Feature Story

Below please note the only well edited, professional and honest resume of the many restaurants we have reviewed in the last 11 years. mostly within Ventura County but also throughout The United States.

We do not run a popularity contest by amateurs like Zagat’s or the local Ventura County newspaper fluff which is an insult to any diner since the reviewer has not eaten a bad meal in 15 years. She's remarkable

No one tells the truth as does FrankAboutFood.Com. No one

But we also cover non- local restaurants that are worth a drive as well as important choices in the major cities in the US.

If there is an area that we have missed for you …. Any where in the world, please e- mail us and we try to give you our best shot including Asia.

Sushi - Bluntly our Asian experiences make us the expert of Ventura County. And who would have ever believed that Ventura County would have as many Sushi Bars as Pizza Joints. It is true and quality varies just as much . Thus we could only recommend 5 truly authentic choices. The one in Oxnard with great Uni just closed .Most of those others are frauds with non- Japanese behind the bar. Avoid them if you are serious about Sushi. If you are a California Roll fan then ignore my advice. /

Thus you can choose Sushi Yusho in Newbury Park , Kaminari in Westlake. Ori in Thousand Oaks and Shibuya in nearby Calabasas. They all also serve different levels of basic Japanese food but Ori also features the wonderful Shabu- Shabu prepared tableside.

At dinner. Onyx at The Four Seasons with the original great Japanese chef has superior Sushi in a wonderful room and bar with fine service…but at a price. However during the week until 6:30 they have a happy hour ½ price off on most of the Japanese food served. It is worth a try.

Amazingly “The Dreaded Valley” in Studio City has one of the two top rated restaurants in the city….period and it is #1 for Sushi, rated over the now widely spread Nobu Matushisa and his group. It is Asanebo with sushi master Tetsuya Nakao at the helm. The place is jammed with the high rollers from Warner’s and Disney so your bill could easily hit $100 a person if you go Omakase (Chef’s Choice). Worth it!!!!!!

There are other great choices in “The Valley”.. If you are somewhat adventuresome seek out Sushi Nozawa (The Sushi Nazi in Studio City) or Sushi Iki on Ventura Blvd in Tarzana. Both are a bit pricey but very creative.

Finally if you are on the Westside or on the way to or from the airport, check out the very casualYabu Noodle and Sushi. Two blocks west of the 405 at the Pico Blvd Off ramp. Their home made Udon and Soba noodle plates make you think you are on the Ginza (but you must slurp loudly) and their Sushi and fish dishes are pristine. Lunches are a bargain and dinners are medium priced. It is worth the trip. Valet parking in the evening. Daytime street parking.

Italian Tuscany- in Westlake rates not only as the best Italian restaurant in Ventura County, it ranks among the best in the state for Italian food. It is also #1 overall in the county for the combination of serious fine food with great ambience and great service. Some feel it is a bit pricey but they are wrong. Watching Tommaso Barletta in action is a lesson in dining management.

Rustico- If Tuscany is not in your price range then consider the more casual Rustico on Lindero and Kanan for your choice. Ownership is now shared by the above Tommaso and three of his relatives from Italy including the chef from Lake Como, Maurizio Ronzoni. Their Pizza is the classic thin crusted Napolitano style with Italian Zero flour and fresh Mozzarella cheese baked in a classic brick wood burning oven. No other pizza in the county measures up.

Grissini- quietly opened about 2 years ago on Agoura road across from The Maririot Renaissance under the direction of Giuseppe Belisario. A true veteran of the better Italian dining industry. He took over a Chinese restaurant in the Moz’ Buddha Bar strip mall and converted it into one of the more comfortable rooms in the entire area. Attentive service and full gourmet choices also include fairly priced wide pasta choices and true thin crust Pizza Napolitano made with famous Zero Italian flour and fresh Mozzarella cheese under the direction of an Italian chef from the Lago Maggiore area.

