Lunchtime daydreams

The dog days of August are, as I write, mere embryonic puppies. But with the summer promising temperatures roughly equivalent to those on Venus, this reviewer’s fancy has already turned to cool salads served on shaded patios where I can beat the heat or, at least, fight it. When I’m in that kind of mood, I think of Julienne in San Marino and Porta Via in Pasadena.

Julienne is one of those special places to go when you want to treat yourself to the kind of elegant cuisine you can only get at the fanciest of continental restaurants (which Julienne is not) or at a private affair catered by the best in the business (which Julienne is). The menu’s in franglais — a sure sign of elevated cookery.

This means that, at lunchtime, in addition to a number of other possibilities, you can opt for a composée ($14-$15) made up of soupes that change daily, such as parsley bisque or chilled corn with basil; salades like couscous with currants, almonds and cinnamon vinaigrette; or greens with fuji apples, gorgonzola, toasted pecans and dijon-tarragon dressing and sandwiches like roasted lamb with caramelized onions, avocado and basil aioli.

Julienne, 2649 Mission St., San Marino
(626) 441-2299
      Major cards/Beer and wine

Porta Via
One West California Blvd., #312, Pasadena
(626) 793-9000
Major cards/No liquor

The restaurant, if such the petite shoplet can be so-called, is tucked into a group of elegant boutiques. You can either sit inside at one of the limited (in number and size) tables that flank the periphery of the baroquely ornate L-shaped interior (mostly designed to display the sumptuous dishes that are available) or dine al fresco on the covered walkway at the front.

Porta Via is more basic, with concrete floors and disposable plates/utensils, but its simple interior and tree-shaded patio still provide a welcome refuge from summertime bustle and heat. There are some pretty nifty panini with real (as the restaurant’s name would imply) Italian ingredients. The “autostrada” with mortadella, prosciutto, soppressatta, coppa, provolone and peperoncini is a good example — for $8.50, it’s a cheap, satisfying trip to Naples.

Their “insalata bar” ($7.95) is a person behind a counter who will custom-build your salad with a choice of greens, six additional ingredients (pretty standard stuff) and one of eight dressings. For $2.25 more, they’ll add in an unpleasantly designated “protein” selection like tuna or chicken. Like Julienne, they have lots of other mix-and-match items and entrees — mostly sold by the pound.

And therein lies the special attraction. While I dine on a croque monsieur with pepper ham, jarlsberg, basil pesto and tomato-apricot chutney on rye ($14) at Julienne or an antipasti platter (my choice of four items such as tapenade, tomato caprese, shaved fennel with oranges and pecorino, roasted sweet and hot peppers, herb orzo salad and arancini — $8.99) at Porta Via, I get to look at their catering menus and daydream about the parties I could give with their help.

Julienne’s “Cuisine to Go” list is 23 pages long; Porta Via’s is 16, listing everything their chefs have dreamed up to make your dinner party an affair people will be talking about with envy for the next year. I’ve been thumbing through Julienne’s May 2007 printing and starring especially appealing items since I picked it up in February, and I’m still transfixed.

For starters, perhaps marinated lamb skewers with hoisin, orange and mint ($26.95 per dozen); sausage, apple and caraway strudels and honey Stilton crostini ($21.95) and grilled garlic shrimp with Moroccan tomato jam ($36). And, for soups, peppered corn chowder, sweet pea and mint or roasted red pepper and pear ($28.50 for the minimum 3-quart order) are top picks.

The entrees are mind-boggling: I’m drawn to mustard-pepper-crusted pork with apple brandy sauce ($17.95 per pound), enchiladas with black beans, papaya, chevre and tomatillo sauce ($9.95 per pair) and dill-pecan-crusted salmon with leek-lemon-caper sauce ($24 per pound). And the sides seem never-ending.

But it’s when I get to the finales that saturation sets in. Cookies, puddings, tarts, cakes, bundts, cheesecakes, teacakes; seductive lyrics sing siren songs: “gingerbread, lavender-caramel, sugar-crusted, lemon curd, tatin, buttercream, mousse, glazed, meringue, candied, bittersweet.” I’m floating in sugary reverie and am incapable of choice.

Porta Via’s menu doesn’t paralyze the way Julienne’s does. The items are simpler and the recipes are traditional. I can start my party with mini-arancini (fried risotto balls with fontina cheese), caprese skewers, and eggplant involtini stuffed with herbed ricotta ($1 apiece).

Soups are no problem: Julienne has a choice of almost 40; Porta Via offers seven. Tuscan tomato and bread or ceci bean with prosciutto for my autumn party; kabocha squash with cumin, spring pea or Italian gazpacho for summer ($8.95 per quart).

Pastas are one of Porta Via’s specialties. I’ve tried the eggplant lasagna and vouch for its quality: they sell it by the pound ($10.95) and by the pan (half $50/full $95). Other noodles (like linguini with pesto, potatoes and green beans or penne with asparagus) are priced in single servings ($5.95 - $7.95).

Similar pricing is used for entrees: pan-seared Arctic char with olive vinaigrette and veggies ($14.95); roast pork loin with garlic and fennel ($8.95); chicken picatta ($8.95) and baked salmon with potato/green olive layer cake ($12.95) for example.
Thank goodness for Porta Via’s terse description of desserts: assorted cookies, brownies and blondies

($18 per dozen). I’ve looked at their display cases and admired the limited selection, but don’t drown in either the descriptions or the appearance. House-made cannoli ($3.50 apiece) will do just fine.
I want to make one thing clear in closing. Our dining room table is overflowing with my husband’s teaching and research tools. Those surfaces not covered by books, papers and computers are coated in cats or the fur they leave behind when they occasionally leave their posts on personal business. There is no way in hell we could ever host a party worthy of the catering items available from either Julienne or Porta Via — but, hey, it’s nice to dream.