Asia de Cuba – 8440 Sunset Blvd. (Mondrian); 323-650-8999. With a Philippe Starck-designed restaurant run by China Grill Management in an Ian Schrager hotel, you just can't go wrong. Feel free to share the generous portions of oxtail spring rolls, tunapica, and hacked lime and garlic chicken; that's the idea. But go ahead and hoard the specialty house drinks like the mojito and caipirinha cachaca. $$$$

Cava Restaurant and Tapas Bar – 8384 W. 3rd St.; 323-658-8898. Sip a sangria with a side order of live salsa, flamenco, or jazz music in the upstairs supper club of this Spanish/Latin American restaurant. Open daily 7 a.m.-midnight. $

Citrus – 6703 Melrose Ave.; 323-857-0034. Scrumptious Franco-California fare like the crispy crab cake with tomato-mustard seed sauce and onion-crusted whitefish with pissaladiere sauce are sure to delight. Desserts are fittingly varied and decadent. Open weekdays for lunch and nightly for dinner. $$$$

Cyrano – 8840 Beverly Blvd; 310-271-4193. California-French seafood with an Oriental twist makes this warm, vibrant spot a must-stop for L.A. visitors.Enjoy a romantic view of the Hollywood Hills while choosing from an extensive wine list. Open 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tues.-Fri. and 5:30-11 p.m. Tues-Sat. $$$

Dar Maghreb – 7651 Sunset Blvd.; 323-876-7651. Save yourself a trip to the actual country and enjoy the authentic ambience of this Moroccan restaurant complete with belly dancers and seat cushions. Dinner served nightly. $$

Georgia – 7250 Melrose Ave.; 323-933-8420. This is fine southern living from the bourbon to the banana pudding cream pie. Staples include crispy fried catfish, smothered pork chops, and house-smoked baby back ribs. Dinner served nightly. $$$

House of Blues – 8430 Sunset Blvd.; 323-848-5100. Brush up on your N'awlins accent and come on down for some voodoo shrimp with Dixie beer and rosemary cornbread or any other ragin' Cajun dish from the bayou. After dinner, check out a bluesy band. Open daily 11:30-1:30 a.m. $

Indochine – 8255 Beverly Blvd.; 323-655-4777. Stars and stargazers alike love the French-Vietnamese cuisine that's good and good for you, like salad of salmon sashimi with cucumber, mint, and a mustard vinaigrette, or grilled whole prawns with crushed ginger, scallions, and angel hair rice noodles. And since you were "good," you owe it to yourself to try the roasted banana wrapped in sweet rice with coconut milk sauce. Dinner served nightly. $$$

The Ivy – 113 N. Robertson Blvd.; 310-274-8303. American-inspired fare in a cozy European setting keeps the city's notables coming back for seconds. Ask for the specials and most definitely ask for the chocolate cake that got it all started. Open daily for lunch and dinner. $$$$

Kass Bah – 9017 Melrose Ave.; 310-274-7664. Whether kicking back in the private Moroccan-themed lounge or savoring the contemporary cuisine with European touches in the cozy booths, you'll feel welcome in this "casbah." Lunch served weekdays and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$

L'Angolo – 6602 Melrose Ave.; 323-935-4922. Chef Enrico Glaudo plays with traditional Italian fare but doesn't make you pay extra for it. Sample the linguine with fresh Manila clams or pumpkin ravioli in a white truffle butter sauce and toasted almonds. Keep the almond motif going with panna cotta in a strawberry sauce and almond cookie. Lunch Thu. and Fri. and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

L'Arancino – 8908 Beverly Blvd.; 310-858-5777. Celestino Drago does it again with his Sicilian-influenced recipes and on-site bakery where foccacia, olive bread, and pane Sicilano are made for your gastronomic (and take-home) delight. Sample the swordfish carpaccio with fennel and blood oranges or bucatini with fresh sardines, wild fennel, raisins, and peanuts. Eschew tiramisu for almond pudding. Open daily for dinner; lunch weekdays. $$$

Lawry's The Prime Rib – 100 N. La Cienega Blvd.; 310-652-2827. To think it all started with one entrée. You guessed it: prime rib of beef. As the name indicates, the historic restaurant still focuses on that specialty but has since branched out to fish and lobster, too. Reservations recommended. Open for dinner Mon.-Thu. 5-10 p.m., Fri. until 11 p.m., Sat. 4:30-11 p.m., and Sun. 4-10 p.m. $$

Lucques – 8474 Melrose Ave.; 323-655-6277. Reservations are strongly recommended if not required at this fashionable French eatery where nearly 80 percent of the dishes eco-friendly chef Suzanne Goin prepares contain organic ingredients. Lest you think that means the food is not rich, try the asparagus with a fried egg and shaved parmesan or braised beef shortrib with mashed potato, leaving room, of course, for the ricotta cheesecake. Open Tues.-Sat. 6 p.m.-1:30 a.m. and Sun. 6 p.m.-midnight. $$$

Mimosa – 8009 Beverly Blvd.; 323-655-8895. "No truffles, no caviar, no bizarre concoctions" is the refreshingly casual mantra of this French bistro with Italian influences. Premier entrées include duck confit cassoulet and porcini mushroom risotto, while desserts range from fresh fruit "minestrone" to cappucino crème brulée. Lunch and dinner served Mon.-Sat. $$$

Morton's – 8764 Melrose Ave.; 310-276-5205. It's no surprise Harvey Weinstein enjoyed showing off his statue at the post-Oscar party held here, especially since Morton's is already a celeb mecca on Monday nights. Classy and classic, this place reminds you why you love steak. Patina – 5955 Melrose Ave.; 323-467-1108. Joachim Splichal's award-winning restaurant boasts three dining rooms and the largest after-dinner drink list in the city, but that's not all. The fall game menu features partridge, wild pigeon, grouse, woodcock, and pheasant flown in fresh weekly from Scotland, which you'll naturally want to follow with tea or estate coffee. Lunch Tues. only; dinner nightly. $$$$

Pinot Hollywood – 1448 N. Gower St.; 323-461-8800. Joachim Splichal does it again with this cross between a serious restaurant and a casual hang-out. Chef Govind Armstrong brings years of experience and a wood-grill touch to his Franco-California menu of seafood, chicken, and lamb dishes. Superb lunch is served Mon.-Fri and dinner Mon.-Sat. The intimate martini bar complete with sofas and fireplace is open till 1:30 a.m. $$$

The Palm Restaurant – 9001 Santa Monica Blvd.; 310-550-8811. Continental cuisine includes prime aged beef, gigantic Nova Scotia lobsters, fresh fish, and pastas. Private dining room available with à la carte items, cocktail party buffets, or planned lunch and dinner menus. Open weekdays noon-10:30 p.m.; Sat 5-10:30 p.m., and Sun. 5-9:30 p.m. $$$

The Stinking Rose – 55 N. La Cienega; 310-N-LA-ROSE. The owners of this garlic-themed restaurant aren't shy about the name or the smells. They even decorated six rooms with garlicky names like Dracula's Grotto and Garlywood. Check out the aromatic happy hour at the Stinking Lounge, follow with 40-clove garlic chicken and garlic mashed potatoes for dinner, and finish with garlic vanilla ice cream and a smoke at the self-contained Tobacco Road. California/Italian cuisine. Open daily from 11 a.m. $

Tahiti – 7910 W. 3rd St.; 323-651-1213. Expect scrumptious island fare from Tony Di Lembo at this Polynesian paradise designed by Damon Medlen of Terminator fame but also expect the unexpected – like prime angus T-bone steak and summer peach pie with Jack Daniel's butter pecan ice cream. A visit to the Tiki Lounge won't disappoint with its formidable tiki-god fireplace and lots of umbrella drinks. Lunch weekdays and dinner nightly. $$

NEXT PAGE