RESTAURANT REVIEW : Boccaccio’s a Little Less Than Meets the Eye : This Westlake institution is living off its ample, earned reputation, but some of the cuisine is worth every pretty penny.

When a Southern California restaurant has been in business for nearly 27 years, I begin to think of it as an institution--in the best sense of that word. It’s a place to which customers bring their children, who grow up and bring their offspring. It can also be a relatively grand establishment upon which members of the community rely for a special meal, a party and the ongoing celebrations of life.

The opulent Boccaccio’s--with its lovely glassed-in terrace, giant arched windows overlooking Westlake Lake, oil paintings and cozy, candle-lit tables--is certainly all of the above. And the warm, romantic ambience is perfect for sweethearts intent on popping the question. Because it had been nearly five years since a reviewer from this section had explored the restaurant’s food and service, it seemed time for a few return visits.

While captivated by the obvious physical charms of Boccaccio’s, I also found myself wondering if it could produce the fine cuisine its high prices demand or if the place is just living off a reputation established long ago. After several meals, I found a little of both.

While an order of beef carpaccio ($7.50) with arugula and shavings of Parmesan cheese was quite pleasant, a piping-hot plate of escargots ($8.50), with a fresh herb-scented garlic butter, was outstanding. But the basket of white bread on the table was so stale I was forced to order some fine garlic toast ($2.50), which I used to mop up the snail sauce.

One night, an appetizer special of a crab cake ($8) was full of crab and had a zingy flavor; on another evening, the crab cake was totally bland and tasted of filler. A Caesar salad ($6) lacked anchovies; a better choice was a mixture of baby greens in a nice balsamic dressing ($7.50) with goat cheese and toasted walnuts.

Among the pasta offerings, I liked a fragrant mixture of scallops, shrimp, lobster and mussels over linguine ($23.50). Also worth trying was the fettuccine with a medley of bacon, shiitake mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes ($13.50). Among the lighter pastas, I was quite fond of the spinach and ricotta-filled ravioli ($12.50) in a sauce of fresh basil. Also good was the shell pasta ($12.50) topped with chopped vegetables and a good, freshly made pesto.

On one occasion, being in a garlicky mood and perhaps feeling that I might encounter vampires on the way home, I asked that my rather routine scampi ($18.50) be made with extra garlic. Instead, the waiter brought out a silver sauce boat filled with chopped raw garlic, which he expected me to add to my cooked shrimp the way you’d add grated cheese to pasta. Not in this lifetime, buster!

The herby poached white fish ($19) is highly recommended, as is the boneless Dover sole ($21); both were simply prepared in lemon and butter. Norwegian salmon steak ($19) was juicy, but its sliced potato crust was too oily. The chef did a creditable osso bucco ($18), braised in a lively tomato sauce atop pasta, and I also applaud his tender medallions of veal ($19.50), served with fresh spinach in a delightfully rich port wine sauce. There was a flavorful chicken breast ($16.50) cooked in red wine and served with spinach and feta cheese and a lusty veal parmigiana ($17.50) with lots of mozzarella, fresh tomato sauce and spaghettini.

Another fine dish was the roast rack of pink lamb ($23.50), consisting of five generous chops redolent of garlic and rosemary. On the minus side of the ledger is an alleged dish of crispy duck ($17.50), which despite a nice, not-too-sweet raspberry sauce, turned out to be a fat, flaccid bird with stringy meat.

Desserts here seem to be caught in a time warp from the ‘70s, which isn’t necessarily bad since some of these oldies are really goodies. The chocolate mousse ($5) has a silken texture and is made with fine dark chocolate. A New York-style cheesecake ($5) is dense and rich while the frozen Frangelico souffle ($6.50) is light and full of hazelnut flavor. Best of all is a mountainous baked Alaska ($5) consisting of a rainbow of ice creams beneath mounds of meringue ignited with rum.

The service was either excellent or indifferent--as it was one evening when our waiter spent more time with his longtime customers than with those of us he did not know. As for the wine list, it had a number of interesting bottles at decent prices except in the champagne category, which was limited.

In spite of the inconsistent cuisine, Boccaccio’s radiates a welcoming warmth amid its pretty rooms. At these prices, I wish the kitchen and the servers would pay more attention to the customer. This Westlake institution needs to get off automatic pilot and try harder as it moves through its next 25 years.

Details

* WHAT: Boccaccio’s.

* WHERE: 32123 W. Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village.

* WHEN: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner, Monday through Saturday, 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

* COST: Meal for two, food only, $90.

* FYI: All major credit cards; full bar, beer, wine.

* CALL: For reservations: (818) 889-8300.