GREAT LITTLE TAPAS AS NEAR AS NEXT DOOR.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

THE TAPAS FAD doesn't seem to be diminishing.

The resurgence of wine bars appears to have given menus of these tidbit-size dishes a boost.

Latest on the local scene is the Next Door Tapas Lounge in Studio City, adjacent to, and under the same ownership as La Loggia, a well-established Italian restaurant.

An attractive, two-story edifice, Next Door houses a cool new bar downstairs complete with a fireplace and comfortable couch and ottoman seating, and a room for private parties upstairs.

A multipage wine list offers a well-chosen selection of wines, a good number available by the glass. With its Spanish tapas leanings, it makes sense that the inventory contains plenty of worthwhile wines from Spain and that it includes manzanilla, amontillado and Pedro Ximinez sherries by the glass.

As for the tapas dishes, Next Door makes a host of beauties.

But, as is always the case with this form of meal-taking, the bill adds up astoundingly fast, and many enthusiastic eaters don't realize it.

Also, the size of some of the tapas offerings are no bigger than one or two bites, and bingo, they're gone.

Sharing would seem to be a good idea. But invariably, if you're a twosome, three pieces per item will come up more often; and when you're part of a trio or a larger party, practically nothing seems easily divisible.

But it's still a fun way to drink and dine, or should I say sip and nibble?

And somehow you figure out how to make it work.

For instance, our party of three one night ordered baked scallops still attached to their shells ($6). They were excellent, but there were only two per order. So we asked for one more and the kitchen complied quickly. It definitely was worth the extra $3 on this particular item.

There were five of us another time and we found ourselves ordering at least two of some dishes. With most of them costing between $4 and $6 each and with a variety of drinks the bill ran over $200.

Some of the best plates for sharing are such tasties as patatas bravas ($4), thick-cut fries with a medium-spicy aoli dip; Moroccan-style chicken skewers ($6) which are easy to divide; and the cheese and charcuterie plate ($18).

The latter has toasted garlic bread, three excellent Spanish cheeses (Manchego, Roncal, Idiazabal), two types of Spanish ham (Serrano, Soria) and other goodies.

Serrano ham also comes forth separately as a tapas toast item ($4) with truffle butter, in croquette form ($5), and as paquetitos ($6) which translate into warm paninis stuffed with manchego cheese and artichoke.

There are also little toasts or crackers (montaditos) topped with marinated pork loin ($5) or stuffed with tuna salad ($4).

And more expensive bites include filet mignon with three different accompaniments (Roquefort cheese, foie gras and romesco sauce, $15); a little langoustine ``fritura'' creation (10); and tiny helpings of delicious lamb stew ($8) with couscous.

A couple of salads can be had served distinctively in a glass ($5 each), one with goat cheese and mixed greens, another with potato salad and marinated cod.

A nifty hot item here is the calabacin ($4) made with zucchini wrapped around Catalan spinach and topped with Roncal cheese.

And the kitchen does a stellar job with its trio of diminutive sesame-crusted seared ahi tuna noshes ($7).

A du jour special one evening brought forth the typical Spanish tapas egg recipe known in Spain as a tortilla (omelet, $5) which arrived with a scented mayonnaise dip.

Endings ($4 each) are all good, some really tiny, like a couple of mini-cannolis stuffed with a quince mixture and vanilla cream and a napoleon of crispy filo sandwiching a lilting coffee cream filling.

A tad bigger is the chocolate-glazed praline crepe (also $4) enhanced with coconut foam.

But whatever the size, you don't have to go that far for any of chef-owner Frank Leon's multitude of mini-dishes.

Just ... Next Door.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

NEXT DOOR

Food: Three and one half stars - Service: Two and one half stars - Wine: Two and one half stars

Where: 11814 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.

Phone: [phone].

Meals/hours: Open currently for snacks from 5:30 p.m. to midnight, from noon to midnight at the end of February.

Food type: Spanish tapas.

Cost: From $4 to $18, mostly from $4 to $6, only two items over $10.

Credit cards: All major.

Patio dining: Yes.

Parking/valet: Valet ($4) only.

Full bar: Yes.

Wine/corkage: Conscientious selection of Spanish, California and other wines by the glass and bottle. Several pleasant options by the bottle in the $20s, but no noticeable bargains. Corkage: $15.

Music/entertainment: No.

Takeout/delivery: No.

Reservations: Only taken for groups of 10 or larger.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Adonay Berns, left, Frank Leon and Maria Panadero display an assortment of the tapas offerings at Next Door, where the small bites are doing big business.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News