A FOOD LOVER’S FEAST / [75 Restaurants -- Annual Special Dining Out Issue]

Southern California is restaurant heaven. Where else can you find a strip-mall joint serving 28 kinds of chili, a tap-dancing sushi bar and an elegant cafe in a seedy parking lot? From inspired chefs and favorite dishes to the guy who makes the best cappuccino in town, here are 75 sublime reasons to dine out.

1. J.Z.Y. Cafe

J.Z.Y. Cafe, deep in a San Gabriel mini-mall, serves tea pastries that are considerably more exotic than traditional Cantonese dim sum. Try cassia flower cool cake, a sticky rice dumpling with a smooth red bean filling, or ai wo wo--steamed rice flour balls filled with ground rose petals, pumpkin seeds, crushed peanuts and sugar. J.Z.Y. Cafe, 1039 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 288-0588. Tea pastries, $2 to $4.50.

- MAX JACOBSON

2. The Grill

We love the Grill for its white-jacketed waiters, who have a professionalism seldom seen in L.A. restaurants. Slip into a booth, order a proper dry martini and study the day’s menu under a green glass-shaded lamp. Not that the offerings change all that much. You can always count on the classic chopped lettuce Caesar, the superlative Cobb and the generous Dungeness crab Louie followed by a nicely marbled prime Porterhouse charred rare, the double lamb chops or, in season, the splendid soft-shelled crabs. And for dessert--the rice pudding. The Grill on the Alley, 9560 Dayton Way, Beverly Hills; (310) 276-0615. Entrees, $15 to $30.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

3. Patina

Chris Meeske has been the sommelier at Patina for the past five years. (Before that he was at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and the Highlands Inn in Carmel.) Under his care, not to mention his nose, Patina’s wine list has gained admirable breadth and depth. The real treasure is his after-dinner drinks list, which includes such singular discoveries as the 1969 Coeur de Lion Calvados ($20 per glass) or Pappy Van Winkles Family Reserve, a 20-year-old burnished mahogany Bourbon ($13 a glass), and the ’97 beerenauslese from Austrian winemaker Alois Kracher. Patina, 5955 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 467-1108. (Closed until late June for remodeling.) ’97 Kracher beerenauslese, $6.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

4. Leo’s Bar-B-Cue

Leo’s isn’t much on atmosphere (or furniture--it’s an all-take-out place), but it has survived for 36 years on the strength of its very smoky barbecue, served with a brusque, self-confident hot sauce that’s intriguingly sour and bitter. Leo’s Bar-B-Cue, 2619 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles; (323) 733-1186. Barbecue, $6 to $8.45.

- CHARLES PERRY

5. Bruddah’s

In Hawaii there’s touristy food, there’s Pacific Rim food merging with French cooking and then there’s “local food.” At the popular Bruddah’s--as in “bruddah’s and sistah’s’--a friendly staff serves from a menu that reads like Hawaii’s immigration history: Korean ribs, eggs with Portuguese sausage, Filipino grilled inihaw carne, teriyaki everything and Sino-Japanese-style saimin noodles. Bruddah’s Hawaiian Foods, 1033 Gardena Blvd., Gardena; (310) 323-9112. Entrees, $3 to $7.95.

- LINDA BURUM

6. The Standard

The juicy sirloin burger at the retro, 24-hour coffee shop/restaurant inside the Standard Hotel comes with slices of ripe tomato, Dijon mustard in a plastic squirter and a pile of excellent fries, hand cut with the skins on. It’s but one item from the international comfort food menu that lurches from Italy to Alsace, Paris, Spain and Japan. The Standard, 8300 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; (323) 650-9090. Burger, $11.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

7. Europane

Regulars at this tiny bakery in Pasadena develop cravings for Sumi Chang’s rich cinnamon buns, enticing almond pastries with summer’s stone fruit and, in season, her miniature puff pastry tarts filled with fragrant white peaches and blueberries. EuroPane, 950 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; (626) 577-1828. Pastries, $1.50 to $4.95.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

8. Atlas Sausage Kitchen

When it comes to making sausages, Austrian-born Fritz Thaller does it the way his father did it and that’s that. You’ll find at least 30 varieties of his German-style hams and sausages at Atlas Sausage Kitchen. Thaller can also put together a choice platter of smoked meats with German potato salad, sauerkraut and homemade seeded rye. Atlas Sausage Kitchen, 10626 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood; (818) 763-2692. Sausages, $4.98 per pound.

