City Cuisine

The authors, young stars of the California cuisine scene, are co-chefs/owners of two Los Angeles restaurants, Border Grill and City Restaurant. Midwestern-bred, classically trained, with a preference for vigorous, spicy flavors, their cuisine is pure, precise and elegant. Beef brisket, mashed potatoes and sweet-and-sour red cabbage are as perfectly prepared as cold salmon mousse with watercress mayonnaise or lamb's tongue with thyme vinaigrette. Typically complex flavors are found in ``spicy city chicken''--hot with jalapeno, cool with cilantro, sweet, sour and creamy. Sandwich suggestions are as ample and elaborate as full meals. But simple side dishes and salads are among the most interesting creations offered (red chard and hazelnut salad; as snack food, deep-fried julienned spinach). Desserts include rich challenges--gateau St. Honore and mocha almond torte--and the playful updated Hostess chocolate cupcakes and oatmeal rum raisin cookies. Often time-consuming, complicated and expensive, recipes require experienced cooks and sophisticated eaters. Illustrations not seen by PW . BOMC HomeStyle alternate. (Mar.)