Haute Hotel Dining

When you want to fete a fairly large group, hotels are generally your best bet. Here are some recently reviewed hotel restaurants where the food is first-class. Califia at Radisson Plaza Hotel, 1400 Parkview Ave., Manhattan Beach. (213) 546-1668. Style : Pretty French food by famed chef Roland Gibert. Setting : Lots of glass, waterfalls, pinks and grays. Recommended : Red snapper in layer of potato; rack of lamb; vegetable terrine. Cost : $25-$40 per person.

Cardini at L.A. Hilton & Towers, 930 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. (213) 227-3464. Style : Northern Italian food by the chef who fed the Pope. Setting : Post-modern with marble floors and domed ceilings. Recommended : Risotto with scallops, veal chop with morels, black ravioli filled with shrimp and chives. Cost : $20-$50.

Colette at Beverly Pavilion Hotel, 9360 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. (213) 273-1151. Style : The Franco-American food here might not leave you crying for an encore, but it does merit a bit of applause. Setting : Pastels, light woods. Recommended : Gumbo; mussel and saffron soup; New York strip steak. Cost : $25-$45.

Gardens at Four Seasons Hotel, 300 S. Doheny Drive, Los Angeles. (213) 273- 2222. Style : Rich food for the rich. Setting : Opulent orchids, fabric-covered walls; liveried waiters. Recommended : Veal with avocado orange sauce; chocolate and Calvados mousse. Cost : $30-$50.

La Chaumiere at Century Plaza Hotel, 2050 Avenue of the Stars, Century City. (213) 551-3360. Style: A nouvelle French restaurant for the Reagans. Setting: Antique oils, dark wood, deep carpets. Recommended : Duck liver piccata; loin of venison. Price: $20-$40 per person.