PARTY LINE : Chiles con Chimpanzee

When Creative Artists Agency co-founder Bill Haber wanted to throw a surprise birthday party for a friend, Warner Bros. executive Barry Mayer, he immediately called Antonio Gutierrez, who owns Antonio’s restaurant on Melrose.

“Bill Haber is a regular,� says Gutierrez, “and he always brings me interesting customers. He and Johnny Carson used to eat here all the time, and he brought me that guy from Channel 7, (John C.) Severino, and (agent Ed) Hookstratten--all those big shots.�

Gutierrez, one of the first L.A. Mexican restaurateurs to break out of the world of tacos and tamales and enchiladas, has seen the big ones come and go. But even he wasn’t prepared for Haber’s guest that night: one very big, very talented chimpanzee who did impersonations of actors Marlon Brando and Karl Malden.

According to Gutierrez, the monkey was even better than Rich Little. “Everybody was laughing like mad,� says Gutierrez. “I was afraid that thing was going to get wild because of the noise and the music and all those people. Those monkeys are usually very strong. But not this one. He was cool.�

The party was held in the back room of the restaurant, and the 68 hungry guests feasted on such things as chicken mole , chiles en nogada and fried bananas. “It was an incredibly beautiful party,� says Gutierrez. “I got nothing but compliments from these people.� No word on the chimp’s opinion.

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There are many versions of this old-time favorite Mexican dish. At Antonio’s, the poblano chiles are simply stuffed with ground beef, spices and walnuts, and topped with a cheesy cream sauce. This adaptation of the classical recipe is somewhat different from the one Gutierrez makes. Notice that the walnut sauce should be started the day before.

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CHILES EN NOGADA

8 long green chiles, preferably poblanos 1 pound ground beef 1/2 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons raisins 1 tablespoons slivered almonds 1 cup peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped canned tomatoes Salt, pepper 1/4 pound walnut pieces 3 tablespoons walnut pieces, chopped, for garnish Milk 2 tablespoons queso fresco cheese 3/4 cup sour cream Seeds 1 small pomegranate Italian parsley, chopped Blacken chiles over flame on top of stove or under broiler and peel carefully.

In skillet brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain. Add cloves, cinnamon, raisins and almonds. Stir. Add tomatoes and cook until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place walnut pieces in small mixing bowl and add just enough milk to cover. Let stand 8 hours or overnight.

Next day, combine walnut-milk mixture, queso fresco and sour cream in blender and puree. If too thick, add little more milk.

Split chiles. Divide meat mixture evenly and fill chiles. Top with sauce and sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons walnuts, pomegranate seeds and parsley. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

507 calories; 158 mg sodium; 68 mg cholesterol; 38 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 3.48 grams fiber.