Neighborhood Noshes

These neighborhood restaurants won’t put a dent in your wallet. Cafe Tartine, 21826 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills. (818) 887-6353. Style: Neighborhood trattoria --ideal for weeknight dinners or a Saturday lunch. Setting: Pinks with lots of plants. Recommended dishes: Ham calzone; picante pizza; rice salad. Cost per person: $10-$20.

Collage, 762 Pacific Ave., Long Beach. (213) 437-3324. Style: One-time gas station now pumping a little of this and a little of that. Setting: Bits and pieces of artwork. Recommended dishes: Southwestern chicken sandwich; Tunisian lamb sausage with cumin and jalapenos ; any flavor of the “homemade” ice cream. Cost per person: $15-$25.

Orchid, 37 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. (818) 796-8787. Style: Hip all-Asian for the ‘80s. Setting: Orchid struts and ducts. Recommended dishes: Chinese shrimp toast; Vietnamese lemon grass pork; Thai shrimp curry. Cost per person: $10-$20.

Osteria Nonni, 3219 Glendale Blvd., Atwater. (213) 666-7133. Style: Angeli clone with a twist of small-town charm. Setting : Pseudo-industrial. Recommended dishes : Pizza; croquettes di patate ; spaghetti puttanesca. Cost per person: $10-$20.

Rive Gauche, 14106 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. (818) 990-3573. Style: A little French restaurant suitable for ladies who lunch. Setting: Quaint, with French windows; low beamed ceiling. Recommended dishes: Sweetbreads with shrimp and mushrooms in sherry sauce; lamp chops; “death-by-chocolate” cake. Cost per person : $12-$25.