Moomba L.A. Lures San Francisco Chef

An Eye on Moomba: Frank Falcinelli, executive chef of the New York restaurant Moomba, has chosen a chef for the Moomba soon to open in West Hollywood. He’s settled on Donnie Masterton, most recently the chef du cuisine at Azie in San Francisco. Both men concur that their cooking styles jell, so Moomba L.A.’s menu will feel like Moomba New York’s.

Falcinelli has called local chefs (including Octavio Becerra of the Patina Group) and even the Department of Agriculture for purveyor recommendations. (“We’re really getting into the local, indigenous products,” he says.) Chuck Craig, formerly the general manager at Spago Beverly Hills, will manage Moomba. It doesn’t have a phone yet, but Moomba Los Angeles is scheduled to open for lunch and dinner daily at 665 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, starting April 2.

The New, New Mirabelle: After undergoing a renovation in 1994, Mirabelle restaurant is at it again. Owner George Germanides has brought architect Jay Payne back into the Sunset Strip space to mess with it some more. This time, Mirabelle gets a seafood bar, a new kitchen, a new wrought-iron staircase and a glassed-in wine storage cabinet. Says Germanides of his fancy wine cellar, “It’s like the body of a beautiful lady--all curves.”

New chef David Trotter throws some curves of his own with a brioche-crusted Chilean sea bass ($23), a Colorado rack of lamb with pistachio risotto ($26), a roasted whitefish with asparagus, leeks and wild mushrooms ($17) and a lobster risotto ($22). The menu is available now; the renovations will be finished April 1.

* Mirabelle, 8768 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; (310) 659-6022.

All Chocolate: That’s right, Alto Palato has a dinner with chocolate in every course, inspired by the film “Chocolat.” We’re talking turkey breast with a cocoa eggplant flan; cocoa pappardelle with a young hare ragu; monkfish in a chocolate and orange sauce (or oxtail infused with chocolate); then cream puffs filled with white, dark and hazelnut chocolate. Gino Angelini (who’s in the process of opening his own restaurant) will be cooking this dinner at Alto Palato with chef Freddy Escobar. Move fast--it’s tonight; $42 plus tax and tip.

* Alto Palato, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A.; (310) 657-9271.

Olive Oil Dinner: No, you won’t be drinking olive oil with each course of the olive oil dinner at Tanino Italian restaurant in Westwood Village on Monday night. But you will be treated to a talk on the history and tradition of olive oil while you eat seven courses of food drizzled with the extra-virgin stuff. Some things to be eaten with the olive oil: arancini (rice croquettes stuffed with beef, peas and mozzarella), Tuscan tomato and bread soup, striped bass in potato crust, grilled veal roll and orange cake (yes, it’s got olive oil in it too). Wines will be poured with dinner.

The meal begins at 7 p.m. The tab is $80. Reservations must be made today; call La Cucina Italiana magazine (which is sponsoring this dinner) at (888) 742-2373, Ext. 18.

* Tanino, 1043 Westwood Blvd., Westwood; (310) 208-0444.

Toulouse-Lautrec Dinner: Here’s another themed dinner, Tuesday night at Bouchon. The menu will offer goat cheese on toast, oysters in gin mignonette, garlic soup, leek and marrow pie, lamb stew with spring vegetables and poached pears. Art lecturer Nori Green will regale diners with stories from Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s life while everyone indulges in the French painter’s passion for eating. Live music will accompany the evening. Dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. The price is $60; Reserve by tomorrow.

* Bouchon, 7661 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (323) 852-9400.

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