Masking Bland Fare

Arlequin is one of those new-breed international restaurants with a multilingual staff, an eclectic menu and splashy, imaginative decor. And you leave wondering what it wants to be when it grows up.

The new owners have kept the Art Deco look of the former Moonlight Tango, but the bar is now separated from the main dining room by a mauve curtain. (On slow nights, you dine in the bar.) The place is agreeably campy and cool--you sit on long, sleek banquettes under lamps that look like golden anemones. The walls are adorned with Harlequin masks, of course, and in the background you hear mournful French ballads.

And you can order country French food--or pizzas and pastas. The pizzas are said to be baked in a wood-burning oven, but my four-cheese job--Parmesan, Romano, Gorgonzola and mozzarella--had a doughy crust and not a hint of wood smoke flavor. You’d be better off starting with the fresh-tasting tuna tartare or even the onion soup--decent, though it could use a stronger broth.

By this time, you’ll have realized that most dishes at Arlequin are rather bland. The cooks seem frightened of spices, even of salt.

The main dishes are generously portioned, but none will knock your socks off. My salmon en papillote, cooked in a foil pouch instead of in the classic parchment, arrived burned to a frazzle. Far better was the rack of lamb, four rosy chops served on a bed of fragrant couscous spiked with raisins.

Another example: Hachis Parmentier, a casserole of cheese-crusted mashed potatoes on top of lots of ground beef, could be a delight with a little seasoning. As it is, the dish tastes like sophisticated baby food.

But the spaghetti Bolognese isn’t bad, once you add some salt and a few pepper flakes. The pasta may be a touch overcooked, but the thick sauce of ground beef, tomatoes, shredded carrots and garlic has a nice, meaty flavor. (It contains much more minced garlic than you’d ever find in Bologna, prompting the question why the kitchen doesn’t take similar chances with other dishes.)

Desserts include a mushy, orange-flavored creme bru^lee with a soft sugar crust and a homemade chocolate mousse that lacks intensity.

The price point here is low to compete with neighborhood bistros, such as JoeJoe’s and Cafe Bizou. But if the restaurant is really going to last on this street, the kitchen may need to retool some of these dishes, and fast.

BE THERE

Arlequin, 13730 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; dinner 5-10:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5-midnight Friday-Sunday; brunch 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Valet parking. Full bar. All major cards. Dinner for two, $28-$43. Suggested dishes: tuna tartare, $6.95; spaghetti Bolognese, $9.50; rack of lamb, $21.95. Call (818) 788-2000.