You say ‘tomato’

Melisse

Chef Josiah Citrin is such a fan of heirloom tomatoes he created an entire prix-fixe menu to showcase them. With one exception, everything on the menu can be ordered a la carte. This includes the lobster Bolognese with fresh cappellini (a.k.a. angel hair pasta), summer truffles and basil as well as the veal four ways with eggplant-tomato compote and tomato-veal jus.

* Tomato prix-fixe menu, $87; 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; (310) 395-0881.

Studio

A handful of different heirloom tomatoes is showcased on a tomato tasting offered at this Orange County dining room. Some are served whole, some sliced, some peeled. They are accompanied by micro greens, a suave avocado puree and two tiny piles of sea salt; one day it might be Cypress Sea black salt and Peruvian pink, another Hawaiian and Danish smoked salt.

* Tomato tasting, $19; 30801 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach; (949) 715-6420.

Angeli Caffe

Don’t miss Evan Kleiman’s fine gazpacho or supple ricotta gnocchi, napped in an heirloom tomato sauce, both frequent specials. There’s also a panzanella (bread and tomato salad) made with grilled shrimp.

* Gazpacho, $5; gnocchi, $12.50; panzanella with shrimp, $13.50; 7274 Melrose Ave., L.A.; (323) 936-9086.

Table 8

Among the dishes featuring heirloom tomatoes at this stylish eatery is a chilled tomato soup with fresh Dungeness crab, slices of Reed avocado and a drizzle of avocado oil. In the words of chef de cuisine Andrew Kirschner, “it has summer all over it.” So does the salad of locally made burrata cheese, tomatoes, wild arugula and olive oil fried croutons.

* Tomato soup, $9; salad, $13; 7661 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood; (323) 782-8258.

Chez Melange

The heirloom tomatoes used in the caprese salad at this South Bay eatery come from the nearby Seed to Plate garden, which is farmed by special ed students from Palos Verdes and San Pedro. The salad also features house-made mozzarella and, instead of the classic basil leaves, a fragrant basil pesto.

* Caprese, $8.95; 1716 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach; (310) 540-1222.

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-- Leslee Komaiko