- MAX JACOBSON

9. Vermont

This warm and unassuming California-Mediterranean spot is just what the doctor ordered for the neighborhood, a place where you can drop in for a salad of mixed field greens, roasted pork loin and vanilla custard after work, dine with your parents, or meet up with friends before heading out to hear some music. Vermont, 1714 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz; (323) 661-6163. Entrees, $13 to $24.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

10. Cafe Stella

Cafe Stella may be located behind a down-at-the-heels Silver Lake mini-mall, but inside it’s as if you’ve stepped back into De Gaulle-era France. Every detail of a French neighborhood bistro is exact, and the menu studiously ignores nouvelle cuisine and all its works. This is a romantic little spot to rediscover poulet a l’estragon, a chicken breast with a judicious amount of tarragon-scented cream. Cafe Stella, 3932 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake; (323) 666-0265. Poulet a l’estragon, $14.

- CHARLES PERRY

11. Yujean Kang

At Yujean Kang’s, the pleasure is matching wines from Alsace, Germany, Austria and California with the subtle, contemporary Chinese cuisine. Yujean Kang’s, 67 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; (626) 585-0855. Also 8826 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (310) 288-0806. Entrees, $7.95 to $17.95.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

12. Trattoria Tre Venezie

This Pasadena restaurant features the authentic cooking of Italy’s Tre Venezie region, with its Austro-Hungarian and Venetian influences. Try chef Gianfranco Minuz’s ravioli stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese, a little Parmigiano-Reggiano and beet bound with egg yolk, and sauced with clarified butter and Parmesan and embellished with julienned ruby red beets. Trattoria Tre Venezie, 119 W. Green St, Pasadena; (626) 795-4455. Ravioli di rape rosse, $14.25 as a first course; $17.75 as a main course.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

13. Ubon

At Nobu Matsuhisa’s casual noodle restaurant, udon comes to the table puffing steam, immersed in boiling broth and garnished with everything from seaweed or sansai (Japanese mountain vegetables) to lacy tempura to free-range chicken. Eat the fat springy noodles like the Japanese do, noisily sucking in air to cool them down. Just the thing to revive a deflated shopper. Ubon, Beverly Center, 8530 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 854-1115. Udon, $6.50 to $15.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

14. Tacos Clarita

For Mexican food that’s out of the ordinary, go to Tacos Clarita on the Eastside. Clarita Andrade, who is from Mexico City, makes a raft of wonderful dishes that have nothing in common with the Southwestern-style Mexican food that prevails in Los Angeles. One day Andrade brought out a platter of nopalitos asados--whole cactus paddles grilled, then steamed with green onions, jalapenos and oregano. Simple, fresh tasting and a bit crunchy, they revealed what Mexican cooking can be like. Tacos Clarita, 3049 E. 4th St., Los Angeles; (323) 262-3620. Nopalitos asados, $2.50.

- BARBARA HANSEN

15. Josie

Josie LeBalch gets around. Stints include cooking Venetian at Remi in Santa Monica, game at Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas and American at the Beach House in Santa Monica Canyon. Following the trend of young L.A. chefs breaking out on their own, she’s opening Josie, with all her favorites on the menu (in September, if all goes well). Josie, 2424 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 581-9888.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

16. Ammo

What better way to cool down on a muggy day? The blueberry smoothies from Ammo “Fuel for Thought,” a savvy, Hollywood cafe that caters to the fashion crowd, are blissfully not too sweet. The cafe now has tables indoors and out. Ammo, 1155 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 871-2666. Blueberry smoothie, $4.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

17. Nick & Stef’s

Joachim Splichal re-invents the steakhouse at Nick & Stef’s, where appetizers, sides, potatoes, even sauces, sidestep the usual moribund steakhouse offerings in favor of a dozen variations on a theme. And the beef? Row after row of aging slabs of prime meat rest in the chill of a glassed-in aging room until it’s time for them to hit the hardwood-fired grill. Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse, 330 S. Hope St., downtown Los Angeles; (213) 680-0330. Steaks, $22 to $32.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

18. Joe’s

Joe Miller has finally burst out of his cramped kitchen, adding a bigger, brighter one, where he and his crew cook on center stage. He’s added another dining room, too, which means it may be just a bit easier to get into this perennially popular French-California restaurant. Miller offers two four-course prix fixe menus, for $35 and $45, plus a page of a la carte items. Don’t miss the slow-cooked salmon. Joe’s Restaurant, 1023 Abbott Kinney Blvd., Venice; (310) 399-5811. Four-course prix fixe menus, $35 and $45. Entrees, $18 to $24.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

19. Rosalynn Thai

Rosalynn Thai is an inconspicuous sugar-cube of a building, but it has an ambitious blackboard menu of specials in addition to its regular 76-item menu. The one thing you must get: duck salad. The meat is perfumed with mint and lemon grass and tossed with greens in a chile-lime sauce. Rosalynn Thai, 2308 Lincoln Blvd., Venice; (310) 397-2647. Duck salad, $6.95.

