Warming Up at Woodside

Four-year-old Woodside, in Brentwood, has always been an immensely appealing, quietly understated neighborhood restaurant, the kind that every corner of the city should be lucky enough to have. You have to know it’s there in order to spot it on San Vicente Boulevard, just as it curves into Brentwood’s brightly lit strip of shops and restaurants. With its exposed brick walls hung with dramatic paintings in autumn colors and rows of tables set with library chairs, Woodside has a warm, Northern California feeling.

With El Nin~o beating at the door, the winter menu from Woodside’s new chef, Dean James Max, proposes a generous bowl of steamed Prince Edward Island mussels in a fragrant lemongrass broth swirled with cream or a crunchy, delicious rock shrimp fritter shaped like a golf ball served with a fan of avocado. And of course, there’s the entrancing salad of French butter pears, Gorgonzola and spiced pecans on endive and rocket that’s been on the menu since day one.

For the very hungry, Max might roast a special guinea fowl and serve it with an earthy puree of potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Halibut in a cardamom glaze is beautifully cooked, served with a fennel confit. Salmon is wrapped in mustard greens and rice paper and served with a trio of cabbages. He’s kept on another Woodside classic, a juicy grilled pork chop stuffed with prosciutto, fontina and sage. Each plate comes with interesting vegetables, a Woodside signature.

Since the open kitchen takes up one side of the dining room, you can see the cooks at work, close up. And waiters are very knowledgeable, not to mention enthusiastic, about the menu. No one has ever steered me wrong.

With a new owner and a new chef, Woodside’s emphasis is still American comfort food--with a twist. Just what’s required in this kind of weather.

BE THERE

Woodside, 11604 San Vicente, Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 571-3800. Open daily for dinner; Monday-Friday for lunch. Valet parking. Appetizers $6 to $8.75; main courses $16 to $23.50.