Year End Capsule Report

Ventura County Restaurants and Elsewhere

During the past year as our readership has more than doubled, we get almost daily e- mails requesting advice for a specific type of dining or for an out of town location. We certainly enjoy receiving the communications and love to respond to individual needs.

Recently, we have had requests for suggestions re: A high level (cost is no object) banquet for 20 with matched wines, lunch in New York, a romantic anniversary dinner in Las Vegas, New Years in Carmel, French Dining anywhere, Ojai Cuisine, the best Mexican food, the best of San Francisco and more. We have responded to all by e-mail and even by phone if the number is revealed.  

However, we think that this capsule report by category or in some cases, location will also be a convenient document for you to download for easy future reference. If you want specific help feel free to e- mail me.

Chinese Food:

Chester’s in Camarillo on Pickwick may be one of the most authentic Chinese restaurants West of Monterey Park. Go with at least 6 people and ask Keith (?) the owner to prepare a multi-course meal. Tell him I sent you.  It will be $20 or less including Tsingtao beer and you will be able to take food home for breakfast (That’s what I do) the next morning. Waiters are very friendly and very knowledgeable.

Lakeview Gardens in Westlake next to the little art cinema is perhaps the busiest and best managed restaurant in the county at lunch and dinner… and for good reasons. The food is consistent and crisp and fairly priced. Service is meticulous and very friendly under the direction of Pam, the owner. Her husband, Jason supervises the kitchen. Many restaurants would be happy just with the business that Lakeview Gardens does in takeout which is always ready and hot at the door.

A&W Seafood on Reseda near Cal State Northridge is the only place West of Chinatown, North of the Santa Monica Mountains, South of Palo Alto and East of Taipei to find delicious DIM SUM Chinese luncheon dumplings. Young ladies hustle around the copious restaurant pushing miniature steam tables hawking delicacies you have never seen before. If they don’t overwhelm you, you can have a great lunch for about $5. First time order har gao, sui mai and if still hungry, cha shu bao. Little lemon tarts are a great dessert.

Chen’s on Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks is very popular and busy all the time. There is a good selection of time tested dishes but the food seems too Americanized and pseudo authentic.

Mandarin Wok in the Janss Center on Moorpark was the first restaurant in Ventura County to serve Mu Shu pork. Population of the Conejo was about 25,000 at the time. It has worn down over the years, but is convenient if you are going to the movies.

Hunan has been open over a year on Moorpark and Janss Road. It is in a very pleasantly decorated room with good food. But it is a little bland for my taste and seems more Cantonese than Hunan. Service is adequate but not truly as professional as Chester’s or Lakeview Gardens.

P.F Chang - Anywhere – As Al Pacino would say “Fuhgettaboudit”. Not an authentic Chinese chef or wokmaster within miles.
 

Contemporary:

Mandevilla - off Westlake Blvd near Cisco’s- same ownership, same highly talented owner chef since inception. Perhaps the most professionally managed eatery in the county. Creative cuisine pleasantly served in a lovely dining room or in the newly designed covered and heated outside patio. Mediterranean and Italian influences.

Le Café - adjacent to the Westlake Inn has a triple personality. Eat meat loaf or chicken potpie in the front dining area. Enjoy bouillabaisse and other sophisticated cuisine in the fireplace warmed central dining room or …. When the weather is right dine on the romantic outside heated patio. A Wine Spectator award winner, that offers monthly complete wine and food tasting menus at half the price of those fancy Beverly Hills and new York eateries.

Moz’ Buddha Bar - on Agoura Road in Agoura in the former Tony Roma’s. Without a doubt, the hottest décor in the county and right up there with any high profile Los Angeles clubs. Excellent and exciting Asian fusion food served in a stimulating room that transports you to the sensuous Far East.  Dancing and swinging most nights in the always busy bar and patio area. Operated by the owner’s of Fins so you can count on fresh seafood.

