THESE SHOOTS ARE MADE FOR WOK-IN'.

Byline: Larry Lipson Daily News Restaurant Critic

We saw it happen to Mexican food, now it's happening to Chinese.

The reaction to reports that traditional Mexican food cooked in lard was not good for us sparked a wave of Fresh-Mex outlets and cafes.

A similar report about traditional Chinese food has resulted in California Wok in Encino, which proclaims its Chinese fare is fresher and healthier but just as tasty.

If this pronouncement came from newcomers, we might think of them as opportunists. But California Wok is owned and operated by established West Los Angeles restaurant veterans from Joe's Four Rivers and Chung King.

To tell you the truth, California Wok's food is very tasty. This is important, because too many times the switch to something healthy or dietetic means something blah in taste.

But start with California Wok's house special beef steak ($9.95), made with excellent-quality filet mignon, and you'll see what I mean.

The nutrition numbers for this dish of superb meat stir-fried with onions and green peppers are available to customers via a handsome black-and-gold-covered, take-away menu (260 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat if the dish is shared by three people).

The dish is also designated as a ``smiling face'' entree, or one light and low in fat according to FDA guidelines.

This new restaurant has pros and cons. Many will not want to eat in a place that looks like a fast-food outlet. You give your order at a counter, pay for it, then place a numbered plaque on your table so a server can find you when the food is ready.

If you don't want to get all your items right away, it's a good idea to tell the person taking your order how you want your meal delivered.

Various stations offer sauces and a canister of hot tea. You pay 85 cents in advance for the tea, and you can take as much as you want.

Chinese food aficionados may notice the lack of pork on the menu; fish and string beans also are missing.

Lots of chicken and shrimp dishes are offered, however. The best of the ones we tried were garlic white meat chicken with celery and water chestnuts in a slightly spicy sauce ($7.50), and chicken with asparagus ($7.50), a light and lilting blend of velvety white chicken and crunchy green asparagus.

Moo shu chicken ($7.50) is also a good choice.

The spiciest dish out of California Wok's kitchen is its Szechwan beef ($7.50) mixture, with carrots and celery in a hot, sweet sauce.

The same crunchy asparagus that comes with the chicken makes a fine separate vegetable choice ($6.75).

The soups here, both hot and sour chicken ($4.75) and chicken won ton ($4.50), provide clean, distinctive flavors and firm ingredient textures. But a teriyaki vegetable bowl ($3.95), though generous in size, had too much wimp and wilt to impress.

Steamed dumplings ($4.50), half a dozen per order, receive our nod over the crispy pan-fried ones. They're well-packed with a ground chicken and vegetable mixture and wrapped in nicely thin won ton skins.

Egg rolls (four for $3.95) are crispy and fresh-tasting, and foil-wrapped chicken (six for $4.50) hit the spot one night.

Noodle (chow mein) and fried rice mixtures also have fresh, clean tastes and looks. Mushrooms are fresh and crunchy. Most of the time, mixed vegetables (broccoli, pea pods, bok choy, baby corn and carrots) avoid overcooked mushiness.

And shrimp of fair size and firmness mixed with bell peppers and onions in a light, nongloppy black bean sauce ($9.50) matches that of better Chinese kitchens.

When you're told it's only 140 calories and 0.5 gram of saturated fat, you tend to get smug and satisfied, which is exactly how California Wok wants you to feel.

THE FACTS The restaurant: California Wok.

Where: 16656 Ventura Blvd., Encino.

When: Open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Recommended items: Paper-wrapped chicken, egg rolls, steamed dumplings, chicken won ton soup, hot and sour soup, garlic chicken, chicken with asparagus, moo shu chicken, Szechwan beef, house special beef steak, sauteed asparagus, chicken chow mein.

How much: Most dishes large enough to be shared by two or three. Starters from $4 to $6.25, entrees from $7.50 to $10, side dishes from $4.50 to $6.75. No alcohol. AE, MC, V.

Reservations: Taken for parties of five or more. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three and One Half Stars for food.

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Photo: Thomas Tan, left, Maria Liu and David Lan serve heal th-conscious Chinese food at California Wok in Encino.

Gus Ruelas/Daily News