- CHARLES PERRY

20. Hotel Bel-air

On a Sunday morning, when the sun is out, the wisteria blooming and swans floating in the pond, the terrace at the Hotel Bel-Air feels like a little slice of heaven. Coffee is poured as you unfurl the Sunday paper. The truly agonizing decision is which of the buttery pastries to try first. Hotel Bel-Air, 701 Stone Canyon Drive, Bel-Air; (310) 472-1211. Brunch, $37.50 per person.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

21. Water Grill

With Michael Cimarusti heading up the kitchen, this clubby downtown restaurant now boasts the city’s best seafood. Sit at the raw bar and indulge in oysters, clams, Dungeness crab and other fruits de mer. Water Grill, 544 S. Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles; (213) 891-0900.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

22. One Restaurant

Serge Burckel and his wife, Corinne, are pouring their hearts into their eclectic French-Asian restaurant. The chef is at the stove every night and will even create an entire menu just for you at the chef’s table. With years of cooking in Hong Kong, Burckel is one of the few chefs who makes fusion work. One Restaurant, 672 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 692-0540. Entrees, $14 to $24.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

23. Urth Caffe

Regardless of the hour, 6:30 a.m. weekdays or 7 a.m. Sundays, the stalwart crew at Urth Caffe turns out caffe lattes quickly, efficiently and with relentless cheer. The richly flavored coffee is all organic, and the foam appears to float like a cloud. Urth Caffe, 8565 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (310) 659-0628. Caffe latte, $2.50 to $3.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

24. Lawry’s The Prime Rib

Yes, Los Angeles is the home of the original Lawry’s the Prime Rib, where beef carved by a white-gloved master wearing a gold seal around his neck is the main event. Leading off is the waitress pouring Lawry’s special dressing from a great height while spinning a salad bowl at the same time. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it dazzles those who have never seen this much beef served with this much ceremony. Lawry’s the Prime Rib, 100 N. La Cienega Blvd.,

Beverly Hills; (310) 652-2827. Prime rib, $22.95 to $29.95.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

25. Valentino

Mention any Italian wine, no matter how obscure, and Valentino owner Piero Selvaggio can find it in his 174,000-bottle cellar. More than 2,000 labels are on his list with everything from a $20 bottle of Inferno or Sassella to an 1891 Biondi-Santi Riserva Brunello di Montalcino, one of only four in the world, for, gulp, $25,000. Valentino, 3115 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica; (310) 829-4313.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

26. Traxx

No restaurant could afford to build a setting like Traxx’s. It’s in Union Station, that grand, spacious downtown railway terminal beloved for its ‘30s Art Deco/Southwestern decor. It’s an especially nice place to meet out-of-towners who’ve just arrived by train; they can gawk at the setting and Traxx’s whimsical California cuisine simultaneously. Traxx, Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles; (213) 625-1999. Dinner entrees, $9.95 to $26.

- CHARLES PERRY

27. Ginza Sushi-Ko

Though Ginza Sushi-ko is the most exclusive--and expensive--restaurant in Los Angeles, it is worth cashing out your tech stocks to eat there. Sushi doesn’t get any better than this--ever. Among master sushi chef Masa Takayama’s revelatory tastes: toro tartare heaped with caviar, sliced foie gras and hamo fish “washed” in a delicate broth. Ginza Sushi-ko, Two Rodeo, 218 N. Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 247-8939. By reservation only. Dinner, $250 or more per person.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

28. Ciudad

Mambo on down to Ciudad for cuchifritos, or little fried snacks, such as cumin-scented fries, chile-fried calamari and little beef and chorizo-stuffed empanadas that go down smoothly with Piscorita--a Central-American take on the margarita. Trouble is, it’s all too easy to get carried away nibbling cuchifritos, sipping mojitos and rum, forgetting all about that concert you had planned to attend. Ciudad, 445 S. Figueroa St., downtown Los Angeles; (213) 486-5171. Snacks, $1.50 to $3. Specialty drinks, $3.50.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

