CICADA BRIGHTENS THINGS UP IN OLD REX SPOT DOWNTOWN.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

Rex Il Ristorante has gone from the historic Oviatt Building downtown, but those priceless Lalique crystal doors remain in one of the world's most dramatic-looking dining places, Cicada.

The awesome interior, once an elite haberdashery, hasn't lost its singular charm under Cicada's aegis.

In fact, there's a touch of welcome new liveliness from its gold-toned ceiling and harmonizing armchairs, also the striped effect on the soffit and in other places.

Thankfully, the depiction of the giant cicada (a bug) that stared down and bugged some patrons has been removed.

This, after all, is a serious dining venue, even if it has cast off some of its most somber qualities.

And you can't help feeling special when you dine here, the mere space between tables being one enormous factor.

And you're blessed with a delightful, almost reverent hush until 9 o'clock if you happen to be dining here on a Thursday night, when the music goes on upstairs in the lounge and the drum sounds reverberate a little too loudly at times.

On most other nights, a more friendly piano tinkles in the upper reaches.

As for the food, it's darn good Italian, not deeply soul-stirring or incredibly interesting like some of Rex's fare was, but skillfully and often creatively wrought, certainly of more satisfying portions and not so ridiculously expensive as a Rex meal could be.

Service is affable, helpful and never intimidating. Some of the waiters at Rex did occasionally look down their noses at customers who, for example, weren't ready for black pasta from squid ink or other dramatic innovations from its passionate food mogul, the late Mauro Vincenti.

So Cicada, despite its silly name, is, in general terms, a triumph.

Case in point: A simple, appetizer-designated lobster salad ($16) with black olives, baby scallions and a subdued citric dressing coating each mesclun leaf perfectly, the plate offering ample chunks of fresh-tasting lobster in a serving that is almost big enough to satisfy a medium-sized appetite as a main course.

Soup ($6) at Cicada can be a slightly bland carrot puree with a touch of crab meat and sesame flavoring that is faintly sweet, but one that could use a hint of ginger or something to spice it up a bit. Or it could be a delightful lentil soup du jour ($5.50).

Risotti under the hand of chef Andrea Tranchero may be best as a nicely presented ``fruit of the sea'' risotto ($16) mixed with a peppery tomato sauce, plus mussels, clams, calamari and shrimp.

And everyday favorites, like grilled breast of chicken with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes ($14 for lunch), provide a satisfying noontime entree.

But the clincher here is the faultless cube of filet mignon steak topped with foie gras, perched in a rich Barolo wine sauce with a garnish of green apple ($25). It makes a picky critic realize that the filet mignon cut - usually of lesser taste, though always tender - can be a real joy.

And if there is one very significant indication of culinary skill, it's the feathery lightness of such freshly wrought pastas as pumpkin-stuffed ravioli. This plate of doughy delicacies with almonds and an Amaretto sauce ($12) would even be improved with an Amaretto liqueur flavor that's a little bolder.

Cicada gives downtown diners a nonhotel restaurant of note in a unique, always-regal setting, a place where you don't have to spend a ridiculous sum to eat well and enjoy yourself.

The facts

The restaurant: Cicada.

Where: 617 S. Olive St., Los Angeles.

When: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays, for dinner from 5:15 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Behind the scenes: Stephanie Haymes Taupin and Adelmo Zarif are co-owners. Andrea Tranchero is executive chef.

Recommended items: Lobster salad, risotto frutti di mare (with mussels, calamari, clams and shrimp), insalata verde with roasted peppers and pine nuts, pollo al pesto, pumpkin ravioli in almond Amaretto sauce, filet mignon with foie gras and Barolo wine sauce, mixed cheese plate.

How much: Starters from $6 to $16, pastas and entrees from $12 to $26, desserts $6.50 each. Full bar. Major credit cards.

Wine list: Huge list has loads of premium Italian wines and numerous Californian opportunities. No bargains here, but you're bound to find something worthwhile in the $30 to $40 range per bottle. Or bring your own, for a $10 corkage fee.

Reservations: Suggested. Call [phone].

Our rating: three and a half stars for food; three and a half stars for service; three stars for wine.

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Photo

PHOTO Chef Andrea Tranchero, left, and co-owner Adelmo Zarif offer skillfully prepared Italian fare at Cicada in downtown's Oviatt Building.

David Sprague/Daily News