TAKEOUT FARE EASES DINNER CRUNCH DURING HOLIDAY RUSH.

Byline: Natalie Haughton and Marge Powers Daily News Staff Writers

``What's for dinner?'' is a familiar dilemma throughout the year. But during the holiday season, when cooks are frazzled with decorating and working, attending parties and entertaining, baking, shopping, gift buying and wrapping, dinner can be low on the priority list.

Save your energy and kitchen efforts for baking and gift-making and rely on takeout food for dinner. No, not hamburgers and hot dogs, but a host of tantalizing foods such as Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Thai, Mexican and rotisserie-cooked delicacies.

Our restaurant roundup features a diverse group of possibilities - ranging from ethnic and inexpensive to upscale and a tad more pricey. All offer good quality and value for the money.

Call ahead and order food to go. To save even more time, have it delivered when possible.

So kick back, relax and enjoy the holiday season this year. After your takeout meal, you'll be rested and ready to tackle other holiday tasks.

The Alamo Bar and Grill, 1123 Borchard Road, Newbury Park; [phone]; 1312 Van Norte Ave., Camarillo; [phone]; 25946 McBean Parkway, Valencia; [phone]; 20655 Soledad Canyon Road, Canyon Country; [phone].

When you want Mexican takeout, head to the Alamo for a variety of enchiladas, tortas, burritos, tacos, taquitos, tostadas, chile rellenos, quesadillas, nachos and salads as well as rotisserie chicken prepared old-mission style.

A takeout window at the side of the Newbury Park restaurant speeds ordering and pickup. We sampled a beef taco and chile relleno on the combination plate ($4.50), a grande shredded beef tostada ($3.95) and a cheese enchilada ($1.50). The shredded beef was seasoned to perfection and made for mouth-watering dishes. Portions were ample.

Bambino's, 6846 De Soto Ave., Canaga Park; [phone].

This bright, perky restaurant features a wealth of Italian-style dishes, from appetizers and soups to pasta specialties, chicken, veal, seafood and vegetable creations. Pizzas (mini, small, medium and large) and calzones are also offered, as are specialties such as eggplant parmigiana, and sausage and peppers. The pesto pizza, chicken gorgonzola cheese pizza, Alfredo pesto pizza and white pizza primavera sound tempting. The menu has numerous other appealing options as well.

The baked ziti with meat sauce ($7.50) is delicious and generously portioned. It comes with soup or salad and garlic bread. Although the minestrone soup was thick and hearty, it needed more seasoning for our taste. The large antipasto salad is a bargain at $5.95. It's loaded with garbanzo beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, salami, olives and cheese. It comes with a super-tasty Italian dressing. The antipasto is enough for two, provided that you're splitting an entree.

Carrillo's Tortilleria and Mexican Delicatessen, 19744 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, [phone]; 1242 Pico St., San Fernando, [phone]; 2836 Cochran St., Simi Valley, [phone].

If you're hankering for some good Mexican food, head to one of Carrillo's locations. There's a lot to choose from, including homemade fresh tortillas, burritos, tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, tortas, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tamales, nachos, chips and salsas, soups, fish, dinner combinations and Mexican desserts including flan, churros and sweet breads. Carnitas, tripas (tripe) and chicharrones are among their specialties. You can also pick up pork, beef, sweet or chicken tamales for $12 per dozen.

The carne asada tostada grande ($5.50) is a great deal - big, tasty and fresh with tender meat seasoned to perfection. The tostada was large enough to feed two, if you wanted to share it. The carnitas taco ($1.75) was made with a soft, homemade tortilla filled with lots of good shredded pork. The red chile pork burrito supreme ($5.50), filled with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, beans, cheese, sour cream and guacamole was huge. Unfortunately it becomes soggy quickly - and the day we sampled it, the pork was too fatty - and thus unappealing.

Portions here are generous and represent good value for the money.

Chick's, 23355-3/4 Mulholland Drive, Woodland Hills, El Camino Shopping Center; [phone].

