Trocadero Has ‘40s Spirit and Hip Menu

Smooth Troc: The ghost of the famous Trocadero nightclub has been revived, again. The original Trocadero, the glamorous supper club frequented by Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Jean Harlow and Lana Turner, burned down in 1944. Fifty years later, Bambi Byrens and Robert Wayne opened a Trocadero in West Hollywood and hung pictures of the original on the walls. And two months ago, Michael Bezerra and Milton Zampelli bought this new version.

Nuevo Latino chef Eric Basulto, currently the chef at La Boca del Conga in the Latin nightclub The Conga Room, is the consulting chef. His mostly-appetizer menu looks like this: beef carpaccio, dressed with red onion and avocado, is served with a tangerine salad ($9); pan-seared filet mignon tips come with an array of dipping sauces ($9). In an attempt to introduce hipsters to ceviche, Basulto named the calamari, shrimp and tomato ceviche the “Viagra” ($8). A grilled skirt steak sandwich is topped with sauteed onions, peppers and a chipotle mayo ($12). The Trocadero is open every night for dinner until 1:30 a.m.

* The Sunset Trocadero Lounge, 8280 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; (323) 656-7161.

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Veg on a Bun: Pink’s, Hollywood’s favorite hot dog and chili joint, is going Berkeley. Owners Richard and Gloria Pink have just introduced a veggie dog to the menu. Mind you, for the last three years they’ve had turkey dogs, which now account for about 10% of their sales, but this is their first (lacto-ovo) vegetarian offering. The garden dog is soy protein, wheat protein, brown sugar, spices, smoke flavor and egg white solids. Two come on a bun together (they’re small) with mustard, onions and relish ($2.35). You can add cole slaw, guacamole, New York onions and sauerkraut for an additional charge. “It’s always fun to try something new,” says Richard Pink.

* Pink’s Famous Chili Dogs, 709 N. La Brea Ave., L.A.; (323) 931-7594.

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Oops: The newly opened Felt restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood has had to temporarily close its doors while it wrangles over a liquor-license snafu. The owners plan to reopen as soon as possible.

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Pier, R.I.P.: City Pier Seafood on Spring Street in downtown L.A. has disconnected its phone and closed its doors. A sign in the window reads “Gone fishin’.” City Pier served inexpensive fish dishes and sandwiches in a cafeteria-like setting. Downtown office workers often lunched there, but apparently not often enough.

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Louisiana in the Morning: Cirxa Bistro in Silver Lake is serving brunch Tuesday through Sunday. Dishes include chicken and waffles ($7) and crispy crab sandwiches ($8). On weekends, brunch is available 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday it’s noon to 4 p.m.

* Cirxa Bistro, 3719 Sunset Blvd., L.A.; (323) 663-1048.

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Crayfish Days: Gustaf Anders Scandinavian restaurant in Santa Ana celebrates the Swedish tradition of eating crayfish in late August. Crayfish, cooked in salt, sugar and dill and served cold, will be available through mid-September ($40 a platter--enough to share). The restaurant recommends downing these babies with aquavit.

* Gustaf Anders, in South Coast Plaza Village, 3851 Bear St., Santa Ana; (714) 668-1737.

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A Night in the Cellar: Taste a crop of 1997 Merlots from Napa Valley with a selection of cheeses, beef mignonettes, salmon feuillete and chocolate mignardises at 6 p.m. Friday inside the wine cellar of the Sutton Place Hotel in Newport Beach. The cellar, with more than 20,000 bottles of wine in its inventory, will be slightly less chilled than usual for the night. Food and wine is $75 per person.

* The Sutton Place Hotel, 4500 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach; (949) 476-2001.

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A Day Down Under: The American Institute of Wine and Food wants to get you more familiar with New Zealand dining. So Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. the institute is hosting “A Kiwi County Summer Day” at a private home in Malibu. A buffet of New Zealand foods will be set up that includes steamed New Zealand mussels, grilled New Zealand rack of lamb, roasted vegetable salad and kiwi-peach-plum cobbler. Each course will be paired with a New Zealand wine. Darryl Dunn, the consul general of New Zealand, is the guest speaker. The price is $85 per person. To get the location, make reservations at (310) 535-6090 or (818) 902-3724.

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Angela Pettera can be reached at (213) 237-3153 or at pettera@prodigy.net.