TURNING THAI INTO THE TIMELY CAFE ITALIANO

Migration patterns have resulted in the creation of hybrid cuisines. These melting-pot restaurants--from the Home of the Kosher Burrito to Chinois--are abundant in Los Angeles. Of course, behind these stoves, there are a thousand stories in the hungry city and Sumol Chomyong has one to tell.

A lovely young woman called Sue by her friends, she learned that the landlord wanted an Italian restaurant to open in the small place she had hoped to lease to serve her native Thai food. Undaunted, or perhaps challenged, the adventurous Chomyong had a friend teach her la cucina italiana. The result, Al Fresco, Cafe Italiano, serves Italian, not Thailiano cuisine. There’s not a rice noodle to be found.

In spite of the name, all of the dining is indoors. And indoors means in a very little space. There are perhaps 20 black metal chairs set around 10 tightly spaced tables made of tin. The simple surroundings have been planned with verve. Artist Stanford Staples was commissioned to paint a fresco on the walls and he’s created an imaginative “ruin” with tones of blue and rose, faded and peeling surfaces, faux marbre set above and a man with an arm outstretched a la Michelangelo. I’m pleased to say that all of the food I tried on three occasions was made with equally tender care.

Nothing on the menu comes as a surprise, only the consistently delicate rendition of some old standbys. The baked mushroom caps filled with cheese, herbs and bread were splendidly full-bodied and served piping hot. The soups of the day always seemed to be made from scratch. On one occasion, a pea soup was fragrant and particularly light. The word fresco does mean “fresh” and all of the salads with fresh mixed greens and a combination of meats and cheese lived right up to their name. Portions are generous and prices are very low. A seafood salad with medium-sized, springly herbed cool shrimp was $4.25 while the saffron-colored cold shredded chicken was $3.95.

Pastas and pizzas are made to order and come laden with fine quality cheese and home-on-the-range sauce. Individual pizzas, which make quite a hefty lunch, start at $2.95. They tend to have thick and chewy crusts. Full dinners may be had in the $5 range. Al Fresco even serves its own homemade garlic-crusted bread. A calzone was sweet and shaped like a baby football. A special “pizza pie” with spinach, which looked like a giant piece of quiche, was the only thing I tasted that was tough.

There are three tasty desserts and a certified espresso machine. The creme caramel is very rich, the chocolate mousse thick, sweet and very large, and the New York-style cheesecake is dry, crumbly and just fine. The restaurant has already been discovered. The small place gets crowded in the wink of an eye with artists from Otis/Parsons, office workers and other fans. East has well met West on Occidental Avenue.

Al Fresco, Cafe Italiano, 524 S. Occidental Blvd. at 6th Street. (213) 382-8003. Open six days, closed Sundays, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Cash only. No liquor. Parking in lot. Dinner for two: (food only) $12.00-$24.00. Reservations (at dinner) recommended.