Marcello’s - on Hillcrest near Sears is probably (along with Bocaccio’s) the oldest Italian restaurant in Ventura County and there must be a reason for that. It is under the daily watch of its two owners Pietro and Marcello who are veterans of famed fine food and service Italian Cruise Lines The room is very pleasant, service is as straightforward as the food and prices are very fair

Riviera Tommaso’s restaurant in Calabasas and therefore is easily the best in what is considered the “The Dreaded Valley”. Perhaps Panzanella of the Drago family fame also measures up.

Verona- is another straightforward spot that is the only decent Italian restaurant in the West County.in Camarillo

Café Firenze- was an exciting new arrival in Moorpark 2 ½ years back and after much turmoil has wound up back in the hands of “Top Chef “ Fabio and his Florentian buddy Jacopo. But their eyes now seem to be on bigger things. Fabio is rarely around and the restaurant continues its old habits of overbooking.

Vitello’s on T.O Blvd west of the Auto complex is an offshoot of a popular but simple Studio City mid priced Italian restaurant. However during our visit the owner manager did not seem to know the difference between the flour used for Pizza and the flour used for Pasta. The Pizza we ordered showed his lack of that knowledge since when we pointed out that the Pizza was both soggy and burned, he appeared uninterested.

Bocaccio’s on the Lake has been around for about 40 years. The view was clearly the big attraction since the original owner was arrogant, the food over sauced and the servers could not understand or pronounce the food they offered. It has changed hands about 3 times and is now jointly owned by the owner of the Landing and the son of the Milano’s of Agoura owners who then served very simple old time Italian food that rarely ventured to Osso Buco. or Cioppino or home made Ravioli.

At this stage, it is hard to tell if the current owners of Bocaccio's want to be an Italian restaurant or a pseudo steak and booze joint with a view.

Chinese- Less Chinese restaurants now than sushi bars and maybe even less good ones. The standout is Chester’s Asia in Camarillo on Pickwick. It has been there 30 plus years and serves authentic Mandarin, Szechuan, Hunan, Shanghai and Cantonese ( It ‘s true) . Best bet is to go with a group of 6 or more and ask the owner Keith to make you a banquet. It will be about $20 a person without booze and you will never forget it. They love kids . Lakeview Gardens in Westlake is the next best and always very busy. There must be a reason. Hunan on North Moorpark is OK. After that you are on your own. If dim sum is on your mind, then try A&W Seafood in Northridge, It is the closest in the city. For the very best bypass downtown and go 7minutes farther on the 10 to Atlantic South for the amazing 500 seat Ocean Star or 6 blocks further South on Atlantic to Elite for Hong Kong style dim sum freshly prepared.

Indian -Hard to believe but not much . Many people have asked us about Indian food and until recently there were only 3 in the county. Two more opened recently but are all average or below. Right now the best bet by far is The Taj in Ventura.

If you are really serious about Indian food , you may have to make the trip down the deadly 405 to Pico off ramp. Two minutes West on Pico takes you to Bombay Café , crowded but rated the one of the best in SoCal. Surya India in the Fairfax area is also a good choice but a touch pricey.

Thai- We must admit we are very spoiled. We’ve eaten in a variety of Thai restaurants all over Southern California from Talesai on the top on Sunset to the bottom in “The Dreaded Valley”
For us nothing comes close to “Pookie’s” downstairs in The Water Court on Hampshire in Westlake. Pookie the owner from Bangkok at your service is worth the price and her food quality , selection and values are incomparable. Just leave it up to her. The minor problem is that she is often so busy that service can be a bit slow. But it is worth the wait. Prices are very, very fair.

Vietnamese- On Lindero across from the Four Seasons .and the only one that I know of in the entire county but a gigantic winner. Pho 9021 is owned by master chef Kimmy Tang and offers sophisticated Asian food touched by French and Chinese nuances at prices that amaze. A giant bowl of iconic Pho soup is $9. It feeds two. Full lunch specials are bargains at $9.95.I rate it just about as good as the famed "Slanted Door at The Bay Bridge in San Francisco at about 1/2 the price.

