In The Mood / Goat Cheese

Goat cheese entered the Southern California food chain in the mid-’80s. A dozen years later, it’s still making a good showing:

* Drago: One of the best goat cheese salads in Los Angeles is found at Celestino Drago’s Santa Monica restaurant. One bite of insalata primavera, with grilled eggplant, roasted peppers, baby greens and terrific goat cheese, and you’ll think you’re a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean. (Insalata primavera, $8.50.) Drago, 2628 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 828-1585.

* Pinot Bistro: At this Valley Pinot, marinated goat cheese enriches a delicious individual lasagna with with zucchini, bell peppers and a tomato nage. (Lasagna, appetizer portion, $7.95; entree, $15.95.) Pinot Bistro, 12969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 990-0500.

* La Cachette: Try chef Jean-Francois Meteigner’s baby raviolis stuffed with goat cheese served on a green salad with tapenade dressing, bits of bacon and a crusty baked medallion of breaded goat cheese. (Baby ravioli salad, $8.75.) La Cachette, 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 470-4992.

* Spago Beverly Hills: One of the more popular items at Wolfgang Puck’s new flagship restaurant is the roasted beet and sauteed goat cheese salad with hazelnuts and a scallop citrus vinaigrette. (Beet and goat cheese salad, $10.50.) Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Drive, (310) 385-0880.

* Valentino: The most divine goat cheese experience in Los Angeles may be Valentino’s involtini melanzane e caprini, sensational little roll-ups of goat cheese, basil and eggplant that have been marinated in basil oil and agrumato (olive oil with a citrus infusion). There is also a lovely risotto with asparagus and caprino (Italian goat cheese). (Involtini, $8.50; risotto, $14.) Valentino, 3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 829-4313.

* Gardens: At lunch, chef Carrie Nahabedian makes a goat cheese and pear mille feuille on a salad with curly endive, French beans, slow-cured tomatoes and a hazelnut oil dressing. (Goat cheese and pear salad, $10.) Gardens at the Four Seasons, 300 S. Doheny Drive, Los Angeles, (310) 273-2222.

* Say Cheese: This tiny sandwich and coffee bar has two great goat cheese salads, the Bu^cheron, a full-flavored sharp goat cheese on a green salad with roasted red peppers, and the Chavignol, a milder goat cheese melted on crusty toasts atop mixed greens. My Favorite Goat is a vegetarian sandwich with mild goat cheese, avocado, alfalfa sprouts and tomato on La Brea Bakery walnut bread. A good selection of international goat cheeses is available in the adjacent cheese shop. (Goat cheese salads, $7.95; My Favorite Goat sandwich, $7.25.) Say Cheese, 2800 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 665-0545.