MEAT-FREE ARTISTRY MADELEINE ADDS SOPHISTICATION TO ALL-VEGAN MENU.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

VEGETABLES certainly reach untold heights at the new Madeleine Bistro in Tarzana.

Painted black and without signage, the former Punjab Cafe building is now a full-service restaurant that host-owners Molly and chef David Anderson proclaim is ``the only upscale organic vegan restaurant in Southern California.''

At night, the dim interior, romantically candle-lit, can best be appreciated after the sun sets. But note that at that time it's easy to pass by and miss the place when driving, being so dark in tone on its exterior and without a name or even a neon number on its facade.

Yet this hard-to-see restaurant, once found, conveniently has free parking at the rear of its building, accessed by an alley.

To be honest, when starting dinner here, it's much the same as any meal in a mainstream restaurant.

And that's simply because meat, fish or poultry do not have to be prime ingredients in soup or salad starters.

On a recent sultry evening, we began our initial visit with two refreshing bottles of very good English ale ($4 each), one by Samuel Smith, the other with a St. Peter's label, both organic brews.

They accompanied two soups, one a nicely executed cold gazpacho served in a martini-style glass, the other a tasty cauliflower potage in a pristine white bowl, made creamy with a nondairy mixture and neatly garnished with a floret of cauliflower.

Asking for bread with the soup seemed to cause some consternation on that occasion, but we finally received two crisp, toasted slices, probably made with organic flour.

Entrees picked were Jamaican jerk seitan ($15) and Japanese hot pot ($13), the former a wheat-grain cake fashioned to look like a meat patty and mildly flavored with jerk seasonings.

Being a meat eater, I would have preferred the real thing, but I imagine this and other types of faux meat can be quite enjoyable to someone who deprives him or herself over a lengthy period.

The plus here often comes via the accompaniments. Plantains, a corn and black bean salad and a healthy portion of rice, all nicely arranged, give the seitan dish a boost in looks, texture and flavor gratification.

And the Japanese hot pot bestows a concert of flavors and textures on the recipient.

Satisfaction also comes from starter dishes like the chef's chopped salad creation ($8) of a comforting melange of finely cut vegetables tossed in a basil vinaigrette with some sort of faux cheese in there as well and formed provocatively, and also a beet dish ($8) called red beet tartare, aesthetically presented with cucumber and warm tofu.

Chef Anderson does more with mushrooms than you could believe possible.

He uses chanterelles to make ``tamales'' ($10) and shiitakes to make ``sushi'' ($8) and a sort of ``satay'' entree dish ($17).

With both the latter and a portobello ``filet mignon'' ($16) main course, he's likely to pair a crisped polenta cake and Tuscan black kale.

And he produces a flavorful summer vegetable plate ($15) with an interesting ``noodle'' topping of cucumber ``capellini.''

I've only tried one of Anderson's nondairy desserts. It was listed as coconut creme pie ($7), and I envisioned those thick-wedged coffee-shop renditions I loved as a youth.

This was nothing like those at all. More like a tartlet.

Not bad in its own way, I suppose, not too much coconut flavor with some sort of an iced pina colada mixture as an accompaniment.

But like my feelings about most of Madeleine Bistro's faux items, no matter how artistic, being a confirmed nonvegan I'd really prefer the real thing.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

MADELEINE BISTRO

Food: Three and one half stars - Service: Three stars - Wine: Three stars

Where: 18621 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana.

Phone: [phone].

Meals/hours: Open for lunch from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; for dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday; for brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Food type: Natural/organic vegan.

Cost: Starters from $6 to $9, entrees from $12 to $17, desserts $7 each.

Credit cards: All major.

Patio dining: Not currently. Front patio space to be utilized in future.

Parking/valet: Rear free lot and street.

Full bar: No. Wine and beer license only.

Wine/corkage: Limited list of organic wines and beers. Corkage: $10.

Music/entertainment: No.

Takeout/delivery: Takeout service presently, delivery in future.

Reservations: Recommended, especially on weekends.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

(1 -- 3) The upscale vegan offerings at Madeleine in Tarzana include Jamaican jerk seitan, above, red beet tartare, left, and raw gazpacho, below.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer