Old favorites -- prepared with flair -- are central to the menu at the new Bruce Marder restaurant House Cafe. A Chinese chicken salad gets drizzled by head chef Ricky Moreno before being delivered to the dining room. (Christina House / For The Times)
General manager Rod Bonios, top, counts bottles in the glassed-in wine storage case with server Michael McGill. Bonios is at front of house most of time, remembering faces and offering a genuine welcome. (Christina House / For The Times)
House Cafe’s fried calamari is topped with lemon butter sauce and garnished with Italian parsley and Meyer lemon. (Christina House / For The Times)
The big bowl of steamed clams can be shared. It’s served with Parmesan bread, convenient for soaking up all of the garlicky juice. (Christina House / For The Times)
A sea bass tagine is attended to by head chef Ricky Moreno, who worked at Bruce Marder’s Capo. (Christina House / For The Times)
A closer look at that sea bass tagine, with Moroccan spices, black olives, Meyer lemon, roasted potatoes, spring onions and garlic. (Christina House / For The Times)
House Cafe’s prosciutto egg panino, with baby arugula, heirloom tomatoes and butter lettuce on a French baguette. (Christina House / For The Times)
House Cafe server Ashley Popichak, reflected in the mirror, describes menu items to diners Blake Morrison, left, and Sal LoCurto. (Christina House / For The Times)
The Fiorentina chicken is intended for two. It’s served with smashed potatoes and asparagus. (Christina House / For The Times)
Lemon meringue pie. Nuff said. House Cafe is at 8114 Beverly Blvd. (at Crescent Heights) in Los Angeles. For more information, go to www.housecafe.com. (Christina House / For The Times)
