HOT SPOTS : IRISH PUB.

Byline: Larry Lipson

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

Under priced, over par

Tavern on the Green, 10400 Glenoaks Blvd., Sun Valley, [phone]. You eat comfortably in a country club setting, and you eat well here for amazingly low prices. Would you believe an all-you-can-eat Friday night fish fry for $6.95?

Place in the sun

Ca' del Sole, 4100 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood, [phone]. The Tomassi-De Mori Venetian cucina rustica magic of Ca'Brea, Locanda Veneta, Allegria and Il Moro continues.

Ribbing the world

Lawry's the Prime Rib, 100 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, [phone]. Chomping the ultimate slab of juicy beef in this nearly always crowded, palatial, warm setting, is an L.A. tradition. And now there is a fish option and - sacre bleu - even an occasional lobster.

No myth-take

Il Mito, 11801 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. Its name means the myth, and it's a crammed, noisy bar and cafe in an art deco building serving excellent cucina rustica via a view kitchen to an adoring crowd nightly.

No myth steak

Arnie Morton's, 435 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, [phone]. Aged three weeks, large, thick, prime and juicy, the steaks here as good as you're going to get in L.A. And the martinis are just as big.

Boffo Italian

Ca'Brea, 346 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, [phone]. Chef Antonio Tommasi reigns here with moderately priced cucina rustica that'll knock your socks off. The packed dining room proves it nightly.