Best Bites

FRIED CLAMS

Fried clams come in two basic styles--the rubber bands found in most places and the tender Ipswich clams that come wrapped up in crisp, golden coats and are the exclusive property of the New England coast. Well, almost exclusive-- there is one place in Southern California where you can eat clams and pretend you’re back East. Tucks Point in Ventura imports its own clams. Worth a drive from anywhere.

Tucks Point, 1567 Spinnaker Drive, No. 200, Ventura, (805) 644-2644.

CARIBBEAN AKEE

When your mom urged you to eat your vegetables, she wasn’t thinking of akee,a plant so potent that it could easily pass for a member of the animal kingdom. Cooked, it has the color and consistency of perfectly scrambled eggs; mixed with salt fish and rice, it makes a meal so delicious it’s no wonder Caribbean crooners spend their time singing about it.

Coley’s Kitchen, 4335 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 290-4010. JAPANESE NOODLES

This is the proper way to eat Japanese noodles: Pick them up with your chopsticks and suck them in with a loud, slurping noise. And this is the perfect place to eat them: Mishima, a restaurant of gorgeous spareness that serves its soba noodles in a classic stock.

Mishima, 11301 Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 473-5297.

DEVILED BEEF BONES

Most people go to Chasen’s for the chili or the hobo steak, but neither of those is on the menu. Deviled beef bones are--with a condition: “When available.” I always call and ask if the restaurant has them before I reserve a table, for this is the perfect dish for those who always want a bone to pick.

Chasen’s, 9039 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 271-2168.

PASTRAMI SANDWICH

When the waiter asks what kind of bread you want your pastrami on, the only appropriate response is a stunned stare. You want it on rye. You want it with a pickle. You might even want it with French fries. But if you want a pastrami sandwich, you want it at Langer’s, where the meat is lovingly hand-cut into slices of perfect thickness and then piled onto soft bread with a perfect crust.

Langer’s, 704 S. Alvarado St., Los Angeles, (213) 483-8050.

KOREAN DUMPLINGS

They’re ravioli in Italian,quoh teh in Cantonese,kreplach in Yiddish. In Korea, dumplings are mandu,and they’re stuffed with a mixture of meat, garlic and herbs. You can have them steamed, boiled or fried, but have them here.

Famous Korean Dumpling House, 3542 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (213) 387-1288.

INDIAN CHICKEN

If you think chicken is boring, you haven’t tried sindhi chicken, which is poached with onions, ginger, chiles and many spices and then sauteed with dried mango powder and more spices. It’s both hot and subtle, and it’s absolutely addictive at

Bombay Cafe, 12113 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles, (310) 820-2070.

CAMBODIAN CATFISH

There aren’t very many Cambodian restaurants around here, and that’s a shame. It means it’s very hard to find amok,one of the most delicious fish dishes on the face of the Earth. Catfish is mixed with coconut milk, lemon grass, garlic and ginger, wrapped in sour greens and then steamed in banana leaves until it’s almost a mousse. Get it at

New Paradise, 1350 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, (213) 218-0066.

PIZZA

Everybody has a favorite pizza. Mine is at Da Pasquale, where the recipe is a closely guarded family secret. No wonder: The crust is thin and crisp, and the toppings are fresh and fine.

Da Pasquale, 9749 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 859-3884.

RIBS

There’s always a line at Phillips--and no wonder. The ribs here are intensely smoky and intensely hot. No matter how many you think you’ll be able to eat, double your order. They’re that good.

Phillips Barbecue, 4307 Leimert Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 292-7613.

CHINESE NOODLES

These are not machine-made noodles. They are not thin, not even, and they have no straight edges. But these handmade noodles with their ruffled edges are incredibly delicious--either in soup or stir-fried with pork and vegetables.

Dow Shaw Noodle House, 432 E. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, (818) 572-0617.

FRENCH DIP

The French dip sandwich, it is said, was invented in 1919 at Philippe. Whether this is actually the first restaurant to dip a French roll into meat juices before piling on the meat is irrelevant--the important thing is that, after all these years, nobody does it better.

Philippe the Original, 1001 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, (213) 628-3781.

BEANS

Everything at La Super-Rica is wonderful, but it’s the beans that bring me back. Spooned onto hand-patted tortillas, topped with freshly made salsa and eaten standing by the car, this is simple food at its absolute best.

La Super-Rica, 622 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara, (805) 963-4940.

SPRING ROLLS

Think you need meat to make you happy? Try the vegetarian spring rolls at Vien Huong, and then reconsider.

Vien Huong, 14092 Magnolia St., Westminster, (714) 373-1876.