Today's special? Server chic

Restaurant DESIGN is as much a part of dining out in L.A. as the food. And the attention to detail doesn't stop with coordinating porcelain and flat wear, chairs and wall color, vases and design objects. Servers' uniforms have become an extension of a restaurant's identity, a way to heighten brand awareness and make the experience and environment as memorable as possible.

"Uniforms are an accessory to a restaurant, like a piece of jewelry to a dress," says Jennifer Rosero, president of VIP services for SBE Entertainment, the restaurant group that owns Foxtail in West Hollywood.

Gone are the days when a white button-down shirt and a pair of generic black slacks cut it on the service floor. At Akasha, the organic Culver City restaurant from celebrity caterer Akasha Richmond, servers wear organic cotton jeans and hemp aprons. At LA Mill, the super-hip Silver Lake coffeehouse/restaurant, the uniforms are designed by the owner's wife -- tissue-thin gray jersey peasant blouses and high-waist jeans. Comme Ca in West Hollywood has its waiters in geek chic gingham short-sleeve shirts. They make all the guys' arms look big, like those of 1950s-era hunks.

We found some of the city's most appealing uniforms, from a little black dress to a "Lolita"-style "maid," modeled by the actual servers who wear them.

ABH

The vibe: A rooftop pool -- at the Thompson hotel in Beverly Hills -- meets the ultra-cool bar scene from Bond Street. Can you think of a better summer hangout?

The look: A brilliantly printed sundress by Theory; worn by server Catherine Kresge.

We say: Appropriate for a poolside spot. The filmy-light cotton will keep servers cool in the summer. And a bonus: The colors really couldn't get much brighter, making it easy to spot your server when you're ready for another mojito.

Kresge's two cents: She was pleased with the dress -- "It's really light and comfortable so I can move around" -- and was looking forward to wearing it when the rooftop opens in June. Then she considered the thigh-high hem: "I'm not sure how it's going work out if I'm taking an order from someone laying in a pool chair. That could be tricky."

The Maid Cafe at Royal/T

The vibe: The booming Culver City art and restaurant scene come together in this combination gallery and Japanese-style cafe.

The look: A saucy Japanese maid costume, designed by Lun*na Menoh, a Japanese designer who designed the similar Miss ko2 costumes at last year's Takashi Murakami gala at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA; worn by Twee Nguyen.