<i> Metropolis: A Corner on Eclecticism</i>

Just about everybody who drives up La Cienega Boulevard knows that there is a new restaurant on the site of the former Pear Garden. The prominent corner has been transformed into Metropolis (650 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 659-4987), an ultra-modern space with a patio flung out on one side and twinkly lights beckoning out front.

Inside you find an odd conjunction of elements. There is a large open room with the spare air of a Japanese boutique--all bare wood and gray plaster and severe banquettes. An incongruous column suddenly sprouts up in the middle of the dining room, while sailing prints navigate the walls.

The menu is a similarly strange mix, offering everything from osso buco to oysters steamed in sake to Caesar salad and pepper steak. The long list of pasta dishes includes an odd concoction of shrimp, octopus and clams in a sweet tomato sauce. Desserts are touted as being lighter and less sugared than most, which seems a fitting finale to this extremely eclectic menu.