BY ERIC NOLAND
FOOD CRITIC

With chairs out front that appear to have been plucked from Luxembourg Gardens, big chalkboard menus on the walls inside and a long row of very snug banquette seating, it's no surprise to find country French standards on the bill of fare at Canele in Atwater Village. Beef bourguignon. Herb-roasted rack of lamb. Seared beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce. Yep, this bustling little bistro has them all.

But when Southern California sizzles, those entrees might seem just a tad heavy. Not to worry. Chef-owner Corina Weibel, who honed her cooking chops in L.A. under Nancy Silverton at Campanile, says she visits farmers' markets three to four times a week, gathering up anything that looks good and then making it work with an ever-changing menu (hence the chalkboards).

Thus, on our recent visit, tomatoes were everywhere in the dishes, bursting with flavor and juiciness. The evening's highlight, in fact, was an entree of pan-seared snapper served on a room-temperature salad of heirloom tomatoes, cooked Italian peppers, flat-leaf parsley and croutons ($19) -- a delightful summery dish. The snapper, which can be pretty bland on its own, was a much thicker filet than most of the area fishmongers display, and the searing preparation put a nice, flavorful crust on it while sealing in the moisture.

Fresh produce also starred in a couple of salads. In one, heirloom tomatoes were combined with feta, thin slices of cucumber and nicoise olives ($12). In another, generous slices of a lusciously ripe avocado were combined with shrimp, greens and some flavorful sprigs of coriander ($12). If you like your salads liberally dressed, you'll be content here; personally, I found mine drenched, obscuring the subtle flavors of the ingredients.

Another cool starter was a wooden platter spread with thin, lean slices of savory Serrano ham, two wedges of Garrotxa (aged goat cheese from Spain's Catalonia region), almonds roasted in house with thyme, dates and not quite enough slices of crostini ($13). It was a wondrous assemblage of tastes and textures.

When on the Left Bank -- well, at least of the Los Angeles River, whose concrete channel passes within a half-mile of the front door -- you might be tempted to order accordingly, even on a warm evening. That meant the lamb rack ($22) on my side of the table. Three rather thinly cut, one-bone chops were tender and tasty, cooked somewhere between rare and medium rare. The lacing of pesto atop each was a nice touch. Again, the farmers' markets commanded the stage here, as the chops perched on a ragout of tomatoes and eggplant. There had been a heavy hand on the olive oil, though, resulting in an unfortunate slick beneath it all.

Canele (pronounced can-eh-LAY) has a big table in its front window where the seating is communal. But you'll find that seating is pretty much communal throughout the restaurant, so tightly are the tables arranged. This is particularly true at the banquette, where you have to work at not eavesdropping on the conversation next to you, since the table spacing is about two inches. Otherwise, the place has a great feel, with bare brick set off by dark-red walls, big framed mirrors, an open kitchen of gleaming stainless steel, and photos of Parisian sights such as Cafe de Flore.

We were keen to try Canele's peach cobbler ($6) for dessert, but alas they were out of it by 8:30. At its best: Because high quality is combined with reasonable prices, this is a good neighborhood place. The chef does an excellent job of showcasing the freshest of ingredients, which makes French classics really sing. Could be better: Cozy is one thing; this is cramped.

-- Eric Noland

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CANELE 

>Details: 3219 Glendale Blvd., Atwater Village (between Glendale and Silver Lake). Open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. (323) 666-7133.

>Cost: Starters $6 to $12, main courses $10 to $23, desserts $6.

>Noteworthy: No reservations. Wine and beer available, the wine served in cafe glasses rather than stemware.

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