STYLE / RESTAURANTS : NEW GRILL IN TOWN

One recent evening when I called to make reservations at Pinot Hollywood, the energy of this latest Patina spinoff from chef Joachim Splichal fairly crackled over the line. Above the laughter and chatter, I imagined I heard popping Champagne corks, the clink of glasses, the snap of the oak-wood grill.

Pinot Hollywood is designed to fill a neighborhood need for late-night feasting, which explains in part why the restaurant throws off such sparks. The French-California brasserie is open for lunch on weekdays and for dinner nightly, but you can also stop in all through the afternoon and into the wee hours--1 a.m.--for oysters, a light snack or just dessert. The model wine list offers lots of interesting, reasonably priced bottles. And the Martini Bar in back entices with cushy sofas, wing chairs and a long list of cocktails, including, in the spirit of the season, “The Cosmopolitan”: Absolut vodka with a splash of cranberry and a twist. There’s even a spot off the spacious outdoor patio that’spatterned after Splichal’s Patinette Cafe at MOCA, where you can pick up a sandwich or salad to go.

First, I go to Pinot Hollywood to feast on oysters: festive iced platters of chilly Kumamoto, Malpeque or Fanny Bays. At just $1 apiece, for once you can eat as many as you really want. And I want at least a dozen. My favorites are the small Kumamotos from Puget Sound, creamy in texture, tasting strongly of the sea and irresistible. Eat them plain or with a spritz of lemon or splash of mild vinegar and minced shallots. The chef knows enough not to insult these beautiful mollusks with cocktail sauce.

And what’s a Los Angeles restaurant without ahi tuna? Pinot offers a beguiling version of rare tuna slices and baby artichokes in a graceful saffron-infused tomato sauce. On the other hand, what’s a French brasserie without escargots or onion soup? Plump little escargots are tucked into snail shells in a parsley-garlic butter less heavy-handed than most. French onion soup is a hearty broth thick with slowly browned onions as soft as silk. Sweet caramelized onions also go into a tart that comes to the table draped in slices of smoked salmon. You get a lovely rendition of salade lyonnaise , curly endive strewn with chunks of smoky bacon tossed in a vinegary dressing, a poached egg nestled on top.

The flexible menu marks another Pinot virtue. You can make a meal of the generous appetizers or try a half-order of any of the pasta or risotto dishes as a first course. I recommend the penne tossed with roasted red and gold cherry tomatoes and dark pungent olives crowned by a jaunty spiral of crisped pancetta. Ask the kitchen to omit the pesto and almonds that clutter the otherwise delicious linguine with sweet rock shrimp, tomatoes and roasted garlic. Gnocchi tossed with torn brioche croutons, Portobello mushrooms and extremely salty ham hocks, though, is a concept that’s hard to fathom.

What I’ve enjoyed most at Pinot Hollywood are the meats and fish cooked over the oak-wood grill. One night, the special whole fish is striped bass, served head on, a silvery silhouette against the soft yellow oval platter, simply garnished with long shoots of chive and a halved lemon. This dish isn’t just a tease: It tastes every bit as good as it looks. Cooked this way, the fish is moist and delicately flavorful. Thick, meaty lamb chops presented with a pile of watercress or the tall juicy pork chop paired with dark green lentils are wonderful. The impressive beef chop, really a rib-eye that weighs in at 16 ounces, arrives with grilled mushroom caps as big as doorknobs.

Splichal has kept his roster of talented chefs in the fold by offering partnerships in his Patina spinoffs. Jon Furnow, formerly executive chef at Patina, now partner and executive chef Pinot Hollywood, can turn out sturdy brasserie fare in his sleep. I just wish he and Splichal would dare to offer more gutsy French classics like country terrines, roasted guinea hen or even a definitive coq au vin. As good as it is, the menu plays it very safe. And if Splichal can’t inspire his fans to broaden their palates, then who can? Meanwhile, the Champagne and oysters and a dozen or so solidly appealing dishes keep the Hollywood party going.

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PINOT HOLLYWOOD

CUISINE: French-California. AMBIENCE: Smart French brasserie. BEST DISHES: oysters, grilled ahi tuna, curly endive salad, penne with cherry tomatoes, grilled fish and lamb chop. WINE PICKS: 1994 Selene Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley; 1994 Qupe Viognier-Chardonnay, Santa Barbara; FACTS: 1448 N. Gower St., Los Angeles; (213) 461-8800. Closed Saturday lunch and Sundays. Dinner for two, food only, $50 to $70 . Corkage $10. Valet parking.