A RAPTUROUS DINING EXPERIENCE.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

IN THE CURRENT issue of Gourmet magazine, chef-owner Gino Angelini is touted as ``the best Italian chef in town'' and his menu at his eponymous Angelini Osteria in the Beverly-Fairfax district is described as ``a book of revelations.''

'Tis indeed high praise. And especially so in a town with such cucina luminaries as Celestino Drago and Antonio Tommasi.

Angelini, who headed the kitchens of Rex for the late Mauro Vincenti and then at Vincenti for his widow Maureen, has built a devoted following for his often down-to-earth Italian fare.

Some of it is, in fact, so down-to-earth, only the national press lauds it. Like a pairing of tripe and cuttlefish as a starter ($12) with tomatoes.

Personally, I lean more toward such beginnings as vitello tonnato ($12), where the traditional cold, thin-sliced veal with a tart tuna sauce has never been better than the way it's presented at this usually packed storefront dinery.

But oh, do the voices of L.A.'s animated diners bounce off the hard surfaces here. You could say that Angelini is as known for its high-energy scream factor as it is for its good food.

But there's also good news. The word is out that this fault may be remedied soon as some new noise-dulling wall finishes are being considered.

Meanwhile, the dinner crowd keeps pouring in, so it may be wise to visit Angelini for a late (around 1:30 p.m.) lunch, where a great thin-crust pizza with tomato and creamy burrata cheese ($12) is big enough to share and the decibel level is decidedly lower.

For the sparser midday set, try a juicy sliced steak plate ($22) with arugula and wafer-thin flakes of parmigiano-reggiano cheese or a fennel-flavored clam ``soup'' ($13) holding almost five dozen small Santa Barbara clams in a big bowl.

This is also a sensible time to take advantage of Angelini's wine-by- the-carafe program where one-third- (250 ml) and two-thirds-bottle (500 ml) offerings of pretty decent wines cost from $9 to $32 for the smaller carafe and $16 to $59 for the larger.

Consequently, you can get a couple of glasses of Italian red wine from the 250 ml carafe with four choices between $8.50 and $11.

In the evening, chef Angelini presents regular specials, a different entree each night Tuesday through Sunday with homey lamb stew, veal kidney, oxtail, short ribs and pork dishes available.

There's a daily special menu page with a fine rendition of fegato alla Veneziana (veal liver cooked in white wine with onions, $19) and such intrigues as fresh anchovies with beets ($13) and Sardinian-style baby gnocchi with a pigeon ragu ($14).

Two absolute ``musts'' here are the chef's grandmother's recipe of beef lasagne verde with veal ragu ($10), a heavenly, feathery-soft stuffed spinach-toned pasta, and vinegar-sauced, grilled Sonoma duck breast, sliced and fanned ($22) with a touch of smokiness from Angelini's wood oven.

Endings range from a fluffy, creamy mascarpone mixture boosted with espresso, brandy and a sprinkling of crumbled cookies ($7) to a strange wedge of bread pudding ($7) finished like a tart.

One thing's for sure - Angelini's cooking brings something new and different for the local Italian food lover to try.

Whether you agree that his menu has biblical significance or not.

ANGELINI OSTERIA

Food: Four stars. Wine: Three stars. Service: Three and one half stars.

Where: 7313 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.

Hours: Open for lunch from noon to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, for dinner from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday.

Recommended items: Vitello tonnato, prosciutto with burrata, pizza with burrata, Nonna Elvira's lasagne, fegato alla Veneziana, Sonoma duck breast, clam soup, lunch entree of sliced beef with arugula, mascarpone dessert.

How much: Starters from $8 to $13, pastas and entrees from $10 to $30, desserts $7 to $9. Beer and wine. AE, MC, V.

Wine list: Deep list of Italian wines bolstered by small selection of top- name (Williams-Selyem, Silver Oak, Chateau Montelena et al.) Californians. Interesting offering of small carafes and wines by the glass. Corkage: $15 (one free corkage for each purchase of a bottle from the list).

Reservations: Usually needed. Call [phone].

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Photo:

Anchovies with red beets and baby mixed greens make a fresh appetizer at Angelini's Osteria.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer