HOLLYWOOD DISH VERT: GREEN DESTINY.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

ALTHOUGH VERT (pronounced ``vair''), Wolfgang Puck's newest restaurant, isn't as green as its French name would suggest, there are enough greenish tones in the banquette upholstery, some of the artwork and the bar, I suppose, to support its appellation.

The Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex restaurant is, however, a striking place, roomy, busy, featuring Puck's signature view kitchen and overall design and furnishings that inspire casual comfort.

It doesn't hurt business that Puck produces the food for the Governors Ball on Sunday when the annual Oscar awards bash takes place in the grand ballroom here for the first time.

But in their typical manner, Puck and Company do not take advantage of the situation and charge high prices for minimalist food. Instead, the patron gets a very fair shake in the portion-to-value arena.

For example, a large black skillet piled high with black mussels mariniere and accompanied by an overflowing ``cone'' of pommes frites costs only $16. And on a recent evening I counted 62, yes, more than five dozen, mussels in my order.

Incidentally, the mussels alone are ticketed at $10.

Of course, before receiving the mussels and an order of escargots in a garlicky parsley sauce - very green and certainly befitting the Vert name - a basket of excellent assorted breads and bread sticks materializes, along with with a delicious herbed goat cheese swimming in olive oil.

The consequence: I couldn't finish my mussels. I only ate a wedge or two of a crunchy pissaladiere (Provence-style pizza-like onion and anchovy tart with olives, $10).

Also taken home was most of Vert's very thick, juicy prime hamburger enhanced with a garlic aioli and paired with richly pungent gorgonzola cheese. Also on this plate ($16), a heaping portion of the same fries (pommes frites) previously eaten with the mussels.

I laughed almost hysterically when the server asked if she should bring the dessert menu.

``There's no room,'' I wailed, thoroughly gratified by the various amounts, fractional as they may have been, of the food items already consumed.

Such is Vert, where your green goes a mighty long way.

VERT

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

Where: Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex, fourth floor, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

Hours: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. nightly, to midnight Friday and Saturday (closed this Sunday because of the Oscars).

Recommended items: Mussels (moules) mariniere, pommes frites (fries), escargots persillade (snails in parsley sauce), pissaladiere (onion and anchovy tart with olives).

How much: Pizzas and starters from $7 to $18, pastas and entrees from $10 to $24, desserts $7 each. Full bar. All major credit cards.

Wine list: Not overly long, but obviously carefully chosen selection. No great bargains. Numerous wines by the glass starting at $6. Corkage $16.

Reservations: Needed. Call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Klaus Puck, younger brother of celebrity Wolfgang Puck, with some of the offerings at the new Vert, where he is general manager.