BOULEVARD OF CULINARY DELIGHTS : BEST EATERIES ON VALLEY'S MAIN STREET.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

Are you ready for the Best of The Boulevard?

We're sticking our necks out again. Of the hundreds of restaurants along the San Fernando Valley's 17-mile-long restaurant row, picking the best in several categories is no easy task. I'm just one palate.

Still, here are my picks:

American: JoeJoe's, 13355 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. Whether it's a simple grilled salmon dish with basil mashed potatoes or a homey roasted pork tenderloin, this Valley branch of the renowned Joe's in Venice will satisfy.

Bagel cafe: Bonjour Bagel, 16352 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. Nice outdoor patio, and more of a cafe than a bakery. We favor the banana nut bagel for sweet needs and the sun-dried tomato basil bagel as a meal in itself.

Barbecue: El Paso Barbeque Co., 18938 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. Brisket doesn't get any better, the barbecued chicken is consistently worthwhile, and there's occasionally the rarity of veal ribs here. And now a juicy steak or two is also available.

Bistro: Mistral, 13422 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. It has the look and feel of a bistro, and the accent is decidedly French. You'll find a fine chicken provencale, crunchy pissaladiere and a nifty salad Nicoise here with that bistro necessity, steak frites.

British: Pickwick Pub, 21010 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. Maybe it's the best because it's the only. Fish and chips and all the usual pub grub at this bit o' Blighty on The Boulevard.

Buffet: Todai, 11239 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. Also at 20401 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. You won't find a better-presented assortment of fresh sushi, sashimi and a variety of fresh seafood in raw, marinated or cooked form. All for a fixed price. As much as you want, and it's replenished constantly.

Californian: Pinot Bistro, 12969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. It's the ultimate California-French bistro with Joachim Splichal's special brand of California-style fare cooked expertly by homegrown chef Octavio Becerra.

Caribbean: Cha Cha Cha, 17499 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. They may or may not eat tomatillo-coated swordfish or mambo gumbo in the Caribbean. But who cares. The food and the atmosphere are colorful and enjoyable. Nothing humdrum about this restaurant.

Chinese: Plum Tree Inn, 20461 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. Memorable dishes here include delicious Shanghainese pork meatballs in a rich brown sauce called lion's head and one of the best Chinese whole fish renditions ever eaten in a restaurant.

Continental: Seashell, 19723 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. Originally a French seafood house, Seashell has repositioned itself into a contemporary continental restaurant by adding a general European-American menu of pastas, a classic Cobb salad, several steak plates and reasonably priced fresh-fish items. One of the prettier dining rooms in the Valley, it continues to please the discriminating diner.

Cuban: Versailles, 17410 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. Although its claim to fame is the heavily garlic-flavored roasted half chicken, try the beef tongue, Cuban tamales and Cuban chicken soup here.

Deli: Art's Delicatessen, 12224 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. You may pay more, but you won't find a more impressively massive corned beef sandwich anywhere. Good lox, fresh bagels and a dedicated show-biz clientele help Art's maintain its top-rung position.

French: Cafe Bizou, 14016 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. Beautifully executed plates by chef Neil Rogers at reasonable prices (with a dollar salad or soup) and $2 corkage for wine collectors has pushed it into the top restaurant ranks in the city.

Grazing: Asanebo, 11941 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. Go for plate after plate of such nibbles as rice balls with salmon and plum paste, baked Japanese eggplant with miso sauce, soy-seasoned pork and potatoes, and sauteed shimeji mushrooms with asparagus.

Greek: Great Greek, 13362 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. When you yearn for avgolemono soup, tarama dip, assorted olives, dolmades, fine lamb dishes (kebabs, roasted leg or even lamb steak) and ouzo on ice plus lilting live bouzouki music, this is the place.

Hamburger: Johnny Rockets, 16901 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. Sit at the counter and enjoy a good old-fashioned burger with a good old-fashioned wedge of cherry or apple pie and - if you dare - a milkshake.

Hungarian: Laszlo's Cuisine/Hortobagy, 11138 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. From the traditional wooden meat platter to a classic goulash to palacsintas (Hungarian pancakes stuffed with walnuts and jam), here's contemporary Balkan food tailored to your taste.

Indian: India's Tandoori, 19006 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. In addition to everyday Indian fare, you'll find deliciously tender lamb rack, an impressive whole tandoor-baked game hen, inviting fish pakoras and crispy onion bhajis.

International: Spumante, 12650 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. Although many consider this restaurant Italian, it roams the globe somewhat by offering such items as ceviche, breast of chicken with peppercorn-cassis sauce and whole-wheat noodles with potato and cabbage. Look for goat cheese (in pastas, rolled in eggplant) and international dishes utilizing garlic and/or a variety of mushrooms.

Italian: Posto, 14928 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. Where else in the Valley would you find baby octopus in tomato broth? Luciano Pellegrini follows the lead of owner Piero Selvaggio in doing things a notch better than the rest. He'll have you muttering for weeks after you sample his ``frico'' (parmesan chips), duck lasagna, moist Sonoma lamb creations, his wonders with poultry and fish, perhaps a juicy Carpinteria rabbit plate or the tastiest thin-crust pizza you've ever experienced.

