Music and Menus of the Night

Half the fun of going to the Hollywood Bowl is planning the picnic. Even if you don’t cook, all sorts of interesting portable feasts are waiting to be assembled in the carry-out section of any upscale supermarket.

And if aisle-assembly isn’t your strong suit, chefs and caterers are standing by with ready-to-go menus and accident-proof containers.

The Hollywood Bowl is heading into its 75th season, but anyone hoping to celebrate by picnicking with food from a historical restaurant is out of luck: Most of the city’s venerable places are gone. This year’s most appealing ready-made picnics are pure ‘90s, with such favorites as salad Nicoise, gravlax, garlicky roast chicken, rustic pa^tes and apple tart sharing billing with Asian noodles and chicken tikka, smoky ribs drenched in barbecue sauce and puckery antipasti.

But remember, before you order, think proximity to the Bowl, factor in traffic jams and delays. Tighten those lids before you leave the cashier and don’t forget extra condiments. Bring plenty of napkins and a trash bag. Some suggestions:

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Isn’t It Romantic?: Going to the Hollywood Bowl is Jean Francois Meteigner’s idea of romance. The chef of La Cachette totes lobster salad with white truffles and artichokes, and depends on an irresistible chocolate cake for the finale. Most picnic menus revolve around salads as appetizers--from tomato with balsamic vinaigrette to smoked white fish with warm potatoes. Entrees border on luxurious with the aforementioned lobster salad, roasted duck salad with spicy vinaigrette, roast chicken with garlic potatoes and grilled tuna with sesame and chile peppers sauce.

Desserts showcase the classics such as apple tart and fresh berries and oranges drizzled with orange liqueur. Devilish chocolate truffles are on the house. Prices range from $22 to $25. Orders must be placed by noon on the day of the performance.

* La Cachette, 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 470-4992.

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Off to See the Wizards: The mother-daughter team of Susan and Julie Campoy mark 10 years in the business of creating edible wizardry for the picnic basket. At Julienne, their cafe-deli in San Marino, the pair pack their feasts into tote bags or 12-inch Chinese steamer baskets. Rosemary-raisin bread accompany menus that include an appetizer, entree and dessert.

Take your pick: sun-dried tomato tureen with herbed cream cheese, swordfish sandwich drizzled with a tomato vinaigrette, marinated shrimp with ginger and cilantro, lemon mint salmon with roasted white corn and basil salsa.

For dessert, decide between summer berries with orange-flavored mascarpone, blackberry polenta bread pudding and sour cherry chocolate cupcakes filled with bittersweet ganache. Prices are from $13.95 to $23.95. Orders should be placed the morning of the event.

* Julienne, 2649 Mission St., San Marino; (818) 441-2299.

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You Say Potato: Chicken and salmon highlight two of three menus from Porta Via. The sliced rotisserie chicken with Tuscan white bean salad and the poached salmon on a bed of spinach with new potatoes make al fresco dining fuss-free.

That’s what picnics are all about, according to the folks at Porta Via. New this year is a vegetarian menu that offers lentil, tomato and fresh thyme salad, assorted grilled vegetables and a tureen of carrot, white bean and spinach. For a sweet ending, try sliced peaches and cream. Prices are from $16.50 to $21.50. Order at least 24 hours in advance.

* Porta Via Cafe, 424 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 274-6534.

Easy on the Oil: Indian food doesn’t need heat to be delicious. And fried appetizers? If skillfully cooked and blotted, they can be suitable for a picnic. At Bombay Cafe, chef-owner Neela Paniz uses oil like a miser and most items from the menu make suitable picnic fare.

Nibblers or starving concert-goers can choose samosas, fresh corn and coconut salad, tandoori chicken or nuggets of chicken tikka, grilled eggplant with fennel and curry, vegetable basmati rice, banana raita, naan and an array of chutneys. Add a refreshing lassi (sweet or salty) or “nimbu soda,” fresh lemonade spiked with ginger. Picnic baskets start from $10 per person. Orders may be placed the day of the picnic.

* Bombay Cafe, 12113 Santa Monica Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 820-2070.

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Spill-Proof: Rosti’s Tuscan takeout fare is fuss-free, sturdy and doesn’t require extra condiments or sauces. Special packaging, sturdy lids and heavy-duty paper bags with cardboard bottoms make their picnics (named after regions and cities in Italy) spill-proof. One of the most requested is Livorno ($9.75), which includes Chef Agostino Sciandri’s pollo al mattone or flattened chicken with herbs, steamed vegetables, an eggplant roll-up with ricotta cheese and an apple tart. Sandwiches on homemade focaccia go vegetarian with grilled vegetables and buffalo mozzarella or rustic with layers of roast turkey, radicchio and artichoke hearts. Prices range between $10 and $15. Orders are taken by phone or fax on the day of the picnic at all five Rosti locations.