American- Californian Fusion-New Whatever!!! This format has dominated the development of the dining business throughout the nation along with Sushi for the last 10 years nationwide with emphasis on local freshness, quality of ingredients and oft fused with subtle Asian influences and French technique . Many local chefs in this category have moved around often including Robin Nishizaki, Robert Grenner, Alberto Vasquez and the chef at Napa Grill. But there is still a very good selection in this category throughout the county. And because the competition is strong, almost all of the leaders in this category are offering generous promotions especially in midweek.

Leila’s has a very deserved loyal following because of wild man chef Richie Demane. He has the touch and talent for interesting and flavorful food . Owner Payman Afshar is always around though he may be a bit too suave for some. . There have been minor renovations over the years but the tight ambience does not quite measure up to the top rated cuisine

Perhaps the most casual fun in this area is Bellavino Dining and Wine Bar. After three big changes in the last three years, Bellavino now has a fine young chef who creates fairly priced and appealing casual food to match up with the fine wines offered. by Belllavino wine maven Richard Belloff. who also offers specials on 3 course dining promotions plus fun live music on the weekends.

Mediterraneo recently lost its “hot” executive chef to the burgeoning mobile food truck biz ?? Ironically it has been a major benefit as former sous chef Lisa Biondi is turning out much more exciting and creative food than before. And as usual management puts it money where it belongs with comfortable dining and bar areas, the fun wine gardens and a soon to come wine tasting and spa facility . A unique Happy hour is 4-7 Mon-Thurs and to 6:30 on Friday . It features your favorite wines and cocktails at reduced prices enhanced with palate pleasing small plates in the $6-7 category.

.Cafe 14 in Agoura began with a very energetic and experienced husband and wife team and

delivered very creative food with French overtones for a long period of time. They then divorced but continued the restaurant. They have had some ups and downs but now seem on the right track. Worth a try.

The eponymous Brooks in Ventura opened to rave reviews for this chef with top Northern California credentials. We loved it. to start But then he began cigar and booze nights which doesn’t exactly go with great food. Since then we have lost interest.

Café Zack’s in Ventura is in an old house but has very interesting food and service at fair prices.

California Grill and Safire have joint ownership in Camarillo and have a strong local following but turnover in the kitchen has created some inconsistency once you move from the very basics.

Napa Grill had problems from opening day when the chef walked out because the owner (he owned the now defunct Roxie’s Deli) was micromanaging. We visited right after and had a bad experience . The room is fine. The menu basic . We have had mixed comments from readers re service and food. We may have to revisit.

The Hideaway- In the Lake Lindero Golf and Tennis complex on Agoura Road. . The exterior surroundings have been upgraded, The room is very pleasant. Service is adequate. The executive chef is the well traveled Robert Grenner whose credentials are tops. But the night we were there , he was perhaps overwhelmed by over 100 diners in the adjacent banquet room,, We will revisit.

The Landing has a view….period. It is ok for a salad for a weekend lunch and to watch the boats go by. It cannot be taken seriously for Sushi since it is not Japanese owned and the workers behind the sushi bar seem to mostly be amateurs who are good at pseudo sushi like California and Ventura and Westlake rolls.

Zins also has a similar view and is pleasant for that. Ownership has been inconsistent in exactly what they want this place to be. Right now it seems to be a lot of bar pickup action. That it inherited from Moz’ Buddha. But reports are that it is no longer owned by Moz Megji, the operator of Fins Seafood.

Fin’s Sea Food by Moz Megji is one of the oldest, consistent fine dining spots in the county and the only sea food spot to be taken seriously. All those spots at the Ventura beach or Harbor suffer from the classic “Proximity to the water” syndrome of depending the view as the draw rather than the food and service.

Moz” Buddha Bar by the above Moz started out great as a sophisticated Asian style crustacean dining area but then sort of succumbed to being Bogey’s contender for pickups.Turns out it finally didn't work and is now shuttered. .

Delis Years ago , there were 2 Jewish(??) delis in the area, Agoura Deli and Roxie;s on T.O. Blvd . Today there are 5. It seems as if the diners of Ventura County are committed to a cross cultural increase in the cholesterol levels equaling the citizens of Tel Aviv. Though I had eaten in the famed Lindy’s in New York from childhood I was not then nor am I now a big deli fan so my review is suspect.

Thus all I can say is that Brent’s here in Westlake is the sibling of the Northridge icon which is rated the best West of the Mississippi. And now above Langer’s downtown. The crowds locally seem to reaffirm that reputation.

Pickle’s in Newbury Park is a well run close second but a much better bet to get a table if your body really needs a pastrami or corned beef LEAN on fresh rye .

The newly opened here Nate ’n Al’s from Beverly Hills was always overrated there and popular for tourists who hoped to see George Burns, Jack Benny, Phil Silvers, Groucho, Milton Berle or Sid Caesar in the next booth as tourist interlopers were being harassed by 80 year old waitresses with bad breath. Period .

Our visits to Roxies and observing it’s clientele, however, made it clear that portion size and obesity was the big draw. It completely lacked the needed ethnic touch. It is now reported that they are going out of business as of June 26..

Agoura Deli, the parent of Pickle’s in Agoura delivers a similar package as Pickles i

French- 45 years ago, going out to dinner in the big cities meant going to a French Restaurant.. .or for a Steak. In New York at that time any one that was any body dined at Lutece, La Grenouille. Le Cirque etc. They have hung in. In Los Angeles Ma Maison and Le Orangerie were the big deals. They are gone.In the Chicago area, there were just two big name’s, Le Francaise. and Ambria . Surprisingly they are still around However the heavy sauces and haughty Parisian attitude waiters finished off many.. French politics over the years certainly hasn’t helped.

Remnants do remain in New York. But they are in the serious minority compared to the atomic explosion of new dining ops. Even the # 1 rated Jean George is called “New” French. We have eaten with him multi times and it is…. very new with strong Asian touches. In all Los Angeles, now maybe 3 on the Westside in hotels , none in the Valley or Orange County that I know of .But surprisingly there are 4 ½ in Ventura. County. Café 14 could also belong in the Fusion Category

Café Provencal adjacent to the T.O Civic Center has been survived for well over 10 years in an intimate gem like room. But only because it has one of the hardest working owners, (who can also cook) in the county. Serge Bonnet’s food is usually fresh, adventuresome and always a value. He is from Marseilles and is very strong on fish. .Especially Bouillabaisse and the lighter aspects of French cuisine . Prices are very fair and service is very, very caring. He offers remarkable special pricing events every week.

He is a fighter in a tough dining economy.

Palm 27 has also been in Ventura off Main Street for years. The chef and his wife are seriously French and he can cook . But he suffers from an out of the way location and a somewhat continuously erratic front room operation. His servers often seem to lack any real knowledge about French food or how to serve it

The Secret Garden is in Moorpark. We had eaten there twice with mixed feelings. He then had the bad luck to wind up on Gordon Ramsey’s show and came off very badly as a classic French Chef with an attitude. I thought he would be finished but he seems to have survived. I am somewhat shocked

Cigale which opened in Oak Park in the center with Leila’s, had previously failed to cut it in Camarillo in a difficult location. The chef has good credentials, but his personality seems a bit tight so we decided to let him settle in before reviewing. We hope to do that soon. Outside reviews have been reasonably positive.

Café 14 in Agoura has been consistently good with a French and Contemporary touch . Even though the husband and wife split, they have remained together in the restaurant and they are both very competent and deliver a fine product in a tight room. I guess we could call them “New” French rather than California Fusion.
If you want to play it safe for French, I would go with Café Provencal right now and Café !4

Steak Houses We tend toward what we consider the more interesting ethnic foods that abound in The Conejo and require more training than reading a temperature gauge or a timer. But we do recognize that there are choices so these are our thoughts.

Holdrens in Newbury Park knows how to run a neighborhood spot. They now have one in Goleta as well as Santa Barbara and all are always busy. They offer well prepared meals with soup or salad included starting at around $25 served in a jumping but pleasant room by well trained smilers Nuff said.

Monty’s in Woodland Hills at Topanga and Ventura has been in action and very successful for about 60 years. Some of the mostly female servers seem to have been around that long and thus the restaurant seems to run itself. They also feature shell fish and a fine wine selection. More Nuff said. Slightly higher prices than Holdrens but at a slightly higher level.

