Spring Rolls

* These rolls, wrapped in a sort of translucent rice tortilla, are crisp, chewy, tasty--and wholesome.

Chan Dara: Inside the Saigon rolls are cellophane noodles, shrimp, tofu, alfalfa sprouts, shredded carrots and red leaf lettuce. A tamarind sauce sprinkled with chopped peanuts and minced onion comes on the side. (Saigon spring roll, $7.95.) Chan Dara, 310 N. Larchmont Blvd., Hancock Park, (323) 467-1052; 1511 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, (323) 464-8585; 11940 W. Pico Blvd., West L.A., (310) 479-4461.

Red Pearl Kitchen: Chef Tim Goodell serves a roll filled with sauteed crab and lobster, carrots, onions and cilantro. You pile mint and basil on a lettuce leaf, wrap the roll up in it and dip in spicy fish sauce. (Cold spring roll, $9.50.) Red Pearl Kitchen, 412 Walnut St., Huntington Beach, (714) 969-0224.

Zen Grill: The vegetarian spring rolls are stuffed with an unusual combination of vegetables that includes cabbage, carrots, enoki mushrooms, celery and corn. A few strands of cellophane noodles are added to balance the crunch, and the rolls are served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. (Vegetarian spring rolls, $3.75.) Zen Grill, 9111 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 278-7773.

Crustacean: There are two varieties at this elegant Vietnamese restaurant. The vegetarian roll is filled with shiitake mushrooms, shredded cabbage, fried tofu, water chestnuts and carrots. The other roll (“Asian tapas”) has sauteed prawns, shredded green mango, vermicelli and rau ram (an herb sometimes called Vietnamese basil). Both come with a sweet bean dipping sauce. (Vegetarian spring roll, $9.45; Asian tapas, $8.50.) Crustacean, 9646 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 205-8990.

Golden Deli: This Vietnamese place has a variety of cold spring rolls. Some you assemble yourself, such as phan chao tom (shrimp paste broiled on sugar cane) or phan nem nuong (broiled pork meatballs), which come with carrots, lettuce Vietnamese herbs and bean sprouts for rolling up in rice papers. Two others come to the table already assembled: bi cuon, filled with lettuce and shredded pork, and goi cuon, with lettuce, pork and shrimp. All rolls come with a dipping sauce of rice vinegar and slivered ginger. (Phan chao tom, $6.95; phan nem nuong, $5.25; bi cuon, $2.75; goi cuon, $2.75.) Golden Deli, 815 W. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, (626) 308-0803.