Comfort Food : Survivors of Bygone Times : Retailing: Neighborhood markets are not yet a thing of the past.

When my mother was growing up in Boyle Heights, then a Jewish-Latino ghetto, the focus of her neighborhood was Everybody’s Market on Brooklyn Avenue. In her neck of the Heights it was the only market of its kind, where you could see everything under one roof.

In turn, when I was a kid living in the Borscht Belt of the next generation, the Beverly-Fairfax area, the neighborhood market was Merlo’s on Beverly Boulevard, across the alley from the Fairfax Theater (where Standard Shoes presently stands). I’d go there a couple of times a week with my grandmother.

My parents thought it dank and old-fashioned, preferring to shop at the more contemporary Market Basket on Third Street, but it’s Merlo’s that I remember most fondly. The produce man, who was Japanese and barely taller than my 4-foot-11 grandmother, would always give me a handful of cherries or peas in the pod. It was the first place I ever saw (and got) Crayola jumbo crayons. While my grandmother endlessly baited and cajoled the butcher into giving her a better cut of lamb chop or brisket, I patrolled the meat case with a 7-year-old’s mixture of horror and fascination; real-life cows’ tongues lolled on a bed of parsley, hunks of calf’s liver were hefted onto the scale with a diabolical-looking metal hook and glass containers held the tiny yolks and viscous whites of unlaid eggs removed from butchered hens. This was almost better than going to the scary funhouse ride at Kiddiepark.

Despite the hammerlock that supermarket and convenience chains have on Los Angeles, a few neighborhood markets remain. Some of them are survivors of another era; some of them are only a couple of years old.

Larchmont Market and Green Grocer, 131-133 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 856-9953, feels as though it’s an entrenched, established part of this sleepy, retro-genteel street, when in fact it’s only 2 years old. Granted, it inhabits the space of the old Larchmont branch of Jurgensen’s, but it’s much closer in spirit to a friendly country store than to the former inhabitant’s sniffy chill. Clean, light and airy, the Larchmont Market looks almost like an Andy Hardy-MGM version of a neighborhood grocery store--except it’s doubtful that Andy had ever seen a baked potato bar or green corn tamales.

There’s really nothing ordinary about the Larchmont Market; even the magazines carried here are haute (Paris Vogue, Maison et Jardin). And you’ll find Dean and DeLuca risotto mix alongside Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice and pozole and flageolets a la Bretogne cheek-by-jowl to the navy beans.

The meat department here, Prime Corner, is owned by Jerry Rothstein, and is an absolute gem. “You pay 10% more here, but we get our meat fresh every day,” he says proudly. All the beef is corn-fed and from Iowa, all Prime grade. He also stocks Black Forest hams, imported prosciutto and Lido veal, and claims to be the only purveyor in town to offer Prime grade lamb from Northern California. He also takes special orders and will cut and prepare meats to order.

There’s also a decent selection of very good international cheeses in Jerry’s case, as well as deli sandwiches. Don’t miss the meat loaf sandwich--it’s homemade (you can buy the meat loaf mixture raw as well) and absolutely delicious.

But the real centerpiece of the Larchmont Market is its green grocery, run by Janet Macduff. The produce is lovingly displayed in baskets and bushels--sort of a Grange version of Cartier. Produce is delivered daily; Macduff won’t keep anything perishable in stock more than one day.

You’ll find the best of whatever’s in season, including plenty of exotic lettuce and herbs, as well as homemade croutons, sun-dried tomatoes, and boutique-label salad dressings and spices. Gorgeous loaves of bread from Fred’s Bakery and Amy Pressman’s Old Town Bakery arrive fresh every day. And not only is there a salad bar here, there’s also a Pritikin-prepared foods bar (including Pritikin turkey chili), a baked potato bar and green corn tamales from El Cholo.

Customers are greeted by name at the Larchmont Market; most of them have house charges. It offers home delivery--just the way markets used to back when dinosaurs roamed the earth--and also makes up beautiful food platters and gift baskets.

