Jake & Annie’s Sold on American

The latest thing on Santa Monica’s Main Street: Bubba Cuisine. Taking a cue from the Clintons, Gerri Gilliland--who first served nouvelle Irish food on Main Street, and then, at Lula’s, Mexican food--has devoted her third restaurant to American cooking. Jake & Annie’s occupies the space that was the longtime home of Merlin McFly’s. Gone are the magicians and stained-glass windows, in are quilts on the walls and perky waiters. On the menu is the too-cute gimmick of labeling each dish with the state it supposedly came from. Wyoming gets the braised lamb shank; Wisconsin gets the Cheddar, Swiss chard and onion tart; Coney Island gets credit for chicken on a stick. Of course there are fried green tomatoes, although they show up through a bit of interstate trading on New Mexico’s grilled skirt steak plate. Italians might be surprised to find that Southern California gets credit for chicken grilled with garlic and olive oil.

The problem is that, despite the theme, there is no focus to the menu--no mastery of the perfect rib sauce for the grilled baby back ribs, no appreciation for the country goodness of a well-made johnnycake (here they are treated like blini, topped with smoked salmon and bay scallops). You get the feeling the chefs should have stayed in one part of the country and studied the food there. Still, the restaurant is crowded and lively. And given a little American ingenuity, the food may improve with time.

* Jake & Annie’s, 2700 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 452-1734. Entrees $6.95-$15.50.