The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 178

FOODSECOND SECTION Cos Atujclca (Times Thursday. March 29. Part VIII 37 Let's Eat Out Rudi Gernreich to Serve Up a Boutique Restaurant Noted Fashion Designer Plans to Put On the Soup With Elegant Presentation Panache in a Taste Test IYi 1 -W; 5''4 A By ROSE DOSTI. Timet Staff Writer It had been a long spell between calls, beginning one year ago when the news of Rudi Cernreich's soups leaked out At4he time, the soups were in few stores and the phone conversation was tentative. "Yes, yes, we'll get -together," said Gernreich.

Yes, yes, we didn't until Gernreich, whose reputation for shyness is amazingly true and refreshing for a man of accomplishments rare even for the fashion world, called the other day and repeated. "Yes, yes, we'll get together." "When?" I asked. So we got together. I took him to a Japanese curry house to see a unique fast-food operation after hearing that Gernreich was contemplating a boutique soup restaurant at the Colorado Avenue complex in Santa Monica next year. He graciously admired the curry house's graphic design and approach.

He even approved of the unusual corn soup offered. But one could sense that Cernreich's soupery would be on an different artistic and philosophical plane. "The place is not ready yet, but the emphasis of the soup boutique will be on beautiful presentation," Gernreich said. The hostess who purchases the soups at his boutique will have everything else to go with it "Beautiful presentation is a vital element in dining today," Gernreich said. Why soups? A rather capricious undertaking for a ranking designer, one might think.

More of a Philosopher' "Rudi is more of a philosopher than designer," said Lynn Norby Johnson, the West Coast fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar. Remember the topless swimsuits that unleashed a lot more than emotions in swim-wear history? Remember the miniskirt? Remember the unisex nylon-Lycra leotards long before aerobic exercises became a national craze? Remember his space jump suit before there were astronauts in the space? See who's wearing them? Could an old-fashioned food be translated into futuristic terms, as well? Soup, after all, is as basic, warm and appealing to humans as any food can get. Soup could be the future food: ecological, economical and efficient Soups could help the growing number of fat Americans slim down. Behavioral scientists specializing in weight control are suggesting hot soup as a weight-control food because soups are not only lower in calories than many foods of equal nutritional value, they are Tilling and take more time to eat. thus creating satiety long before too many calories are consumed.

A Campbell Soup Co. study which also has been criticized as being too simplistic) showed that subjects who regularly consumed soups and dairy products had fewer medical problems than subjects who did not Soups are a low-cost source of nutrients and calories, and when combined with other food groups provide the basis for a completely balanced meal. Most soups contain roughly 100 calories per cup depending on caloric density of the ingredients. (Meats and cream are more caloric than vegetables.) An average home serving of soup costs 25 to 50 cents. (Restaurant soup servings run $1 to $4, depending on the restaurant.) Cernreich's soups cost $2.50 per serving at Le Petit Four, a cafe in Los Angeles, before they were removed from the menu in favor of house soups.

Soup requires no particular culinary skill. They're refreshingly easy to make. A Nostalgic Ring For Gernreich, soup has a joyous, somewhat nostalgic ring, going back to prewar Vienna, where as a child, he watched family chefs prepare both delicate first course and hearty main-dish soups. After fleeing Austria during Hitler's reign, the family brought their repertoire of soups to San Pedro, Calif. "We had wonderful soups.

And we had them with almost every meal," he said. So far Los Angeles has been rather cool to soups any soups and Gernreich admits it "We are not yet into soups here in L.A, but we will be," Gernreich prophesies. Gernreich believes his product will catch on with time, and, more importantly, with proper education, which is one reason why he doesn't mind giving classes in soups these days. He showed us how some of them were prepared and presented during an evening cooking class at Ma Cuisine in Beverly Hills, where he was the featured cook for a few weeks. Though he was out of context in his suede tunic, swashbuckler's boots and white ducks, he was not uncomfortable behind the demonstration counter at Ma Cuisine, the cooking school of Ma Maison where dozens of young matrons eager to learn culinary tricks that will By ROSE DOSTI.

Timet Staff Writer The Panache in Santa Monica is one of the few hundred restaurants in the city offering a menu of dishes with little red hearts beside them, indicating that they adhere to American Heart Assn. standards for low -fat. low-sugar, low-cholesterol and low-fat content And although that is wonderful, it may also be the restaurant's only asset There is no question that more restaurants specializing in restricted dietary features are in dire need as the population afflicted with obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes continues to grow. But I did not find the cooking all that wonderful at Panache. I think it can be.