29. Chili My Soul

At his Encino spot, Randy Hoffman cooks up 28 different chilis, each mercifully assigned a heat level from one to 10. Particular showstoppers include the hickory beef chili (4), and the Irish whiskey chili (6) made with red rose potatoes, ground beef and Bushmills. The selection changes daily; consult https://www.chilimysoul.com to see which chilis are currently available. Chili My Soul, 4928 Balboa Blvd., Encino; (818) 981-7685. Chilis, $4.95 to $8.95.

- MAX JACOBSON

30. Langer’s

Westlake/MacArthur Park old-timer Langer’s Deli remains the supreme West Coast purveyor of pastrami, corned beef and brisket sandwiches. The best: pastrami--bright red, fork tender and redolent of smoke and black pepper--piled high on warm double-baked rye. Langer’s Deli, 704 S. Alvarado St., Los Angeles; (213) 483-8050. Pastrami sandwich, $7.95.

- MAX JACOBSON

31. Vida

Talk about wild! Fred Eric revs up the food at Vida, where presentation is the word. Ty Cobb salad arrives as a striped rectangle of duck and wilted spinach. Calamari are served in a folded brown paper bag (and with three dipping sauces). Eric just may be having more fun in the kitchen than anybody. Vida, 1930 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz; (323) 660-4446. Entrees, $16 to $36.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

32. La Serenata De Garibaldi

At this beloved Boyle Heights Mexican seafood restaurant, owner Jose Rodriguez’s sauces are complex, mysterious and have a sneaky backlash of heat. They’re as individual as a thumbprint: pale green cilantro sauce bright with the silvery taste of the herb; smooth avocado heightened with green chile; smoky chipotle softened with cream--and molcajete. La Serenata de Garibaldi, 1842 E. 1st St., Boyle Heights; (323) 265-2887. Entrees, $8 to $21.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

33. Reign

Beverly Hills hasn’t seen anything like Reign, the contemporary Southern restaurant owned by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Keyshawn Jackson. The food is as compelling as the scene: irresistible fried green tomatoes, golden fried chicken without a trace of grease, a wonderful smothered pork chop and sides that demand to be finished. Reign, 180 N. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 273-4463. Entrees, $17 to $27.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

34. Chez Mimi

Chez Mimi is the closest thing to a French country auberge. This romantic restaurant is set in a series of dining rooms, all with fireplaces and opening onto a central courtyard. Micheline Hebert’s menu reads like a compendium of beloved classics. Chez Mimi, 246 26th St., Santa Monica; (310) 393-0558. Entrees, $14 to $24.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

35. Philippe

Don’t be daunted by the line out the door. Philippe’s French-dipped sandwiches--beef, lamb, pork, or turkey thinly sliced and piled high between two halves of a tender bun dipped in the roasting pan juices--make the wait worth it. Philippe the Original, 1001 N. Alameda St., downtown Los Angeles; (213) 628-3781. French-dipped sandwiches, $3.95 to $4.25.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

36. Torimatsu

Torimatsu offers up chicken and more chicken, from plain wings and herb-scented meatballs to skewered white meat with vegetables, livers or hearts. It also serves chicken in forms you have yet to imagine, such as pieces of lotus root stuffed with seasoned ground chicken, then sliced and grilled. Torimatsu, 1425 W. Artesia Blvd., Gardena; (310) 538-5764. Yakitori, a la carte, $1.50 to $5.50.

- LINDA BURUM

37. La Super-Rica

La Super-Rica’s best item was the marinated grilled pork taco until chilaquiles was offered as a special: a heap of soft tortillas simmered in a good tomato broth and topped with fresh cheese and avocado. La Super-Rica, 622 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara; (805) 963-4940. Grilled pork taco, $2.10; chilaquiles, $5.75.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

38. The Hitching Post

Owner Frank Ostini, the mustachioed fellow in the safari hat, mans the sweltering ironwork grill, where serious sirloins, hefty T-bones, slabs of ribs, halved artichokes and fat mushrooms sizzle over a red oak fire. The Hitching Post Restaurant II, 406 E. Hwy 246 (off the 101), Buellton; (805) 688-0676. Steaks, $15 to $39.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

