DINING BEAT HOW FAIR IS ZAGAT'S?

Byline: Larry Lipson

Zagat, the best-selling annual survey and guide, rates restaurants. But who rates Zagat?

Mimi Sheraton in September's Food & Wine magazine, that's who.

Sheraton, the one-time New York Times restaurant critic and writer for Time and Vanity Fair magazines, followed the Zagat trail to eight cities, where she checked out the survey's top restaurant picks.

In most cases she disagreed with the survey's choices, suggesting that Zagat's method is more of a popularity contest than a true reflection of merit.

Of Zagat's No. 1 in Los Angeles, Matsuhisa, she says that ``many of the fusion specialties were oversalted and obscured by heavy brown sauces.'' She describes a Kobe beef and vegetables dish and a squid ``pasta'' creation as reminding her of ``stir-fried Chinese takeout.''

She agrees with the Zagat bests from the Miami and San Francisco guides, but refutes those from the Boston, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., guides.

How does Zagat respond? Merrill Shindler, co-editor of Zagat's Los Angeles Southern California Restaurants survey, says simply, ``It's an old story. I've heard this before. Critics have been saying this since the book began.''

He defends the guide: ``It's convenient, fairly reliable and an excellent tool. As a way of finding restaurants,'' he maintains, ``it works very well.''

To Sheraton's belief that one restaurant critic is worth a thousand amateurs, he says it's whether one prefers micro criticism over macro criticism.

``Critics,'' says Shindler, ``tend to pick a meal to pieces.'' He asks if everyone cares if there's a mite too much tarragon in the salad.

``The public likes more accessible restaurants and tends to respond more to the overall experience.''

Regarding her visiting and dining in eight cities to do the story, ``She sure ran up a big expense account, didn't she?''

NAPKIN NOTES: In addition to its Sunday lobster champagne brunch ($14.95) Viva La Pasta, 555 Country Club Drive, Simi Valley, offers a weekday lunch from the pizza, pasta, salad and fresh fruit bar ($6.75) with unlimited servings. Information: [phone]. ... New at the Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax is Pampas Grill, a Brazilian-style churrascaria. ... Through Sept. 8, Buon Gusto, 15535 Devonshire St., Mission Hills, celebrates its seventh anniversary by giving diners 20 percent off their total meal checks. Information: [phone].