Perhaps Philippe Marcelis, the owner-chef, who says he has been doing low-sugar-salt-cholesterol-fat cooking long before any other restaurant, should probably rethink his approach to no-salt cooking for those who do not need to restrict salt intake, or upgrade the existing cuisine so that no one could really tell if the fish were salted or the cream creamed or not. Detrimental to the DU hes As it stands, the attempts at compensating for blandness by overflavoring were detrimental to the dishes I tried. For instance, on a single plate you have pork forestiere seasoned indtscernibly. steamed julienne-cut carrots seasoned heavily with tarragon, steamed zucchini flavored mistakeably with nutmeg and frozen French fries with a laid-over taste. imagine the use of frozen fries is deliberate because the fat has been spun-dried out of them, so to speak.

But I'm not sure. The spinach soup relied on the natural flavor of spinach, which is commendable, if only it had the help of a bit of cream or something to make it more enjoyable. There are such things as low-fat soft cheeses used to thicken and smooth out a soup. There must be a way to cook au naturel effectively. I know there is.

And I know Marcelis does, too. The dressing in the simple dinner salad also left much to be desired in the flavor department. How about herbs in lieu of a watered-down dressing? How about lemon juice with a speck of polyunsaturated oil? Blackboard specials, when we were there, included grilled swordfish. which was quite nice and shrimp with whiskey sauce, which we found not as tasty as we would have liked. House Chocolate Cake In the dessert department we tried the house chocolate cake, which was really a mousse in a creme Anglaise.

made undoubtedly with nonfat milk instead of cream. The creme caramel was very good. The Belgian rombouts, which are individually filter-brewed coffees, are worth every penny if you are a coffee hound otherwise not Panache also serves Mexican, Irish, Belgian and Spanish coffees. The restaurant has an entrance in the lobby of the California Bank Building, which I would think dilutes the importance of the restaurant, gives the place a creepy feeling of emptiness after hours, keeps the restaurant isolated from the mainstream and casts a gnawing doubt about its business hours each time you approach it. Frankly.

I'm not crazy about going to restaurants in office buildings unless the restaurant happens to be the Tower. And even then, I think twice. But Panache was doing rather well when we visited one evening. It's a fairly decently decorated place, albeit hodgepodge with out-of-scale huge wing chairs, Ali Baba booths and turn-of-the-century stained glass on a very low, claustrophobic ceiling. Panache, 233 Wilshire Santa Monica, (213) 451-8621.

Open for lunch Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner Monday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Sunday.

Reservations suggested. Parking in bank building or street. Average dinner entree HO. ROSEMARY KAUL Lot Angeles Tunes Rudi Gernreich garnishes soups served in pepper and squash shells. Event took place at Ma Cuisine.

2 cups buttermilk 2 cups low-fat yogurt 4 cups sour cream '2 cups chicken broth 6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 3 tablespoons dried chopped dill White pepper Cayenne pepper In a glass or ceramic bowl, sprinkle cucumbers lightly with salt and let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes until they lose most of their liquid. Pour off liquid. In food processor fitted with plastic blade or in blender mix 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup yogurt 2 cups sour cream and cucumbers and blend. Pour into large bowl. Repeat with remaining buttermilk, yogurt and sour cream.

Stir in broth, dill, white pepper and cayenne. Chill thoroughly in refrigerator. Serve in glass bowls or Champagne glasses. Makes 10 to 12 servings. dazzle their guests found a soup master.

He was putting the finishing touches on a curry squash soup that would be served in squash shells at the table. They were easy soups, the kind you can put together with the help of food processor or blender and serve either hot or chilled. Varying Bases The base of the soups varied. Milk, cream, buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream were used. A Cream of Cucumber Soup contained a yogurtsour-cream base; Red Pepper Soup started out with sauteed red peppers pureed in a blender and was diluted with buttermilk and stock.

Gernreich suggested serving the chilled Cream of Cucumber Soup in glass bowls or Champagne glasses. The squash was served in a scooped -out round squash for a single serving, or in a large pumpkin if for several servings. The unusual Red Pepper Soup was served in a scooped-out bell pepper, but also try using red, green, yellow or black peppers found at some specialty grocery stores. Earthenware souffle dishes or tureen were used for the Cream of Mushroom Soup. CREAM OF CUCUMBER SOUP CURRIED SQUASH SOUP 2 tablespoons unsalted butter I teaspoon oil I large onion, minced Please see GERNREICH, rage 42 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced Salt Nutri-Data American Cancer Society Issues Guidelines on Eating Habits USRDA Protein 05 Riboflavin 08 Vitamin A 53 Niacin 04 Vitamin 155 Calcium 07 Thiamine 06 Iron 05 considered relatively low-fat recipes and those that have more than 25 of their calories coming from fat (fat has more than twice the number of calories per gram as protein or carbohydrates) can fit into a well-planned low-fat meal that is balanced out with more fruit and vegetables, whole-grain, unbuttered bread and non-fat or low-fat dairy foods.