This gem, with a large copper rotisserie oven that you can see through the front window, is worth a visit. Try their pork or beef ribs or rotisserie chicken (quarter or half chicken) or a combination plate of the two. Or there are plenty of salads and other chicken dishes such as tacos, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, tostadas and nachos to choose from. Sandwiches and tamales are also available. A combination plate of chicken and pork ribs ($9.64) came with barbecue sauce, a tortilla and a side dish. For the side, we sampled the rotisserie yam (it costs a little extra) - and it was fabulous without anything added. It was so sweet, it tasted like dessert. The chicken was moist, tender and flavorful, and the ribs were tender and tasty. Try filling the tortilla with some chicken and sweet potato for a yummy taste treat.

The gourmet chicken spread sandwich ($5.99), served on white bread with shredded lettuce, was disappointing. The spread lacked texture and flavor - and was too mushy and runny.

China Garden, 21618 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; [phone].

This handsome, family-run restaurant will send you home with delicious, freshly prepared Mandarin and Szechwan Chinese food for dinner that's a good deal. The menu is extensive and the possibilities are many. Appetizers alone number 21 on the dinner menu, while chicken dishes number 22. In the seafood realm, there are 34 options listed.

A plentiful portion of flavorful tangerine beef that came with steamed rice was $8.25.

Lunch is a bargain as well. Specials, 36 different combination plates that are available to eat in or take out, range from $4.95 to $6.95 and come with with an egg roll and steamed rice. The shrimp and eggplant in Szechwan sauce ($5.95 at lunch) was delicious - and came laden with good-size shrimp.

Exotic Thai Cafe, 2205 Michael Drive, Newbury Park, Blockbuster Plaza; [phone]; 5895 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills, Agoura Hills City Mall; [phone].

Hidden in an out-of-the way mall in Newbury Park, this small cafe serves tasty, creative Thai dishes. Many of the selections sounded tempting - in fact so much so that it can be difficult deciding what to try. Among the options are appetizers, soups, salads, curries, noodles, rice, seafood and house specialties.

The sizzling beef ($7.50) with peanut sauce served over a bed of spinach was outstanding - exotic and flavorful. The pad Thai noodles were fresh and also good.

Gaucho Grill, 12050 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; [phone]. Other Southland locations.

This chain offers all kinds of chicken and meat dishes as well as sandwiches, salads and appetizers. Entrees come with chopped tomatoes and onion and your choice of french fries, rice, salad, mashed potatoes, beans, salsa, zucchini or grilled onions.

We sampled the spicy chicken breast (a double breast was $9.95) and found it spicy but way overcooked, sporting a blackened exterior. Nowhere did the menu clue us in that this was blackened chicken! The steak in the New York steak sandwich ($7.95) was a disappointment - tough and gristly - and part of it couldn't even be eaten. The Gaucha Juliana salad sounded great, but didn't pass muster as it failed to include the salami mentioned on the menu. A call to the restaurant manager revealed that the kitchen had run out of salami - and instead of noting that when the order was placed, the kitchen simply tried to pass it off without it (no doubt they were hoping I wouldn't notice when I opened it at home). The manager did replace the salad another evening when salami was restocked in the kitchen. Portions were not generous for the price - and this establishment offered the least value for the money. But you be the judge.

Kenny Rogers Roasters, 22816 Vanowen St., West Hills, Fallbrook Mall; [phone]. Other Southland locations.

This establishment offers wood-fire roasted chicken or turkey, honey bourbon baby back ribs, teriyaki chicken, sandwiches, salads, side dishes and desserts and all kinds of combination plates along with special kids meals. The chicken in the barbecue chicken pita sandwich ($3.99) sampled was flavorful and the sandwich was ample size.

The one-quarter dark chicken meal ($3.99) with a creamy potato salad made with new potatoes and a basil pasta salad and corn bread was a good value. The side dishes were surprisingly good. A rich, delicious square of chocolate velvet cake was a bargain for 92 cents.

Koo Koo Roo, 12175 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; [phone]. Other Southland locations.

This efficient chain, which was buzzing with business the night we checked it out, offers numerous dinner possibilities depending on your mood. There's original, skinless, flame-broiled chicken, rotisserie chicken, freshcarved turkey along with several choices of chicken salads and chicken and turkey sandwich combinations.

