Nouvelle, But Novel No More

Some years ago, Cafe Bizou shook up the Valley dining scene by serving intelligent French-California dishes at low prices. Since then, the Boulevard has seen a rash of accomplished, modestly priced places, including JoeJoe’s, Paul’s Cafe and Perroche.

Meanwhile, Bizou itself has moved to larger quarters, where its menu has stagnated. I know--if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. My problem is that Bizou’s dishes are often less evolved than the competition’s, though the place is still a bargain.

It’s certainly as crowded as ever. The tables, faintly European with their white cloths and fresh carnations, are set rather close, and the pleasant beige dining room can be awfully noisy.

But it’s an absolute steal at lunch. That’s when you fight off ladies in hats and studio types without expense accounts. No entree on the lunch menu is over $10 (for $1 you can add soup or salad).

So here’s the scoop on lunching chez Bizou. The entree salads (nearly half the lunch menu) are generally dependable. The subtly spiced curried chicken salad is meaty and faintly sweet, with good marinated eggplant and steamed couscous along for the ride. Ahi tuna salad offers a hefty chunk of grilled ahi perched on baby greens in a restrained soy vinaigrette. The grilled salmon salad, in a passion-fruit dressing, is garnished with papayas and grilled red onions.

Aside from the salad list are several pastas, the best being lobster and salmon ravioli in a very rich lobster sauce. I’ve also had a club sandwich made with roast chicken, apple-wood-smoked bacon--and toast unpleasantly soggy with mayonnaise--and I’ve had an overcooked sesame-coated salmon. The waiter had the salmon prepared again, but it still came up burnt on top, and its cute topping of sesame seeds had no flavor.

I do like the roast pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes in garlic cream sauce, though. And you can’t go wrong ordering roast chicken, which comes with good fries. The potato-scaled snapper on spinach isn’t bad either (so what if the “scales” aren’t all that crisp?).

The invariable desserts are a textbook creme bru^lee, a cloying tarte Tatin and a standout warm flourless chocolate cake with scads of whipped cream.

Every time I eat here I come away wishing for something new--and glad it didn’t cost much coming to that conclusion.

BE THERE

Cafe Bizou, 14016 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner 5:30-10:15 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-11 p.m. Friday, 5-11 p.m. Saturday, 5-10:15 p.m. Sunday; brunch Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Valet parking. Full bar. All major cards. Lunch for two, $19-$29. Suggested lunch dishes: ahi tuna salad, $8.95; lobster and salmon ravioli, $7.50; roasted chicken, $8.50; roast pork tenderloin, $8.95. Call (818) 788-3536.