39. Pause

As a gift to guests who come to admire the impeccably restored vintage Wurlitzer collection, the new Pasadena restaurant Pause (so named for ‘the pause that refreshes” and all the Coca-Cola memorabilia housed here) offers a quintessential childhood taste: cotton candy. But this one is tinted an eerie green and strewn with candied violets. Pause, 42 S. De Lacey Ave., Pasadena; (626) 440-9868. Complimentary cotton candy with meal.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

40. Figaro

Flaky, buttery and oozing with Gruyere, Figaro’s ham-and-cheese croissant is, sans doute, the best L.A. has to offer. Baker Jean-Claude Busigny hails from Poilane, the definitive Paris boulangerie, bringing with him a yeast starter that is more than a decade mature. Walking into Figaro is literally like stepping into a French bakery: Everything from the ceiling to the zinc counters were salvaged from Paris bistros and flea markets. Figaro Boulangerie, 1804 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 662-2874. Croissants, $1.50 to $3.25.

- HEATHER JOHN

41. Barney Greengrass

The folks at Barney Greengrass, or “The Sturgeon King” as it’s known on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, not only decorated with New York subway-style tiles at their Beverly Hills deli and restaurant at Barneys New York, but they also continue to fly in bialys and their famed smoked sturgeon, sable and Nova Scotia salmon. By way of a filtering process called reverse osmosis, even the water tastes as if it’s from New York. And it’s free. As for the New York-style seltzer, it’s 2 cents a glass (free refills). Barney Greengrass, Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 777-5877.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

42. Les Deux Cafes

The food and the service don’t quite live up to the magic of Les Deux Cafes’ Provencal-inspired garden, tucked behind high walls on a disheveled Hollywood block in a seedy parking lot. Yet nobody, except A-types, much minds: The scene, orchestrated by the cafe’s owner, Michele Lamy, is just too riveting. Les Deux Cafes, 1638 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood; (323) 465-0509. Entrees, $18 to $35.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

43. L’Orangerie

L’Orangerie remains the ultimate special-occasion restaurant. The glamour. The towering flowers. The women in jewels and gowns. And the serious cooking of the talented young French chef Ludovic Lefebvre. Though, he could rein it in with his indulgent naming of menu sections, such as “His Menu Degustation” or “And His Desserts.” L’Orangerie, 903 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 652-9770. Entrees, $30 to $48.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

44. Pascal Epicerie

Newport Beach restaurateur Pascal Olhats conceived his Pascal Epicerie as a French deli, selling raw milk cheeses, pates de fruit, duck confit and other foods his fellow French emigres crave. New to the menu is a terrific lamb sandwich made with sun-dried tomatoes. Pascal Epicerie, 1000 Bristol St., Newport Beach; (949) 261-9041. Lamb sandwich, $5.75.

- MAX JACOBSON

45. Monte Alban

The pride of Oaxacan cuisine is mole sauces. What you serve in them is almost secondary, though this tiny West L.A. place makes positively fluffy stewed chicken. The mole amarillo filling is chicken in a creamy yellow-orange sauce with a hint of smoke and a fresh hoja santa leaf. Monte Alban, 11927 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles; (310) 444-7736. Empanada with mole amarillo, $3.75.

- CHARLES PERRY

46. Yung Ho

Expect a wait at Yung Ho. The steamed buns filled with spiced pork, the seafood and pork dumplings and the rich, flaky scallion pancakes are worth the effort. So is the Hubei doupi, a three-layer extravaganza of sticky rice topped with minced pork infused with green onion and encased in a savory bean pancake. Yung Ho, 533 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 570-0860. Breakfast items, 75 cents to $4.95.

- LINDA BURUM

47. Babita

At chef Roberto Berrelleza’s Babita, stylish updates of traditional Mexican dishes, such as epazote-crusted snapper with mango-lime relish and gueritos rellenos--small mild peppers stuffed with salmon ceviche in a savory “strawberry” sauce--have the flavors of the formal Mexican table and the refinements of French presentation. Babita, 1823 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel; (626) 288-7265. Entrees, $8.95 to $14.95.

