Low Profile and Luscious

The following restaurants may not be mentioned in the latest issue of Tres Chic but these hidden gems may make you wish you lived in the neighborhood. Cafe Blanc (3706 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 380-2829). Cafe Blanc is Cloudland, the kind of restaurant that makes you catch your breath, and not least because of its location. It’s in a nameless building in a nondescript neighborhood and doesn’t even have a liquor license. Against all statistical odds, there happens to be a chef turning out delightful inspirations. On the prix fixe meal ($22.75) you get a sea bass and scallop tartare appetizer, and several entree choices--maybe fried chicken marinated in lime juice, or tiny lamb chops, quite rare, accompanied by a pile of leek hash and a pool of basil sauce. Or order a la carte: lobster removed from its shell in a lobster-coral sauce, or halibut with three sauces (cream, lobster and caramel--yes, caramel) are both excellent choices. But the flag-waver is a ravishing duck in orange sauce. Desserts are generally familiar things done with a light note of fantasy, such as cheesecake scattered with candied orange rind and almonds. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri., dinner only Sat. MasterCard and Visa. No liquor. Street parking. Dinner for two, including coffee or tea, $50-$60. Le Triumph (15535 Devonshire St., Mission Hills, (818) 891-0406). This small French restaurant is designed entirely for customers’ comfort. Much of the food is delicious, and if the presentation is strictly no-frills, the portions are steakhouse huge. Shrimp pate made with red peppers, Cognac and cornichons is quite tasty, as is the feuillete de champignons (wild mushrooms in a pastry puff). The ginger duck is plump, crispy and excellently seasoned. Rack of lamb Provencale is an excellent and flavorful piece of meat. The cold raspberry souffle--essentially a frozen mousse served with a perfect raspberry coulis --is alone worth the drive to Mission Hills, no matter where you’re coming from. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri., dinner only Sat. MasterCard, Visa, Diner’s Club, Carte Blanche. Beer and wine. Parking lot. Dinner for two, food only, $25-$70. Locanda Veneta (8638 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (213) 274-1893). Locanda Veneta is the sort of place that grows on you, a nice little neighborhood restaurant that makes you wish you lived around the corner. The menu may be small and fairly simple, but the salads are good and the entrees--a fat veal chop, veal scallopine , various sorts of grilled fish--are all simple and fine. Penne in spicy tomato sauce has plenty of spice; pasta with garlic and tomatoes is loaded with garlic. Gnocchi are light, and the risotto is a treat. The bresaola , the air-dried beef of Italy, which comes fanned out on a plate in thin rosy slices, is topped with artichoke hearts and lemon and is terrific. You might want to order a big bowl of Manila clams, pop one into your mouth and dip a bit of bread into the rich tomato sauce in which the mollusks have been cooked--it’s heaven. Creme caramel makes a nice way to end your meal. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri., dinner only Sat. All major credit cards. Beer and wine. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $35-$60.

Pascal (Plaza Newport, 1000 Bristol St., Newport Beach, (714) 752-0107). The food here is light, natural and aesthetically presented, with more than a splash of both Southern France and Southern California. The restaurant has a look of a French country cottage--casual and comfortable as opposed to luxurious and elegant. What you eat may strike you the same way. Tapenade (an olive pate) offered with rounds of baguette makes an engaging beginning. Panier des crudites , a wicker basket filled with beautifully arranged raw vegetables and two dipping sauces, is a delight. Entree recommendations include sea bass with herb coating, atop a pool of red pepper coulis and fresh New Zealand lamb wrapped in a light pastry crust lined with olive paste. Pascal also offers a four-course prix fixe ($29.50) meal at dinner time. Desserts tend to be on the light side. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Fri., dinner only Sat. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Beer and wine. Parking lot. Dinner for two, food only, $35-$65.

Roger’s Marina Cafe (822 Washington Blvd., Marina del Rey, (213) 822-7221). Roger’s has gone from a nice French restaurant to totally California cuisine. The good news is that the place has done an excellent job at this. Try the crab cakes studded with corn kernels and bits of tomato, and not a bit soggy or stodgy. The exotic-looking pork loin topped with sausage, cooked pears and a little red pepper is rich and aromatic. There are lots of pastas, of course. Are we Californians into pasta or what? The most intriguing is spinach fettuccine with scallops, corn, olive oil, basil and a whiff of roasted garlic. The desserts are more French than anything else: Tarte tatin (the apples baked good and brown) and the mousse-like pear-and-chocolate charlotte are yummy. Lunch and dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Full bar. Valet parking evenings and weekends. Dinner for two, food only $30-$55.