Dining details: Anisette

Anisette Rating: **Location: The Historic Clock Tower Building, 225 Santa Monica Blvd. (at Second Street), Santa Monica; (310) 395-3200; www.anisettebrasserie.com.Ambience: A bit of Paris dropped into a tall building two blocks from the beach with a long zinc bar, towering seafood platters, red banquettes and the bustle and energy of a brasserie, California-style, from Alain Giraud (Citrus, Bastide).Service: Great front of the house, intelligent waiters, though the food can sometimes be slow coming from the kitchen.Price: Dinner appetizers, $13 to $19.50; main courses, $18 to $26; plats du jour, $22 to $30; sides, $6; desserts, $8. Seafood platters, $55 to $95; shellfish, $7 to $28.Best dishes: Seafood platter, hors d’oeuvres platter for two, steak tartare, onion soup, vegetables à la grecque, moules frites, entrecôte frites, rack of lamb for two, crème caramel, vacherin glacé.Wine list: Small, well-chosen list of French and California wines. Corkage fee, $25.Best table: A seat at the zinc bar or a corner table in front.Details: Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday (with a break from 3 to 5 p.m.); from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Full bar. Valet parking, $5.To see a photo gallery, go to latimes.com/food.Rating is based on food, service and ambience, with price taken into account in relation to quality. ****: Outstanding on every level. ***: Excellent. **: Very good. *: Good. No star: Poor to satisfactory.