Leila’s - the first semi- fusion restaurant to hit the Conejo opened a few years ago to immediate success under the very competent management of food entrepreneur Peyman Afshar and a whirling dervish of a chef who still turns out inventive plates that cannot be found any where else in the area. The recently added wine tasting and bar area enables you to dine European style with an aperitif first and coffee, dessert and an after dinner drink in the pleasantly decorated and relaxed adjacent room.

Sienna-on T.O. Blvd in North Ranch Center was top creative casual restaurant for many years. Suspect management and loss of star quality chef by the owners of Jack’s Deli took it from the top of the heap to the bottom of the barrel.  

2087- Great location across the street from T.O. Performing Arts and Civic Center and an interesting interior. But constant chef changes and often indifferent service has hurt. New chef offers promise and service has been a bit more friendly but feedback suggests that arrogance problems still exist.

Delicatessen:

Brent’s - On the edge of Northridge in the “Dreaded” Valley. Thought by those in the know to be the best deli West of New York. Great super sandwiches, chicken in the pot that can almost serve 4 with half a chicken, kreplach, matzoh balls and vegetables. Wonderful desserts, justifiably jammed day and night, 7 days a week. Parking in a crowded strip center is a problem.

Agoura Famous - on Kanan in Agoura Center. Not much to be famous about. Average food, mediocre and unfriendly service. Hollywood and Broadway décor is interesting. OK if you don’t know what real deli food is supposed to be about.

French:

Café Provencal - One of the better French restaurants in the Los Angeles area. Just West of Civic Center in strip center on T.0. Blvd. Cheerful and romantic room with very professional service under the direction of high energy Serge Bonnet who has some special event going all the time.  Bouillabaisse is often featured. Remarkably reasonable pricing.

71 Palm - In the heart of downtown Ventura on Palm in an historic and storied two story house. One of the better restaurants in the area. But spotty service occasionally mars the authentic efforts of the French owner-chef.

Italian:

Tuscany - On Westlake Blvd in the center just south of the 101. This venerable restaurant is rated by most as the best in the county and one of the best in the Southland. Cutting edge Italian cuisine is created under the always-watchful eye of Tommaso Barletta. Veteran staff smoothly delivers the plates in this always-busy dining room.  Slightly pricey but worth it.

Marcello’s – Near Sears on Hillcrest in strip mall. Tino and Pietro co-owners seem to have been in the Conejo forever. Veteran Italian chefs man the kitchen to produce “authentic” Northern Italian food. Room is very pleasant and a veteran staff seamlessly serves dishes that are favorites of half of the Conejo population. They now have an equally charming location on State Street in Santa Barbara.

Gino’s – On T.O. Blvd between the 23 and Moorpark.  Many wonder whether it is the food or the performance art of owner Gino that brings people into this little jewel box of a dining room. The solid Italian usual suspects are always on the menu occasionally spiced by high enders such as Osso Buco. The well-knit staff amazingly delivers remarkable service all the time. Probably the best Napolitano Pizza in the Conejo. Very fairly priced for a white table cloth venue.

Padri - On Agoura Road across from Mann’s Agoura. This sleeper is in an atmospheric old house with food that has a core from the famous “Locanda Veneta” family of great Italian restaurants. Traditional Italian favorites are loaded with flavor to create a pleasant and relaxed dining experience. Service is occasionally spotty. Lots of interesting action in the adjoining Martini Bar every night of the week.

Rustico - Kanan and Lindero in the Pavillions Center. This old Ritrovo location was dead in the water under the inept and absentee management of Gianni Spina, a local hairdresser. Tommaso Barletta has quickly turned it into another winner.  An upscale tratorria style dining experience is created by a veteran chef from the Lake Como area and crisply served by an efficient serving team directed by another product of Bari, Italy, manager Roberto Giliberti.

