NONA PROVIDES BIG TASTE IN SMALL PLATES.

Byline: LARRY LIPSON

>RESTAURANT CRITIC

It takes a while for the latest in restaurant trends to reach and take hold in the deeper suburbs. As is the case with tapas -- the current culinary fancy in which full-size entrees are replaced by medium-to-small- size plates.

The tapas trend erupted in L.A. at A.O.C. on West Third Street and crept toward the Valley by way of Minibar on Cahuenga Boulevard West near Universal City.

Then it surfaced briefly at Ole in Sherman Oaks, since closed, and has seemingly done well at Next Door, adjacent to La Loggia in Studio City.

Now comes Nona in Tarzana.

Nona, which fronts Ventura Boulevard in the Corbin Center, a space previously occupied by the Chinese Shen Wah, plays it safe by opening at 9 a.m. and serving breakfast dishes to 2 p.m., offering hefty sandwiches, a dozen interesting salads, and several regular-size entree plates as specials in the evening. These, of course, in addition to a menu page of 25 tapas plates ($4 to $8).

The secret to tapas success, apparently, is having a kitchen that can make these small plates tasty, attractive and shareable, along with a well- trained staff that knows everything about every one of them.

Some things still have to be worked out at Nona.

Like what the difference is between a plate labeled a "lamb and mint kebab" and one called "domestic lamb."

Both priced at $7, the latter was described by our waitress as being "ground lamb" but came forth looking surprisingly like skewered lamb with mint leaves.

It was, nevertheless, a fine dish.

Ditto for the lamb chops ($8), two of them, juicy and flavorful, plated with green fava beans, Moroccan-style sausage and oven-roasted tomato.

Incidentally, diners receive a complimentary serving of an excellent tapenade (black olive spread) with crunchy bread, sometimes with both a tomato-based salsa dip and little cubes of goat cheese in olive oil.

Other meaty tidbits worthy trying are the flatiron steak ($7) served with braised Beluga lentils, green peas and sweet onions; also well-stuffed, braised short rib ravioli ($7) with bleu cheese and grilled radicchio.

For cheese fanciers there's a nifty marinated manchego plate ($6) with roasted garlic, olives and Granny Smith apple, and a respectable burrata (cream-infused mozzarella) and tomato dish ($5).

Daily soups ($8) are nicely crafted here, but salads vary. Nona uses only the golden ones in an excellent beet salad ($12) with pomegranate flavoring, enhanced with watercress, almonds and shaved manchego cheese.

However, a chopped salad ($11) requested finely chopped turned up one day with mostly diced and cubed ingredients, not finely chopped at all.

To finish, go for the souffle-like version of house-baked, warm chocolate cake ($7) and as you lick your lips of any residual melted chocolate you'll probably leave Nona with the feeling that this tapas thing may hang around for some time.

At its best: Nona obviously has talent in its kitchen. Dishes come forth beautifully arranged and made with superior ingredients.

Could be better: The initial wait time and the ensuing time between courses occasionally seem overlong. The wine list is way too small, with only five wines by the glass. Tapas and wine go together. Nona should remember that tapas has a Spanish heritage and it would be nice to see some representation of Spanish wines. Also, due to the tapas surge, sangria made with wine is regaining its popularity and would add to beverage options here.

NONA - Three stars

>Details: 19598 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks from 9 a.m. to midnight daily. [phone]. www.nonacafe.net

>Cost: Breakfast plates from $8 to $12, salads and sandwiches from $8 to $12, tapas from $4 to $8, desserts: $6 and $7.

>Noteworthy: Nona's tapas servings tend to be midsize rather than mini as in some places. Consequently, you don't seem to need as many plates to satisfy average hunger needs.

>Recommended items: Soup, beet salad, marinated manchego cheese, flatiron steak, lamb chops, lamb and mint kebab, short rib ravioli, warm chocolate cake. Beer and wine.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Owner Itamar Levy, left, and general manager Rodrigo Streliaev in the dining room at Nona Cafe in Tarzana.

TOM MENDOZA>LA.COM