TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Elizabeth Snead and Jenny Peters

COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF: While most gala L.A. events are all about the big names that grace the party, Thursday night's opening of Astra West at the Pacific Design Center was all about something else. We mean food, glorious food. Yes, the stars did turn out to get an up-close look at celebrity chef and author Charlie Palmer's newest venture, stars like recent Emmy nominee Janel Moloney of ``The West Wing,'' looking stick skinny in a slim black dress with a lace-up bodice. Her co-stars Dule Hill and Bradley Whitford (both Emmy nominees themselves) turned up later, as did Rachel Hunter and Scott Wolf.

Rosanna Arquette, who looked very blond and casual in jeans and a loose tunic top, took on the role of DJ and spun records all night. We spotted dazzling Jeri Ryan in the crowd, too, and heard that Tori Spelling was asking for special oyster dishes from the kitchen. That rumored request was a bit mystifying, as Palmer pulled out all the stops to let Los Angeles know that he has arrived.

Best known for Aureole and Metrazur, his hot and hip New York restaurants, and for his steakhouse at the Four Seasons Las Vegas, Palmer is doing something a bit different with Astra West.

A cafe by day, the vast space on the third floor of the Design Center transforms into a Palmer-catered party space at night, sporting a huge patio, a dance floor and several gorgeously lit bars.

And then there is the kitchen. A large, glassed-in space, the chefs are on view while at work, and if the food served on this night is any indicator, they will have plenty of work in the coming months.

Focusing on seafood, Palmer and crew wowed the crowd with delicate appetizers (lobster perched on new potatoes, spicy shrimp skewers, salmon and caviar bites), a raw oyster bar (maybe Tori wanted hers cooked?) and perfectly seared ahi tuna and mahi mahi, winning over hundreds of the beautiful people that made Astra West the place to be.

FEAST FOR SENSES: Despite the fact that honorary co-chairs Ben Affleck, Vivica A. Fox and Charlize Theron were unable to make it to last weekend's Los Angeles Free Clinic Extravaganza for the Senses, the massive crowd that packed the Santa Monica Airport Museum of Flying didn't let it spoil their fun.

Feasting on delicacies from more than 30 different SoCal restaurants (including a steak sandwich from Arnie Morton's that beat the competition hands down), sampling vintages from more than 100 wineries and boogieing to hot KCRW-supplied beats kept the eclectic crowd occupied well into the night.

A huge silent auction raised funds for the L.A. Free Clinic, while celebs like Paula Abdul, Lori Petty, Lisa Vidal and ``Port Charles'' heartthrob Brian Gaskill enjoyed a special VIP area perched high above the excited bidders.

FAME'S TARGETS: Life has gotten better and worse for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco, who play mobster Tony Soprano and his wife, Carmela, on ``The Sopranos,'' HBO's award-winning series that returns for a fourth season on Sept. 15.

Both actors admit that the show's success has introduced them to the sharp double-edged sword of celebrity.

``I find that people are generally nice out there,'' says Gandolfini. ``The only part of celebrity that is bothersome to me is that you become fodder for publications that have no regard for anything but greed. But I find that people are almost always nice.''

Still, it's not easy being a Soprano. ``It does take more energy to do things,'' admits Gandolfini. ``Celebrity changes the way people treat you, and that can be a little disturbing. But after a certain point, it won't be there. Right now it's very intense, but it will not be that way forever. Some of it is shocking in terms of what you can get away with.''

His co-star agrees. ``There are so many good things about the attention we, I, have gotten from the show that the price of celebrity is small compared to the good stuff, which is a lot,'' Falco says. ``For instance, I have opportunities I never would have had years ago.''

It's taken a few seasons for her to adjust. ``It takes some getting used to being recognized,'' Falco says. ``Sometimes my friends and family are treated very rudely when they are around me and people want to get to me.'' Gandolfini adds: ``The worst thing you can do is to try to separate yourself. Then you're sunk. If you don't go out there and get the coffee, then what's the point of anything?''

``Then the terrorists have won,'' Falco says, only half-joking.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1) SPELLING: Not her oysters.

Gregg DeGuire/Wireimage.com

(2) PALMER: Out of this world.

(3) MALONEY: Eat and be merry.

Donato Sardella/Wireimage.com

(4 -- 5) GANDOLFINI and FALCO: No longer undercover.