Mexican:

Adobe Cantina - On a little hill on Agoura Road across from the Mann Agoura. Owners Ada and Carlos Orozco have put their life into reviving this funky but authentic and popular spot. Carlos has transformed the location into the most popular Mexican restaurant in the area with an interesting patio that is a joy in good weather but can be closed down and heated at other times. Great Mexican seafood, traditional Mexican dishes along with Carlos classic old style BBQ makes this place popular with all ages. Very friendly service and the best collection of Tequila East of Soto street.

La Super Rica - On North Milpas off  the 101 in Santa - A legendary shack that serves clean Mexican food on paper plates with plastic utensils after you line up at a sort of take-out counter. The legend is that Julia Childs and Lena Horne are seen there regularly.  It is top rated in national gourmet magazines and there   is usually a long line. Closed for remodeling for months, it should be open now for a more pleasant experience. I thought it was somewhat overhyped.

La Taqueria El Baijo - also on North Milpas in Santa Barbara- equally crowded casual approach to upscale Mexican food in a crystal clean white building where you order from a broad selection of tempting food and it is then brought to your table.  It also has been written up in food magazines and seems to deserve it. Great Chile Rellenos. Worth the pleasant ocean drive along the coast.

Letties Mexican Food - off the freeway in Newbury Park. A takeoff on La Super Rica and El Baijo in a clean environment but unfortunately not executed as well.

Seafood:

Fins -  In two locations - On Westlake Blvd near Longs South of the 101 - In an old house in Calabasas on Calabasas Road off the 101 Mulholland off-ramp. Well managed restaurants do a big business, so fish is uniformly fresh and well prepared. Energetic veteran restaurateur Moez Megji  knows what he is doing and it shows.  Ever-changing and wide selection of fish and crustaceans served in a live atmosphere by long termers who know their stuff. Live jazz both places most weekends. Clearly the best in the county.

The Seashell- On Ventura between Winnetka and Corbin in the Valley. Venerable location for about 30 years. Consistently fresh and creative seafood dishes overseen by same owners all these years. Room was personally created by owner Deiter Wantig, Fresh Michigan whitefish and Bouillabaisse my favorites. 20 minutes from the 101 and Westlake Blvd.

Scotts Seafood – In the big Caruso owned shopping center in Calabasas. It is an example of why I don’t review chain eateries. Generally mediocre food in boisterous environment by servers who are clueless.

Sushi:

Kaminari - One block West of Westlake Blvd off Agoura Road. One of the two best Sushi bars in the Ventura County area by far. Veteran Sushiyas have about 50 years of experience and it shows. Atmosphere and all Japanese staff transport you to the Ginza in Tokyo. Creative preparation combines with fresh fish for a totally satisfying experience.

Sushi Yusho - Recently opened in Times Square shopping center in Newbury Park. Owned by Steve Kuge who has 30 years behind bars. He is assisted by his brother, Ken who has even more experience. Watching these two operate behind the counter is worth the price.  Creative maki rolls offered nowhere else. Fish is pristinely fresh. Service is friendly and efficiently managed by Judy Kuge

Takahashi- On T.O. and Westlake in Trader Joes Center. Always busy with very limited table space. Was the best for a long time.But owner has worn down in recent years. Sushi cuts are thin and restaurant has no personality. He’d rather be playing golf.

Hiyama - Free standing building off T.O. Blvd.  Another veteran of the area. Small sushi bar- big dining room. Best for wonderful Shabu-Shabu prepared at the table.

The Landing - If you sit outside on a pleasant evening on  the lake, you can enjoy yourself. But the menu is hard to figure out. The sushi bar is suspect since there are rarely if ever legitimate Japanese sushi chefs behind the counter.  It is hard to tell who is in charge.  If you are serious about sushi, this is not the place.

Akio’s - In Janss Mall on Moorpark. Akios was the first in the county after Ken Kuge’s Cherry Blossom in Camarillo. Akio is a one man show. However restaurant’s energy is now concentrated on low end cooked Japanese dishes served in a hectic manner to the pre- movie crowd.  Always busy so the fish is fresh but atmosphere is coffee-shop rather than Ginza style.