SMALL BITES ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

It's heavy-duty romance time again.

Better make reservations for your Valentine's Day dinner ASAP.

The big question, as always: Where?

Such perennial favorites as Valentino in Santa Monica, Brandywine in Woodland Hills, Yamashiro in Hollywood, Il Cielo in Beverly Hills and Windows downtown are joined by such relative newcomers as Hampton's in the new Westlake Village Four Seasons Hotel, Chapter 8 in Agoura Hills and Vibrato in Bel-Air.

If it's sensuous, exotic fare that turns you on, chef Laurent Quenioux's little Bistro K, 1000 Freemont Ave., South Pasadena, [phone], offers venison tartare, foie gras, lobster pudding with black truffle and other goodies for $60 per person; chef Michael Cimarusti's smart Providence, 5855 Melrose Ave., [phone], includes scallops with truffled scallop juice, foie gras parfait and medallions of veal with Maine lobster in his $120 dinner; and chef Dakota Weiss pulls out all the stops at the Tower Bar in the Sunset Tower Hotel, 8358 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, [phone], with her four-course Belgian chocolate dinner (includes a chocolate martini) that matches white chocolate mousse with smoked salmon, a sweet onion bisque with cocoa nib cream, sea bass with dark chocolate or filet of beef with a cayenne-chocolate-red wine jus and a trio of different chocolates in a mousse cake for dessert. Tab is $85.

SIPS AND NIBBLES: Congrats to the Oyster House, 12446 Moorpark St., which recently celebrated a quarter-century in Studio City. Information: [phone]. ... Lots of ex- Gothamites around looking for that authentic New York-style pizza. Latest to claim it has a good one: the new Redballs Rock and Roll Pizza, 6551 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. Information: [phone]. ... It opened in 1938 and closed for remodeling a couple of years ago. Now the original Farmers Market Du-Par's, 6333 W. Third St., has reopened with a recharged 1930s decor and a revitalized menu featuring both old faves and new items. Information: [phone]. ... Lee Hefter, executive chef at Spago, 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, is among the showcase celebrity chefs at the Taste of Vail, April 11-15. Information: www.tasteofvail.com. ... Last two days (tonight and Saturday) to try some of visiting chef Alain Giraud's black truffle dishes (five courses, $175) at the posh Belvedere restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel, 9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Information and reservations: [phone].