Summer Berries

Run to the markets, restaurants, bakeries and enjoy the season’s berries while you can. Le Marmiton: The blueberry tartlet at this intimate French cafe is made with a sauce Colette--a mixture of butter, eggs and sugar--in a sugar crust. The blackberry tartlet is filled with kirsch pastry cream and a mass of blackberries. (Blueberry tartlet, $3.75; blueberry tart, $12.75; blackberry tartlet, $4; blackberry tart, $18.75.) Le Marmiton, 1327 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 393-7716 .

Pie & Burger: The old-fashioned olallieberry pie is an L.A. classic, but don’t wait: Olallieberries--sweeter and with fewer seeds than blackberries--are in season till the beginning of August. If you don’t get there in time, peach and strawberry will be around through August. (Olallieberry pie--slice, $3.15, whole pie, $16.) Pie and Burger, 913 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 795-1123.

Lucques: Try the pot de creme topped with blackberries macerated in brandy or the polenta shortcake topped with strawberries, blackberries, plums and whipped cream. Or why not both? ( Pot de creme with blackberries, $6; shortcake with mixed berries, $6.) Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (323) 655-6277.

Frenchy’s Bistro: Have a refreshing soup of blackberries or blueberries in syrup with lemon verbena, served with lemon sorbet. For a pastry, try the tart with blackberries and blueberries topped with raspberry sorbet. (Berry soups, $7; black and blueberry tart with raspberry sorbet, $7.) Frenchy’s Bistro, 4137 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, (562) 494-8787.

Bistro 45: Chef Damon Brady serves a tender grilled venison chop on salsify (a parsnip-like vegetable) with a deep, aromatic sauce of pureed blackberries, vinegar, red wine, thyme and venison stock. (Grilled venison chop with blackberry vinegar sauce and salsify, $27.) Bistro 45, 45 S. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, (626) 795-2478.

Melisse: Pastry chef T’ai Chopping creates an elegant, delicious fricassee of fresh berries provencale : blackberries, mulberries, raspberries and blueberries, sauteed in brown sugar and olive oil, and served with a pillowy lemon verbena parfait and a tuile cookie. (Fricassee of fresh berries with lemon verbena parfait, $9.) Melisse, 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-0881.