MONTY'S STEAKHOUSE: WELL DONE.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

A true native Los Angeles steak house, Monty's was founded 60 years ago in Pasadena by the late Motley ``Monty'' Levine, appropriately born in El Monte, where his parents were chicken farmers.

Other Monty's were opened by his two sons. The one in Woodland Hills opened following a fire that gutted the former Encino site.

Monty's strength remains in its steak house roots.

Although it has added fashionable items to its menu over the years, nearly 70 percent of its total sales are steaks, says Michael Levine, third- generation co-owner.

But Monty's has always emphasized seafood after its beef. And currently it favors halibut, salmon and swordfish along with its giant (10-to-the- pound size) shrimp Monty entree.

It also puts to rest those aspersions that Valley diners won't pay high prices.

Monty's popular 24-ounce Australian lobster tail dish priced at $80 is a prime example. Levine says that Monty's sells 25 to 30 of them each week.

Having been a Valley landmark since its Encino debut 43 years ago, Monty's continues to please a new generation of discriminating steak, seafood and wine patrons.

--Name: MONTY'S STEAKHOUSE

--Address: 5371 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills.

--Phone: [phone].

--When we last reviewed: March 17, 1991.

--How long in business: The first Monty's opened in Pasadena in 1940. It's still there. This Woodland Hills Monty's, relocated on Feb. 18, 1991, from its burned down Encino site, which opened in 1957. Monty's in Westwood opened in 1969 atop a multistoried office structure and closed last year when the property's owners bought out its lease and remodeled the entire building.

--Menu/cuisine changes: When the original Monty's opened 40 years ago, it served two steaks, a salad and Michael Levine's grandmother's cheesecake.

It specializes in combinations of steak and lobster, steak and crab, steak and shrimp, all top quality and generously portioned. It does a lobster, ribs and steak combo dish and serves a full-pound cut of prime rib. It has added chili, pastas, pizza, several salads including a Chinese chicken rendition, chicken six ways, clams, oysters, potatoes 10 ways and offers such intrigues as French-fried dill pickles and ginger chicken wontons with plum sauce.

--Decor/physical changes: This Monty's added new hardwood floors recently. It is periodically recarpeted, repainted and the interior woods revarnished. A front patio will be built early next year.

--Personnel changes: The entire restaurant - including menu planning, kitchen activities, purchasing and dining room operations - is family run. Consequently, no significant management level changes have taken place here. However, Michael Levine, oldest son of proprietor Larry Levine came from the Westwood Monty's to Woodland Hills when Westwood closed last year. He describes his role as co-owner/host.

--Recommendable dishes: Red Oak Farms Hereford steaks, especially the pepper bleu ($27.95) and the Delmonico ribeye ($27.95), also the 12-ounce prime New York ($25.95). The full-pound porterhouse-cut veal chop ($33.95) is a doozie.

--Service quality: Improved. Staffers today appear more patient, more attentive than in times past.

--Pricing: Starters range from $5 to $15, entrees from $15 to $80, desserts $5 and $6. Dinner entrees come with a large baked potato or a choice of several other accompaniments. Grilled meat items run from $17 to $30, combos from $20 to $48, chicken dishes from $15 to $20, seafood dinner plates (including seafood combo) from $24 to $80.

--Wine list/service: Proprietor Larry Levine is a noted wine aficionado. Monty's has a number of private, customer-leased wine lockers on the premises. The current 12-page list has more than 300 labels with bottles priced from $25 to a Caymus 1987 jeraboam of cabernet sauvignon for $2000. Corkage fee is $15 per bottle. Restaurant presents periodic wine dinners, also special spirit tasting (Scotches, martinis) dinners.

--Policies worth mentioning: Bar pours a giant martini for $5.25. Monty's holds a happy hour weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m. and schedules an annual golf tournament. The lounge presents entertainment nightly.

--Miscellaneous comments: The general impression is that this is a convivial place, an all-around full-service ``meat and potatoes'' restaurant in the best old-fashioned sense, a Valley mecca for big spenders, wine fanciers and veteran boulevardiers. You may pay more, but you probably get more, and it's always top quality.

--Our latest ratings: three and one half stars for food; three and one half stars for wine; three stars for service.

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Photo:

Third-generation co-owner Michael Levine, left, and his father, Larry Levine, display some of the meat and shellfish that are the basis of their menu at Monty's Steakhouse in Woodland Hills.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer