Kebabs

No two cooks make the same kebabs. This Middle Eastern family of skewer-grilled meat comes in two styles, chunky (shish kebab) and ground (kefta or lula kebab).

* Marouch: This Lebanese place makes beef filet and lamb shish kebabs; shish tawouk is skinless chicken breast with garlic sauce. There are also kebabs of ground chicken, beef or lamb, and the yogurt kebab is any two kefta kebabs on toasted pita with yogurt sauce and pine nuts. All kebabs come with rice, charbroiled tomato and onion. (Kebabs, $8 to $11.) Marouch, 4905 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 662-9325.

* Carousel Restaurant: In addition to chicken, beef, lamb and kefta kebabs, Carousel makes pork tenderloin and calf’s liver shish kebabs. Salmon and shrimp kebabs are served with a lemon wine sauce. Other special kebabs include kefta kebab topped with yogurt and pine nuts on a toasted pita. Also try khash khash--a kefta kebab on spicy broiled tomato hash. (Kebabs, $10.95 to $15.95.) Carousel Restaurant, 304 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, (818) 246-7775.

* Joseph’s Cuisine: This Crescenta Valley Lebanese-Armenian cafe offers chicken, beef and pork tenderloin kebabs, also chicken and beef kefta kebabs. Dinners come with pickles, cabbage or garden salad and rice or bulgur pilaf. (Kebabs, $8.25 to $9.95.) Joseph’s Cuisine, 3839 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, (818) 248-7108.

* Carnival Restaurant: In Sherman Oaks you can get chicken, lamb and beef kebab dinners, a lula kebab dinner or a combo: lamb, chicken and lula. All dinners come with salad or lentil soup and rice or French fries. (Kebab dinners, $9.95 to $10.95.) Carnival Restaurant, 4356 Woodman Ave., Sherman Oaks, (818) 784-3469.

* Raffi’s Place: At this casual downtown Glendale place with a great big patio (and a very busy to-go window), there are 10 kinds of kebabs, including soltani (filet mignon and ground beef), three other beef kebabs, skewered lamb chops (with bones), chicken with or without bones and mahi kabab (“mahi” has nothing to do with mahi mahi; it’s made with whitefish). All come with a nicely charred tomato and pepper and a very generous serving of basmati rice. (Kebabs, $6.50 to $11.50.) Raffi’s Place, 211 E. Broadway, Glendale, (818) 240-7411.

* Lebanese Kitchen: This young restaurant in northern Pasadena serves chicken, beef and lula kebabs; a combination plate of all three; lamb shish kebab; and khash khash kebab, which is ground beef and lamb mixed with tomato and garlic. Try the Urfa kebab: ground beef and lamb skewered with chunks of eggplant. Dinners come with rice pilaf, hummus, tabbouleh and pita bread. (Kebabs, $7.50 to $8.50.) Lebanese Kitchen, 1384 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, (626) 296-9010.