Polenta

Centuries ago, the New World grain corn came to Northern Italy, where corn meal mush became the staple dish of the poor. Polenta has come back to America in various Northern Italian dishes and has even inspired a Chinese chef.

* Remi: This pretty Italian place on the Third Street Promenade serves the classic fegato alla Veneziana, grilled polenta with calf’s liver and caramelized onions, or a side of soft polenta with butter and cheese, pure comfort food. (Polenta with liver, $19.50; side of polenta, $4.) Remi, 1451 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, (310) 393-6545.

* Farfalla: This ever-busy Los Feliz Village Italian serves an appetizer of baked polenta with a wild mushroom sauce, and a satisfying entree of Italian sausage on a plate of soft polenta with a bright marinara sauce. (Polenta with mushrooms, $8.50; sausage and polenta, $10.95.) Farfalla Trattoria Italiana, 1978 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 661-7365.

* Alto Palato: At this stylish restaurant, the braised pork ribs with cabbage on a vast bed of rich, buttery polenta can bring you to your knees. (Pork ribs with polenta, $15.95.) Alto Palato, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 657-9271.

* L.A. Trattoria/Antica Pizzeria: At the Los Angeles Antica, there’s an antipasto of grilled polenta in a sauce of herbs, tomatoes and wild mushrooms (misticanza di funghi con polenta) and a polenta entree, salsicce del ghiottone, which is Italian sausage cooked in the wood oven and served with grilled polenta and rapini. At the Marina del Rey restaurant, polenta comes with grilled vegetables as an appetizer and with grilled marinated beef as an entree. (Polenta dishes, $8.50 to $15.25.) L.A. Trattoria/Antica Pizzeria, 8022 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (213) 658-7607; 13455 Maxell Ave., Marina del Rey, (310) 577-8182.

* Prego: Try grilled Italian sausage with stewed peppers and grilled polenta (salsiccia con peperonata e polenta). Or ask for a side of grilled polenta topped with marinara sauce and lots of grated cheese--lovely! (Sausage and polenta $13.95; side of polenta, $4.) Prego, 62 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 277-7346.

* Yujean Kang: Kang’s “Chinese polenta” is not made from corn at all, but from soy beans--it’s tofu! In West Hollywood, this “polenta” is served with shrimp and honey mushrooms in white wine sauce with pea sprouts. In the Pasadena location, Chinese polenta comes with filet of pork, mushrooms and zucchini or with white shrimp in a scallion and cilantro sauce. (Chinese polenta: $8.95 to $15.) Yujean Kang, 8826 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 288-0806; 67 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, (626) 585-0855.