20 DISHES IN VERY GOOD TASTE.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Rather than the customary, end-of-year 10 best, I prefer to spread the glory around somewhat and pick the 20 best dishes of the year.

Note that they are only from those restaurants reviewed or revisited during the past 12 months.

This eliminates the possibility of recurrences year after year. It also spotlights mainly the newcomers and allows the familiar, popular or traditional dish to share honors with the innovative or exotic recipe that deserves a touch of limelight.

Sometimes presentation makes an otherwise ordinary plate extra special. Sometimes the taste is so good, even an unattractive-looking dish is deemed outstanding.

As in previous years, a note of caution. Don't rush over to the restaurants listed without calling first to make sure the chosen plate is still on the menu.

Restaurants are notorious for day-to-day changes. Even signature dishes are often unobtainable or altered for one reason or another.

So here goes. The winners are...

ATE 1-8

Address: 17620 Ventura Blvd., Encino.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: International.

Dish of the Year: Tapenade-crusted whitefish has tartness, tenderness, pungency and piquancy all rolled up into one nifty entree.

BAMBOOM

Address: 28914 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: California and sushi.

Dish of the Year: Excellent, single, fair-size, meaty crab cake spiced up with a hint of habenero chile, with a creamy ginger sauce and balsamic reduction.

BARIN

Address: 6020 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Russian.

Dish of the Year: Handsomely presented, top-notch rendition of chicken Kiev, crunchy outside and butter-spurting white-meat interior.

CAVI CUCINA ITALIANA

Address: 23754 Lyons Ave., Newhall.

[phone].

Cuisine: Italian.

Dish of the Year: Sardinian-style malloreddusu pasta (short, squiggly ribbed tubes) with Italian sausage in tomato sauce.

COLEY'S

Address: 11320 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Jamaican/Caribbean.

Dish of the Year: Festive, rich, rum-flavored fruit cake.

CUT

Address: Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Steakhouse.

Dish of the Year: Distinctive, Bengali-style, Kobe beef short ribs, slow-cooked for eight hours.

EIGHT-18

Address: 10151 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Tapas-style.

Dish of the Year: A remarkable offering of thick, smooth potato soup boosted with melty black cod and morels.

FRENCH 75

Address: 3400 W. Olive Ave., Burbank.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: French.

Dish of the Year: Rich, tasty version of coq au vin fortified with bacon and herbs, mixed with vegetables, served out of an individual pot tableside with pommes puree.

I-SAN CAFE

Address: 11044 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Thai.

Dish of the Year: Northeastern Thai marinated rotisserie chicken with crispy, slightly charred skin and firm, yielding flesh.

KRUA THAI

Address: 13130 Sherman Way, North Hollywood.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Thai.

Dish of the Year: Shrimp cakes with a slightly crisped exterior, moist and flavorful inside served with piquant dipping sauce.

LUCY'S 51

Address: 10149 Riverside Drive, Toluca Lake.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: New American.

Dish of the Year: Thick, juicy, char-grilled, organic, corn-fed Iowa pork loin chop in Calvados sauce.

MASTRO'S

Address: 2087 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Steakhouse.

Dish of the Year: Whole, rich, shareable, house-baked, warm buttercake.

PERU'S TASTE (SABOR PERUANO)

Address: 8246 Louise Ave., Northridge.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Peruvian.

Dish of the Year: A refreshing ceviche-style dish of tender whitefish pieces in a yellow-orange-toned, chile-infused lime juice mixture.

PUPUSERIA DEL VALLE

Address: 431 S. Victory Blvd., Burbank.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Salvadoran

Dish of the Year: Puffy, handmade pupusas stuffed with finely chopped vegetables, bean paste, pork, jack cheese, loroco.

RAAGA

Address: 10110 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Indian.

Dish of the Year: Chicken Hariyali, moist, tender cubes in medium spicy, bright green mint, chile and yogurt sauce.

RISOTTO

Address: 12650 Ventura Blvd., Studio City.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: American.

Dish of the Year: Risotto di zucca, savory and sweet from its caramelized butternut squash, with sage undertones.

SEAFOOD KING

Address: 20425 Sherman Way, Canoga Park.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Chinese.

Dish of the Year: Generously portioned salt and pepper rock cod, battered lightly to crispness, well-seasoned, tender and moist fillets.

SWINGING DOOR TEXAS B-B-Q

Address: 11018 Vanowen St., North Hollywood.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: American

Dish of the Year: Delectable, smoky, Texas-style, barbecued baby backs slow-cooked daily on outside, wood-burning grill.

TRYST AT LE RENDEZVOUS

Address: 1282 Newbury Road, Newbury Park.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: Asian-accented French.

Dish of the Year: Caramelized black cod (aka misoyaki butterfish) paired with udon noodles and shiitake mushrooms.

ZIN BISTRO AMERICANA

Address: 32131 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village.

Phone: [phone].

Cuisine: American.

Dish of the Year: Surprisingly good chicken-fried lobster with slightly crisped skin sauced with thyme-flavored beurre blanc.

Larry Lipson, [phone]

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