GREAT FOOD, SPANNING THE GLOBE.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Joseph Manzare, former chef at both Spago and Granita locally, went north to gain fame.

Another of many ex-Puck-inspired chefs who've become successful with their own restaurants, Manzare has returned to town, opening in Venice's vacant 72 Market Street building a second version of his highly acclaimed Globe in San Francisco.

He also co-owns the relatively new Mucca in Glen Ellen in Sonoma's wine country.

The Venice Beach Globe with reasonably priced fare (only one dish, rotisserie lamb at $21, goes over the $20 mark) appears to be drawing a similar young, hip crowd as its northern twin.

Manzare calls his food ``fresh American cuisine with an Italian spirit.'' He even lists a la Spago a trio of pizzas ($10 to $12) at the bottom of his one-page menu.

In the nifty confines of what was Tony Bill's and Dudley Moore's lofty, used-brick-walled, single dining-roomed establishment, Manzare's 10-appetizer, 10-entree menu works pretty well.

Being at the beach, it makes sense to do some seafood things. And a tray of good-quality clams, oysters, mussels and shrimp ($29) provides a welcome starter for a foursome, especially if a special occasion is being celebrated and a bottle of bubbly is popped.

Alternatively, a baker's dozen (13) of sweet, crunchy, Washington state bay oysters ($19) furnish an equally impressive beginning.

And there's salmon.

Manzare's kitchen does a skillful job of smoking salmon, which it serves thinly cut with a dill-flavored creme fraiche and a couple of thick slices of grilled bread ($9).

Salmon is also used as a filler for potato gnocchi ($8), giving a somewhat bland pasta appetizer a bit of oomph.

And, as an entree, grilled salmon comes with noodles with watercress, garlic and olive oil ($19).

But the best ocean-fare item out of the Globe's kitchen is undoubtedly the fluffy, flaky Alaskan halibut en papillote (baked in paper) main course ($19.50), served steaming hot with porcinis, leeks, carrots, celery and crispy flavored rice. It's a triumph.

And there's a mighty mollusk worth consideration. Manzare's delicious rendition of a heaping pound of steamed mussels ($9.50) arrives in a pesto broth with a scattering of tiny, diced Yukon potatoes. A true treat.

And just in case there's someone in the party who disdains briny beginnings, the Globe doesn't let the soup and/or salad crowd down.

I particularly remember a nicely presented du jour offering of non- creamed white corn soup ($7) one time. And crisp, cold hearts of romaine with some sharp Treviso tossed in a simple but effective Parmesan and garlic dressing ($7.50) makes a refreshing salad kickoff to any meal.

There are pasta (made in-house from scratch) entrees like a tasty tagliatelle plate ($18) tossed with crunchy wild mushrooms and sweet-tasting onions glazed in balsamic vinegar.

Look for heartier meat offerings, the most memorable being a juicy pork chop ($19) daubed on top with a tart green olive tapenade and paired with a brightly hued cherry tomato mixture.

Manzare uses a rotisserie to cook leg of lamb ($21) effectively. He delivers it sliced into medallions that he perches on a puree of artichokes, finishing the plate off with a flourish of roasted vegetable sauce.

One of two platters for two (the other is a whole rotisseried chicken) pleases beef eaters no end. Grilled over mesquite, the double-cut T-bone steak is sliced and served off the main plate to two diners with a generous helping of grilled onions.

On the side comes a boat of creamy potatoes au gratin.

Incidentally, with anything ordered that's shareable here, metal stands are placed on the table to hold the sizable platters or pizzas.

This procedure works well, elevating the plates, giving the tabletop more space.

Service, by the way, is impeccable. The staffers appear very well trained and handle things with aplomb even when the room is jammed.

Desserts ($7 each) for the most part are merely serviceable. There's a respectable creme brulee and a resoundingly worthwhile bread pudding.

I like this restaurant. Globe should do a world of good for the Venice restaurant scene.

GLOBE

Where: 72 Market St., Venice Beach.

When: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, for dinner from 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Sunday.

Behind the scenes: Joseph Manzare is chef and co-owner.

Recommended items: Soup du jour, cold seafood platter, house-smoked salmon, steamed mussels, salmon-stuffed gnocchi, double-cut T-bone for two, green olive tapenade-topped pork chop, tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, Alsakan halibut en papillote, bread pudding.

How much: Starters and pizzas from $7 to $29, entrees from $15 to $21, desserts $7 each. Full bar. AE, MC, V.

Wine list: Some 60 labels on a single-page list offer such rarities as '96 and '97 Stony Hill chardonnays and a fine selection of mostly Californians and French bottlings. Prices are high, though, with nothing under $30 in red and nothing under $28 in white. '91 Schramsberg blanc de blancs ($55) is a good choice in bubbly. Corkage: $12.

Reservations: Suggested. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three one half stars for food; three and one half stars for service; two and one half stars for wine.

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Photo:

Among the dishes befitting the Venice Beach restaurant Globe is steamed mussels with pesto and Yukon potatoes.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer