The Lido Island near Venice is one of the most famously picturesque places in the world, a seven-mile stretch of villas and sparkling beaches. The name has become such a symbol of luxury that restaurants and nightclubs around the world have adopted it, hoping to capture a hint of the glamour. Parisians eat escargot and see expensive shows with minimally costumed starlets at their Lido, residents of Springfield, Massachusetts nibble Clams Casino at theirs, and locals in Riga dine on Latvian and international food in an atmosphere which I can only imagine is very much unlike Venice.

Among the more detached bits of Italy is Venice, which has been an independent country or a subject state of Austria for most of its history. This is reflected in its cuisine, which is more subtle than the dishes of the south and has more seafood and rice dishes than the west. Venetian food is relatively little known in America, but Hermosa’s La Sosta is doing their best to change that.

Before I even discuss the food, though, there’s the matter of the décor – you will love it or hate it. The restaurant calls itself a “Bohemian bistro,’ which in this case involves an almost surreal use of bright colors, leopard print furniture, glass ornaments, and odd art. Most people find it delightful and creative, a few find it garish, but everyone has an opinion. I’m in the camp that enjoys it; it’s playful and is s sign that nothing here is to be taken too seriously. The menu carries that over nicely – real country French items are interspersed with Gallic interpretations of other cuisines. I’ve tried the traditional and the wild side on several visits, with mixed but generally positive results.

The biggest gamble on the local dining scene is Kincaid’s, the large and lavishly decorated restaurant which is envisioned as the anchor tenant for the Redondo Pier. Cynics speculated that the place would be mobbed in summer and deserted in winter, a new tourist trap that everybody in the South Bay would go to – once. Optimists claimed that so much money wouldn’t be spent unless there was a winning concept behind it. Realists gave odds that the place would be good, but not great – another corporate place with a good view but not much character.

Teriyaki and tempura aren’t entirely absent at Redondo Beach’s Japonica, but they definitely aren’t the focus. Japonica is one of the new Tokyo-style restaurants that reinterprets Japanese regional cooking, and it is one of the most interesting of its kind in Los Angeles.

HT Grill moved from venerable but cramped digs across the street and gave the place a startling renovation. Gone are the white walls that covered the old brickwork, the plastered ceilings and divided rooms, in favor of expanses of stonework and open beams. The once quiet room is buzzing with life, and the bar hops even on weeknights. It’s a whole new scene, albeit one with a pedigree; the menu not only has items that were popular in the old HT Grill location across the street, but favorites resurrected from the cookbooks of the Velvet Turtle.

Though there are many Chinese restaurants specializing in vegetarian cuisine in the greater Los Angeles area, most are in the large Chinese communities in Monterey Park and Alhambra. One of the rare exceptions is here in the South Bay, a quiet and upscale restaurant called House Of Vege.

These days more Cubans dream of moving here than vice versa, but Americans continue to enjoy that Caribbean cuisine at places like the famous Versailles chain and El Segundo newcomer the Havana Sandwich Company. Except for a few reproductions of travel posters from the 1920′s the Havana Sandwich Company is short on atmosphere. But the food is generally very good and the prices modest

Gambrinus opened with a very limited menu and service that was amiable but frequently uncomprehending. The restaurant changed hands about six months ago, and both the selection and the service have changed for the better. The Galickis family all speak fluent English and seem to enjoy explaining Baltic dishes to customers whose knowledge of this cuisine is small to nonexistent, and their preparations of traditional recipes are the best I’ve found in Los Angeles.

Last year Frascati moved to smaller premises in Rolling Hills Estates, an inconspicuous location in the Avenues shopping center. The new place seats about 70 people, less than half the size of the previous restaurant, but it’s a better fit. The feel is authentically Italian, the service assured, and while a few changes could be made in the food, overall we were satisfied.