Country Cooking

Stuart Barker and his partner Grady Atkins had one thing in mind when they opened their Studio City place, Perroche, earlier this year: “Refined country cooking,” they call it--and if you think that means simple fare, think again.

What it means is a short menu whose provenance makes you think of Italy, France and England and, not least of all, California itself, with its astonishing abundance of produce, seafood and meats.

It also means that, as the seasons change, so do the foods that show up on your plate here.

Barker and Atkins are both British but became friends halfway around the world, in Hong Kong. Barker ran the kitchen in a small bar and grill there featuring the foods of the Mediterranean, Atkins the kitchen of a French place.

Barker returned to London, did another stint in Hong Kong, and then came to Los Angeles. Atkins, meanwhile, who had worked in Boston before Hong Kong, came to Los Angeles to work for the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.

“I wanted to own my own restaurant since I started my career in London,” Barker says. “Grady and I became good friends, and we started talking seriously about opening a place together two years ago.

“We got possession of this location last November and opened in January.

“We have a short menu--seven appetizers and seven entrees, some of which change nightly--and we don’t do specials, because really, we like to consider everything on the menu a special.”

Atkins gets his produce at the Santa Monica farmers market, among other places, and he buys only from organic growers. He takes similar care in buying his fish, poultry and meats.

So what does “refined country cooking” mean?

* A salad of romaine hearts with a coddled-egg dressing;

* Gazpacho with smoked trout;

* A salad of golden beets and tomatoes;

* Baked salmon with rosemary, chanterelle mushrooms and courgette (English zucchini);

* Grilled flank of beef with a potato mousseline and a bordelaise sauce;

* Sauteed scallops with risotto and red peppers;

* Roasted chicken breast with fresh polenta and a tarragon jus.

For dessert you can have a hot Bing cherry crumble with chilled custard, a bittersweet chocolate terrine and Grand Marnier cream, a concoction of peach and caramel, or a lemon tart.

Prices for the appetizers are under $9, for the entrees under $19. The chocolate terrine dessert is $7, the other desserts $6.

Barker and Atkins also offer an eclectic list of wines from California, Australia, Chile, France, Italy and South Africa. You can bring your own bottle for a corkage fee of $10.

Perroche--the name comes from a brand of goat cheese made in Kent, England--seats only 48, so reservations are a must. It is at 11929 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 766-1179.

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It may still seem like summer to you, but to the people who run restaurants, the end of August means autumn--which is to say, an upturn in business as folks return from vacation, send their children back to school and start dining out again.

Here’s what some of the Valley’s popular places have in store for you this month and next:

* Cha Cha Cha Encino features magician Jonathan Matthews Sunday evenings--card tricks, tricks with sponge balls and coins and other objects, performed table-side beginning at 6:30 p.m. On Fridays you can hear Latin jazz, reggae, and rhythm and blues; on Saturdays, steel drum music. The restaurant’s full menu is available until midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Cha Cha Cha Encino is at 17499 Ventura Blvd., (818) 789-3600.

* Kids eat free during September at Sisley Italian Kitchen in Sherman Oaks. The offer applies to children 2 to 10, and they may choose anything from the restaurant’s children’s menu--cheese pizza; pepperoni pizza; barbecued chicken; spaghetti with marinara sauce, butter and cheese or a meatball. Sisley Italian Kitchen is at 15300 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 905-8444.

* Next week Lenetta Kidd starts to keep her Sherman Oaks supper club Moonlight open seven nights with a special menu of new appetizers and music. Among the appetizers: crab cakes with a remoulade, chicken in a spicy peanut sauce, Cajun popcorn shrimp in a sherry sauce, “flaming” goat cheese, escargot in garlic butter and spicy Swedish meatballs--all at about $7. The restaurant also features big band, dance band, swing and boogie music with two dinner seatings Fridays and Saturdays. Moonlight is at 13730 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 788-2000.

* Juan Hovey writes about the restaurant scene in the San Fernando Valley and outlying points. He may be reached at (805) 492-7909 or fax (805) 492-5139 or via e-mail at jhovey@gte.net.