SMALL BITES MORE SOCAL EATERIES JOIN RELIEF EFFORTS.

Byline: - Larry Lipson

The number of local restaurants joining the tsunami relief effort grows daily.

A large grouping (approaching 50) of some of the top eateries in L.A. and Orange counties have designated Wednesday as the day when they will donate 10 percent to 20 percent of their day's sales to Los Angeles-based Operation USA, which is using 100 percent of its current funding to aid tsunami-stricken regions of Southeast Asia.

L.A.-area participants to date include A.O.C., Ammo, Avenue, Blue on Blue, Buddha's Belly, Chaya Brasserie, Chaya Venice, Falcon, Grace, Granita, Jar, La Boheme, L'Orangerie, Little Door, Lucques, Luna Park, Meson G, Michael's, Minibar, Monsoon, Norman's, Oceanfront, One Pico, Pearl Dragon, Sona, Tamarin, Valentino, Villa Sorriso, Voda, Whist and Yu.

In Orange County, Aubergine, Lodge, Pearl Kitchen and Troquet have promised participation.

LASTING FLAVOR: One of the Valley's oldest, continuing Mexican restaurants, the popular Tortilla Inn, 18114 Parthenia St., Northridge, has new owners.

But things remain basically the same simply because the new owners are longtime managers of the restaurant and cantina.

They are Raul Banuelos, who has been employed there since 1973, and his wife, Lynn, a Tortilla Inn employee since 1986.

Founded in 1959 by the late Bob Uriarte, Tortilla Inn boasts a full bar that specializes in margaritas and a comprehensive Mexican menu.

The bill of fare, currently under the direction of chef Simon Bautista, still features such diverse items as steak Ewing ($10.95), a cubed beef recipe with serrano chiles, tomatoes and onions that was named after a customer for whom the dish was originated, and miniature machaca burritos ($6.95), tiny tasties that became favorites of the inn's devoted clientele.

For detailed information, call [phone].

PRODIGAL CHEFS: Two former L.A.-based celebrity chefs, Roy Yamaguchi and David Slay, are resurfacing in our fair city.

Yamaguchi, who, after leaving for Hawaii, created a formidable reputation and mini empire of upscale restaurants specializing in contemporary Hawaiian cuisine, returns for the Feb. 3 opening of Roy's, 6363 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. Information: [phone].

Slay, who came here from St. Louis with much fanfare, opened a restaurant called La Veranda in the early '90s in Beverly Hills, eventually closed it and returned to St. Louis.

He comes back as the new executive chef of Knoll (previously called Cafe Le Parc) on the third floor of Le Parc Hotel, 733 W. Knoll Drive, West Hollywood.

Information: [phone].

YOU ARE HOW YOU EAT: So what's your metabolic type?

I'm not sure I want to know about mine just in case it restricts my eating habits.

But there's a local restaurant that evidently thinks it's important.

Grace, 7360 Beverly Blvd., is putting on ``the first ever'' metabolic typing dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday and will serve you a meal, cooked by talented chef-owner Neal Fraser, according to your very own metabolism.

No cheating now.

You can find out by visiting www.herbalroom.com, where there's a questionnaire available that when completed gives you the answer.

And you'll need that information when you make reservations at Grace.

That number is [phone].

NAPKIN NOTES: Set to debut Thursday was Zen Zoo Tea Cafe, 1517 N. Vine St., Hollywood, the second location of a projected chain. The first Zen Zoo is in Brentwood. Information: [phone]. ... The latest Daphne's Greek Cafe is open in Monrovia at 915 W. Huntington Drive. Information: [phone]. ... La Gringa Express, 7802 Foothill Blvd., Sunland, celebrates its grand opening Saturday with afternoon performances by guitarists Mario and Johnny, children's games, a clown, drawings for free Mexican meals and a live radio broadcast on Cable Radio Network from 3 to 4 p.m. featuring talk-show host Mike Horn. Information: (818) 446-027.