CUP RUNNETH OVER AT BISTRO.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

Bouchon, just four blocks east of Mimosa on Melrose, may soon supercede the latter as the hottest French bistro in town.

It's such a friendly, easygoing place.

How about the notion of starting off your Bouchon meal with a small refreshing kir (white wine with creme de cassis)?

It may seem like an old-fashioned gesture, but don't worry, it's included in the price of your dinner entree.

And there's a basket of French bread and a tasty cream cheese mixture for spreading as you nibble, sip and enjoy this Bistro Lyonnais, as Bouchon is sub-titled.

The really inviting aspects of this new cafe, complete with tables spilling out over the sidewalk, are its oh-so-low prices and its oh-so-French traditional bistro fare. Yet this comes without the slightest hint of pretentiousness.

Where else will you find a plate of poached eggs in a red wine sauce for $3.80?

Or garlicky escargots delivered ``cassolette-style'' with potatoes and Roquefort cheese for $5.25?

And there are wines here priced as low as $9.50 a bottle, which makes sense because the entree price range runs from $6.25 to $15 for a dozen options with seven of them under $10.

Vin ordinaire can be a pleasant beverage accompaniment to a low-cost meal. Most American cafes can't understand this and price wines ridiculously high.

Bouchon, however, with its low pricing and high corkage ($18), discourages bringing in wine while encouraging grazing by ticketing 13 starter dishes under $6.

A bowl of black mussels ($5.50) in a mariniere broth of white wine, onion, shallots and parsley or the pissaladiere ($4.75) onion and olive tart with a puree of celeriac will wash down well with the '96 Chateau du Charron ($15 a bottle, $7 a split, $4.50 a glass), a refreshing, young Bordeaux blanc made with sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle grapes.

With rillettes ($4.50), the roughish-textured, premises-made, pork and duck pate, or the royale de poireaux ($5), a tasty, eggy flan of leeks and wild mushrooms with madeira sauce, the Bordeaux red version of Chateau du Charron, a 1995, and only $12.50 a bottle, makes more sense.

You'd figure on spending $12 to $16 for seared foie gras anywhere else. Here, it's as good as any high-falutin' version, this one served with frisee (curly, bitter lettuce), crisped leeks and a black-currant vinaigrette, all for a mere $8.25.

Admittedly, the main-course portions aren't really generous. But regular appetites should be easily satisfied. And, at these prices, if you're still hungry you can always order an extra side of excellent pommes frites (in a cardboard cone, $3.75) or Lyonnaise potatoes ($3.25).

And Bouchon's somewhat retro-French kitchen cooks those wonderful pike quenelles ($7.25) - they're like feathery-light gefilte fish cakes - and simmers a rich rabbit stew (lapin aux pruneaux, $8.75) with prunes and red wine.

Chicken topped with crawfish ($9.25) and grilled scallops on a potato nest ($13.50) are also satisfying standards from the entree list.

As for sweet things, the creme brulee ($3.50) here is perfect, and clafoutis ($4.50) are traditional-style custardy cherry treats with creme Anglaise.

Service in a fairly comfortable dining room filled with horsey photography is both exuberant and efficient despite the sometimes hectic pace during the later dinner hours.

It supposedly was bedlam here when the World Cup final was played.

France, of course, now rules the soccer world.

And this French-accented cafe intends to rule the again-burgeoning L.A. bistro scene.

You'll see the tricolor flag flying proudly outside the bold, brave, bistro Bouchon.

THE FACTS

The restaurant: Bouchon Bistro Lyonnais.

Where: 7661 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood.

When: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. nightly, to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Recommended items: Escargots with potatoes, mussels in white wine, onion and olive tart with celeriac puree, wild mushroom and leek flan, seafood bisque, cheesed onion soup, seared foie gras with frisee, rabbit stew with prunes, chicken topped with crawfish, grilled scallops on potato gallette, quenelles of pike Nantua, creme brulee, clafoutis.

How much: Starters from $3.80 to $8.25, entrees from $6.25 to $15, desserts from $3.25 to $5.25. Beer and wine. AE, MC, V.

Wine list: A limited 20-label collection of French wines, this list is a prime example that wines don't have to be expensive to be pleasant accompaniments to food. There are several under-$20 bottlings and a house offering at $9.50 a bottle in both red and white. And yes, if you want to splurge there are three wines in the $40 range.

Reservations: Suggested. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three and One Half Stars for food; Three and One Half Stars for service; Three Stars for wine. Corkage: $18.

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Photo

Photo: Bouchon Bistro Lyonnais starters and entrees are displayed by general manager David Weiss, left, owner Sam Perrigo and chef Thierry Aubert.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News