SOUPMAN'S MEDITERRANEAN FEAST; COOK CREATES WITH MIDDLE EAST ACCENT.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

They call chef-owner Gus Albarrak of the Mediterranean Corner in Chatsworth ``the soupman.''

You'll know why as soon as you sample one of his delicious duo of soup creations ($2.95 each), a lentil soup like no other, herbally green-toned and cooked with thin noodles. And the soup du jour, often an exotically seasoned vegetable recipe of distinctive flavors from finely textured vegetables that send forth perfumelike aromas.

A substantial bowl can be had for no extra charge when one of Albarrak's house specialties is ordered. An above-average house salad is an alternative. And because these meals range from $9 to $14, you'll discover you have plenty to eat - sometimes too much - for a normal appetite.

Albarrak, whose gratifying Middle Eastern dishes usually suggest an Iraqi or Egyptian accent, plies incoming dinner patrons with complimentary boats of crunchy turshi pickles (beet-tinged turnips, plump green olives, spicy peperoncini) and baskets of hot pita wedges.

An order of assorted appetizers ($8.95) brings forth properly crafted spreads of hummus tahini, baba ghanouj, stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh and labneh with continuously refilled pita baskets.

Those addictive little sausages with onions and peppers known as sojouk ($5) should be tried as soon as possible. And there's plenty of garlic strength in the foul (pronounced ``fool,'' $3.65) modamas, the traditional Egyptian melange of beans, tomatoes and onions that's not foul at all.

Although Albarrak cooks the expected lamb kibbee (four for $5.50), he'll occasionally do a tempting Iraqi beef version of the crunchy rice and meat cakes. And his bell pepper medfoona ($6.95) is a stuffed delight that bursts with a lilting rice mixture of ground beef, garlic and onion.

Don't be in a great hurry when you eat here. Chef Albarrak makes everything from scratch and is a meticulous cook. Order a small lemon-pepper spiced chicken pizza for $7.95 that's topped with zucchini, onions, garlic and melted cheese while you wait and you'll hardly notice the time go by.

Then the heaped oval entree platters arrive.

If you choose a fish dish, it may be because you know that some of the best food in Baghdad in the old days was barbecued fish, generally known as masgoof. Chef Albarrak will marinate and grill a whole whitefish for four for $30 if you call him in advance. Otherwise, you can try his whole grilled trout ($14) or pan-fried filet of red snapper ($10.50), both marinated and nicely executed, with the latter being favored by Americans because of its bonelessness. I prefer the trout, actually with more flavor, but it's a busier experience because the diner has to separate the fish from its bones.

Not nearly as busy in the separation of bones from meat is the brace of marinated quails dish ($13), with wonderfully enjoyable flesh prized from each bird.

Or you can try the tasty plate of gellilli ($11), a homey, very flavorful dish of pieces of marinated beef that have been fried with onions, scallions, tomatoes and a hint of garlic.

Lamb chops (or lamb ribs) also benefit from the chef's secret marinade and provide a fine meal choice for $13.

But you'll not find a better chicken kebab ($9) anywhere than Albarrak's. In this recipe, every morsel is an absolute triumph.

And every main entree plate possesses a heap of Mediterranean Corner's superb basmati rice mixture.

Which, of course, comes with one of those memorable ``soupman'' soups.

THE FACTS

The restaurant: Mediterranean Corner.

Where: 21714 Devonshire St., Chatsworth.

When: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and for dinner only from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Recommended items: Combination appetizer plate, hummus tahini, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, labneh, turshi pickles, lentil soup, vegetable soup, sojouk, foul modamas, chicken kebab, marinated quail, lamb chops, gellilli, medfoona, grilled trout, pan-fried red snapper, baklava.

How much: Starters from $2 to $9, entrees from $7 to $14, pastas from $5 to $8, desserts from $1.50 to $4. No alcohol license. MC, V.

Reservations: Helpful. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three and One Half Stars for food; Three Stars for service: Three and One Half Stars for value.

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Photo

Photo: Anan, left and Gus Albarrak, owners of the Mediterranean Corner in Chatsworth, with a sampling of their entrees and appetizer plates.

Terri Thuente/Daily News