* Rosti, Brentwood: (310) 447-8695; Santa Monica: (310) 393-3236; Los Angeles: (213) 938-8335; Encino: (818) 995-7179; Beverly Hills: (310) 275-3285.

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Lean Cuisine: Low fat doesn’t have to be a penance. At Planet Earth, a 1-year-old restaurant specializing in lean versions of rich favorites, owner Corry Forshpan and the new chef rely on fresh herbs and contrasting flavors and textures to fool the palate. The average picnic basket--around $15--features three courses such as a chunky gazpacho, poached salmon on saffron potatoes, green beans and tomatoes with pesto. Desserts like blueberry cheesecake on a vanilla cookie crust taste rich, but aren’t. Order at least two hours in advance.

* Planet Earth, 1512 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; (310) 458-3096.

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Three Choices: This season marks the debut of the official picnic menu at Campanile, where it’s narrowed choices down to three: The Jazz menu includes crostini with two purees, a green salad, cold smoked salmon with braised leek, and a lemon tart ($24 per person). The Concerto plies music lovers with a caramelized onion tart, gravlax with cucumber salad, cold roasted chicken and chocolate whiskey cake ($30). And the piece de resistance is the Symphony ($35) that includes grilled shrimp with lemon aioli, antipasti of olives, cheeses, roasted peppers and prosciutto, a seared beef filet with marinated vegetables, and assorted biscotti and fruit. Place orders before 9 p.m. the day before pickup.

* Campanile Catering, 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (213) 938-1447.

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Eight Choices: American classics influence the contents of John Sola’s picnic boxes. The chef of the Daily Grill and the Grill in Beverly Hills opts for many tastes in one basket. Typical of his eight menus from the Daily Grill are entree salads such as Cobb, Oriental chicken, Caesar with charbroiled chicken and Nicoise with fresh ahi tuna with apple pie, rice pudding, and strawberries and cream as finales. The sourdough and butter are on the house. Prices start at $14.95.

From the Grill, the menu goes upscale with shrimp cocktail, grilled vegetable plates, a combination of shrimp and crab Louis, mixed seafood pasta salad, sliced New York pepper steak with marinated asparagus and grilled shrimp with tomato-basil pasta. Desserts are the old-fashioned kind--apple or the Grill’s famous tapioca pie, bread pudding and chocolate cake. Prices start at $24 per person. Orders require 24-hour notice.

* The Daily Grill has six locations; (310) 820-5559 to order. The Grill, 9560 Dayton Way, Beverly Hills; (310) 276-0615.

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Two Sauces: Rick Royce insists picnic food should be fun, plentiful and lip-smacking good. “Barbecue is supposed to be messy,” says Royce, who includes toothpicks and moist towelettes with every barbecue order. He packs two types of barbecue sauce (sweet and hickory-smoked) separately. The ribs/chicken combination is a hands-down favorite. Most people mix and match the sauces. Some pour it over the meat. Sides include his powerhouse baked beans, red potato salad with fresh dill, a garlicky vegetable-pasta salad, cole slaw with sesame seeds and Yankee Doodle desserts such as apple or cherry cobbler, double chocolate fudge cake and New York cheesecake. A combination of chicken, ribs and two side dishes comes to around $10.95 per person; a half rack of ribs, $9.45. A few hours notice is required, but Royce is easy.

* Rick Royce Premier BBQ, 10916 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A.; (310) 441-7427.

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Caribbean Mood: Let the reggae roll while you settle into a tropical mood. Picnics with a Caribbean flavor are catered by the Banana Cafe at the Century Club. Highlights of the new menu by chef Juan Mercado include stuffed anaheim chiles, shrimp and scallop salad with pancetta, wild mushrooms and sherry herb vinaigrette, spicy-sweet baby back ribs, pastas and designer sandwiches (how about eggplant on rosemary bread?). Best for sharing is a fresh tropical fruit platter. But generosity stops with a lush banana cafe cream pie or ultra-rich raspberry chocolate terrine. A la carte menus can be mixed and matched. Prices start around $7. Order may be placed up to one hour in advance.

* Banana Cafe at the Century Club, 10131 Constellation Blvd., Century City; (310) 553-6000.