Owen’s Market, 9769 W. Pico Blvd., West Los Angeles, (213) 553-8181, has been a Westside fixture since 1957, catering to the denizens of the Hillcrest Country Club and other carriage-trade folk who never really felt comfortable at Jurgensen’s. Owen’s is a compact yet well-stocked market that features perfect produce (grown locally and exclusively for Owen’s by Dale Burkett), including some out-of-season items available year-round and a fabled meat department. Manning’s beef is the name of the game here; all the beef is dry-aged for four weeks in a moisture-proof cooler, and special orders are not only honored but encouraged.

The selection of fresh fish is pretty impressive too: Chilean sea bass, Australian orange roughy and Alaskan salmon. And if you love Noonan’s ribs and chickens, they’ve got them for you. You’ll also find fresh caviar here, and should you require something terribly esoteric that isn’t in stock, Owen’s will get it--even if they have to fly it in. They also offer house charges and will deliver as far as Santa Monica on the west, Brentwood and Bel Air to the north and Larchmont and Hancock Park to the east.

V & S Market, 3212 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, (213) 450-7622, is your prototypical old-fashioned neighborhood market; it even has butcher paper banners, hand-lettered with thick tempera brush strokes (“Pork Chops--A Favorite $3.95”). The lighting’s a little dim, and the service may be a little poky, but there’s something infinitely reassuring and comforting about V & S.

There’s a takeout counter with the usual selection of sandwiches, prepared salads and barbecue--no surprises--and a decent butcher department, complete with a little ceramic pig perched somewhat cannibalistically atop the country-style pork sausage meat. There’s even freshly ground pet food at 49 cents a pound. (This is a neighborhood that takes its domestic critters seriously.)

There’s nothing too exotic in the produce department, but there is fresh-squeezed orange juice and Hadley’s dates. V & S is a no-frills sort of neighborhood market--no house charges, no delivery--but it truly reflects the unpretentious, quiet area it’s in, while surviving the growing trendiness of the neighborhood.

Also in Santa Monica is Fireside Market, 1425 Montana Ave., (213) 451-5743. Located in a neighborhood of old-timers, nouveau-riche yuppies and movie stars (Michelle Pfeiffer is a regular at Fireside) this market offers some of the best people watching in town.

Larger than most neighborhood markets, Fireside has a well-stocked dry goods section, with lots of variety; a terrific meat department featuring a butcher and an impressive array of fresh sausages (English bangers, bratwurst, curried duck, Italian) and seafood. The prepared-foods takeout counter acts as the market’s town square: Patrons chat with each other as they order their fried or barbecued chicken, short ribs, pasta salads and steamed vegetables. Fireside has an excellent produce section, thick with fresh, packaged herbs, multicolored peppers and exotic mushrooms.

But Fireside’s real pride and joy is its wine shop, which has to rank among the best in the city, offering a stunning selection of world-class wines that are rarely encountered at the retail level. You’ll find a 1988 Boyle Petite Sirah for $5.99, Houtz Vineyard Chardonnay from the Santa Ynez Valley, several kosher wines, plenty of nonalcoholic wines and some stellar Champagnes, including a Krug Champagne “Clos du Mesnil” 1980--for $195.

Beachwood Market, 2701 Belden Drive, Hollywood, (213) 464-7154, is set in a neighborhood that so resembles a movie set, one is tempted to look behind buildings to make sure they’re not simply props. Developed as Hollywoodland in 1923 by a real estate syndicate, this 5OO-acre tract was heralded by a Gothic stone entrance, with a huge sign spelling out the name looming over it. The “land” part of the iconic sign has long since fallen down, but the Disney-ish village, with its replicas of turreted castles, English cottages gabled to within an inch of their lives and Mediterranean villas remains pretty much intact.

The market (together with the Beachwood Cafe) serves as the focus of the neighborhood--it almost resembles a social club more than a market. The market often looks like a film scene cast by Robert Altman, peopled with lots of ‘60s holdouts alongside aspiring writers and actors. It’s no surprise that the walls are hung with photos and film stills--some dating back to the early ‘30s when the market was a Safeway, some from the original version of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” parts of which were filmed on the street.

