HAUTE LINQ

“OH, YES, SO THIS IS LINQ,” MY FRIEND KATE says, nodding in recognition as we pull up. “I’ve driven by this place so many times and noticed that odd statue,” she muses. Haven’t we all? Mounted high above the doorway, the male figure--all lumpy-fleshed silver--points a huge flashlight at the eclectic crowd, which is sizable on weekends.

Linq is one of the best-looking restaurants to debut in a long time. Sleek and sophisticated, the design by Dodd Mitchell plays off water and fire, wood and stone, light and shadow. High-ceilinged rooms are framed by massive wooden squared arches. A flotilla of bare, low-wattage lightbulbs in different shapes, colors, vintages hang from the glassed-in patio at the front. Water courses down one wall over the black Italian marble veneer.

In the bar, a fireplace glows at counter height, and bottles in frosted-glass cabinets are silhouetted like puppets in a Balinese shadow show. The bar’s small lounge is furnished with slouchy sofas and cube-shaped tables that are illuminated from within. The female bartender is fabulous in skintight snakeskin pants and belly-baring shirt.

We admire the creamy lacquered wall at the back of the bar and, at the far end of the dining room, a private room with a table set for 16 in front of a fireplace. That’s when two of our party are hit with deja vu. “Wasn’t this the old China Club?” Renee says, recalling the venue where she partied away her giddy 20s. That, Renee says, had a private room, too, at the back, but nothing as glamorous as this one at Linq, which is owned by club impresario Mario Oliver.

And for such a trendy place, the kind where food is usually beside the point, the cooking stands out for its vibrant Asian-Mediterranean flavors. The chef is Philippines-born Andre Guerrero, who last manned the stoves at the late Duet in Glendale. His Asian-French-Spanish heritage means he has fusion in his bones. On his global menu, duck confit salad, lobster ravioli and Moroccan-seared chicken share space with stir-fried vegetables and Thai noodles.

The best meal I had at Linq was the first one, before the restaurant became as busy as it is now. A lovely, sweet white-corn soup adorned with Dungeness crab meat and infused with ginger and lemon grass made a terrific starter, followed by one of the best dishes here, the whole sizzling catfish--head, tail, bones and all. Deep-fried to a crunchy crisp, its funky, slightly muddy flavor was set off by the salty heat of a Shanghai-style black bean sauce and earthy long beans. Dessert was a trio of dainty creme brulees: delicate green tea, sugary ginger and the classic vanilla, accompanied by sesame shortbread cookies. By the time we finished, it was well past 10. The restaurant wasn’t very busy, and the service was right on the mark.

In recent weeks, however, Linq has suffered from overbooking, overcrowding and the usual ills of restaurants that attract the party set in great numbers. Each time, the host has asked if we were all there. When we answered yes, he told us to please wait in the bar. “The hostess will seat you in a few minutes.”

On weekday nights, there’s often no shortage of tables, so the object of this exercise can only be to encourage us to order something from the bar. During the weekends, though, Linq can be a zoo. There’s nowhere to wait. One night, when 30 minutes pass and we’re still standing in place along the ramp leading to the bar, one restless soul wants to leave rather than wait five minutes more. The manager does the right thing under the circumstances. He buys us drinks, which help occupy us for 20 more minutes until our table is ready. In the meantime, we find out that the bartender knows how to make a proper Manhattan and a dry Bombay gin martini straight up.

Once we’re seated at a banquette, just next to a shimmering wall of water, menus, wine list and water come in short order.

Appetizers are generally stronger than main courses here. There’s that corn soup, plus rich lobster raviolis in a curry-scented lobster bisque, a pleasant quesadilla stuffed with cheese and smoked salmon with a lime-drenched jicama salad, and a baby arugula salad embellished with poached pear and caramelized walnuts. Duck salad--which is sliced duck breast topped with a frazzle of fried, shredded duck confit--would have been better if the breast had been rosy pink instead of well done. And those crab cakes are really crab balls, but nice enough with a cilantro remoulade.

After the sizzling catfish, I’d take the New York pepper steak, charred rare (which means it will come out medium-rare), with excellent pommes frites. The filet mignon has less flavor. The obligatory Chilean sea bass is washed in a soy-mirin glaze, too salty to really enjoy, despite the wicked wasabi mashed potatoes. Guerrero also makes a fine rendition of an ‘80s pasta dish, farfalle tossed with shrimp, scallops and mushrooms in a tomato cream sauce spiked with vodka. Thai noodles please with bright flavors of coconut milk, lemon grass and chile.

In general, the kitchen does a good job getting food out even when the restaurant is packed. I wish I could be as positive about the wine service. One night, every time we ordered a wine, the waiter asked, “Glass or bottle?” Isn’t it obvious a bottle is the default setting? If you want a glass of wine, wouldn’t you ask for a glass of wine? This waiter also couldn’t wait to pour the last of a bottle, to speed up the ordering of another.

Desserts are generous and designed to complement Linq’s fusion menu. That’s why you’ll find a chocolate souffle on offer along with a rich and seductive chocolate-cococonut pot de creme, and purple yam ice cream, which has a pleasantly starchy taste and an astonishing violet color.

A little less attitude at the front of the house would make the experience at Linq warmer and more professional, though the dramatic room and Guerrero’s thoughtful fusion cuisine make this newcomer worthwhile.

Linq

8338 W. 3rd St.,

Los Angeles,

(323) 655-4555

cuisine: International fusion

rating: * 1/2

*

AMBIENCE: Stunning contemporary restaurant with lively bar scene and eclectic crowd.

SERVICE: Irritating to ingratiating. BEST DISHES: White-corn soup, lobster ravioli, duck salad, whole sizzling catfish, New York pepper steak, farfalle, coconut pot de creme, chocolate souffle. Appetizers, $6 to $10. Main courses, $14 to $28. Corkage, $15. WINE PICKS: 1997 Swanson Merlot, Napa Valley; 1998 Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros. FACTS: Dinner nightly until 1:30 a.m. Valet parking

*

Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality. ****: Outstanding on every level. ***: Excellent. **: Very good. *: Good. No star: Poor to satisfactory.