Rossi Quits Citrus for Archrival Pinot

Crossing Over: Daniel Rossi has left his position as chef at Michel Richard’s Citrus on Melrose Avenue to work for another top L.A. chef with a number of French-California restaurants. Of course we’re talking about Joachim Splichal. After five years with Richard, Rossi has defected to Splichal’s Cafe Pinot downtown. When Richard lived in Los Angeles (he’s now in Washington, D.C.), he and Splichal were huge rivals. So how does Rossi feel about crossing enemy lines? ‘Yes, I’m working for the competition,” Rossi told us, “but the change is good for me.” It may not be so good for the staff at Cafe Pinot, though. Rossi admits with a laugh, “They’re a little bit scared because I scream a lot.” Nevertheless (or maybe because of that), Rossi has already gotten out his new lunch and dinner menus.

* Cafe Pinot, 700 W. 5th St., downtown L.A.; (213) 239-6500.

Italian Musical Chairs: Tancredi DeLuca, who owns Amici restaurant in Beverly Hills, has bought Fabio Trattoria in Hermosa Beach from his friend Fabio Flagiello. Flagiello, you might remember, recently moved back to Venice to open a new place called Fabio. With this latest acquisition, DeLuca is now the proud papa of four restaurants. In addition to Amici, he’s got Amici Mare in Santa Monica and Oliva in Sherman Oaks. The new place is called Amici Manhattan. The cooking under the direction of Enrico Trova will be strikingly similar to that served at DeLuca’s Beverly Hills and Santa Monica restaurants. The decor has been brightened up a bit, and more than 90 wines have been brought in to plump up the wine list. The phone number, however, hasn’t changed. Amici Manhattan is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday nights.

* Amici Manhattan, 2700 Manhattan Ave., Hermosa Beach; (310) 318-1556.

Eating For Less: Maybe times are tough right now, or maybe people are just pinching pennies for the future. Who knows? But several local restaurateurs are reacting to their patrons’ requests for lower prices. Maurice Constantin of Le Chardonnay in West Hollywood is dropping the prices. In addition to his four-course bistro menu for $25, he’s marked down seven entrees to $18 or less. Le Chardonnay is at 8284 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 655-8880. . . . Stuart Barker, owner and chef of Perroche in Studio City, is dropping his corkage fee to $4.95 per bottle. Perroche is at 11929 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 766-1179. . . . Maureen Vincenti of Vincenti has decided to add a bar menu to her Italian restaurant so the rest of us can afford to eat a grilled sandwich in the sleek environs. The $10 sandwiches are topped with guanciale and taleggio cheese or mozzarella, prosciutto and tomatoes, and finished off in the wood-burning oven. Also available: skewered and grilled Italian cuttlefish (seppioline) at $3.50 per skewer, a nice accompaniment to a glass of white wine. Bar menu served nightly from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Vincenti Ristorante is at 11930 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 207-0127.

Cooks’ Alert: Zagat has just published the 2000-01 edition of the Los Angeles Marketplace Survey. In it you’ll find purveyors of baked goods, fish and meats, herbs and spices, wine, caviar, coffee and cookware. In short, everything you need to plan a party, caterers included. The book retails for $10.95. If you can’t find it at your local bookstore, you can purchase it online at https://www.zagat.com.

Listen While You Eat: Radio host Merrill Shindler (“Feed Your Face” on KLSX 97.1 FM Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m.) has organized a listeners’ dinner Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Mi Piace in Calabasas. Talk show host Gabriel Wisdom will discuss beating Wall Street at its own game. The five-course “Italian village feast,” which includes wines and cognac, will be served on the patio. The price is $40 per person, including tax and tip. Mi Piace, at the Commons, 4799 Commons Way, Calabasas; (818) 591-8822.

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