Knowing Where to Nosh With the Celebs

Want to hang out where the celebs hang out? Make a dinner reservation at any of the following restaurants.

Cha Cha Cha (656 N. Virgil Aveneu (at Melrose Avenue), Los Angeles, (213) 664-7723). This is Caribbean food for the hip and famous. Actually, the menu is part Cuban, part Colombian, part Puerto Rican, part Mexican, with a little bit of Cajun thrown in. Flavors are fresh and distinct in sopes de pollo, little cornmeal cups holding black beans, minced tomatoes, cilantro, onions and sauteed peppers; the Latin pizza, a cornucopia of snow peas, tomatoes, peppers and onions, is remarkable for its beauty and wonderful to eat. If you have room, order the tarte tatin for dessert--big, buttery and one of the best in town. Lunch and dinner, Mon.-Sat.; dinner only Sun. Beer and wine. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $25-$45. Mason’s (11500 San Vicente Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 826-5666). The owner of this clubby, celebrity-filled restaurant is Morgan Mason, son of the late actor James Mason, and husband of pop singer Belinda Carlisle; he knows a lot of famous folk, and they eat at his restaurant. You might find them eating the New York steak with a wonderful hash of dried mushrooms and sweet peppers and plenty of meat glaze sauce. They wouldn’t scoff at the grilled veal chop either. Most celebs watch the calories, but if they want to splurge on dessert, they’d like the tirami su . So would you. Dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $55-$75.

Nicky Blair’s (8730 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 659-0929). There are enough stars at Nicky Blair’s to pale the Milky Way. Blair’s galaxy includes famous stars, famous directors, even famous restaurateurs. All friends of Nicky Blair’s. And the food here is not half bad. Seafood pasta (linguine a la pescatora) balances taste with dexterity. Pastas are made with vegetables, fresh tomatoes, fresh herbs, etc. Words like radicchio, porcini and carpaccio fill the menu. The veal sauteed with mushrooms or the filet of beef with green peppercorns wouldn’t register any complaints either. Dinner daily. All major credit cards. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $50-$100.

Shane (2932 Beverly Glen Circle, Los Angeles, (213) 470-6223). Why does this pizza parlor have a pedigree? Owner-chef Michael Kurland used to work with Wolfgang Puck. And you can wander in wearing your favorite faded jeans and find yourself surrounded by famous folk drinking beer, eating pizza . . . behaving just like ordinary people . The pizza with the lamb sausage, sage and red chilies is good. And so are most of the appetizers. Recommended are the Santa Fe chicken soup, the summer vegetable salad and fried calamari with a saffron-enriched aioli. The pastas are tasty, too. Dinner daily. MasterCard and Visa. Beer and wine. Parking lot. Dinner for two, food only, $25-$50.

Spago (1114 Horn Ave. (at Sunset Boulevard), West Hollywood, (213) 652-4025). This is Los Angeles’ numero uno celebrity hangout. But it’s not only a great place to be seen in, it’s also a terrific place to eat. The bread is baked on the premises. The glitzy pizzas are justly famous. Salads are swell and entrees--from a simple grilled chicken to whole fish roasted in the wood-burning oven--are rarely disappointing. And movie stars have been known to spend extra time with their personal trainers just so they can indulge in the decadent desserts. Dinner daily. All major credit cards. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $40-$75.