Italian Overtones to Barsac Brasserie

They do not seem to specialize in sauternes at Barsac Brasserie, 4212 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood; (818) 760-7081. Which is, given the name, slightly surprising. But then, in spite of its name, this “brasserie” doesn’t really seem to specialize in French food either. The word pasta appears a lot on the menu and marinara gets bandied about when speaking of the specials.

No matter. The restaurant, opened barely a week ago by the owners of La Loggia, is almost certain of success. The room is pleasant, the food is pleasant, there’s a full bar, they bring out a nice bowl of raw vegetables to munch on while you’re waiting for your first course--and the prices are reasonable. For those who insist on French food, there are dishes such as pate and coq au vin --but on the evening that I ate there the salads, veal and pasta ( penne with olives and tomatoes was very good) were a better bet.