VINES WON'T LEAVE YOUR TASTE BUDS DANGLING.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

Although they have to pass through a hotel lobby entryway to visit the new Vines restaurant, Valencia diners obviously are welcoming their community's first genuinely upscale restaurant.

Located in the new Hyatt Valencia hotel, Vines doesn't escape entirely from having that hotel restaurant ``look.'' But it's certainly spaciously laid out, comfortable in seating, achieving an easy, not overly demanding environment to enjoy a leisurely, quality meal accompanied by an excellent bottle of wine.

The differences in the Vines kitchen from its most serious area competition are its advanced culinary style and plates fashioned in the most appealing modern manner.

And there's also the trendy factor of a strong Asian influence present in its fare in addition to the expected French and Italian accents.

Diners will find that the Vines kitchen uses Asian egg noodles, spicy wasabi to flavor potatoes, pea sprouts, Chinese long beans, baby bok choy, pickled ginger, and both hoisin and Thai chile sauces.

On the appetizer list, its Asian-style potstickers (five for $6) are feathery light and nicely presented with a fiery red-chile dipping sauce.

Yet the direction changes to south of the border with its smoked salmon appetizer ($8). This handsome-looking plate sports salmon flavored with tequila and served on a potato pancake with a horseradish-tinged butter sauce.

And there's regional and international fusion.

Crab cake fanciers will discover that the one here ($8) offers a generous amount of tender Maryland backfin crab meat, indistinguishable filler if any, and a moist bed of seasoned avocado under the cake.

And that's not all. Giving it a shot of color as well as taste enhancement is a series of daubs of a garlicky red bell pepper sauce.

Soups - always a good indication of a kitchen's worth - are well above average here. Usually there's a full-flavored roasted tomato rendition ($4) with creme fraiche and garlic croutons, and at least one daily offering.

One time recently, the chicken, rice and vegetables du jour soup ($4) imparted welcome savory satisfaction.

However, the tomato soup signaled one obvious weakness at this restaurant, that of sending out dishes ranging from tepid to cool that are supposed to be served hot.

A steak order one night, an otherwise well-executed filet mignon ($22) with the chef's favored rosemary-merlot sauce, had to be returned because the meat was cold.

Another dish, barbecued pork tenderloin ($18), moist and superbly complemented by zingy wasabi mashed potatoes and piquant, sweet hoisin sauce, was just barely warm enough when served.

Yet Hokkaido scallops ($16) quickly seared and delivered hot enough with such interesting accompaniments as a meaty bordelaise and onion mixture, mushroom risotto and fried spinach, provides a gratifying entree of acceptable temperature.

And both the roasted Sonoma chicken ($11 at lunch, $17 at dinner) with the same rosemary-merlot sauce as Vines' steaks and a peppery rock shrimp pasta ($15) dish with a touch of Cajun seasoning received thumbs up for both taste and warmth.

Now, when the actual correct temperature of all hot dishes can be reached and maintained as easily, Vines' food could be very nearlyfaultless.

THE FACTS

The restaurant: Vines.

Where: Hyatt Valencia Hotel, 24500 Town Center Drive, Valencia.

When: Open for breakfast from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. weekdays, from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday; for Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; for lunch from noon to 3 p.m. daily; and for dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, to 11 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Recommended items: Soups, crab cake, smoked salmon, potstickers, ahi tuna roll, roasted chicken, seared halibut, seared scallops with bordelaise and onion marmalade, spicy rock shrimp pasta, spicy duck breast, pork tenderloin with hoisin sauce, pot au creme.

How much: Starters from $4 to $8, entrees from $11 to $28, desserts $5 each. Full bar. All major credit cards.

Wine list: Gotta give credit where it's due. In whites, this list has old varietal faves like Johannisberg riesling and chenin blanc with such restaurant cellar rarities as marsanne, roussanne, pinot blanc and viognier. On the red side, you'll find Californian nebbiolo, sangiovese, syrah, petite syrah and grenache. Nothing under $20, though, except half-bottles, one chardonnay and one white zinfandel, each $19. And the listings lack vintage dates. Corkage: $10.

Reservations: Suggested. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three stars for food; Three stars for service; Two and one half stars for wine.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Upscale fare is displayed by Vines manager Walter Brindell, left, and executive chef Manfred Iassahn.

David Crane/Daily News