Ruth’s Chris- Pricey but legitimate for a top of the line Steak house if that is your need. Their nation wide success indicates they know what they are doing

Cut by Wolfgang Puck in The Beverly Wilshire. If you don’t order a 6 oz minimum Kobe Beef filet at $22 an oz. bare (do the math) they look at you funny. Good for drug dealers, mortgage brokers, Steve Jobs and those two rich rowers from Harvard who felt cheated by Facebook.. Warren Buffet or his buddy Munger, or the guys from Google would never be seen there.

Mastro’s- Why??? It is way over priced with a Beverly Hills- Scottsdale attitude among the servers that can only appeal to masochists or diners that are just a Cut below Cut.

Mexican - As noted in our current new review of Sabor Cucina Mexicana that can be found below, we have found only one decent Mexican restaurant in the entire county. We had planned to review Casa Escobar but we have not had good feedback from our readers. We will wait a month or so to see if it survives.

If you are very serious and willing to drive a bit , Santa Barbara amazingly has two nationally acclaimed choices La Super Rica at the Milpas 101 offramp became a tourist attraction when it was reported that Julia Child and Lena Horne were seen lined up to order at the counter and then pick up the food to eat insde this low end dining joint. It has been upgraded slightly but the lines can be very long. We also tried El Taqueria Baijo on the same street with a similar setup and thought it was quite as authentic and .more convenieint. Both may be worth a try!!!

But Los Dos Amigos is our only local choice on T.O. Blvd and is the only Mexican restaurant to which we constantly return. For us it is close to perfect. Warm charming rooms, attentive service and a well executed menu with combinations and specials for every one at prices you expect. They are very adept at seafood.

If you have found another good Mexican Restaurant please tell us.



       Quick HIts on California Cities
                                Plus
            3 Other National Destinations

Chicago- is a convention hotel town with few local value restaurants in central city. Remarkably the most satisfying may be the dining room at the Ritz Carlton at the Watertower Center. Creative food, beautiful room and pristine service....but at a price. That may be worth it. Nearby is Tru which has been the "hot" foodie choice for the last few years but now requires second thoughts. Charlie Trotter's and Ambria are solid upscale. Spiaggia in a great room with a view serves foodie Italian food. But has a lower priced annex in the same building that is my choice.

Finally the most unique and fairly priced spot in the Michigan Avenue North is Shaw's Crab House. It has a sit-down dining area for fish dinners but we prefer the casual Oyster Bar that shucks more very fresh oysters every day with the exception of "The Acme" in New Orleans. It is our first choice whenever we visit The Windy City. It is always very, very busy and a lot of fun.

Las Vegas- is not the place to look for fair dining value. Almost every spot has a big name chef on the Marquis but he may not have been there in years. Thus our #1 choice is Picasso in The Bellagio. It is expensive but delivers. The chef , Juan Serrano may be the best chef in place in the city and the luxurious room has three fine Picasso's on the wall. Plus if you are lucky and get a window table, there is a view of "The Dancing Waters."

Our second choice is Bouchon at The Venetian overseen by Thomas Keller of the French Laundry. He is paying attention. Excellent menu, fairly priced in a room that will make you think you are dining in a Parisian Bistro.

Best buffet value maybe at The Rio.

Monterey Carmel is very tricky with constantly changing options. Best values can be found in Pacific Grove with a wide variety of choices. Our favorite is Passionfish while a more casual choice for lunch or dinner is Fishwife closer to Asilomar beach. Both are fairly priced . Casanova in downtown Carmel was our former overall best choice but management has lost focus. It is, however a great value for a serious 3 course lunch.

There are two big names for serious spenders. The Pacific Edge at the Highlands Inn south of Carmel. Romantic room overlooks The Pacific, Big Sur and Point Lobos. Chefs change but always seem competent. Expensive but worth at least a one time visit especially if you can get a window table at Sunset. Fresh Cream on the Harbor in Monterey also gets high praise. It is very expensive. .

