwagner: “8:15.” St. Estephe: Spago: “8:45.” Trumps: West Beach Cafe: “7:30 or 9.” CHIC ON A SHOESTRING Angeli: “7:30 or 9.” Celestino: Cha Cha Cha: “Only at 9:30.” Chianti Cucina: “9:30.” Pane Caldo: “8:15.” Silvio: Yanks: CELEBRITY SPOTS Adriano’s: Il Giardino: The Ivy: “8:45.” Le Dome: Malibu Adobe: Private party Morton’s: “8:15.” Nicky Blair’s: “8:30.” 72 Market St.: “7:30 or 9.” STRICTLY FOR SUITS La Chaumiere: La Couronne: La Serre: L’Ermitage: “Special dinner only at 9.” L’Escoffier: BEAUTY SPOTS Hotel Bel-Air: “7:30 or 8:30.” Le Chardonnay: “Maybe at 9:15.” L’Orangerie: Michael’s: Rex: Saddle Peak Lodge: “6:30 or 9.” CLASSICS Chasen’s: The Grill: “6 or 9.” Jimmy’s: La Scala: Musso’s: “Just come in.” STEAK Pacific Dining Car: The Palm: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse:

‘How About Friday at 8?’

Restaurant Available? Comments OPENED IN ’87 Champagne No “9:30 only.” Citrus No “Booked solid.” Four Oaks Restaurant No “Only at 9:30.” Fresco No “Come at 7 or 9.” Gardens Yes Kate Mantilini No reservations for less than 8; that they had. Matsuhisa Yes Shiro No “6 or 9.” Trattoria Angeli Yes Tuttobene No “7 or 9 and going fast.” CHANGES IN ’87 Bistro No “9:15.” Les Anges No “6, 7 or 9” Valentino Yes FOODIE HAVENS Chinois No “10, or the counter at 8.” City Restaurant Yes La Toque Yes Parkway Grill No “8:45.” Primi Yes Rebecca’s No “6:30 or 9:30.” Rockenwagner No “8:30.” St. Estephe No “8:15.” Spago No “8:30.” Trumps No “7 or 8:45.” West Beach Cafe No “6:30 or 10.” CHIC ON A SHOESTRING Angeli No “8:30.” Celestino No “8:30.” Cha Cha Cha No “Only at 11.” Chianti Cucina No “10:30.” Pane Caldo No “8:30.” Silvio Yes Yanks Yes CELEBRITY SPOTS Adriano’s No “8:30 or 9.” Il Giardino Yes The Ivy No “6:45 or 9.” Le Dome No “7:15 or 9:30.” Malibu Adobe No “Completely booked.” Morton’s No “7 or 9:30.” Nicky Blair’s No “8:30.” 72 Market St. No “Booked until 10.” STRICTLY FOR SUITS La Chaumiere Yes La Couronne Yes La Serre No “6 or 8:45.” L’Ermitage No “6:30 or 7.” L’Escoffier No “Completely sold out.” BEAUTY SPOTS Hotel Bel-Air No “7:30 or 8:30.” L’Orangerie Yes Le Chardonnay No “9:15.” Michael’s Yes Rex Yes Saddle Peak Lodge No “Completely booked.” CLASSICS Chasen’s Yes “We’ve a cancellation.” The Grill No “7 or 9:30.” Jimmy’s No “6 or 8:45.” La Scala Yes Musso’s Yes “Reservations for 3, but shouldn’t be a problem.” STEAK Pacific Dining Car Yes The Palm Yes Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse Yes

Kathie Jenkins and Gregg Wager assisted with this article.