NEW SHADE OF EXCELLENCE FOR DINERS AT OPALINE.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic THE DICTIONARY defines opaline as ``a translucent, milky variety of glass.'' Opaline is also the catchy name of a hot, new restaurant on the culinarily burgeoning Beverly Boulevard. It's in a corner location previously occupied by Red. Consequently, the once red, now opal Opaline has been marvelously muted in its complete refurbishment. It features an inviting, rounded, full- windowed, exterior appearance and a new entrance. Its byplay of textures - gray-green slatted wooden ceiling, cork adornments and wood-beamed walls, lacquered concrete floor, abundant window glass and green upholstery - provides the background for a central focal point: ``a translucent, milky variety of glass'' in the form of a dramatic, hourglass-shaped, table height-to-ceiling lighting sculpture. As for Opaline's food, chef David Lentz - whose credits include major restaurants in Miami, Las Vegas and Campanile locally - often puts a global stamp in his cooking on comforting, down-to-earth ingredients. He uses Serrano ham from Spain with his rabbit confit in a delightful starter crepe ($12) boosted with chanterelle chanterelle Highly prized, fragrant, edible mushroom (Cantharellus cibarius, order Polyporales), rich yellow in colour, found in woods in summer and autumn. Its similarity to the poisonous jack-o-lantern (Clitocybe illudens, order Agaricales), an orange-yellow fungus of mushrooms, leeks and grain mustard. Superb sweetbreads Noun 1. sweetbreads - edible glands of an animal sweetbread organs, variety meat - edible viscera of a butchered animal in their natural loaflike state are paired with an earthy wild mushroom ragout ra·gout n. A well-seasoned meat or fish stew, usually with vegetables. [French ragoût, from ragoûter, to revive the taste, from Old French ragouster : re-, ($10) and accompanied by roasted salsify salsify, common name for a tall, narrow-leaved biennial (Tragopogon porrifolius) of the family Asteraceae (aster family), native to S Europe but now naturalized and sometimes growing as a weed in North America. and a rich Madeira sauce. He dusts scallops with bay leaf ($11) in an almost-homey harmony with crunchy little beluga beluga (bəl  `gə) or white whale, small, toothed northern whale, Delphinapterus leucas. The beluga may reach a length of 19 ft (5. lentils and smoky bacon. He adds a grapefruit remoulade ré·mou·lade n. A piquant cold sauce made with mayonnaise, chopped pickles, capers, anchovies, and herbs. [French, from dialectal rémola, large black radish, from Latin armoracia, to a beautifully presented selection of raw oysters (six for $12) with deliciously briny options from British Columbia, the Northwest coast and Tasmania. That elusive hint of licorice in the Lentz kitchen's roasted butternut squash soup ($6), with herbed croutons and creme fraiche, comes from fennel. On his down-home, stewlike braised braise tr.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. beef cheeks entree effort ($18), Lentz sprays crisped crisped adj. Botany Crispate. , ear-shaped orecciette pasta and adds a companion dollop or two of roasted peppers and tomatoes. Similarly, he perks up braised pork shoulder ($18) in its own juices - stewlike - with Moroccan spices, having spooned on a portion of appropriate couscous. He then enhances the dish with the rarity of pureed quince. It's all very satisfying stuff. Lentz and co-owner David Rosoff sometimes describe his food as ``rustic Mediterranean.'' Does that mean he likes anchovies anchovies a cause of diarrhea, vomiting, salivation, lacrimation, depression, miosis, polypnea, tachycardia, hypothermia in cats. and nuts? Actually, they may work better in his line-caught cod recipe ($23), which comes forth with fingerling fingerling young fish. potatoes, braised fennel and a chopped mixture of anchovies and hazelnuts than with a lamb dish. In a roasted sirloin of lamb ($23) plate, roasted almonds and a gremolata (minced anchovies with lemon and parsley) clash a bit with the parsnip Parsnip, river, Canada Parsnip, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, rising in central British Columbia, Canada, and flowing northwest to join the Finlay River at Williston Lake and form the Peace River. and baby turnip accompaniment. However the lamb is wonderfully succulent. Poultry lovers will probably vote for Opaline's whole organic chicken for two ($36) with cheesed black cabbage, noticeably the entree choice being enjoyed one evening by actress Tori Spelling and her dining companion at a nearby table. As for the best dessert here ($7 each), it could well be the moist and tantalizing tan·ta·lize tr.v. tan·ta·lized, tan·ta·liz·ing, tan·ta·liz·es To excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach. hazelnut butter cake, aesthetically presented with caramel ice cream. It completely overshadowed a dry, cardamom-flavored, honey-glazed cake tried on a previous visit. With its attentive service, impressive wine commitment, reasonable prices and all-around environment of good feelings, Opaline should be around for a long time. With or without anything translucent or milky. OPALINE Food: Three and one half stars. Wine: Three stars. Service: Three and one half stars. Where: 7450 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. Hours: Open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays, for dinner from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. nightly except Sunday. Recommended items: Oysters, soup du jour, sweetbread sweetbread. The thymus gland (known as throat sweetbread) and the pancreas (stomach sweetbread), especially of the calf and lamb (although beef sweetbreads are sometimes eaten), are considered delicacies and are rich in mineral elements and vitamins. and wild mushroom ragout, rabbit confit and serrano ham crepe, roasted line-caught cod, braised beef cheeks with orecciette pasta, braised pork shoulder with quince puree, hazelnut butter cake. How much: Starters from from $6 to $24, entrees from $18 to $23, desserts $7 each. Full bar service. All major credit cards. Wine list: Intriguing arrangement of wines by the glass ($6 to $12.50), half-liter ($16.25 to $30) and bottle ($18 to $275) are described by ``weight'' (light, medium, heavy), grape-growing region and grape name with an emphasis on Europeans. Many bottlings are unfamiliar, but owner-sommelier David Rosoff will happily advise patrons on possible food matchups. Corkage: $12. Reservations: Needed. Call (323) 857-6725 or online at www.opentable.com. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Hazelnut butter cake with caramel ice cream is among the dessert offerings at the new Opaline. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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