RESTAURANT REVIEW : Sisley a Shopper’s Haven--if You Like Cheesecake

If future archeologists (or present deconstructivists) were to study the menu of the new Sisley Italian Kitchen, they would probably deduce that this post-modern culture of ours was predominantly Italian, influenced by Louisiana and New York and showing trace evidence of Mexican and Thai influences.

Located in the profoundly post-modern Westside Pavilion, Sisley itself would be one of many similar sites, such as Noodles in Glendale, La Vecchia in Santa Monica and all the California Pizza Kitchens. A discerning mind, however, might identify some distinguishing characteristics.

Perhaps it’s Sisley’s location in a shopping mall that makes its designer good looks not in the least pretentious. After all, how hip and cool and elite can a restaurant be when most of its customers struggle in with armloads of Nordstrom’s and May Co. bags and wear that dazed, exhausted look that only three hours in a mega-mall (or spending $200 on a pair of shoes) can produce? In fact, with its warm beige walls and deeply colored paintings of Los Angeles, its many gleaming surfaces and cheerful staff, Sisley could be defined as a modern-day haven. You can take a load off your feet, be greeted by good-looking young people, drink a decent cappuccino, eat goat cheese.

As with most of its sister post-modern Italian Kitchens, Sisley has an energetic, young, efficient staff. We arrived one Saturday night without reservations. “Doncha worry,” the host consoled in pure Hobokenese, “we’ll getcha down, no problem.”

We were gotten down in a tiny wall table, inches from another tiny table, which was soon overwhelmingly inhabited by a couple and their motorcycle helmets. As it seems to happen more and more these days, we found ourselves once again in a restaurant where the music and noise level was so loud, we had to yell to converse. Intermittently, we hollered at each other, but mostly, we relaxed, looked at the young, casual clientele, and nibbled on some hot but doughy herb bread.

The food is reasonably priced and reasonably unremarkable. The bufala mozzarella, served on a lettuce leaf, was fresh and good. A blackened calamari appetizer was only faintly peppery and its alleged spicy Cajun sauce tasted like cocktail sauce with Tobasco.

The broiled half chicken turned out to be four nicely cooked pieces of a small chicken in a winey sauce around a huge mound of more steamed broccoli. The chicken penne, which also had basil, spinach and tomatoes, was light and clean-tasting, whereas the angel hair pasta was glopped up with a heavy tomato sauce.

Nothing flopped miserably, but nothing, or almost nothing, truly sang. By the end of dinner, we’d had enough to eat. We weren’t sure we even wanted after-dinner coffee. Then, as good waiters often do, our waiter sold us dessert: cheesecake. But not just any cheesecake, he promised. Cheesecake flown in two or three times a week from S&S; Cheesecake in NYC. Out of duty, we thought we’d try a bite or two. I ate an entire piece, which no doubt doubled my day’s whole caloric intake. Of my visits there, I enjoyed Sisley the most one Sunday afternoon. In broad daylight, the restaurant shed some of its designer severity; it looked and felt like a very nicely appointed coffee shop. There weren’t too many customers, just a few weary people sprawled comfortably about. We sat in a bright, roomy window booth. The service, as usual, was likable and prompt. The food, as usual, was for the most part satisfactory.

Remembering the New York cheesecake, I took a chance on the Brooklyn pizza, a juicy, tomatoey pie with peppers and onions, sausage and pepperoni--pretty darn good, too. Four dollars worth of mixed grilled vegetables turned out to be one small slice each of onion, tomato, and eggplant, plus a few mushrooms and rather more steamed broccoli flowerets. A “mixed greens” salad only contained one green--romaine lettuce--hearts of palm, radicchio and pine nuts. It was certainly better than the Sisley Caesar, a salad so dry its croutons blew about in the wake of a passing waiter.

The next time I’m at the Westside Pavilion, loaded down with packages and full of buyer’s remorse from spending a week’s salary on a bathrobe, I know the procedure. Window booth at Sisley. Big bottle of Pellegrino. Cheesecake.

Sisley Italian Kitchen, 10800 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; (213) 446-3030. Parking in mall lot. Open Sunday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Full bar. American Express, MasterCard, Visa accepted. Valet parking at night. Dinner for two, food only: $23-$40.