SMALL BITES VALLEY FESTIVAL COUNTDOWN BEGINS.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

The San Fernando Valley Wine & Food Festival is scheduled as a one-day event on May 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., sponsored by wine retailer Napa in the Valley, 8878 Corbin Ave., Northridge.

It will be a tented affair on the Napa in the Valley site, according to owners Nelson and Elva Tucker, with the net proceeds going to local charities.

Co-sponsor is the Kiwanis Club of Northridge. Most of the tickets are being sold by more than 50 local nonprofit organizations, say the Tuckers.

Area restaurants will be cooking up samples, and 100 wineries have committed their participation.

Arts and crafts vendors, cooking demonstrations and a gourmet food court will highlight the event.

A silent auction of more than 50 wine-related items will benefit the charities. The Tuckers promise contests with prizes and wine-associated services during the day.

There will also be a wine competition, with expert judges and attendees getting a chance to vote on which wines they consider the best of those presented.

A bocce ball tournament with no charge to enter will be held on the lawn between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Admission ($25 in advance, $35 at gate) is confined to adults (21 and older) and will include unlimited food and wine sampling.

Tickets: [phone].

TOPS OF THE TAPAS: Alexandria, touted as ``the first Mediterranean tapas concept in Los Angeles,'' has opened at 16101 Ventura Blvd., Encino, in a former Chin Chin location.

Chef-owner Beni Velazquez cooks hot and cold tapas and mezzes ($6 to $8) representing the countries of Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy and the South of France.

He also serves full entrees ($18 to $26) of paella (vegetable or classic seafood), lamb shank, roasted chicken breast, a duck and lentil stew, and a grilled, aged rib eye steak.

Information and reservations: [phone]

BEVERLY GAUCHOS: Beverly Hills now has a posh, dramatically conceived churrascaria.

Fogo de Chao, 133 N. La Cienega Blvd., brings Brazilian-style, roving gaucho servers to tableside, where they slice one of 15 different meats from long swordlike skewers (espetos).

It's a set-price deal at $48.50 per person for dinner that includes as much meat as you want as well as a 30-item salad buffet.

Platters of rice and beans, fried bananas, mashed potatoes and cheese puffs are also provided at no extra cost.

Lunch service ($32.50 per person) will begin Tuesday.

Fogo de Chao has four locations in Brazil and one each in Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Chicago in addition to this newest one.

Information and reservations: [phone].

NIBBLES & SIPS: Today being tax day, Wine Bistro, 11915 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, will be serving its annual tax-exempt dinner menu of three-course, prix-fixe, $25 meals. Information and reservations: [phone]. ... Tickets are $50 (unlimited sampling) for the Taste of Huntington Beach from noon to 4 p.m. April 24 at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, 21500 Pacific Coast Highway. Information: [phone] or [phone]. ... Lunch (Tuesday through Friday) and Sunday brunch service is now available at the new Naya Restaurant Moderne, 49 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. ... Weekday happy hours (3 to 6 p.m.) at Maggiano's Little Italy, 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills, means six $1.95 appetizers, six $4.95 martinis, six $2.95 premium mixed drinks, beers at $1.50, $1.95 and $2.50 and half a dozen wines by the glass at $3.95. Information: [phone]. ... Early honors: co-owner Christopher Eme of the new Ortolan, 6338 Third St., Los Angeles, previously the chef at L'Orangerie, has been named one of the 10 best new chefs of 2005 by Food & Wine magazine (to be featured in the July issue).