Mad About Tabu

It looks like Cal Calbassi has a hit on his hands in the form of Tabu Bistro, the brand new place on Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana.

Calbassi opened Tabu less than a month ago, and already you fight to get in on a weekend if you show up without a reservation. The restaurant features a heady mix of Italian and French continental food at reasonable prices.

Calbassi, who also manages Cha Cha Cha Caribbean Restaurant up the boulevard in Encino, took over the space occupied by the erstwhile Trattoria de Roma to open Tabu, his first venture as a solo owner in the San Fernando Valley.

Calbassi hasn’t started advertising yet, and he won’t put on a grand opening party for another week or two. But if you know the restaurant scene in the Valley, you know that folks like new places--and run to try them out.

And in Matt Evans, who comes to Los Angeles from Detroit, Calbassi has an inventive chef who ought to keep them coming back. Among Evans’ items are two signature dishes, a potato-crusted Lake Superior whitefish, for $12.95, and sesame-coated salmon with a ginger citrus sauce, for $13.95.

“It was a stroke of luck to get Matt Evans,” Calbassi says. “He heard that I was opening this place up, got in contact with a friend of mine, called me up, got on a plane to fly out--and here we are.”

* Tabu, 18607 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Open Monday-Friday for lunch and daily for dinner. (818) 758-9368.

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Want an excuse for a night on the town? How about National Pie Day?

Saturday is National Pie Day, and Sisley Italian Kitchen, the bright new place in Sherman Oaks, rolls out some big desserts to celebrate the occasion.

Pastry Chef Judy Gilbert offers a coconut macadamia pie, an almond joy tart, apple blueberry crumb, banana split tarts, berry brown butter tarts and strawberry marscarpone tarts.

You notice, of course, that not all of these confections are pies--but who cares? Remember the advice of the sage: Life is short. Have dessert first.

* Sisley Italian Kitchen, 15300 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 905-8444; 24201 W. Valencia Blvd., Valencia, (805) 287-4444; and 10800 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 446-3030.

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Rona Newman’s Steak Joynt in North Hollywood offers a Valentine’s Day special for those who don’t think it necessary to spend tons of money on a beloved--any appetizer, soup or salad plus any entree from the menu’s “Main Event” section followed by any dessert for only $14. The deal includes a bottle of wine.

For $18, you can have a whopper meal--appetizer, soup or salad plus an 18-ounce cut of prime rib and dessert, assuming you have room left for it.

* The Steak Joynt, 4354 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 761-9899.

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Moez Megji, who runs the popular Fins Creekside restaurant in Calabasas and Fins Seafood Grill in Westlake Village, has taken over Bambu, the Malibu restaurant founded several years ago by Rikki and Jeanette Farr.

The new Bambu menu features a number of the signature dishes of executive chef Roberto Leyva, including macadamia halibut and crispy Chilean sea bass, which call to mind the exotic cuisines of the Pacific Rim.

* Bambu, 3835 Cross Creek Road, Malibu; (310) 456-5464. Fins Creekside, 23504 Calabasas Road, Calabasas; (818) 223-3467. Fin’s Seafood Grill, 982 South Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village; (805) 494-6494.

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@compuserve.com