GETTIN’ IN WITH THE IN CROWD

Sometimes you go out to eat. Sometimes you go out to people watch. Here are some recently reviewed restaurants where it’s fun to do both. Be sure to call in advance for a reservation.

LA LOGGIA (11814 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 985-9222). This is the kind of restaurant your agent will take you to every time--a hip, throbbing Studio City trattoria that is so loud he couldn’t hear you complain even if he wanted to. The place is five minutes from Universal and just down the block from MTM. After the waiter seats you, he’ll bring out the bruschetta, rounds of hot, oiled bread topped with basil and cool diced tomato. Start with the grilled prosciutto wrapped around leaves of radicchio and grilled just long enough to bring out the flavor of the vegetable; garlicky, grilled mushroom caps are alongside. The combination is superb. The green and white ravioli, stuffed with spinach and ricotta and just touched with a cream sauce is a good. So is the roast rabbit, well browned and succulent, flavored with a slight licorice hint of tarragon. End with a bowl of fresh strawberries. They’re absolutely terrific. Lunch, Mon.-Fri.; dinner daily. All major credit cards accepted. Beer and wine. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $35-$60.

MALIBU ADOBE (23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu, (213) 456-2021). Ali MacGraw designed it. Names like Bob Newhart and Stacy Keach invested in it. Jonathan Waxman consulted on the menu and the chef comes from the Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, N.M. Names dine here too. Check out the decor. The walls are whitewashed adobe with blonde beams and rafters. There are touches of Georgia O’Keeffe here and there making for a pleasantly relaxing environment. The menu is Mexican with California touches. The quesadilla with wild mushrooms, goat cheese and pine nuts is a true inspiration. What a combination of funky flavors. And what fish! Wonderful ahi-ahi, exquisite fresh grilled tuna with a sour and sneakily hot green pepper sauce, mahi-mahi in nice tender chunks with an elusive flavor from cinnamon. Even quail is pretty good here, the skin redolent of cinnamon and clove. Every thing comes with plain black beans topped with sour cream and an appealing crunch and faintly sweet vegetable hash of corn, squashes, onion and red peppers. For dessert try the exotic flan de cajeta, a sort of pie with a layer of caramel-flavored custard topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut chips. Lunch, Tue.-Sun.; dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express accepted. Full bar. Street parking. Dinner for two, food only, $20-$70.

RESTAURANT SHIRO (1505 Mission St., South Pasadena, (818) 799-4774). Shiro occupies a storefront on a sleepy street in South Pasadena. The restaurant itself is not much to look at; the room is simply painted and sparsely decorated, allowing you to focus on the open kitchen in the back. But Shiro has a following. And no wonder, the chef has a very light touch. The Chinese ravioli are a perfect example of his art. There is just enough salmon to flavor the mousse, but also enough shrimp to give it a chewy texture. The menu focuses on fish. Try the whole catfish--it’s generous and appealing. Scored and then gently deep-fried so the flesh is still delicate and creamy, it is served with a Japanese ponzu sauce. Sea bass is also a good bet and quite a contrast; sauteed with shiitake mushrooms and then served in a simple French white wine cream sauce. The raspberry creme brulee is a good choice for dessert. Dinner, Tue.-Sun. MasterCard and Visa accepted. Beer and wine. Street parking. Dinner for two, food only, $30-$45.

TRATTORIA ANGELI (11651 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 478-1191). Trattoria has ceilings about a full story higher than its parent on Melrose, so even when the place is packed and the crowd magic is working, the din never reaches excruciating Melrose levels. Olive al forno are delicious black olives served, surprisingly, as a hot appetizer in a sauce of white wine, rosemary and garlic. Tasty also are the panini, sandwiches made with flat, round and superbly crusty fresh buns filled with things like pork mixed with pickled onions, sharp mustard and arugula. The pastas are clean and light-tasting. The calzone filled with sausage, smoky mozzarella and eggplant are also a good choice. Angeli turns out some staggeringly good desserts. They range from a drop-dead rich confezione di noci , walnuts, whipped cream and meringue, to granita di citrino, a lemon ice flavored with rosemary and topped with a blush of grated orange peel. Lunch and dinner, Mon.-Sat. MasterCard, Visa and American Express accepted. Beer and wine. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $28-$55. TUMBLEWEED (130 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (213) 274-5844). This is more or less Texas food for gourmet grazers. No appetizers and main courses here, just big plates, little plates and medium plates. It’s great fun. The decor may be Americana and you may be able to order homey dishes like coleslaw and corn sticks, but Elka Gilmore’s latest restaurant is sophisticated stuff. A dashing inspiration of the small snacky sort is tiny oyster in a crunchy oatmeal breading topped with a dollop of ancho mayonnaise and perched on a bed of fresh salsa cruda in an oyster shell. Baby lamb back ribs make a particularly good barbecue but if you order the combo plate, you get samples of all the barbecue items and also the fish selections of the day. The best part of the meal is the side dishes you can get with your entrees or by themselves. There are cornsticks and an excellent corn pudding. The dessert winner is an apple spice cake with chunks of apple in it. Lunch, Mon.-Sat.; dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express accepted. Beer and wine. Valet parking evenings. Dinner for two, food only, $20-$60.