Andre Guerrero Goes Solo at Duet

There’s nothing tame about the food of Andre Guerrero. His cooking is full of strong flavors--good doses of garlic, an abundance of things on the plate to eat. You never leave a meal of his hungry or bored.

Until recently, Guerrero could be found at Brio in Tarzana. Before that, he cooked at Bernard’s at the Biltmore and at his family’s Cafe Le Monde. Now he’s got a new restaurant, Duet, where his color-filled food is served in a calm, white-filled room.

Cuban-style pork comes with black beans and plantains; Filipino-inflected chicken breast adobo is served with grilled pineapple. Guerrero’s risotto--served with bits of salmon, asparagus and fried leeks--is misnamed, more Filipino-style garlic rice than creamy Tuscan arborio, but it works.

Not everything does work, but the restaurant’s still new. And there are familiar stand-bys: Caesar salad, filet mignon, pan-roasted sea bass. Plus, there are always Guerrero’s desserts to look forward to. Try the lemon tart.

* Duet, 900 N. Central Ave., Glendale, (818) 240-0808. Pasta and entrees $8 - $16.50.