The side dish selections, which come with many of the meals, number two dozen, including slaw, steamed vegetables, baked yams, tangy tomato salad, tomato basil pasta, pesto pasta, Santa Fe pasta, butternut squash, roasted garlic potatoes, green beans, creamed spinach and more. Many of them looked so appetizing that we had a difficult time deciding on just two - the Santa Fe pasta and creamed spinach - which were well seasoned and very tasty.

The flame-broiled chicken breast (a two-breast combo with two sides was $6.99) was tender and moist - and satisfied hungry diners. The chicken Caesar salad ($6.99) was well portioned and had lots of chicken breast and cheese. Koo Koo Roo also offers special kid-size dinners for those 12 and under ($2.95). And you can purchase the pasta salads separately as well as a vegetarian platter (choice of any three side dishes for $4.29). Catering is also available. It's easy to understand why this chain is so popular and doing a brisk business.

Mediterranean Feast, 19223 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana; [phone].

The Lebanese and Middle Eastern cuisine here is terrific. We only wish the portions were larger. You can get all sorts of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees (lamb, chicken and fish dishes), vegetarian dishes as well as pita and rolled sandwiches and desserts. Among our favorites were the superb baba ghannouj (smoked eggplant dip), tabouli, grape leaves and mousa-ah (baked eggplant casserole) hummus. The shawarma lamb and beef pita sandwich ($4), rolled falafel sandwich ($2.50) with lettuce, tomatoes, parsley and tahini were also wonderful. The Greek salad ($5.25) of fresh vegetables, olives and feta cheese was rather small.

Paoli's Pizzeria and Pasta House, 21020 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills; [phone].

Go here for Alfredo pizza, the signature dish that this establishment is noted for. While other pizzas as well as appetizers, salads, soups, pastas and meat and fish dishes are on the menu, it's really the Alfredo pizza ($12.50 for large), that's the takeout star - and to die for (sinfully rich, but forget counting calories!).

We've also sampled pepperoni ($13 for large), tomato and cheese ($12.50 for large) and vegetarian ($12.50 for large) pizzas (which are good but not great) as well as the antipasto salad ($8.95 for large) and minestrone soup ($2.50 for a cup). The salad was mundane and lacked flavor and appeal. The minestrone was flavorless and some of the worst we've ever tasted.

Studio Wok, 11269 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; [phone].

Hidden in a strip mall, this small, clean Chinese restaurant is a find. The menu contains the usual Chinese creations and is broken down into appetizers, pork, chef's specials, beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetable, fried rice and lo mein offerings. Beef with snow peas ($6.95) was generously portioned and well-seasoned. The meat was thin and tender and included a lot of snow peas. Kung pao chicken ($6.75) - with diced chicken, peanuts and onions - was also excellent and well-portioned. Both came with plenty of steamed rice (or you can get fried rice) and a small salad with a delicious Asian-flavored dressing. Fortune cookies were also part of the package. This gem is worth returning to.

Togo's, 21506 Victory Blvd., Los Angeles; [phone]. Other Southland locations.

This chain is popping up all over and offers numerous sandwiches, including hot and cold American and Italian combinations as well as vegetarian creations. Soups, salads and chili are also available.

Sandwiches come with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and medium hot peppers on a white roll and seasoned with salt and pepper and are available in small, large and family sizes. Wheat, rye or onion rolls are also available.

The large-size pastrami Reuben sandwich ($4.79) on rye with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and mustard was large enough for two; it was yummy, but fattening. The taco salad ($3.99) was fresh and tasty, although the taco sauce that accompanied it (we got it on the side) tasted more like barbecue sauce.

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1--Color) Mediterranean Feast in Tarzana offers a variety of Lebanese and Middle Eastern delights, but portions could be bigger.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

(2--Color) Jean Paul Berkman of Chick's in Woodland Hills serves a rotisserie dinner.

Myung J. Chun/Daily

(3) Chick's in Woodland Hills offers such items as, clockwise from top, pumpkin mousse cheesecake, pasilla chicken breast with steamed vegetables and stuffed chayote, and chicken tamales with rice and beans.

Myung J. Chun/Daily

(4) Jamil Harb, left, and Alex Ghandour, owners of Mediterranean Feast, present a sampling of Lebanese and Middle Eastern dishes available at the restaurant. There's plenty for both meat eaters and vegetarians.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News