HOT SPOTS : FROM CREEK TO OCEAN.

Byline: Larry Lipson

Fins Seafood Grill, 982 Westlake Blvd., Westlake, [phone]. (Also in Calabasas as Fins Creekside and in Malibu as Fins Bambu.) Surprise of surprises, a suburban seafoodery that doesn't overcook its finned fare. Best poached salmon west of Scotland. And the macadamia nut-crusted halibut is awesome. Ambience is intimate with live jazz.

Above and beyond

Saddle Peak Lodge, 419 Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas, [phone]. Escape to a hunting lodge for such rarities as grenadine of buffalo, pheasant under glass or black boar chops. It's Americana in the Malibu mountains.

Irish pub

Timmy Nolan's, 10111 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake, [phone]. It's a cutesy, narrow, two-story bar with darn good pub-style fare. The kitchen is tiny but it dishes up a ``foine'' Irish stew, a hearty corned beef and cabbage plate, plus well-turned pastas and steaks.

Traditional Italian

Marquis West, 3110 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, [phone]. Ask for your favorite Italian dish and, if it's not on the menu but the ingredients are in the kitchen, rest assured, you'll get what you want.

New wave bistro

L.A. Farm, 3000 W. Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica, [phone]. Provocative, L.A.-style comfort food with a hint of a Gallic accent in a casual, hip, farm-themed setting. Ex-La Serre chef Jean-Pierre Peiny is host-owner.

Stove superstar

Patina, 5955 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, [phone]. Chef-owner Joachim Splichal may be small in stature, but he's riding tall in L.A.'s - and some say the nation's - culinary saddle. Meanwhile, with Pinot Bistros Hollywood, at the Chronicle and Cafe Pinot in the fold, and Patina remaining at the top of his stable, it looks like he's scored an additional hit with his Pinot Blanc in Napa. And if that's not enough, he'll soon be expanding to Orange County and Las Vegas.