For a free pamphlet outlining the guidelines as well as other nutritional factors regarding cancer write to the American Cancer Society, 601 S. Ardmore Los Angeles 90005. or call 386-1605. By KAREN GILLINGHAM. Times Staff Writer In recognition of recent research which suggests that constituents of certain foods cause or promote cancer while others may protect against the disease, the American Cancer Society has issued a set of dietary guidelines.

The recommendations are consistent with the U.S. Dietary Goals but go beyond the government's recommendations in relation to obesity and fiber. The seven recommendations from the society are: Avoid obesity. The suggestion that weight reduction may help to lower cancer risk is based in part on findings of a 12-year study of more than 1 million Americans which uncovered higher cancer risks among men and women who were overweight particularly those who were 40 or more overweight, according to the society. Cut down on total fat intake.

Moderation in the use of fatty foods not only reduces chances of getting cancers of the breast, colon or prostate, says the society, but it is an effective way to reduce daily calorie consumption. Eat more high fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. Although scientists are not in full agreement about the possible advantages of fiber in the diet, the society suggests that "even if fiber itself may not prove to have a protective effect against cancer, high fiber-containing fruits, vegetables and cereals can be recommended as a wholesome substitute for fatty foods." Include foods rich in vitamins A and in the daily diet The society recommends obtaining vitamins from fruits and vegetables, warning that excessive supplementary use of Vitamin A in capsule or tablet form can be toxic. Include such cruciferous vegetables as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi and cauliflower in the diet. Some studies suggest that these vegetables (members of the mustard family) may be highly effective in preventing chemically induced cancer in laboratory animals particularly of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.

Be moderate in consumption of alcoholic beverages. Heavy drinkers of alcohol, especially those who are also cigarette smokers, are at unusually high risk for cancer of the oral cavity, larynx and esophagus. Alcohol abuse can result in cirrhosis, which sometimes leads to liver cancer, according to the society. Eat sparingly of salt-cured, smoked and nitrite-cured foods. Conventionally smoked foods such as hams, some varieties of sausage, and fish are exposed to smoke that contains cancer-causing tars similar to those in tobacco smoke.

There is limited inferential evidence from various parts of the world that salt-cured or pickled foods may increase the risk of cancers of the stomach and esophagus. High-Floor Foots Low la Fat All this may sound like a lot to remember, but it all fits together to make a healthy diet. Increasing fiber in the diet tends to produce a full feeling so we don't feel so hungry for empty-caloried foods. And high-fiber whole foods are low in fat Cutting down alcohol consumption also reduces calorie intake, an aid to avoiding obesity. In addition, avoiding salt- and nitrite-cured foods, often high-fat meats, will help cut back on fat Intake as well as calories.

And eating more fruits and vegetables increases the amount of fiber and vitamins A and in the diet and is an important key to a low-fat diet The recipe Ideas here are all for the cruciferous vegetables and include other ingredients to boost the vitamin A and content even higher. Most would be considered relatively low-fat recipes and those that have more than 25 of their calories coming from fat STEAMED VEGETABLES DELUXE lOounce) package frozen cauliflower I (lOounce) package frozen broccoli spears 14 teaspoon salt 1 (1034-ounce) can chicken broth 4 teaspoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons lemon juice 12 teaspoon prepared mustard 1 tablespoon chopped pimiento 2 teaspoons chopped parsley Rinse cauliflower and broccoli in hot tap water to separate pieces and thaw slightly. Place cauliflower and broccoli in steamer rack over boiling water. Sprinkle with salt Cover and steam until tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine broth and cornstarch in small saucepan and cook and stir until mixture boils.

Blend in lemon juice, mustard, pimiento and parsley. Remove vegetables to serving plate and pour sauce over. Makes 4 servings. PER SERVINGi 63 calories: 6 gm protein! 11 gm carbohydrate) 1 gm fati 612 mg sodiumi 436 mg potassium. Please see NUTRI-DATA, Page 44 GRAPEFRUIT BROCCOLI 2 (lOounce) packages frozen broccoli spears Boiling water 2 tablespoons butter 12 teaspoon curry powder I teaspoon sugar I teaspoon minced onion 1 teaspoon grated grapefruit peel 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice 2 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned Cook broccoli in boiling water until tender but still crisp.

Drain and keep warm. In small skillet melt butter. Add curry powder, sugar, minced onion, grapefruit peel and Juice. Bring to boil. Cook and stir 1 minute.

Add grapefruit sections and stir gently to coat well. Place drained broccoli in warm serving dish and pour grapefruit over. Makes 6 servings. PER SERVING) 93 calories) 3 gm proleim 13 gm carbohydrate; 4 gm fati 64 mg sodiumi 327 mg potassium..