Montana’s Cafe Has a Twinkle About It

Starlight, Star Bright: Antonio Montana, formerly sous chef at Spago and chef at Cucina Paradiso in Redondo Beach, has opened his own place, Starlight Cafe. Partner Alejandro Romero showed him an available space in Culver City one Saturday and they’d made a deal by Sunday. (Says Montana, “I like to do things quickly.”) Now the place is open, and Montana is serving Italian food cooked in an open kitchen seven days a week. When the weather improves, you’ll be able to enjoy the outdoor seating without worrying that the tent will blow away.

* Starlight Cafe, 10445 Venice Blvd., Culver City; (310) 559-3727.

Busy B: Long Beach restaurateur Christy Bono has been busy lately. She’s expanded her Italian restaurant, Christy’s, by taking over an adjacent storefront. The new room features seven booths, a floor-to-ceiling wine rack and a slate water wall in the back. At the same time, she’s working on a new restaurant in a two-story Naples building that used to be Brogino’s. “It pretty much needed a bulldozer,” says Bono, but adds that she’ll be ready to open in a month or two. Her new place will be called Nico’s, and it will serve California cuisine.

* Christy’s, 3937 E. Broadway, Long Beach; (562) 433-7133.

Imported Ice: A new ice cream shop has opened in Beverly Hills, but you won’t find Ben or Jerry there. What you will find at Semifreddo are goodies direct from Italy: All the pastries, sorbets and ice creams are made in Milan and shipped to the store. Also offered are coffee, cappuccinos and grilled sandwiches. Owner Agnese Klein says she modeled her place after a typical coffee shop back in Italy, but at the same time she hopes to combine the best elements of an American sandwich shop, coffee bar and ice cream parlor.

* Semifreddo, 156 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 247-8508.

A Papashon Gone: The Beverly Hills Papashon has closed. Partner Tom Anderson tells us, “It never really took off to the extent we thought it would, so we sold it.” Now he and Ramon Papa will concentrate on the newest of their French-Asian restaurants, in Long Beach.

Imported From New York: On Monday, Ruth Reichl will be at Campanile signing copies of her making-of-a-foodie autobiography, “Tender at the Bone.” Reichl, former food editor of The Times, who has also been a restaurant critic both here and at the New York Times, has recently been named editor in chief of Gourmet Magazine. She’ll be at Campanile from 6 p.m. until closing. Chef Mark Peel has used recipes from her book to create a four-course meal for that evening ($35). The main course is wiener schnitzel with Aunt Birdie’s potato salad.

* Campanile, 624 S. La Brea Ave., L.A.; (323) 938-1447.

Academy Eats: Oscar night falls on a Sunday, March 21. What better night to sit back, watch a little TV and shovel fine food into your face? Watching the awards at a restaurant may not be quite the same as attending the Governors Ball--but you also won’t have to futz with a gown or tux. All of the parties below begin at 5 p.m.

At Abiento in Pasadena, you can vote for who you think will win certain categories. Correct answers enter a drawing, and prizes are handed out all evening. The regular menu will be served, along with a few dinner specials. When you call for reservations, ask them to send or fax you a ballot in advance.

* Abiento, 110 S. Lake Ave., Pasadena; (626) 449-4151.

The Bistro Garden in Studio City has its usual Oscar buffet. On the tables: medallions of Atlantic salmon, beef curry, penne with spicy sausage, bread pudding, tarte tatin and chocolate mousse cake. It’s $48 plus tax and tip.

* The Bistro Garden at Coldwater, 12950 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 501-0202.

Granita in Malibu offers high-style noshing with passed hors d’ oeuvres and a seated four-course meal for $65. The main course is free-range chicken with grilled eggplant, pancetta and haricot verts. Dessert is petit fours and chocolate truffles.

* Granita, 23725 W. Malibu Road, Malibu; (310) 456-0520.

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