AROUND THE WORLD, PART II

Let Week Two of our trip around the world via Los Angeles restaurants begin.

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). (6263 Leland Way, Los Angeles, (213) 463-9788.) Inside this modest, dark-wood craftsman’s cottage posters, baskets and Ethiopian dresses hang on several walls in funky fashion. Fingers (along with injera, the traditional bread) seem to be sufficient tools for eating, although forks are provided. The lamb, rich and deeply flavored, is particularly tasty. Beef tips are sweet and lean in an enthralling onion mass. Dulet (ground meat, liver and tripe) in a spicy country-style has an intriguingly light and nubby taste. There is beer and wine, soda, coffee and tea, but nothing resembling dessert served at Addis Ababa. Lunch and dinner daily. Cash only. Beer and wine. Parking in rear. Dinner for two, food only, $11-$40.

Kashmir International (India). (80 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (818) 405-9060.) Kashmir International is spare and simply decorated. The food also has a homey quality--solid and hearty, much like the Mughlai cuisine of northwest India (richly spiced dishes with a good deal of meat). Raghan josh (curried lamb cooked with ginger, garlic, coriander and a bouquet of other herbs) is done superbly. Tandoori meats and breads are great, especially lamb tikka, encrusted with coriander. Breads, such as garlic naan and aloo paratha, a flat bread stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes and peas, then rubbed with butter, are especially satisfying. End your meal with kheer khas, a pudding condensed from boiled milk and rice; it is one of the most delicious things on Earth. Honest. Lunch and dinner daily. American Express accepted. Beer and wine. Parking lot. Dinner for two, food only, $25-$40.

Marrakesh (Morocco). (1100 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, (714) 645-8384.) Morocco is on the Western edge of the Arab world and its cuisine is full of Turkish, Berber and French influences. A meal in a Moroccan restaurant usually consists of five or more courses and is a wonderfully sensual experience--at least if you like eatig with your hands. Harira, a rich broth of lentils, eggplant, roasted peppers and carrot, with a pinch of cumin and coriander, is a great first course. Try the b’stilla, a cinnamon-flavored egg- and chicken-stuffed pie sprinkled with almonds and topped with confectioners’ sugar, or kotban, a lamb shish kebab marinated in coriander, cumin, garlic, and olive oil. You must not go to a Moroccan restaurant without trying couscous, a steamed grain dish piled with vegetables boiled in lamb stock. Dinner daily. All major credit cards accepted. Full bar. Valet parking. Dinner for two, food only, $33-$45.

Pamchal (Iran). (1389 Westwood Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 473-0309.) Pamchal refers to its cuisine as Caspian and Continental--the Caspian Sea being the body of water that serves Iran and the Soviet Union. Pamchal serves a couple of fish dishes, rare on other Iranian menus. The fish is on the plain side: a sturgeon kebab served with lemon, and broiled whitefish with a savagely sour pomegranate sauce. The Caspian is also where the famous Iranian caviar comes from; Pamchal makes a specialty of caviar, served Russian-style with little pancakes. The best entrees are morghe torshe, chicken in a tart spinach and cilantro sauce, and fesenjon, Cornish game hen with a sauce of pureed walnuts and pomegranate juice. Because the dessert list is so long, you might try Pamchal’s dessert combo plate, an interesting selection of their choicest desserts. Lunch and dinner daily. MasterCard, Visa and American Express accepted. Beer and wine. Street parking. Dinner for two, food only, $10-$36.

Violet’s Restaurant (Russian). (1712 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, (213) 255-4562.) Violet’s is not what you’d call splashy. The dark, shadowy dining room is filled with dim chandeliers, Czarist art, royally crested wallpaper and plush, high-backed armchairs you can sink into. Appetizers are simple and charming. Pirojok, tiny turnovers stuffed with onion, bacon and ground beef are also delightful. You must order the borscht, filled with chunked beef and cabbage; the soup is rich with subtle, lingering flavors. The beef Stroganoff is light and delicate--thinly sliced filet mignon is served with fresh mushrooms and sweet onion in a stock reduction that has been slightly thickened with sour cream--a far cry from the floury imposter that’s given the dish its bad name. For dessert try the homemade baklava. Dinner Wed.-Sun. All major credit cards accepted. Beer and wine. Parking in rear. Dinner for two, food only, $30-$50.