DINING DEALS; HOMEY JAPANESE.

Byline: Larry Lipson

E&E Cafe, 18429 Nordhoff St., Northridge, [phone]. You'll get as much as $3 back from your $10 bill here after eating an entree with soup, salad and rice at this inexpensive little second-floor Japanese curry house. It bakes its own cakes and offers 50 percent off all curries on the first Friday of each month.

THAT'S ITALIAN

Portofino, 13251 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, [phone]. You'll find a good, zingy Bolognese sauce studded with pepperoni on penne, a fine version of chicken marsala, hearty lasagna and veal parmigiana like you enjoyed as a kid. And there are numerous new items like chicken or sausage hunter-style and salmon with dill sauce. Pasta and chicken dinners run from $11 to $14 with soup or salad. It's family-run and loves to feed families.

PASADENA HANGOUT

Mi Piace, 25 Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, [phone]. (Also in Burbank and Calabasas.) Constantly packed, these relatively inexpensive Italian, trattoria-style eateries - still listing numerous offerings under $10 - perpetuate their pasta power over parsimonious Pasadenans, budget-minded Burbankers and wily West Valley-ites.

OLD FAITHFUL

Taix, 1911 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, [phone]. In its 70s and not ready for retirement, here's a down-to-earth country French foodspot famed for its savory, inexpensive roast chicken, duck a l'orange, roast pork and other hearties - many under $10 - plus a bountiful wine cellar full of low-cost surprises.