LA Restaurants

While cooking in some of the finest (and most expensive) restaurants in L.A., chef Alejo had an idea. Why not open a small, intimate eatery that serves the same gourmet food at lower prices? Alejo's now has two restaurants serving delectable, homemade Italian specialties like pasta primavera ($6.95), linguine pescatore (shrimp, squid and clams, $9.95) and chopped salad ($4.95). Try the authentic paella ($10.95) on Friday and Saturday nights, and don't forget Alejo's famous classic, spaghetti and meatballs ($6.95). Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner seven nights. Beer and wine (Westchester); takeout. AE, DIS, MC, V.

While cooking in some of the finest (and most expensive) restaurants in L.A., chef Alejo had an idea. Why not open a small, intimate eatery that serves the same gourmet food at lower prices? Alejo's now has two restaurants serving delectable, homemade Italian specialties like pasta primavera ($6.95), linguine pescatore (shrimp, squid and clams, $9.95) and chopped salad ($4.95). Try the authentic paella ($10.95) on Friday and Saturday nights, and don't forget Alejo's famous classic, spaghetti and meatballs ($6.95). Lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner seven nights. Beer and wine (Westchester); takeout. AE, DIS, MC, V.

A groovy, minimalistic restaurant whose simple dishes and flavorful Italian delights attract everyone from families to 30-something industry types. Intimate and hip, the rustic 12-year-old café has a grated wood ceiling, a rusty metal bar and granite tables, all suffused with glowing candlelight. The Tuscan fish soup with assorted seafood in a savory broth is a fave ($15.75). A more-than-palatable entrée, the tagliata features grilled beef tenderloin topped with herbs on a bed of arugula ($15). Lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner seven nights. Beer and wine; takeout; delivery; catering; valet parking. AE, DC, DIS, MC, V.

Jay Leno and Sharon Stone are only two of the celebrities who frequent Hugo's, a hip and friendly hangout catering to those with "healthy" and "Italian" on the brain. Famous for its pasta dishes, the restaurant serves a good Pasta Mama--pasta scrambled with eggs, garlic and Parmesan cheese ($7.50). The only place you can get pumpkin pancakes ($6.50), Hugo's will also juice any fruit or vegetable it has in the open kitchen ($3.25-$5). Diners can take home free, quality prints of charcoal artwork! Breakfast and lunch seven days, dinner Tues.-Sun. Beer and wine; takeout; delivery; catering; parking; reservations suggested. AE, DC, MC, V.

This streamlined sandwich bar serves traditional Italian-style panini sandwiches--cooked on a cast-iron panini grill that seals all the savory flavors inside a bread "envelope"--and updates them with healthy California ingredients. Favorites include the foccacia sandwich with smoked mozzarella ($6.95) and the grilled chicken with fontina cheese, roasted red peppers and pesto ($6.95). Try the scrumptious chocolate panini ("It's like a chocolate sandwich!") for dessert. Enjoy your sandwich inside, or out on the garden patio. Lunch seven days. No alcohol; takeout. AE, DIS, MC, V.

Serving up a new mix of eclectic Italian food, Fix has been tempting tastebuds since its opening last fall. Come in and enjoy owner Fabio Conti's cozy cuisine and revel in entrées like the mouth-watering shrimp bruschetta--grilled black-olive bread topped with marinated rock shrimps, tomatoes, cucumbers and a spread of goat cheese ($10). Tasty turkey loins are sautéed with shiitake mushrooms, roasted pinenuts, white wine and soy sauce, and served with mashed potatoes ($12). Mostly everything can be ordered in half or full portions. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. Full Bar; takeout; delivery; catering. AE, CB, DC, MC, V.