RESTAURANT REVISIT: THE START OF SOMETHING ZIG.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Arnold ``Zig'' Zigman, who started out with a Reseda hamburger stand in the '60s, opened a full-service restaurant by the same name in Woodland Hills in the mid-'70s that has become a West San Fernando Valley eating and drinking landmark.

Originally promoted as a ``booze and burgers'' place, Zig's restaurant replaced Ulmer's Pepper Tree that gave up after four years. It started as a longtime popular Valley restaurant, Helene's Steak House, in business from 1943 to 1969.

``We're an old-fashioned meat and potatoes place,'' says Zigman, who runs Zig's with his wife, Mary.

Name: Zig's.

Address: 21300 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills.

Phone: [phone].

When we last reviewed: Aug. 8, 1991.

How long in business: The original Zig's, a hamburger stand at 6821 White Oak Ave., opened in Reseda in 1967. Owners Arnold ``Zig'' Zigman and wife Mary took over the former Ulmer's Pepper Tree in December 1973 after selling the Reseda Zig's.

They did some remodeling and redecorating and unveiled the second Zig's, a multiroomed, full-service restaurant and bar, in Woodland Hills on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1974.

Menu/cuisine changes: When the big Zig's first opened in Woodland Hills, it basically carried over its burger-and-sandwich menu that featured its signature Ton on a Bun and Bullet hamburgers. Steaks were added and gradually became popular. In 1978, Zigman, who likes to give catchy titles to his dishes and who still describes his fare as ``Creative Culinary Concoctions,'' put chicken on the menu. It was an instant hit. Later, prime rib joined the favored list, and eventually pastas began appearing on the menu in the late '80s and early '90s.

Decor/physical changes: After an initial refurbishing when taking over the facility in December 1973, the Zigmans continued to make physical interior improvements, gradually redoing each room, most noticeably by installing new booths, completing the project in 1978. From then until 1995, mostly minor cosmetic decor changes were made, the exception being the addition of decorative, sculpted carpeting to the walls, etched mirrors along with new carpeting on much of the floor space. In 1995, an exterior facelift commenced, featuring new awnings replacing removed mansards. Windows were added and the entrance was changed. A new front door was installed, but it still featured the familiar Z-shaped handle.

More recently, the front dining room has also undergone significant redesign.

Personnel changes: Although both a son and daughter of the Zigmans worked at the restaurant in the past, neither is involved today, leaving the operation in the hands of Zig and Mary. Zig's, like many restaurants, has trained people who eventually decided to leave for various reasons. But among the longtime employees, five are singled out as major contributors to Zig's continuing success. They are co-chefs Francisco Ariza, who was hired in 1979, and Victor Roman, who came there 10 years later; Peter Schuck, bartender since 1982; and bus-staffers Jesus Rubalcaba and Elias Garcia, both having worked at Zig's for 23 years.

Recommendable dishes: Burgers, prime rib, chicken and steaks.

Service quality: Reasonably attentive.

Pricing: Zig's actually started with a $1 burger at the original stand. When Zig's restaurant opened in 1974, today's $8.75 hamburger items were only $2.75. Currently, there are plenty of under-$10 options, but dinner entrees that include soup or salad range from $12.50 to $22. A la carte favorites like the patty melt ($8.75) and tuna melt ($7.95), both served with steak fries, are still menu fixtures.

Wine list/service: Zig's has never made a big deal about wine, as evidenced by a limited list without vintage dates of four Mondavi Woodbridge varietals at $3.95 or $4.95 a glass and $11.95 or $14.95 a bottle. It still carries ``house wines'' by Cribari called ``chablis,'' ``rose'' and ``burgundy'' - available at $2.95 a glass, $5.95 a half-liter and $9.50 a liter. And there's an untitled ``champagne'' by the glass ($2.75), split ($3.95) or bottle ($9). The good news for local wine collectors is that Zig's charges no corkage fee.

Policies worth mentioning: Weeknight dinner specials from 4:30 p.m. run price-wise from roast chicken on Tuesday at $7.95 to New York steak on Friday at $10.95. A five-item ($4.95 each) children's menu encourages family dining.

A sit-down Sunday champagne brunch menu has eight meals from $9 to $13 each.

And a hugely popular weekly happening at Zig's is the every-Wednesday appearance of the San Fernando Valley Banjo Band of 13 or 14 banjoists performing in the bar from 7 to 9 p.m. This is the same group that used to play regularly at Skoby's in Chatsworth (now closed).

Zig's accepts all major credit cards and has a full bar.

Miscellaneous comments: Zig's, pitted competitively against such chain restaurants as Black Angus and Outback, proves that there is a continuous demand for reasonably priced beef meals in a comfortable, independent, family-owned, well-run restaurant.

Our latest ratings: food: Two and one half stars; wine: half a star; service: two and one half stars.

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A popular dish at Zig's is the beef rib and chicken combo with onion rings.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News