Twenty years ago, most top restaurants were...

Twenty years ago, most top restaurants were prominently located on main boulevards. Today, they are liable to show up anywhere. Consider the Palette Cafe in Torrance, a small establishment that abuts a mini-mall and fronts a bowling alley. The setting may not be grand, but the cuisine rivals that of any restaurant in the South Bay.

Chef Tom Kamijo, who received training in classic French cuisine in Tokyo, opened the Palette Cafe in 1988. The narrow dining room features a long, gray banquette, fresh flowers and walls adorned with the work of a local artist. Kamijo is something of an artist himself. True to the name of the cafe, many of the dishes display a broad range of colors.

At lunch, several specials are offered. There might be a sauteed orange roughy served with a vibrant tomato basil sauce ($7.25), or perhaps sauteed scallops over linguine with a curried cream sauce ($7.50). Breast of chicken ($6.50) comes with a white wine vinegar cream sauce and includes soup or salad.

Among the appetizers at dinner is the popular tuna tartare ($7.75), chopped raw tuna mixed with capers, lime, avocado, mustard and green peppercorns. My favorite choice, sauteed Maryland soft shell crab ($8.75), is plump and succulent.

Main courses include an excellent sauteed salmon ($11.75), served with a sauce made with pureed roasted red bell peppers, lemon, fish stock and cream. Rack of lamb ($15), served in a sauce made of a lamb reduction with garlic, is simply delicious. Chef Kamijo’s classic training instilled a firm belief in sauces made from highly extracted stocks, and this one complements the tender lamb superbly.

At $19.50, the four-course, prix fixe dinner is good value. Diners get a choice of three appetizers (marinated shrimp and halibut, smoked salmon or goat cheese with eggplant), soup or salad, braised red snapper with clams in a garlic saffron sauce or New York steak, and dessert, such as a silky coconut creme brulee.

The Palette Cafe is at 22549 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance. (310) 373-7055. Open 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.