Lettuce Cups

It’s a dish, it’s a bowl--it’s a lettuce cup filled with . . . well, whatever anybody wants to put in it. This refreshing appetizer category might start an iceberg lettuce revival all by itself. (Psst: You eat them with your hands.)

* Mandarette II: At the Beverly Hills edition of Mandarette, filled lettuce cups are called soongs, and you have a choice of three: chopped chicken with water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms; mixed vegetables with shiitake mushrooms, tofu, scallions, asparagus and red peppers; and a seafood soong of shrimp, scallops, sole and vegetables. ($8.95 to $11.95.) Mandarette II, 9513 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 385-1188.

* Zen Grill: The hefty lettuce cups at this fun, reasonably priced pan-Asian cafe are filled with moist and tasty minced chicken, jicama, pine nuts and mint, and served with a peanut dipping sauce. (Lettuce cup with minced chicken, $5.95.) The Zen Grill, 8432 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 655-9991.

* Ubon: At Nobu Matsuhisa’s modest, stylish little noodle house on the ground floor of the Beverly Center, you can have delicately crisp limestone lettuce filled with plump sauteed rock shrimp with a yuzu citrus dressing. (Lettuce with shrimp, $14.) Ubon, Beverly Center, 8530 Beverly Blvd. No. 151, Los Angeles, (310) 854-1115.

* Spark Woodfire Cooking: This spanking new Italian place, brought to you by the owner of Alto Palato, burns a lot of mesquite and olive wood. At dinner, warm grilled vegetables--juicy, smoky and perfectly al dente--are chopped and served in cool iceberg lettuce cups. It’s a painless way to eat your vegetables. You can also order them with wood-roasted chicken. (Lettuce cup with grilled vegetables, $5.50; with chicken $7.50.) Spark Woodfire Cooking, 11801 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 623-8883.

* Le Colonial: At this haute-Vietnamese restaurant, chef Gordon Naccarato makes a spicy and luscious bo la chanh: Bibb lettuce cups filled with hand-chopped filet mignon, lime leaves, chiles and mint. (Lettuce cup with filet mignon, $7.) Le Colonial, 8783 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 289-0660.

* J.R. Seafood: The menu here has a separate section devoted to the “lettuce bun.” You have a choice of minced chicken, minced chicken with minced shrimp, minced shrimp or minced beef. An order serves four. (Lettuce cups $9.25 to $13.95.) J.R. Seafood Restaurant, 11901 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 268-2463.

* Maui Beach Cafe: Westwood’s own Pan-Asian/Hawaiian regional cuisine fusion cafe fills its lettuce cup appetizer with minced chicken flavored with chiles and sesame. (Lettuce and chicken, $6.95.) Maui Beach Cafe, 1019 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, (310) 209-0494.