Newport-Laguna- It is hard to come up with unique local restaurants in Orange County when the best in the two major towns are Ruth Chris and Morton's. It seems that truly great food and beaches don't mix. The best chef they ever had in Orange County struggled in a little house in Newport for almost 3 years but gave up and came to Los Angeles where he and his wife experienced immediate stature.

Not one except for the nationwide Ruth's Chris makes the top 40 of Los Angeles. Not one!!! That must tell you something plus The Cheesecake Factory???? and California Kitchen?????? are among notable choices. Neither of the two big hotels in Laguna or Dana Point have been able to sustain a great dining room in all these years. Although the Ritz Carlton has come close couple of times. IN Orange County IN'N Out Burger may be the best choice.

New York-On the other hand is the exact opposite-Recommending restaurants in New York is a exercise in futility. There are about 1 million rich sophisticated people living on the island of Manhattan and another million rich people visiting daily thus New York has more wonderful places to eat in every category and price than the rest of United States combined. You can find at least 100 legitimate fun dining places just walking the streets of Greenwich Village or around Washington Square.

We do offer an admonition. Avoid all Sushi Bars and Chinese restaurants. None of them measure up in value or quality to anything locally. We ate in Shun Lee across from Lincoln Center. It is rated best in The City. I have eaten in 10 restaurants in LA. at 1/2 the price that are better. Sushi bars are all high priced and not as good as those noted above in the county. Chinatown is somewhat overrated.

There are, however 2 restaurants that we do visit every time we go to New York, Both are deservedly famous. First is Mario Batali's Babbo downtown. It is virtually impossible to get into at any normal hour. But we call two weeks early and request a 10 PM reservation for the night of arrival. That is 7 PM our time. We get in every time. Prices are very fair.

We also dine at Jean George Vongerichten's restaurant in The Trump Tower at Columbus Circle. He is the best and is there most of the time. Check with them to see if they are still offering their $25 three course lunch. It is a $60 meal in a great room. If you are flush, have the prix fixe dinner in the main dining room. It will be $100 plus per person but it will be a meal with service within a room that you will never forget.

Because of the competition and economy many of New York's finest are offering value priced pre-show or post show dining . The famed Daniel Boulud is another good choice.

Finally - if you have specific questions e-mail me at Fredlich1@aol.com

Palm Springs-Because of the older demographics and seasonality. it is hard to maintain any serious personnel that measure up . Just about every upscale restaurant in "Da Desert that we have tried is overpriced, mediocre and arrogant. The exception is Copley's on North Palm Canyon in Palm Springs. It has everything. A great entrance with wonderful outside or inside dining areas, great service and perhaps the most creative menu in the desert at sensible prices.

We rarely eat at chains but Roy's on 111. Their prix fixe dinner at around $32 is a pleasant value with interesting choices.

San Francisco- It has two of the hottest foodie destinations in the country aside from many choices in "The City".   The French Laundry is about an an hour away in Napa Vallley , but Alice Waters "Chez Pannisse is just a drive over the Bay Bridge in Berkeley. Both are tough to get in to But Chez Pannise Cafe is an easier and less expensive choice.

Diining in San Franciso offers many choices but most are high end. Gary Danko now rates at the top along with MIchael Mina who I think is overrated, overpriced and spread out too thin, My choice in that category is Fleur de Lys with the other famed Keller as Chef , Hubert. It has a wonderful room and may be a walk from your hotel on Geary. Most serious diners rate it as "Perfect"!!!!!.

Again stay away from all Sushi bars. Most are tourist traps that don't compare with almost any thing local. Same applies to almost all the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. However check out Yank Sing on Stevenson for the #1 dim sum in the USA. If you must have Chinese in the city, take a short ride by car, cab or bus to Ton Kiang on Geary North for real Chinese food and spectacular dim sum.

Finally, if you want a feel for down to earth dining in San Francisco seek out Pane E Vino off Union Steet at Steiner. It is busy and there are always waits even with a reservation but you will expereince excellent Italian food at neighborhood.prices and feel like you have really penetrated "The City"