Japanese: Kushiyu, 18713 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. Chef-owner Nicky Nikkura brought a special grill from Japan, which stands regally behind the sushi bar, raised and ready, manned by at least two chefs, and it produces some of the tastiest, skewered, grilled (not fried) tidbits called kushiyaki ever served on Ventura Boulevard. Yes, there are some excellent nabe (pot-boiled) dishes and deep-fried snacks, too. Oh yeah, for those who like the regular stuff, both the sushi and sashimi are terrific.

Looks: Bistro Garden at Coldwater, 12950 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. The dining room is so handsome, so beautiful, that all of its diners look more handsome, more beautiful. Especially favored by Old Hollywood celebs, it's the natural Valley rendezvous for the suave and debonair.

Mexican: La Parrilla, 18716 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. Watch your parrillada meats sizzle on a table brasero. Or your fajitas crackle on a tabletop comal. Pipian chicken, pork in chipotle sauce, cocido, a serious chicken soup and a tantalizing arbol chili dipping salsa give this Boulevard veteran the south-of-the-border nod as No. 1.

Middle Eastern/Israeli: Tempo, 16110 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. You can make believe you're on Dizengoff in Tel Aviv here. Nosh on stuffed grape leaves, pita and hummus, and kebabs and listen to the animated Israeli expatriate crowd. They're happy. It's infectious.

Middle Eastern/Persian: Piyaleh, 15030 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. Almost unnoticeable in the back of a mini-mall, it's a real find. The owner-chef is passionate about his food. And he loves to flavor it with saffron. Try the lamb tongue, crispy rice, broiled brain, marinated chicken kebab, lamb shank with eggplant and elephant garlic yogurt.

Natural: Nature's Cafe, 19533 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. From eggplant crepes to sauteed lentils and onions with bulgur, you'll enjoy this food in its no-frills, quick-serve setting, for both its health aspect and its taste.

Pacific Rim: Papashon, 15910 Ventura Blvd., Encino., [phone]. Imaginative food by chef Sean Sheridan includes such triumphs as shrimp toast with persimmon sauce, soba and shrimp soup, sweetbreads with brie, sesame salmon, Hong Kong spareribs and a delectable marinated pork chop.

People watching: Jerry's Famous Deli, 12655 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. (Also in Encino and soon in Woodland Hills.) You can gaze while you graze at Jerry's, a mecca for actors, agents, writers, jocks and all the wanna-bes. It's the 24-hour theater of munching visages. And the chicken soup is terrific.

Romantic: Brandywine, 22757 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. This little gem with its quasi-private booths cooks a fine paella Monday through Wednesday, sautees rich, sinful foie gras, serves old and new continental favorites from steak Diane to bouillabaisse and even offers those tableside-prepared dessert dramas titled cherries jubilee, bananas foster and crepes suzette.

Scandinavian: Taste of Scandinavia, 21136 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, [phone]. This longtime popular smorgasbord carries on in a tried-and-true way featuring tasty roast beef, baked chicken, fried fish, Swedish meatballs and pepper steak.

Seafood: Delmonico's Seafood Grille, 16358 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. Though it has faults, this is easily the leader in seafood fare on The Boulevard. Try its Maine lobster bisque, pancakes with leek and gravlax or oysters and spinach, potato-crusted sea bass and shellfish platter. When not in a fish mood, go for the Sicilian herb roasted chicken.

Supper club: Moonlight Tango Cafe, 13730 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, [phone]. Brings back the '30s and '40s dine-and-dance era with good food and spiffy entertainment in a glitzy atmosphere.

Taco: Taco Grill, 16330 Ventura Blvd., Encino, [phone]. An excellent fish taco is made here, and the blue corn taquitos are simply superior. And yep, the regular tacos are as good as the best of 'em.

Thai: Takzin Thai, 18594 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, [phone]. Because there are so many Thai restaurants on Ventura Boulevard, they tend to draw more from their individual neighborhoods. This West Valley favorite excels in satay, whole steamed pomfret, duck curry and marinated flank steak dishes. And try its Tarzana rice flour dough spring roll.

Value: Out Take Cafe, 12159 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. Although not as amazingly low-priced as it used to be, it still serves engagingly creative plates of food for a mere pittance. Superb soups, wonderful ravioli items, unusual Eastern European offerings such as potato vareniki, warm salads that are entree-size and appetizer-priced, and a well-chosen wine selection add up to a well-deserved, constantly busy restaurant.

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Photo

Photo: Chefs of the Sherman Oaks restaurants among the Best of The Boulevard are Gilles Dirat (Mistral), left, Joseph Miller (JoeJoe's), Andy Arwanda (Great Greek), Thomas Munoz (JoeJoe's), Richard Swenson (Moonlight Tango Cafe), Neil Rogers (Cafe Bizou) and Luciano Pellegrini (Posto).

David R. Crane/Daily News