The market itself is just fine, with good grocery and housewares departments and a thriving upscale takeout deli featuring various olives, pates, chevres, prepared Italian dishes, pasta salads and sandwiches. You’ll find golden raspberries and sun-dried tomatoes in the produce department, and the meat counter (with butcher on the premises) displays leg of lamb, beautiful veal and various marinated kebabs, and will cut meat to order. There’s a wonderful selection of olive oils, and even a little nook stocked with Japanese foods and ingredients.

Kearns’ Market, 73OO Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 857-0302, stands in a little pod mall set on the grooviest stretch of Beverly Boulevard and from the street looks like just another mini-mart. But don’t be fooled. Kearns’ seems to take its location seriously (it’s within spitting distance of Skank World, Java, Mexica, Muse, Modernica and Tyler Trafficante) and offers things you’ll never find in a 7-Eleven. There’s a tiny fresh-produce section, pickles sitting fat and happy in a big glass jar, DeCecco dry pastas and a good selection of fresh salads and sandwiches in the refrigerator case. There’s a wall full of Sark’s coffee beans, complete with grinding machine. A machine dispenses fresh popcorn and pizza is available by the slice. There are even baguettes of Il Fornaio bread, delivered fresh daily.

Westward Ho, 4520 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 783-0540, is actually a link in a chain of five markets, but it’s a neighborhood agora nonetheless, one that truly reflects the area that it is in. It recently underwent a face-lift, complete with the requisite green carriage-trade awning, yet it still feels relaxed and comfy. There’s a new soup-and-salad bar and a fresh-fruit bar, as well as a complete hot-and-cold take-out deli with a good selection of pasta salads, entrees, side dishes and sandwiches. The meat department is decent, with prepackaged cuts of beef, pork and veal, fish and chicken; the selection of dry goods is compact, yet comprehensive. In fact, Westward Ho is kind of like a mini-supermarket.

Eddie’s Jr. Naples Market, 5670 Second St., Long Beach, (213) 421-3739, is the quintessential beach/college town market, with what may be the world’s largest selection of jarred and tinned “gourmet” items since the ‘60s. If you’re hankering for tins of smoked, sliced rock lobster (at $9.99 per) or deviled mackerel, you’ll find them, along with a host of pickled onions and pates. They’re mad for anchovy pastes here.

There’s also a florist on the premises, a take-out pizza counter, plenty of ingredients for Latin and Asian dishes; in other words, all the makings for a party, including plenty of liquor. While the produce here is charmingly arranged in bushels, the quality of the fruits and vegetables isn’t fabulous. Naturally, Eddie’s Jr. is open 24 hours; you never know when you may need that anchovy paste.

Huntington Market, 900 Huntington Drive, San Marino, (818) 289-3562, is a neighborhood market out of “Father Knows Best” (or the chirping-bluebird ending of “Blue Velvet”). It’s almost too perfect to be true. A shade over 20 years old, Huntington claims to be the first market in Southern California with wall-to-wall carpeting, and it must be one of the few remaining local places where people still buy their newspapers from open stacks before the market opens, leaving their quarters atop the stacks of papers.

The market itself is marvelous; it’s actually a full-service food emporium. Along with in-house baked goods, there are frou-frou pastries from the Pasadena restaurant Mi Piace and dreamy pies from Thee’s in Farmer’s Market, including a gooseberry pie which would make Mildred Pierce weep. Huntington also offers a full menu of prepared dishes approved by the Diet Center, as well as less virtuous treats such as double-stuffed baked potatoes, Buffalo chicken wings, mulligatawny soup and Mandarin chicken salad.

The meat department has a butcher and features dry-aged Prime beef, various kebabs, Noonan’s ribs and a selection of marinated chicken breasts, as well as homemade meat loaf and ground chicken. There’s also a sample bar with bowls of sauces, dips, chips and crudites. The produce here is handpicked and absolutely flawless, as is the service. Huntington also offers corporate (not personal) house charges and delivery.