JOEJOE'S QUALITY AT MODEST PRICE.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

How lucky can one community get?

Sherman Oaks, with the superb food and reasonable pricing of Cafe Bizou already in its midst, now has the equally excellent JoeJoe's.

What a joy it is to find a small restaurant like JoeJoe's thoroughly packed with diners on weeknight review visits within a couple of weeks following its debut.

Most of the time, because the restaurants I'm checking out are newly opened, I find myself eating in relatively or completely empty dining rooms.

But JoeJoe's has its noble heritage to thank for such immediate customer response.

It happens to be the offspring of the eponymous Joe's in Venice, and of course, the result of thoughtful planning and execution by its highly respected chef-owner Joseph Miller.

The Venice Joe's, a 27-point recipient for food (along with Citrus, Yujean Kang's, L'Orangerie, Valentino and the aforementioned Cafe Bizou) in the current Zagat Survey, and the original site of Rockenwagner, proves that little, no-nonsense restaurants can mean a lot, even in a town where glitz was invented.

And Miller has quietly duplicated his original effort with Reed's in Manhattan Beach, the original St. Estephe site, which he co-owns with chef Brandon Reed.

Now, once again, with Thomas Munoz as his capable resident chef in the Valley, Miller, who has made friends and fans at such stops as the Fine Affair, Cafe Katsu and the Brentwood Bar & Grill (all three now gone) before doing his own thing, shows that he obviously has the knack of knowing how to please today's more sophisticated diner.

His menu lists starters from $3 to $8, entrees from $12 to $15 and desserts at $3 each. That means that a three-course meal of quality ingredients, skillfully cooked, attractively presented and, most importantly, very high on the taste satisfaction scale, can be enjoyed at JoeJoe's for around $20.

And what's really nice is that the plate that comes to you often seems to have something surprising, something extra.

Like the grilled salmon ($13), the first entree listed.

It's cooked perfectly. There's that touch of crustiness on the salmon's exterior while it remains perfectly moist and flaky inside. And, like the menu promises, there's a heap of delicious basil mashed potatoes with it.

The basil provides the green tone that sets off the rosy pink of the salmon, and there's just enough lemony vinaigrette sauce to add moisture and a touch of tart flavor, not to overwhelm.

Also, slightly piquant, small dried tomatoes and pieces of kalamata olives surround the two main ingredients, giving added color.

But wait, there's also a spray of thin, crispy green beans. That's the nice extra touch!

And all of this arrives aesthetically arranged on an oversize white plate just like an uptown dish that would cost $26.

If you like that welcome sharpness in the dried tomatoes, you'll welcome them with JoeJoe's spinach gnocchi paired with eggplant and braised lamb shanks ($7). This is a homey, full-flavored appetizer in a bowl, almost soupy, that pairs perfectly with a gutsy red wine.

On the refreshing cold side, you couldn't possibly find a better rendition of tuna tartare ($7), though it's a much smaller-portioned dish than the gnocchi.

Of course, you already have the restaurant's basket of good bread and a dish of inky-black olive tapenade spread to keep your nibble needs fulfilled before and between each course.

You can enhance it with a cold, grilled eggplant salad with pine nuts and a dollop of goat cheese ($4) or a richly pureed soup du jour ($4).

As for entrees, an alternative to the salmon is the handsome, well-crafted whitefish ($12) covered with scalelike potatoes sitting on a bed of the best-tasting, intensely flavored, wild rice experienced this year, plus spinach and carrots. The bonus here is a red wine sauce that allows this dish to be accompanied by a red instead of a white wine.

Good choice off the compact, conscientious wine list is Peachy Canyon's 1994 fruity red Eastside zinfandel ($21) from an offering of nine reds, all under $30. Incidentally, the nine whites are all under $22 except one, a Central Coast viognier, the '95 Alban ($26).

And corkage is a very reasonable $5 if you decide to bring a good wine from your own collection.

With a decent red you might try the simple, very effective roasted pork tenderloin ($15) flavored with roasted garlic juice and paired with mushrooms, broccoli and more of those magnificent mashed potatoes.

And yes, the same appetizing mashed potatoes reappear with JoeJoe's breast of chicken plate ($13), the meat slightly crisped and delivered in a brown-toned, thyme-flavored sauce with sweet carrots.

Speaking of sweet things, the house chocolate souffle is rather disappointing, looking and tasting more like a small sculpted serving of warm chocolate cake. Two better endings here are an exceptionally satisfying apple tarte tatin and a blowtorch-crusted, hazelnut-studded creme brulee ($3 each).

Sherman Oaks doesn't have to worry about satirical sitcoms on cable television anymore. It has JoeJoe's.

THE FACTS The restaurant: JoeJoe's.

Where: 13355 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

When: Open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Behind the scenes: Executive chef and owner is Joseph Miller. Resident chef is Thomas Munoz.

Recommended items: Grilled eggplant salad, soup du jour, tuna tartare, gnocchi and braised lamb shank with eggplant and dried tomatoes, grilled salmon with basil mashed potatoes, crispy breast of chicken, whitefish with potato scales and red wine sauce, roasted pork tenderloin, apple tarte tatin, hazelnut creme brulee.

How much: Starters from $3 to $8, entrees from $12 to $15, desserts $3 each. Wine and beer. Major credit cards.

Wine list: Small, well-chosen starting list of 25 labels has all '93 through '95 vintages except sparklers. Prices are moderate with 11 bottlings under $20, nothing over $28. Recommended red is '94 Peachy Canyon zinfandel. Corkage fee is $5 per bottle.

Reservations: Needed. Call [phone].

Our rating: Four Stars for food; Three and One Half Stars for service; Three Stars for wine.

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Photo

Photo: Chef Thomas Munoz, left, and chef-owner Joseph Mille r display some of the items available at JoeJoe's in Sherman Oaks.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News