CALL IT CAFE, OR CALL IT BISTRO - OUT TAKE REMAINS WAY IN.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic BEING REDISCOVERED every day since its recent move and slight name change, Out Take Bistro in Studio City (formerly Out Take Cafe) has, fortunately, retained its superior-quality food and moderate pricing. Previously in a confined, narrow space west of Laurel Canyon Boulevard Laurel Canyon Boulevard is a major street in the city of Los Angeles, California. It starts off at Polk Street in Sylmar in the northern San Fernando Valley near the junction of the San Diego (Interstate 405) and the Golden State Freeways (Interstate 5). for 10 years, Out Take has moved into the former Angelino Cucina Italiana, east of Laurel Canyon. Dropping the ``cafe'' and picking up the ``bistro'' seems quite appropriate in its new digs. The more spacious, comfortable dining room and boulevard patio offers the expected wood, mirrors and booths of a casual bistro. Previously, Out Take as a cafe was brighter with gleaming tile and a raised counter overlooking its tiny open kitchen. That kitchen continues to fashion handsome plates of interesting food on a regular basis, never deviating from its high flavor standards and generous portioning. And it still serves its $1 salad with the purchase of an entree. Other holdovers from its original menu include the vegetable ``wun tun'' soup, now called won-ton ($5.75 and $7.75), a unique and multiflavored soup that contains vegetable dumplings, cabbage, tomato, bean sprouts, lemongrass lemongrass, n Latin name: Cymbopogon citratus; part used: leaves; uses: antitussive, antirheumatic, antiseptic, anxiolytic, antibacterial, antifungal, insomnia, vomiting, high blood pressure, fever; precautions: none known. , mushrooms and ginger, and potato vareniki ($9.25), Ukranian-style potato dumplings, obviously one of Out Take founder Peter Karkos' favorite items. Another Karkos Ukranian dish, a beet and potato borscht, was a standard for years, but is no longer on the menu. I understand, however, that it is often available as an off-menu item served either hot or chilled. Instead, light and refreshing soups like gazpacho and pumpkin can be enjoyed here as alternative starters. Salad and appetizer plates can be deceiving, some being as large as entrees. One salad item ($13.95) has a trio of tasty little New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. lamb chops and two or three crunchy tiger shrimps on a heaping salad plate featuring red onion, roma tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta fet·a n. A white semisoft cheese usually made of goat's or ewe's milk and often preserved in brine. [Modern Greek (turi) pheta, (cheese) slice, from Italian fetta, slice cheese, nicely put together, very shareable as a beginning. Another longtime popular, almost-entree-size starter is the warm Asian chicken and vegetable salad ($10.95) that brings moist, grilled chicken breast together with cabocha squash, eggplant and bok choy in a soy-ginger saucing topped with julienned carrots and boosted with a sesame-tomato dressing. A great summer evening dish. Light pastas have always been several notches above average cafe quality at Out Take. Soba buckwheat buckwheat, common name for certain members of the Polygonaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs found chiefly in north temperate areas and having a characteristic pungent juice containing oxalic acid. Species native to the United States are most common in the West. noodles are used advantageously with sweet sea scallops ($14.95) tossed in a savory wild mushroom saucing with a dollop of creme fraiche for an absolutely delicious result. And those circular, extra-puffy raviolis here (preferably steamed) really match the best in town when served in a deep bowl, stuffed with chicken and paired with enoki e·no·ki n. pl. e·no·kis Enokidake. [Short for enokidake.] mushrooms in a roasted shallot shallot: see onion. shallot Mildly aromatic herbaceous plant (Allium ascalonicum) of the lily family, probably of Asiatic origin, used to flavour foods. soy broth for only $10.95. Homey, bounteous boun·te·ous adj. 1. Giving or inclined to give generously. 2. Generously and copiously given. See Synonyms at liberal. versions of short rib beef bourguignon ($17.95) and braised braise tr.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. lamb shanks ($16.95) keep the meat eaters happy. And there's a roasted ling cod on potato puree pu·rée or pu·ree tr.v. pu·réed or pu·reed, pu·rée·ing or pu·ree·ing, pu·rées or pu·rees To rub through a strainer or process (food) in a blender. n. creation ($15.50) with a fetching sherry-caper-tomato-mushroom sauce that heads a list of several fish opportunities. And at these prices - even the house New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of steak is ticketed under $20 - and with this consistently skillful skill·ful adj. 1. Possessing or exercising skill; expert. See Synonyms at proficient. 2. Characterized by, exhibiting, or requiring skill. kitchen, the relocated Out Take could hold out for another 10 years. Larry Lipson, (818) 713-3668 larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com OUT TAKE BISTRO Food: Three one half stars - Service: Three stars - Wine: Two and one half stars Where: 11929 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Phone: (818) 769-0822. Meals/hours: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Food type:International. Cost: Starters and salads from $1 to $15, pastas and entrees from $8 to $20, desserts from $5 to $7. Credit cards:All major. Patio dining: Yes, in front. Parking/valet: Free in rear lot. No valet. Full bar: No, beer and wine only. Wine/corkage: Limited but interesting list. Corkage: $7.50. Music/entertainment: None. Takeout/delivery: Takeout service, but no delivery. Reservations: Taken. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Out Take Bistro's warm Asian chicken and vegetable salad ($10.95) - grilled chicken breast, cabocha squash, eggplant and bok choy, topped with a sesame-tomato dressing - is listed as a starter but is big enough to work as an entree. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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