La Scala still succeeds in the culinary middle ground.

LA SCALA 

Food: ***

Service: ***

Atmosphere: ***

Where: 432 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills. Cross Street: Brighton Way

When: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

What to Try: Original chopped salad, penne alla vodka, linguine with clams, salmon alla griglla, chocolate mousse

Parking: Canon Drive parking garage, $2 for two hours

Price range: Lunch entress, $14 to $24; Dinner entrees, $16 to $32

Reservation: [phone]

THE story behind the Beverly Hills eatery La Scala is the stuff of legend: A 19year-old Spanish immigrant arrives in Los Angeles and lands a job waiting tables at a popular industry haunt owned by Joe DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra. He befriends a generation of Hollywood up-and-comers. In less than a decade, Jean Leon had made the big time, opening what he hoped would be the most luxurious restaurant in a city known worldwide for its glamour and decadence.

Catering to a crowd of big names, Leon's La Scala became a fixture among the Beverly Hills locals and a part of Hollywood history.

All that is well and good, but 51 years later, in a town ripe with similar stories, more than history and sentiment is necessary for survival. As landmarks such as legendary nightclub Perino's are razed to build apartments, La Scala thrives in its third location and is markedly less formal in its current incarnation. Several locations have opened and closed, and earlier franchise hopes have evaporated, but this indomitable spot has won out with its combination of charm, adaptability, and distinctly American-style Italian fare.

La Scala's chopped salad is the cornerstone of the menu. Three different versions of the salad are offered in two different sizes. It is a marvel of simplicity, but one that has stood the test of time: tiny shreds of lettuce mixed with mozzarella cheese, garbanzo beans, and a choice of several meats. The dressing is as uncomplicated as the salad itself, with more oil than vinegar and little flavoring. The original version, served with salami, is the height of comfort food, the kind that never goes out of fashion. By virtue of its preparation, every bite is perfectly uniform.

Much of La Scala's menu seems to follow the same trend--hearty food served in generous portions, with not too much spice to either confuse or offend the palate. Detractors sniff that the food is a bland, Americanized version of authentic Italian cooking, but playing the middle ground is precisely what has traditionally packed them in at this busy lunch spot. In spite of those criticisms, the offerings are almost universally appealing--the simple ingredients more than the sum of their parts.

The penne alla vodka is elevated by the dill flamb6 in the sauce, giving it an extra dimension missing from so many pasta sauces. The spaghetti with meatballs is heart-warming in the nostalgia it produces, though the beef could use a bit more seasoning. The overall highlight is the linguine with clams. This dish is so good it warrants a return visit, no question. The texture of the clams is sublime, not too chewy, and the white wine garlic sauce sings to the taste buds.

With the emphasis on the chopped salad, the rest of the appetizer menu is somewhat scant, populated with stand-bys such as beef carpaccio and prosciutto with melon. The mozzarella alla marinara is a welcome surprise in its presentation, arriving in one large, uncut portion of fried cheese. More than enough to share, the mozzarella oozes out of its crispy shell once broken open, and the slightly sweet sauce undercuts the heaviness.

The desserts seem to be an afterthought. Arriving on a tray for inspection, the cakes seem unappealing and uninventive--no tiramisu is offered, even with prompting. Further prodding does produce a delightful chocolate mousse that is not offered on the tray. Also very enjoyable, if a bit leaden, is the chocolate decadence dessert garnished with berries and fresh whipped cream.

The current decor of La Scala is dominated by its signature red booths that line the walls--inviting, but a slightly plastic, sanitized version of the original. The faux antiques seem placed to bring a sense of history to a space that has little character of its own. The famous caricatures have been placed high on the wall facing the street and that's a pity, since they are impossible to see while dining. The room is open and pleasant, but booth seating is crucial. Avoid the small, cramped tables in the center of the room or you'll risk being captive to the conversations of the teenage girls who refuel here during their shopping excursions.

It is this mix of old and young that makes the crowd at La Scala notable. At one table, Beverly Hills wives dine on a late lunch of salad and sparkling water, while at another, an elderly couple enjoys an early dinner with martinis so cold that ice chips float in the frosty glasses.

Now serving its third generation of patrons, La Scala has outgrown its former identity by leaning steadily toward the middle ground while maintaining its original high standards in both cuisine and service. And though the menu is by all accounts standard, offering few surprises, relying heavily on what is tried and true has won over the masses.

Reviewer Lindsey Styrwoll can be reached at [e-mail].