GOOD TASTES.

A DECADE OF DINING: Bon Appetit's September 10th Annual Restaurant Issue is out - and you can read all about the last decade in dining throughout the country. It includes chefs who made a difference - legends, trailblazers, innovators, hometown heroes, pastry chefs and such - along with all of today's hottest restaurants. You can also read about products from chefs, stylish items from restaurants that diners can buy, artisanal cocktails and more. And of course, it's loaded with recipes for whipping up many restaurant favorites in your own kitchen. If you can't get to the restaurant, at least you can get a taste through these pages.

- Natalie Haughton

WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL: Chef and restaurateur Wolfgang Puck and restaurant designer Barbara Lazaroff celebrate the 21st American Wine and Food Festival, a Western Night, from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 13, at Universal Studios Backlot in Universal City. Festival-goers will have a chance to sample the food of more than 45 chefs (including 16 executive chefs from Puck's various restaurants),among them Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel of Los Angeles' Campanile and La Brea Bakery, Ming Tsai of Boston area Blue Ginger, Jasper White of Boston's Summer Shack, Dean Fearing of Dallas' Mansion on Turtle Creek, Sam Leong of Singapore's Tung Lok Group, Kerry Hefferman of New York's Eleven Madison Park, Mario Lohninger of New York's Danube, Zarela Martinez of New York's Zarela's and Marcus Samuelsson of New York's Aquavit. Samples of wines from 60 vitners will also be available for tasting.

The event will benefit St. Vincent Meals-on-Wheels/Cuisine a Roulettes., West Los Angeles Meals-on-Wheels, Santa Monica/Malibu Meals-on-Wheels and San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council.

Tickets are $250 per person if purchased by Sept. 11 and $300 per person at the door (as space allows). For tickets, call Pam Korman at [phone].

CHEF'S GRAND TASTING DINNER: In conjunction with the Festival, Puck and Spago executive chef Lee Hefter will host the fourth annual Chef's Grand Tasting Dinner Sept. 14 at Spago Beverly Hills.

Guest chefs, who will be cooking the collaborative tasting menu representing their signature style, will include Nobu Matsuhisa of Matsuhisa, Los Angeles and Aspen, and Nobu, Malibu and New York; Charlie Trotter of Charlie Trotter's, Chicago; Tom Colicchio of Gramercy Tavern, Craft and Witchcraft, New York; Alan Wong of Alan Wong's, Honolulu; Roger Verge of Moulin de Mougins, France; and Pierre Herme of Pierre Herme, France. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Meals-on-Wheels programs of Los Angeles. The event begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. followed by the fixed price dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets are $500 per person or $3,500 for a table of eight, all inclusive of beverages (wine, etc.), gratuity and taxes. For reservations, call Tracey Spillane at [phone].

- N.H.

DINING OUT

With a connection to the Acme Theatre next door, the new Amalfi Ristorante has opened on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood with a strong show-biz involvement.

In the former Farfalla space, two of three co-owners of Amalfi's are in the entertainment field. Adam Carolla co-created and starred as co-host of ``The Man Show'' on television's Comedy Central and is the co-creator of the series ``Crank Yankers.'' Television producer M.D. Sweeney owns and runs the Acme Theatre, next door to the restaurant.

The third co-owner, restaurant manager Francesco Grillo, was with Farfalla for seven years and before that, Coco Pazzo (now Asia de Cuba) in West Hollywood and Ritrovo (now Rustica) in Oak Park. Grillo hired his dad, Filippo Grillo, to cook at Amalfi. The senior Grillo previously operated Filippo Italian cafes in Tarzana and Studio City.

His starter list of 10 salads, three soups and six antipasti, range from $6 to $12.50 and include plates such as a seared calamari steak on a bed of arugula in a warm cherry tomato sauce ($11.50) and a seafood fritto misto ($10.50) of shrimp, calamari and mixed vegetables with a spicy tomato dipping sauce. The kitchen makes 10 pastas ($11 to $14), three risotti ($14.50 and up) and 10 pizzas ($9.50 to $12).

Grillo's nine regular main courses are highlighted by a whole, wood fire oven-baked Dover sole entree ($26) and grilled lamb chops in a cumin and fennel seed marinade served on a green pea puree with eggplant caviar ($23.50).

Amalfi (with full bar) at 143 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, is open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekdays, and for dinner from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday. Information and reservations: [phone].

- Larry Lipson

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Photo:

(1) no caption (``Bon Appetit's September 10th Annual Restaurant'')

(2) Wolfgang Puck