OCTOBER
in Los Angeles

West Hollywood - While neighborhood cafes have established long histories in cities like Paris, New York and San Francisco, the concept of a "cafe society" has only begun to proliferate in Los Angeles within the last decade or so. In a way this might seem strange, for L.A. is really just a conglomeration of neighborhoods, and each one could express its own identity through its local restaurants.

Too often, however, those neighborhoods compete for attention with each other and so go for a trendy exposure that reaches far beyond their own neighborhood boundaries. Thus the local restaurants aren't really serving the locals, they're aiming for the glamorous stars.

Not so a place like the Kings Road Cafe, a popular little spot a half-mile east of the Beverly Center that draws in a loyal following of regulars. The Kings Road Cafe hasn't escaped the notice of the press, however -- the L.A. Times, among other publications, has lauded its congenial atmostphere and good food.

With an interior that yields a golden glow at night, the intimate dining room provides the kind of cozy ambience perfect for sitting, sipping, conversing, and your basic "hanging out." The small rustic-Italian menu features reasonably priced cafe food starting with delights like two eggs baked in olive oil with goat cheese for breakfast, and continuing with salads, paninis (sandwiches), and individual-sized pizzas into the evening. Salads, such as the one topped with plenty of lightly smoked turkey and a caper vinaigrette dressing are enormous; the pizzas are baked on soft, doughy foccaccia that's light and flavorful. A selection of freshly baked desserts follows, and delicious coffees, capuccinos, and other hot drinks are served in over-sized mugs. As if all this weren't reason enough to make this a relaxing destination, outside there's a long newsstand, where you can pick up all the international papers.