BY ERIC NOLAND >RESTAURANT CRITIC

Hearty German fare might seem an odd fit for Venice's trendy Abbot Kinney Boulevard, where diners are more accustomed to fresh-ingredient California cuisine (Joe's, Axe), tapas wine bars (Primitivo) and sushi (Shima, Wabi-Sabi).

But Westside restaurant legend Hans Rockenwagner and a cohort, Wolfgang Gussmack, have a counter-programming hit on their hands with 3 Square Cafe, which plays to bustling crowds at all three mealtimes (hence the restaurant's name) and serves up substantial dishes such as apple pancakes, schnitzel with lingonberries and veal goulash.

It's a beach-casual place, and there is a corresponding lack of sophistication in the service. Our waiter arrived with his hands full of the main courses, so he wasn't able to remove my completed first course. He simply set the entree down next to it and walked away. He later returned with a second glass of wine for a dining companion, placed the glass next to the empty one, and again departed. A busboy came to the table while we were winding down and seemed intent on clearing everything away. "No, not this one," we had to tell him. "Still working on that," we said, wielding a protective forearm.

The menu is playful, unorthodox and all over the place, with offerings you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Whatever you choose, count on it sticking to your ribs.

The pretzel burger ($9.50), for example. This one requires a bit of explanation: The soft pretzel forms the bun around a juicy patty of ground beef, which is topped with caramelized onions and a rich melt of Swiss cheese. The pretzel is prepared fresh in 3 Square's adjacent bakery, and it is dark brown, studded with salt and slit horizontally into two halves. The sandwich packs a real flavorful punch, as you might imagine.

Another signature item, this one from the appetizer menu, is avocado fries ($7). When I first heard of this, I thought it might be conventional French fries with chunks of avocado sprinkled on top. No. These are strips of fresh avocado, lightly breaded and lightly fried, served with a fire-roasted red salsa for dipping. Surprisingly tasty.

Also impressive is a chile relleno appetizer ($7.50) - generous enough to serve as a main course. It is spared all that heavy batter and sauce you're used to in your neighborhood cocina. Rather, the fresh chili is stuffed with creamy white cheese and lightly fried, though it is not entirely gutted of its white, high-octane seeds, so it retains some welcome zip. The relleno is served with chunky guacamole and perches atop a bed of black beans that could have been much hotter.

Unfortunately, that shortcoming plagued many of the items brought to our table. A lentil soup was thick enough to eat with a fork, but it was also tepid - as were the wienerle sausages atop it. Veal goulash ($13.50) cooled off abruptly and had to be sent back. Food like this just has to be served hot!

But it wasn't a problem with the surf-and-turf "burger" - spicy shrimp and bacon on a fresh roll ($15.50) - or with two very good side dishes: truffled brussels sprouts ($5), and a potato gratin with Parmesan and Gruyere cheese ($5).

At its best: Nicely conceived comfort-food items in an unpretentious setting.

Could be better: Service is pretty rough around the edges. By-the-glass wine prices are steep, and the pours are paltry. Maybe a plate-warming oven would help maintain the heat on some of those dishes.

Valet parking in the building's subterranean lot (entrance off San Juan Avenue) is $4.

Eric Noland, (818) 713-3681 eric.noland@dailynews.com

review>

3 SQUARE CAFE

>Rating:

>Details: 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. Open for dinner nightly from 5 to 10 p.m., breakfast weekdays from 8 to 11:30 a.m., lunch weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., brunch weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (310) 399-6504, www.rockenwagner.com.

>Cost: Dinner starters from $6.50 to $8.95, main courses from $8.50 to $17.95, side dishes $5 (all main courses are a la carte), desserts $6.50.

>Noteworthy: Unfamiliar with Austrian wines? You'll get a chance to broaden your horizons, as several selections are listed on the chalkboard behind the bar. About half the seating is on the patio, which is encased in plastic and warmed by heaters in chilly weather.