BEST BITES

Following are some capsule reviews of the better restaurants recently visited by our critics:

Start with a house salad. That’s the easiest way to initiate the palate into the the Turkish and Mediterranean dishes served by Abraham Aymelek, the owner-chef of Moonangel.

Actually start with several house salads. A sampler features tastes of five selections, highlighted by the patlican salatasi --an eggplant dish that is mousselike in texture--and the sweet and tart grape leaves stuffed with rice. The borek, or spinach pie, is pretty tempting too. It is made with feta cheese and served with hot humus.

Following that introduction, move on to the main course. Traditionally Turkish menu items include mantarli kuzu, a lamb and mushroom stew. Mediterranean dishes are topped by the poached seafood wrapped in paper and steamed in a wine-based, seasoned broth.

Moonangel is located at 302 W. Montecito St., Santa Barbara, 962-8949. Lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, dinner 5:30 to 11 p.m. daily and brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Lunch for two, food only will cost about $15. Dinner for two, food only will cost $32 to $50.

Neon beer signs and colored lights make Golden China restaurant look like a pizza parlor. But that’s where the similarity ends. The two large dining rooms with carved wood panels, Oriental chairs and lantern light fixtures are a dead giveaway.

So are the 113 Mandarin and Sichuan items on the menu, most of which are rich with garlic and ginger, and some very sweet.

The mixed appetizers are served on a wooden platter with a fire pot burning in the middle. The resulting glow over the table is nice, as is the teriyaki beef on a stick and the paper-wrapped chicken pieces. Pot stickers are particularly delicious with their flavorful sauce filled with chunks of garlic and ginger.

Entrees are led by the fresh red snapper covered with extremely spicy sauce and the shrimp in a basket of woven noodles, served with vegetables.

Golden China is located at 1105 South Seaward Ave., Ventura, 652-0688. Lunch and dinner are served 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Dinner for two, food only, $20 to $44.

From the way the sun shines through the dining room, to the classical Mexican and Yucatan cuisine, Cafe Vallarta is a treat for the senses. The new menu includes such entrees as a calamari-stuffed chile relleno , a mild pollo almendrado and an award-winning caldo de mariscos (or bouillabaisse). The beer snacks, especially the cochinita pibil (pork cooked in banana leaves), are worth trying. Cafe Vallarta is located at 620 E. Haley St., Santa Barbara, 564-8494. Dinner is served from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, and 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays. Dinner for two, food only, $28 to $40.

What’s in a name? Everything, in the case of the Sea Fresh Restaurant. The owners have their own commercial fishing boat in Ventura Harbor and have the pick of fresh fish. Sushi is a house specialty and is offered as an entree or an appetizer. Particularly good is the yellowtail roll. Main dishes include a large selection of fish and chips, calamari and fish tacos. Sea Fresh Restaurant is located at 533 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai, 646-7747. Lunch and dinner are served 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The sushi bar is open 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Dinner for two, food only, $11 to $28. Nothing at the sushi bar is more than $3.

Don’t let the six-foot-wide storefront entrance to Chez Kim mislead you. Once inside, the place is like a French bistro. There is the intimacy, the simple menu and the hearty servings. But again, don’t be fooled. The menu leans toward Italian. There are several types of fresh pasta in a coarse-textured pesto sauce. Chez Kim is located at 420 E. Main St., Ventura, 648-7028. Dinner is served 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Dinner for two, food only, $35 to $55.