Moonraker Finds Place in the Sun

The cliche: Hotel food is boring food. But in the past few years, as experimentation has gradually replaced the old Continental glop, this has become less true. This new-style food isn’t always good, but it’s hardly dull.

Recently, the new Sheraton hotel in San Pedro opened Moonraker, a restaurant with a menu that is anything but safe. The chef, Larry Canas, comes with an impressive resume: He’s cooked at Chez Melange in the South Bay, Le Bel Age and 385 North. And he calls his food Asian nouvelle cuisine. That means there are things like duck livers served on soba noodles, Thai shrimp salad, and onion soup made with a reduction of sake--Canas’ pan-Asian 385 North training shows. He’s fond of gimmicks like caper-shiso butter, and tropical fruit on just about anything, but it all beats staring down at another plate of trout amandine .

At this point, Moonraker is more ambitious than polished, but its weekend brunches have already become popular. Dinner entrees might run from $10.95 specials to $22.50 for a veal chop grilled with foie gras and a Creole bordelaise sauce.

Moonraker, at the Sheraton San Pedro, 601 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro. (213) 519-8200.