HOTTEST TABLE IN TOWN DUPLICATE DELICIOUS SPAGO FARE AT HOME.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Although it's been open three years, Spago Beverly Hills is still the hottest restaurant ticket in town. On any given day, power brokers and celebrities can usually be spotted throughout the dining room and patio at lunch or dinner.

Unlike at some of Spago's fashionable counterparts, the food here is definitely part of the scene - and some of the best in town. It bears the mark of chef de cuisine Lee Hefter, who is at the helm in the kitchen - and, of course, celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck and his wife, designer Barbara Lazaroff, who are the visionaries of this successful establishment.

A table may be difficult to secure on a Friday or Saturday night, unless you plan well in advance, but one of the most leisurely and pleasurable ways to enjoy dining here is at Saturday lunch, preferably on the patio.

There are numerous delicious selections to tempt the palate, ranging from appetizers and salads to pizzas, calzone, pastas and risottos to daily market specials and main courses. You'll even find some of Puck's Austrian childhood favorites such as Wienerschnitzel, beef goulash and giant cheese ravioli with hazelnut brown butter on the menu. Special tasting menus are also available at lunch and dinner, offering customers a sampling of Hefter's cooking creations and style.

``To run a kitchen is like a symphony,'' says Hefter, adding that it combines ``artistry with spirit and moral and a passion for food.''

Some of the specialties sampled and enjoyed during recent visits include the Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, Lobster Cobb Salad, Tomato Basil Risotto, and Chicken and Shrimp Stir-Fry in Coconut Curry Sauce. Today, we offer streamlined copycat versions so you can re-create them at home. Although we don't usually ask chefs for recipes, Hefter was happy to give us a little restaurant replica help, which headed us in the right direction and simplified our kitchen testing tasks.

While some of the recipes are time-consuming, involving lots of chopping and a few different separate parts, none is really difficult to master. So don't be intimidated.

For the beet salad, one of the restaurant's signature appetizers, roast the beets, covered, in the oven, until tender, then cool and peel. For ease, do well in advance of serving. We'd also suggest preparing the Citrus- Shallot Vinaigrette ahead of time and keeping it refrigerated. The concentrated citrus flavor comes from reducing orange juice by two-thirds, which can be done quickly and efficiently by using a large skillet and high heat.

Although the restaurant uses pricey hazelnut oil in its dressing, we opted to substitute olive oil with excellent results.

The nifty trick, suggested by Hefter, for easily spreading the herbed goat cheese in between the beet slices, is to heat the cheese slices in a little olive oil. Watch carefully as you only want to warm them slightly, not melt them. Once the beets are stacked, top with a few greens, then drizzle the stack and plate with vinaigrette and sprinkle with chopped, toasted hazelnuts. In a pinch, substitute chopped toasted pecans, if you can't find hazelnuts, which seem to be scare in markets right now.

The Lobster Cobb Salad is a dynamite entree and has lots of takers at lunch. It's elegant, festive and attractive and goes together in a jiffy once the toppings - cooked bacon, lobster, haricots verts, egg yolks and white, tomatoes and avocados - are pre-chopped. Use greens tossed with an easily prepared food processor Balsamic Vinaigrette for backdrop. Keep this good basic vinaigrette handy for dressing other salads throughout the year. It's one of those versatile basics everyone should have in their repertoire.

An innovative approach to a curried creation is Hefter's outstanding Chicken and Shrimp Stir-Fry in Coconut Curry Sauce. It's loaded with an assortment of colorful vegetables. The zippy sauce is a cinch to make. Simply combine a can of coconut milk (we used light with good results), soy sauce, rice vinegar, chile paste with garlic, five spice powder, brown sugar and chicken broth. The dish is thickened with a little cornstarch and topped with Thai basil. Serve with jasmine rice as the restaurant does - or any hot steamed rice.

The Tomato-Basil Risotto is another winner. Although we opted to use canned tomato sauce instead of making a tomato coulis from scratch with fresh tomatoes like Spago does, we ended up with similar-tasting results.

This cook also took the liberty of shortcutting the constant stirring routine normally required for risotto by cooking the Arborio rice covered for the first 10 minutes. Be sure to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the stuff in the green can) and stir in a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil before serving for extra flavor.

Any of these wonderful creations will jazz up menus. If you don't feel inclined to make them at home, but would like to sample them, it's a good excuse to get a reservation at Spago. Either way, you're in for some delicious dining.

BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

ROASTED RED BEETS:

3 softball size whole red beets, rinsed

Water

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch dried rosemary

Pinch dried thyme

HAZELNUT SHALLOT CITRUS VINAIGRETTE:

1 1/2 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or use 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme)

2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Peel of 1/3 orange

1/3 cup hazelnut oil OR olive oil

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

HERBED GOAT CHEESE:

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons chopped chives (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (8-ounce) log of goat cheese

Olive oil

GARNISH:

Mixed baby greens

Toasted chopped hazelnuts

To make Roasted Red Beets: In a small roasting pan, combine beets and enough water to cover beets 1/4 way up. Add 1/2 of vinegar, 1/2 of sugar, rosemary and thyme. Cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until tender throughout, about 1 1/4 hours. (Check with skewer or knife.) Cool beets, then peel and cut into 1/4- to 3/8-inch thick rounds.

In a saute pan or large skillet, combine remaining rice wine vinegar and remaining sugar. Bring to a boil, add beets and cook until beets are glazed. (about 30 seconds per beet slice)

To make Hazelnut Shallot Citrus Vinaigrette: In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat orange juice to boiling. Boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Cool. In a food processor, combine orange juice, shallots, thyme, balsamic vinegar and orange peel. With processor running, slowly add oils and salt and pepper through feed tube. Process until well blended. Set aside. (Makes 1 1/4 cups vinaigrette.)

To make Herbed Goat Cheese: Mix herbs and pepper together. Roll cheese log in herb mixture until covered, and then slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Warm goat cheese slightly in a little warm olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Watch carefully.

To assemble, place a beet round on plate, and then top with a soft goat cheese round, pressing lightly with a knife and spreading to completely cover beet round; repeat 2 or 3 more times. Top with beet round. Place a beet stack in center of each serving plate. Place a small amount of greens on top of beet stack. Drizzle Hazelnut Shallot Citrus Vinaigrette on top and around beet stack (on plate). Sprinkle top and plate with hazelnuts. Makes 3 or 4 stacks (depending on how tall you make them) or servings.

CHICKEN AND SHRIMP STIR-FRY IN COCONUT CURRY SAUCE

Vegetable oil

1/2 red bell pepper, cut in medium dice

1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut in medium dice

1/2 cup chopped red onions

K1 cup quartered OR sliced fresh mushrooms (use part shiitake mushrooms, if desired)

2 cups blanched snow peas OR frozen, partially thawed sugar snap peas

1 cup diced Chinese eggplant

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 baby bok choy, cut up, including leaves

10 ounces thinly cut strips skinless, bonless chicken breast

8 large OR 16 medium shrimp (split large shrimp lengthwise, if desired)

Pinch chili flakes

Pinch ground ginger (optional)

1 1/2 cups Coconut Curry Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

10 pieces firm tofu 

8 fresh Thai OR sweet basil leaves, torn

In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons oil until hot. Add peppers, red onions and mushrooms; stir-fry until crisp-tender. Remove to a plate. Add 2 more tablespoons oil to same pan and heat until hot. Add snow peas, eggplant, green onions and bok choy; stir-fry until crisp tender. Remove from pan to a plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same pan and heat until very hot. Add chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked through. Add shrimp and stir-fry until pink. Add chili flakes and ginger. Remove to a plate.

Mix Coconut Curry Sauce with cornstarch until well blended. Add to skillet and heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until clear and thickened. Return all vegetables to pan and add tofu. Stir in chicken and shrimp and heat through. Serve on warm plates with hot jasmine or steamed rice. Garnish with basil leaves. Makes 2 to 3 servings.

COCONUT CURRY SAUCE: In a bowl, combine 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (light OK), 2 tablespoons light OR mushroom soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic (OR chile sauce), 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Mix well. Refrigerate any leftover to use in another stir-fry dish within a few days.

LOBSTER COBB SALAD

Balsamic Vinaigrette

8 cups julienne pieces romaine lettuce (use 2 cups chopped watercress and 6 cups romaine lettuce pieces, if desired)

1/2 cup crumbled Roquefort cheese

1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon

1/2 cup cooked crisp-tender 1/2-inch pieces haricots verts OR green beans

2 hard-cooked eggs, whites and yolks chopped separately

1 (10-ounce) cooked lobster tail, removed from shell and diced

1 tomato, chopped

1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped

Make Balsamic Vinaigrette and set aside. In a large bowl, toss romaine lettuce with Roquefort cheese and about 1/2 of Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Divide lettuce mixture between 2 dinner plates, piling up a little. From left to right across top of lettuce, make a strip (row) of bacon, haricots verts, egg white, lobster (should be about in center of plate), egg yolk, tomatoes and avocado. Serve immediately. Pass remaining Balsamic Vinaigrette. Makes 2 main dish servings.

