For <i> Boulevardiers--</i> in Sherman Oaks

On a summer night in the San Fernando Valley, one of the nicest places to sit with a cool drink is a sidewalk cafe on Ventura Boulevard. One particular stretch of the street has three sidewalk cafes on the same block--it’s as close as the Valley gets to the Paris cafe thing.

The most recently opened of these cafes is Vintage, 15025 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 995-6575. You can get a good light meal here--the pastas and salads are nicely done. But more ambitious cooking is going on here, too. There’s a sweetbread and wild mushroom terrine and a roasted lamb loin served with wild rice pancakes. One plausible explantion: the chefs used to work at Citrus, Michel Richard’s highly acclaimed restaurant on Melrose Avenue.

Don’t expect Citrus-quality modern cuisine; the chefs are still relatively young. But it’s good food, and there’s an excellent wine list. The Citrus influence is strongest in Vintage’s desserts. The best are variations on creme brulee-- a creme brulee Napoleon and chocolate creme brulee. Not a bad way to cool off.