ALL' ANGELO REVEALS A FLAIR FOR THE UNIQUE.

Byline: ERIC NOLAND

>LA.COM

The kitchen runner set down the small, dark-brown crock and removed the lid with a flourish. The waiter swept in with a dish of freshly grated Parmesan and spooned on a few shavings.

Buon appetito! Hope you enjoy the ... tripe.

On a wintry evening in West Hollywood, it was a rich, satisfying offering at All' Angelo, which marks its one-year anniversary this month.

The restaurant is evidence of what can happen when a couple of transplanted Italians, after working in other ristorantes around town -- notably Piero Selvaggio's Valentino -- get a chance to open their own place. Owner Stefano Ongaro and chef Mirko Paderno are clearly spreading their wings a bit, coaxing diners to try things they'll rarely find on a menu in this town.

Exhibit A is the braised tripe Parmesan ($13), one of the signature antipasti among the winter offerings (the menu changes seasonally).

It is accented with a grainy polenta that has a little char from the grill, as well as the salty Parmesan. My wife joked that the crock and cap serve an ulterior purpose: When you're eating tripe, it's better if you can't see it.

Another antipasti highlight is raw octopus. Thinly sliced and tender, the rounds of octopus carpaccio ($13) are artfully arranged on the plate, but what really makes this dish sing is the marinade, which has a subtle saltiness that evokes the sea, as well as a hint of tart citrus. Sprinkled on top are micro greens and marvelously fresh cherry tomatoes.

For Italian cuisine traditionalists, there is Mediterranean striped bass among the main courses, but when you're in a city that perches on the Pacific Ocean, it seems absurd to be ordering fish from half a world away.

That drove us to the oven-baked Alaskan black cod ($32), and we were richly rewarded. The filet was wondrously moist and tender and flavorful, and after having had a lot of this fish in trendy Asian preparations lately -- sweet, or miso-based -- it was a pleasure to find it in a savory style, with porcini mushrooms and sauteed rapini greens (broccoli rabe to you and me).

Light diners can readily make a main course of one of the pastas on the primi menu. Besides, when a restaurant makes its own pasta on-site, what's not to like? The chitarra spaghetti ($30) was wonderfully fresh, with langoustines bobbing in its white wine sauce.

Be sure to save room for a dessert of panna cotta with fresh berries and aged balsamic vinegar ($11). This is one of the best things the restaurant does -- light, not overly sweet, with a creamy cheese consistency.

It's obvious that All' Angelo pays close attention to detail. The service is alert and nicely paced, even when the room gets busy.

White wine arrives at cellar temperature, not over-chilled from a refrigerator. Water and bread -- you've got to try the soft, fresh foccacia -- are replenished regularly. And, at an adjacent table of eight, we noticed that all of the first courses were served within about 10 seconds of one another.

But, then, gotta eat that tripe when it's hot.

At its best: A we-try-harder ristorante with evident flair.

Could be better: It's a noisy room, and the tables are awfully close together.

Eric Noland, [phone]

[e-mail]

ALL' ANGELO 1- Three and one half stars

>Details: 7166 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday from 6 to 11 p.m., for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. [phone], www.allangelo.com.

>Cost: Antipasti and soup $10 to $25, pastas and risottos $16 to $30, main courses $28 to $36, desserts $11 (biscotti $7).

>Noteworthy: Excellent wine list with a wealth of Italian selections by the glass, and it was encouraging that when asked for recommendations, the waiter didn't home in on the highest-price selections. If you're looking for a quick bite midweek, All' Angelo serves a chichetti menu Monday through Thursday. It's Venetian-style small plates (owner Stefano Ongaro hails from Venice), including a few unpredictable offerings -- canape with seared bone marrow, for example. Truffles routinely make an appearance among the dinner specials. Tasting menu starts at $70.

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Panna cotta with seasonal berries and aged balsmic vinegar is the signature dessert at the inventive All' Angelo, new in West Hollywood.