- LINDA BURUM

48. Troquet

A polished French bistro in a mall? Sure, when Aubergine’s Liza and Tim Goodell are behind the operation and the mall is South Coast Plaza. Try the celery root puree garnished with duck confit and pears and Maryland crab cakes with a smoky chipotle aioli and fried capers. Troquet, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Ave., Costa Mesa; (714) 708-6865. Dinner entrees, $20 to $36.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

49. Kappo Sui

Kappo, the thirst-inducing dishes served in Japanese pubs, have taken a back seat to sushi on American menus. But at Kappo Sui, little dishes such as shrimp koroke (croquettes), salt-baked whitefish and steak marinated in miso paste are just three on a long list of unforgettable kappo treats. Kappo Sui, 20070 Santa Ana Ave., Santa Ana Heights; (714) 429-0141. Kappo dishes, $3.50 to $12.

- MAX JACOBSON

50. The Buffalo Club

The huge silver wine vessel that sits on the bar holds a king’s ransom in high-end chilled French Champagnes ready to be poured for the next guests who walk in the door of this clubby Santa Monica hideaway. The crowd is Hollywood hip and the dining room a study in mirrors and leather. But the real reason to dine here is Patrick Healy’s intelligent American cooking. The Buffalo Club, 1520 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 450-8600. Entrees, $23 to $35.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

51. 5 Dudley

Not only are three young chefs cooking, they’re serving sometimes, too: towering Caesar salads, soups in bowls that look like Flintstone artifacts, duck confit with foie gras, all under the affable eye of owner Burt Alexander. A block from the beach, it’s a strong contender for best unpretentious neighborhood restaurant. 5 Dudley, 5 Dudley Ave., Venice; (310) 399-6678. Entrees, $17 to $32.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

52. The Belvedere

If you crave a setting where it’s quiet enough to talk and enjoy sophisticated cuisine, The Belvedere in the Peninsula Beverly Hills is the place. Need a spot for a romantic brunch? The answer, too, is The Belvedere, where vintage French Champagne flows throughout the meal. The Belvedere, Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 788-2306. Brunch, $54 (with Champagne).

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

53. Jiraffe

Ooh la la. JiRaffe’s logo is a giraffe that morphs into the Eiffel Tower, the very shape of the festive dark chocolate cookie that tops the warm chocolate truffle cake with ice cream, a signature dessert from pastry chef Artemio Sanchez. Inside, it’s molten and dark seductive chocolate. JiRaffe, 502 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 917-6671. Warm chocolate truffle cake, $6 at lunch, $7 at dinner.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

54. Palms Thai

Is this Graceland or what? That’s what you might wonder on a weekend night at Palms Thai restaurant in Hollywood. As you spoon up your tom yum goong, you’ll hear Elvis singing his immortal hits, in person. The voice is as authentic as can be, and the singer is indeed Elvis--not Presley, but the Thai Elvis, Kavee Thongprecha. As a bonus, you’ll be tasting some of the best Thai food in L.A. Palms Thai Restaurant, 5273 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 462-5073. (The Thai Elvis appears weekends. Call for appearance times.)

Tom yum goong, $6.99 per bowl, $8.99 per pot.

- BARBARA HANSEN

55. Tanya

Tanya Foad hails from Lithuania, a part of the world where bread is still the staff of life. Her restaurant serves fine Russian and Lithuanian food, but most impressive is the daily-changing selection of homemade breads that come with a meal, often including an irresistible carroway-seed rye. Tanya’s Russian Bistro, 29601 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes; (310) 521-9621. Entrees, $8.

- CHARLES PERRY

56. Otafuku

There’s good reason that Otafuku, a nondescript, 22-seat noodle house in an obscure corner of Gardena, is a mecca for the Japanese food cognoscenti. Owner Seiji Akutsu creates three marvelous and unusual styles of soba--by hand. For his sarashina, a white soba that is the caviar of Japanese noodles, Akutsu imports a Japanese buckwheat flour known as gozen-ko; it’s the purest strain from the center of the grain. Otafuku, 16525 S. Western Ave., Gardena; (310) 532-9348.

- LINDA BURUM

57. Fosselman’s

At Fosselman’s pristine Alhambra ice cream parlor, customers can look into the mini-factory where the shop’s third generation of ice cream perfectionists, Chris and John Fosselman, crank out fabulous, 16% butterfat ambrosia for some of the city’s finest restaurants. For the rest of us, there are seasonal favorites such as fresh peach made from luscious clingstone Mission Reds, and Burgundy Cherry dotted with voluptuous chunks of deep crimson fruit, or rich, eggy French vanilla custard speckled with ground vanilla bean. Fosselman’s, 1824 W. Main St., Alhambra; (626) 282-6533. Cones, $1.45 to $3.45. Shakes, $3.45. Banana splits, $4.45.

- LINDA BURUM

58. Melisse

Josiah Citrin paid his dues and has opened one of the first serious French restaurants in a long time. Citrin opened Melisse in Santa Monica after cooking at some of the best restaurants in town, including JiRaffe, which he had opened with childhood friend, chef Raphael Lunetta. His Maine lobster and jewel-toned beet salad drizzled with 100-year-old aceto balsamico is but one enticing dish on the menu, and while the restaurant is not quite there yet, it’s still thrilling to see a young chef--and a home-grown one at that--step up to the plate. Melisse, 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 395-0881. Maine lobster, $19.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

59. Alto Palato

Gino Rindone was working the bar at one of Torino’s busiest caffes when the late restaurateur Mauro Vincenti walked in and ordered an espresso. Months later, Vincenti wooed Rindone to Los Angeles--for which coffee lovers here should be forever grateful. Now, as barista and captain at Alto Palato, Rindone makes the best espresso in town: strong and dark, never bitter, with the perfect amount of foam. His cappuccino, too, is a model of the genre. Alto Palato, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 657-9271. Espresso, $2.50; cappuccino, $3.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

60. Dino’s Burgers

Dino’s Burgers looks like a typical fast-food outlet, but its specialty, el pollo maniaco (crazy chicken), is anything but average. Spicy and glowing with rosy color, the chicken is char-broiled and packed to go with French fries, coleslaw and tortillas. Dino’s Burgers, 2575 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 380-3554. El pollo maniaco, $3.28.

- BARBARA HANSEN

61. Gustaf Anders

The definitive summertime appetizer at the coolly stylish Swedish-contemporary Gustaf Anders is chef Ulf Strandberg’s sugar- and-salt-cured North Atlantic salmon. The marvelous pink flesh is sliced thinly and served very cold, with warm creamed-dill potatoes and Anders’ handmade rye crisp bread and Swedish limpa. Gustaf Anders, South Coast Plaza Village, 3851 Bear St., Santa Ana; (714) 668-1737. Salt- and sugar-cured salmon, $17.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

62. Daily Grill

When that amateurish Diner Revival was upon us in the mid-’80s, the first Daily Grill came along and showed everybody the way to serve American food--that is, with no gourmet fuss but plenty of top-notch ingredients and careful cooking. Real specialties of its own include a tender skirt steak. Daily Grill, 11677 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 442-0044. Skirt steak, $16.95.

- CHARLES PERRY

63. Celestino

Celestino Drago puts a Piedmontese spin on the American steakhouse at Celestino An Italian Steakhouse. Start with bagna cauda--raw vegetables dipped in Piedmont’s “hot bath” of olive oil, garlic and anchovy. Juicy and flavorful beef is also from a Piedmontese breed raised in Montana. Celestino An Italian Steakhouse, 8908 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 858-5777. Steaks, $27 to $58.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

64. Guelaguetza

At her two restaurants, Soledad Lopez turns out intricate moles with ingredients from Oaxaca. Green chile mole heats up an earthy soup with chicken or pork bones, chayote squash and potatoes. Guelaguetza, 3337 1/2 W. 8th St., Los Angeles; (213) 427-0601. Also 11127 Palms Blvd., West Los Angeles; (310) 837-1153. Entrees, $4 to $7.50.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

65. Mojo

David Slatkin’s vibrant Nuevo Latino cooking animates the scene at Mojo, in the W Los Angeles-Westwood. Westwood doesn’t know quite what hit it as ceviches sizzle in the blue light sea bar and empanadas arrive, each with a different filling. Mojo, W Los Angeles-Westwood, 930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles; (310) 443-7820. Small plates, $7 to $18; large plates, $21 to $30.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

66. Matsuhisa

Ground zero for the flourishing restaurant empire of Nobu Matsuhisa lies at his original (and not very fancy) Beverly Hills locale. Here, the Japanese-Peruvian seafood and sushi is pure theater, with fantastical presentations and, as always, Matsuhisa’s signature sauces. The master chef punches it up with plenty of garlic, hot pepper, even butter--whatever it takes to please the fans. Matsuhisa, 129 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; (310) 659-9639. Chef’s special menus, $70 and $90.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

