PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

When the Valley crowd doesn't want to make the drive to Patina, they pack into Pinot Bistro, one of Joachim Splichal's cadre of successful restaurants. The Valley's only great bistro is designed with dark woods, etched glass, and cream-colored walls that scream "trendy French" almost as loudly as the rich, straightforward cooking. The menu, a symphony of California and Continental elements, includes a beautiful warm goat cheese tart with arugula, shaved fennel and olives, and baby lobster tails with creamy polenta -- both studies in culinary perfection. The generously portioned main dishes continue the gourmet theme: crispy whitefish with potatoes, Parmesan risotto with English peas, braised lamb with green olives, and roast duck. The service is good, attentive, and unobtrusive. Many regulars prefer Pinot Bistro at lunch, when a less expensive menu is served to a more easygoing crowd. You might not normally bring your kids to a bistro -- which is why they let kids 9 and under eat free.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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