RESTAURANT REVIEW : 2 South of the Border Grills Suit the Scene

Californians are grill-crazy, as all the world knows. Sometimes it seems that this mania must be thundering toward a fiery climax, and that the day we perfect a grilled version of baked Alaska, California Cuisine will implode like a collapsing nova.

This is a pretty disturbing thought, so it’s good to remember that other regions have managed to coast along on grilling for quite a while. Latin America, for instance.

Gaucho Grill is a sleek Argentine fast-food restaurant, and just about every dish on the menu can be grilled. The meat is grilled, the peppers are grilled, the onions--well, hold on, the onions are sort of softened in olive oil, and the curly french fries are, of course, fried. But the idea is there.

The entrees tend to come with chimichurri , a sort of vinaigrette mildly seasoned with garlic, oregano and red pepper, and/or a salsa of onions and tomatoes. You can get flanken-style beef ribs, chorizo (not the Mexican sausage of the same name but Italian sausage), chicken breast (pleasantly spicy or excellently marinated in lime juice) and a couple of steaks, most of these as either appetizer, entree or sandwich.

Two things are only available as appetizers, but they could make great entrees on their own. One is a rich, blood sausage called morcilla, with delicious grilled skin. The other is sliced sweetbreads, which are surprisingly good when grilled.

In this crowded, fast-food sort of place it’s a little surprising to find wine served (all Argentine or Chilean wine). However, the surprising thing about dessert is how limited it is. When the flan its unavailable, there may be nothing but a pretty commonplace cheesecake-- and it isn’t even grilled.

Gaucho Grill, 7980 W. Sunset Blvd., (213) 656-4152. Open for lunch and dinner daily. Argentine and Chilean wines. Parking lot. All major credit cards accepted. Lunch for one, food only, $8 to $15. Eduardo’s Border Grill is a Mexican grill, bearing more than a little resemblance to the La Salsa chain taquerias, right down to the salsa bar and the fried green onions. It’s also open for breakfast, though, serving the usual Mexican egg dishes like huevos rancheros or an omelet with cheese, guacamole and salsa fresca.

The salsas at the salsa bar are pretty good, particularly the medium hot one. The officially hot ones are truly hot, a green tomatillo number and a sinister dark red one recommended for scientific experiment only. Things tend to come with up-to-the-minute black beans instead of refritos, and rice with corn kernels in it.

There are daily specials, always including a quesadilla : say, with spinach and olives or spinach and mushrooms. Since this is a grill, it’s only among the specials that you’ll find an enchilada.

And quite rightly, because the items based on grilling are best here. The tacos and burritos (chicken, beef or pork) are decidedly better than the enchilada, when there is one. The steak sandwich (torta), with black beans in it, is particularly good, while the chile is meaty but rather soupy and the fajitas downright dull.

No desserts at all. You might ask them to run a Mexican soft drink over the fire if you feel like it.

Eduardo’s Border Grill, 1830 Westwood Blvd., W.L.A. (213) 475-2410. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Beer and wine. Parking lot. No credit cards. Lunch for one, food only, $4.50 to $11.75.