67. Taylor’s

For a steak dinner at prices you can swallow, snuggle into red Naugahyde booths at Taylor’s. No pretensions--just beautifully cooked T-bones and culotte steaks and great burgers freshly ground from steak trimmings. Taylor’s Prime Steaks, 3361 W. 8th St., Los Angeles; (213) 382-8449. Steak dinners, $12.95 to $19.95.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

68. Vincenti

On Tuesdays and Fridays, L.A.’s best Italian chef, Gino Angelini, cooks up a traditional spaghetti with seppioline, the tiny cuttlefish flown in fresh from the Veneto in Italy. Cuttlefish is absolutely addictive served in one of three ways: al nero di seppie, with cuttlefish ink and a little garlic and tomato; with rapini, anchovy and pepperoncini; or simply with fresh tomato, pepperoncini and garlic. Vincenti, 11930 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood; (310) 207-0127. Spaghetti with seppioline, $15 to $18.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

69. Los Feliz

Chef Collin Crannell’s roasted eggplant timbale appetizer at the new Los Feliz Restaurant showcases the satiny, dark Mediterranean vegetable and sets its mild, almost nutty flavor against an herb-infused goat cheese and piquant olive tapenade. This, a glass of wine and some crusty bread will see you through the next set in the swank jazz club adjoining the restaurant’s bar. Los Feliz Restaurant and The Jazz Spot, 2138 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 666-8666. Roasted eggplant timbale, $9.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

70. Musso & Frank

At this 81-year-old Hollywood institution, the best seats in the house are at the counter, where you sit elbow to elbow with old-timers swapping stories with longtime Musso waiters. It’s first-class entertainment, too, watching the skilled grill man at work on the calf’s liver with thick sliced bacon and onions blackened at the edges. Musso & Frank Grill, 6667 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; (323) 467-7788. Grilled calf’s liver, $15.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

71. Sushi On Tap

Only in L.A. could you find a place like Sushi on Tap, where the entire staff tap dances to music played on an electronic keyboard by a hostess. The real surprise is terrific food: Spanish mackerel sashimi, salmon collar, freshwater barbecued eel and a wonderful selection of hand rolls. Don’t miss soboro gohan: a huge bowl of ground chicken and steamed rice. Sushi on Tap, 11056 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; (818) 985-2254. Sushi, $2.50 to $9.50.

- MAX JACOBSON

72. Campanile

Nancy Silverton is, hands down, the best pastry chef in the country when it comes to American desserts. Never too sweet, her masterful creations include luscious strawberry-rhubarb or peach cobblers, berry shortcake and rustic apple tart. Not to mention canelles, pictured below. There’s homemade doughnuts on Friday mornings and pastries on the weekends. And soon, the definitive chocolate pudding she’s been working on for months. Campanile, 624 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles; (323) 938-1447. Lunch desserts, $6.50; dinner desserts, $9.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

73. Spago Beverly Hills

Despite the demands of a restaurant that turns out 400-plus meals a day--to say nothing of inspiring the troops to perform well--Lee Hefter, the 32-year-old running the kitchen has grown--and grown--as a chef. One of the great dining pleasures to be had in Los Angeles is his ever-changing tasting menu, with memorable dishes such as veal tongue, cheek-and-white asparagus terrine, sauteed French langoustines with Goan curry and cumin-coconut rice, and pastina with Venetian baby squid, French butter clams and squash blossoms. Hefter’s cooking reflects his passion for food--a rare quality, even among top chefs. Spago Beverly Hills, 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; (310) 385-0880. Chef’s tasting menu, $85 per person.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

74. Rockenwagner

Hans Rockenwagner has put a new wrinkle on his eclectic Santa Monica restaurant with the introduction of The Ultimate Dinner--for which he has built a special table for six. Now Monday through Thursday nights, adventurous diners can sign up (48 hours in advance) for a 10-course extravaganza. Slightly different each time, the menu’s presentation is whimsical--for instance, a salad course on a tray he made, lined with plastic grass and surrounded by a picket fence. Rockenwagner, 2435 Main St., Santa Monica; (310) 399-6504. Entrees, $20 to $30. The Ultimate Dinner, $150 to $200 per person.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA

75. Aubergine

Tim and Liza Goodell (he’s the chef, she runs the front of the house) devote their considerable energies to this marvelous French-California restaurant. Bring a group of friends and plan to spend several hours over the intricately orchestrated nine-course tasting menu. Aubergine, 508 29th St., Newport Beach; (949) 723-4150. Chef’s tasting menu, $90.

- S. IRENE VIRBILA