Clearly cool in the Valley

It would be a reach to compare the stretch of Ventura Boulevard east of Laurel Canyon to Sunset Strip. But with the arrival of Clear, just a couple of blocks from hot spot Firefly, there’s little reason for hip Valley girls and boys to schlep over the hill.

The intimate lounge is palpably sexy. A golden glow emanates from the backlighted bar; flickering votive candles throughout the room provide most of the illumination. As a result, everyone looks good.

The walls in the main room are covered with glossy white quilted vinyl: Think asylum chic. The little furniture is sleek and modern, as if right out of the latest Design Within Reach catalog. And the desert-inspired patio in the rear is utterly lovely, unless you’re a resident of the neighboring condominium who’s trying to catch some shut-eye.

On a recent Friday night, Clear is packed with hot young things nursing Cosmopolitans, bottled beer or a drink called an Adios, which one patron described as “a Long Island, but blue.” Cocktail waitress Tiffany Dejillo, looking sassy in a black biker cap, weaves through the crowd with a tray of Kamikazes and Purple Hooters (vodka, triple sec and Chambord) in miniature square glasses. The price is right, just $3 a shot. But the drinks could be colder.

By 10:45, nearly a dozen people, mostly guys in pairs or groups, are stuck behind a velvet rope on the sidewalk, waiting for someone to leave so they can enter. Women, especially women who are working what they’ve got, can usually bypass the line. Fortunately, there is no cover, at least for the time being.

DJ Mike Nice, who used to spin at the Room on Saturday nights, keeps the energy level high Fridays and Saturdays and the crowd guessing with an irresistible mix of hip-hop, house, funk, salsa and reggae. Soon enough, one couple starts dancing, then another. “This is the best place in the Valley,” says Studio City resident Alex Pelayo, 28, who is parked with a friend on a leather bench on the perimeter of the dance floor. “It has an excellent fresh vibe and a very friendly crowd. And compared to Sunset, this is comfortable.”

David M., a 32-year-old attorney from West Los Angeles who didn’t want to give his last name -- perhaps because he was in the Valley or perhaps because he spent most of the night making out with a tall brunet -- gives the place props, citing the decor and layout. “I prefer the Westside, obviously,” he adds. “But it’s pretty good for a Valley bar.”

There are a few glitches. At one point, the air-conditioning starts blasting in one corner, sending several patrons in search of an arctic-free zone. (Granted, most are women in itty-bitty tank tops.) Meri Maurer, a 31-year-old singer from Sherman Oaks, disses the wine options. And she and her friend are none too happy about being shooed from the patio back indoors. But there’s a new no-drinks policy being enforced outside, the club’s effort to keep noise down and be a good neighbor.

Despite the inconvenience, Maurer is a fan of Clear.

“It’s cozy and it’s contemporary,” she says. “I respect the fact they’re trying to do something cool in the Valley.”

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Clear

Where: 11916 Ventura Blvd., Studio City

When: Tuesdays-Sundays, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Cost: No cover

Info: (818) 980-4811