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE: In a food processor, combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon sherry, dash salt, dash pepper, pinch dried thyme, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon minced shallots (optional). Process to combine. With processor running, add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil through feed tube until well blended. Makes about 3/4 cup dressing.

CHEF PROFILE ...

Lee Hefter

Age: 33.

Profession: Executive chef for Wolfgang Puck's 11 fine dining restaurants, including Spago Beverly Hills, where he is chef de cuisine.

Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.; grew up in Marlboro, N.J.

Food background: An avid student of food, Hefter learned to cook to satisfy his curiosity about the unusual flavors of Chinese and Italian takeout dinners his family often shared during his youth. He apprenticed at several New Jersey/New York area establishments and then spent two years at China Moon Cafe in San Francisco. He has worked for Wolfgang Puck since 1993, first at the original Spago, then at Granita and now at Spago Beverly Hills. He took a break for six months working his way through some of Europe's two- and three-star restaurants. Hefter was named best new chef in 1998 by Food and Wine Magazine.

Cooking style: Aggressive, contemporary, new age American cuisine.

Most popular restaurant dishes he makes: Steamed whole black bass Hong Kong style; Beet and Goat Cheese Salad; White Sweet Corn Agnolotti With Mascarpone and White Truffles; Cote de Boeuf (a slab of grilled prime rib) with Pommes Aligot (potato puree with garlic, butter, cream and cantel cheese from France blended in and served in a little cassoulet dish).

Three favorite cuisines: Chinese, Japanese and Italian.

Favorite foods: Chinese noodles, spareribs, dim sum, pasta, meatballs, sausage.

Favorite thing to cook and eat: Lobster cooked Chinese style with garlic or black bean sauce.

Secret food passion: White truffles.

Favorite kitchen gadget: A tablespoon is his best friend in the kitchen. ``You can do anything in a professional kitchen if have one in your pocket - flip a piece of meat or fish, spoon out sauces, mix a salad, stir risotto, etc.''

Pet peeve: Laziness in the kitchen.

Favorite cookbook: Barbara Tropp's ``China Moon Cafe.''

Ideal vacation: Traveling from city to city and eating in Italy.

Favorite restaurant: Ginza Sushi-Ko, Beverly Hills.

What does he do when not cooking?: Golfs, reads, writes recipes, bike- rides, travels to see new cultures and get ideas.

If he couldn't be a chef, what would he be?: A jeweler.

Worst kitchen disaster: ``They (disasters) are an everyday occurrence.'' When Spago Beverly Hills first opened, the power and gas went out in the middle of a Saturday night service, and Hefter and his staff cooked on portable butane burners and in the wood oven.

If he could dine with anyone (current or historical), who would it be?: Mozart; Auguste Escoffier; Vincent Van Gogh; Vince Lombardi.

Most memorable meal: ``The first time I cooked for my wife when I was courting her (it was a simple pasta and salad), and the moment I realized how much a good meal did for us.''

The worst part of being a chef is: Long hours and sacrifice of weekends, holidays and friendships.

The best part of being a chef is: Being able to please a lot of people and developing new relationships.

Most chefs have their secret kitchen tips for success. Here are a few Hefter shared:

--Roast beets with the skin on, then peel.

--To remove the red stain on your hands when working with beets, use kosher salt mixed with a little water.

--When making mashed potatoes, cook cut-up peeled potatoes in salted water so you end up with flavor in the potato rather than adding it to the cream afterward.

--When cooking green vegetables, salt the water to avoid ending up with bland-tasting vegetables.

--When cooking meat, allow the meat to rest after cooking for 20 percent of the cooking or roasting time - i.e., if it took 10 minutes to cook a steak, let it rest two minutes before slicing. That way the juices will stay in the meat and not end up on the cutting board.

--Saute chopped red or white onions in a splash of balsamic vinegar to tone down the harshness and impart appealing sweet flavor.

--For flavor, add a sprinkling of fresh lemon juice and French sea salt to salad greens before serving.

--Don't be afraid of salt.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Stylish recipes from the fashionable Beverly Hills eatery.

(2 -- 3 -- color) no caption (Lee Hefter)

(4 -- color) Stir-fried vegetables, shrimp and chicken are sauced with a coconut curry mixture for a wonderful entree served with jasmine rice.

(5 -- color) A layered Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, one of Spago's signature creations, sports a Citrus-Shallot Vinaigrette and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) Chef Profile (see text)

(2) Most chefs have their secret kitchen tips for success (see text)