Lighten Up, Comrades

Anyone for chicken kiev light? Diners at Bikini in Santa Monica will notice that chef John Sedlar is not only cooking in a politically correct, global spirit with his new Russian menu within a menu, but he’s cooking the traditionally heavy Russian fare the L.A. way: easy on the cardiovascular system.

There’s no lard or frying involved, and Sedlar goes light on salt and butter and heavy on veggies and fish. Beef stroganoff, for example, becomes salmon stroganoff.

Sedlar, inspired by a recent cooking trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg, says he will permanently incorporate Russian light into his repertoire.

“Every restaurant is into Asian food, Latin food, Italian, French, but nobody has Communist cuisine,” says the chef. Prices, by the way, are offered in both dollars and rubles.

Block-Aid

It’s not Melrose, La Brea or Larchmont Village--yet--but Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica is showing signs of becoming a nighttime mecca. The area of Wilshire between 4th and 14th streets got a boost several months ago when the Laemmle chain took over the old Wilshire Theater and turned it into the NuWilshire, a two-screen revival and art film theater. Now the 10-block area also boasts a new, blocklong Bookstar store for those who like to browse in the evening, two newsstands and two new coffeehouses. Also on the scene are the jazz club At My Place, still going strong, and the recent Athens XXXX with live Greek music and dancing.

And the Pataya Cafe, a new Thai restaurant, offers an entertainer tailor-made for trend-conscious L.A.: a Thai Elvis impersonator.

In a Word . . .

Excerpt from Barbra Streisand’s speech upon being inducted into the Women in Film Hall of Fame at the Crystal Awards Luncheon on June 12:

“Welcome to the year of the woman. We’ve come a long way. Not too long ago we were referred to as dolls , tomatoes , chicks , babes , broads . We’ve graduated to being called tough cookies , fo x es , bitches and witches . I guess that’s progress.”