RESTAURANT REVISITED: MANDARIN ISLAND AIMS TO PLEASE MORE CHOICES, HEALTHIER OPTIONS, UPGRADED INTERIORS ADD TO APPEAL.

Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic

Starting with a little neighborhood Chinese eatery in Mission Hills in the late '70s, Mandarin Island blossomed in 2001 with a second location in Woodland Hills in an unobtrusive rear corner of a busy mall anchored by a Baja Fresh Mexican Grill.

Name: MANDARIN ISLAND

Address: 19940 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; 15446 Devonshire St., Mission Hills.

Phone: Woodland Hills: [phone]. Mission Hills: [phone].

When we last reviewed: Aug. 3, 2001.

How long in business: Current ownership by Kenny Lui began in 1997.

Menu/cuisine changes: Tanks holding live lobster and live crab have been installed in the Woodland Hills location. Owner Lui said that since he took over in Mission Hills and opened the second restaurant in Woodland Hills, he has gradually added more Szechwan and Mandarin dishes.

Additionally, according to Lui, an emphasis has been placed on a more healthy cooking approach, using less or no oil in wok-fried items.

Decor/physical changes: Both restaurants have been totally remodeled within the past three years. The Mission Hills Mandarin Island's latest look is bright white with blue accents. Woodland Hills is salmon pink with mirrored walls and spacious booths.

Lui noted that booths, tables, chairs and carpeting have been included in both refurbishments.

Personnel changes: Obviously there have been numerous staff changes over the years, the latest of significance being the installation of chefs Yill Kwon Tam in Mission Hills and Liang Ng in Woodland Hills.

Recommendable dishes: The kitchens of both Mandarin Islands are particularly proud of their tangerine chicken efforts. They are made only with white chicken meat, lightly coated in batter rather than smothered in it, and prepared with a hint of sweetness rather than the often cloying sweetness found in similar recipes elsewhere.

Whole live lobsters are usually available in Woodland Hills. One experienced recently was 1 1/4 pounds in weight, served with lightly spiced black bean sauce for $12.95.

Other preferred dishes are Singapore rice noodles with chicken and shrimp, Szechwan ma-po bean curd with minced pork, Shanghai crispy fish fillets and Hunan spicy black bean-sauced chicken.

Service quality: Generally up to par as far as being helpful and attentive. Dinnertime service may be a notch or two higher than the equivalent during the noon hours.

Pricing: Those who visit both locations might notice that prices in Woodland Hills average around 50 cents higher than those in Mission Hills. Obviously, the bigger, more lavish Woodland Hills dining room is in the higher-rent district.

Soups and appetizers range from $4.25 to $8.25 in Woodland Hills, the latter being a sizable portion of crunchy, wok-fried calamari. Entrees mostly fall into the $8 to $12 arena and are, of course, large enough to be shared.

But there are plenty of special deals at the newest Mandarin Island, beginning with a fast lunch offer, a sort of buffet-style, help-yourself arrangement that allows one item plus noodles and fried rice for as low as $2.99. There are other regular lunch specials from $4.75 to $6.95, and there are combination meals served all day for $8.75. At dinner time, the menu lists three special three-course, family-style dinners for two or more from $10.95 to $14.95 per person.

Wine list/service: Wines are minimal here. There are a handful of bottles, a few by the glass, half-liter and full liter. Personally, I tend to choose a bottle of Tsing Tao Chinese beer as an accompanying beverage that I find goes very well with the spicier dishes. And of course there's nothing wrong with the refillable pot of hot tea.

Miscellaneous comments: As an all-out attempt to please suburbanites, Mandarin Island refrains from serving whole fish because most Americans don't like to pick around the bones. It doesn't offer oysters or clams, sea cucumbers or jellyfish.

Its pricing appears structured to satisfy everyone from the budget-minded to the splurger. And it certainly has a pleasing appearance.

Our latest ratings: food: Three stars. wine: One star. service: Three stars

Larry Lipson, [phone]

larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2) A happy Buddha watches over the honey-glazed walnut shrimp, right, at Mandarin Island, where the offerings include minced chicken in lettuce cups, above.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer