805 Living June 2017 by 805 Living

J U N E 2017

THE SPORTING LIFE

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Contents JUNE 2017 • THE SPORTING LIFE

FEATURES 64 Pedal Power

Recreational and professional riders agree, the public roads of the Conejo Valley are a hotbed of world-class bicycling opportunities. By Brandon Fastman Photographs by Gary Moss

It’s Polo Season!

Prepare to be amazed, stomp the divots, and have fun.

On the Cover U.S. Polo Association team member Patrick Uretz, ready for a home game at Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. Photograph by Gary Moss

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

GARY MOSS

By Joan Tapper Photographs by Gary Moss

THE DAY-DATE 40 The international symbol of performance and success, reinterpreted with a modernized design and a new-generation mechanical movement. It doesn’t just tell time. It tells history.

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Contents JUNE 2017 • THE SPORTING LIFE

56 Faces in the Crowd 56 Alison Curdt

A practicing psychotherapist brings the benefits of her trade to Simi Valley’s Wood Ranch Golf Club to help members improve their game. By Nancy Ransohoff Photograph by Gary Moss

Upgrades 58 Just Chill

Lounging around never looked so good.

DEPARTMENTS Pulse

25 Tracking the Beat of the 805

Finds

29 Get in Gear Pump up your pursuits with the latest equipment for the ultimate sportsman. By Jennie Nunn

32 Watch It! Sporty blue timepieces made for the man of the hour.

Insider By Heidi Dvorak

40 Local Events & Family Fun 42 Hot Ticket 45 Show Your Support 47 Worth a Drive 47 Give Back

Mind Body Soul 48 HIIT the Mark

34 The Eyes Have It

Science shows you can get seriously fit with workouts as short as 10 minutes. But it only works if you’re willing to leave your comfort zone.

By Frances Ryan

Arts & Culture

By Frances Ryan

Aviator sunglasses take off this summer.

36 Travel By Erin Rottman

By Elizabeth Turner

52 What a Week!

Swim or sink, Semana Nautica means there’s fun in store for athletes in the 805. By Joan Tapper

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

84 WINE:

A Can-Do Picnic Makers of local canned wines dish on their favorite picnic pairings. By Shauna Burke

86 DINING OUT:

A New Frontier Fess Parker Home Ranch goes full scale with its new restaurant, The Bear and Star, in the Santa Ynez Valley. By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

By Frances Ryan

89 Dining Guide

Good Deeds

P.S. Sketchpad

62 Jewish Federation of

Greater Santa Barbara and Our Community House of Hope

By Mark Langton Photographs by Kelsey Crews and Mark Langton

Taste

80 FOOD: Wingin’ It

104 Repurposed Sports Equipment By Greg Clarke

In Every Issue

14 Editor’s Note 16 Masthead 20 Behind the Scenes

Four Central Coast chefs put their mark on a game-day mainstay. By Jaime Lewis

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Editor’s Note

The Sporting Life WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I REALLY APPRECIATE: THE “THWACK” OF A POLO MALLET SENDING THE BALL ACROSS THE FIELD, THE “PING” OF A GREAT TEE SHOT UP THE FAIRWAY, and the “whirr” of a bike’s tires along a coastal road. Now I’m not necessarily saying that I play polo or golf or even race a bike. I’m simply saying that the crack of the bat against a fastball and the swish of net after a jump shot on the basketball court can be as visceral and exciting for spectators as they are for the players themselves. OK, maybe that’s not 100-percent true for athletes performing at elite levels. They play in a whole different category, and fortunately, our region regularly offers opportunities to see professionals in tennis tournaments, international cycling races, soccer matches, baseball games, surfing contests, and so many other worldclass sporting events. Information on various competitions, both professional and amateur, can be regularly found in our Insider column. What I also find interesting are the novel ways in which the sporting life intersects with other aspects of life, as exemplified by Alison Curdt, a Simi Valley golf pro and practicing psychotherapist (see Faces in the Crowd, page 56), and Fleet Week, a Santa Barbara event that evolved into Semana Nautica, an annual citywide celebration of waterfront athletics now marking its 80th year (see Arts & Culture, page 52). These and other stories in this issue demonstrate how exercise and athletics help shape society as well as the individual. Of course, mastering any athletic endeavor takes hard work and dedication, which is why sports are a powerful metaphor for life. So if you’re searching for a bit of inspiration to get out there and perhaps take a swing at a polo ball or maybe just take a vigorous walk, this issue is your invitation to the sporting life.

Lynne Andujar Editor in Chief & Publisher

GARY MOSS

edit@805living.com

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Beauty. Warmth. Comfort. (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we do best.)

I N T ERIOR D ESIG N | R EM AR KAB LE R ESO URC ES

Left to right: Kristen Love, Genaro Lagdameo, Karen Shoener, Marcella Van Huisen, Carla Padour

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EDITOR IN CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Lynne Andujar

edit@805living.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bernard Scharf MANAGING EDITOR

Kathy Tomlinson DESIGNER

Sophie Patenaude PHOTO EDITOR

Gary Moss

photo@805living.com SENIOR EDITOR

Heidi Dvorak CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Mark Langton (Philanthropic Events), Jennie Nunn (Shopping), Erin Rottman (Travel), Frances Ryan (Fashion, Interior Design) CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

Jaime Lewis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nancy Wong Bryan, Shauna Burke, Brandon Fastman, Victoria Woodard Harvey, Grace Jidoun, Nancy Ransohoff, Joan Tapper, Elizabeth Turner CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Greg Clarke RESEARCH EDITORS

Gaylen Ducker Grody, Grace Jidoun, Tajinder Rehal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Moss CONSULTING EDITOR

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805 LIVING, JUNE 2017

Behind the Scenes Our featured contributors share their go-to gear for their favorite sports activities. Jennie Nunn “I can’t live without my running shoes,” says contributing editor Jennie Nunn (Finds, page 29). “My favorite brands are Asics and Hoka One One.” Nunn’s work also appears in C Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

Brandon Fastman “I sometimes joke that having a young child really cuts into my fitness, yet being able to ride with my 5-year-old son, Asher, is pretty good compensation,” says contributing writer Brandon Fastman (“Pedal Power,” page 64), a bicycling enthusiast and associate director of research development for humanities, fine arts, and education at UC Santa Barbara. Asher rides along with his dad on cycling outings aboard a Burley Piccolo trailer cycle. “We like to take the train down to Carpinteria and then pedal back home to Santa Barbara,” Fastman says. “Of course, we always budget in some beach time and an ice-cream break.” Fastman’s work also appears in the Santa Barbara Independent.

“When hiking in the hills or walking in the neighborhood, I keep my water bottle handy in my ChicoBag Bottle Sling,” says managing editor Kathy Tomlinson. “Its fabric is so light and breathable I barely know I have it slung across my torso. A front pocket holds ID and a cell phone, and a carabiner attached inside it keeps keys secure. When I’m not using the sling, I stuff it into its pocket for easy packing.”

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

NUNN: JEN SISKA

Kathy Tomlinson

Behind the Scenes Our featured experts share their activities of choice. “My favorite ways to stay active in the area are surfing Rincon, swimming in the Thursday night Reef & Run swims at East Beach, sailing, and hiking in the local front country.” —Dana Longo

(Arts & Culture, page 52) attorney and the president of the Semana Nautica Summer Sports Festival Santa Barbara

“I have a 3-year-old daughter, so most of my physical activity entails following her around to various parks in the area. I’m a really big fan of SensAbility Playground at Old Meadows Park in Thousand Oaks.” —Jon Peloso

(Taste/Food, page 80) executive chef of Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen Westlake Village

“Play golf! My favorite course is Wood Ranch [Golf Club, in Simi Valley], the one I work at. I love the scenery, mountains, quiet.” —Alison Curdt

“I’m so blessed to live in this community, be in good health, and have many friends [with whom] to ride some of the most epic roads in the world on my bike.” —Darrell Bradbrook

(“Pedal Power,” page 64) bicyclist and bicycling event producer Westlake Village

CURDT: ERIKA ALGHAFARI PHOTOGRAPHY

(Faces in the Crowd, page 56) clinical psychotherapist and PGA/LPGA golf professional Woodland Hills/Simi Valley

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Pulse

T R AC K I N G T H E B E AT O F T H E 8 0 5

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COASTAL ADVENTURE: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT When you’re spending time in Santa Barbara, it’s practically a requirement to bike near the beach or kayak along the shore. But navigating the staggering number of rental services can kill those chill vibes. Enter Marco (getmarco.co), a free app launched in March that makes last-minute adventures a snap. Founder Richard Kim has culled through businesses from Goleta to Carpinteria to

create a list of top local rental companies for items such as boats, paddleboards, mountain bikes, and jogging strollers. “The inventory is real-time and all the paperwork is handled digitally, so there’s no hassle or waiting in line when you walk in.” Simply browse the list, reserve, and pay through the app. Marco recently added party rentals and tours to the mix, and an L.A. expansion is in the works. —Grace Jidoun 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Pulse

BEFITTING FOOTWEAR AND BAGS

Hear ye, hear ye. The Commons at Calabasas proclaims the opening of a store that is not so common: The Kingdom (shopthekingdom.com). The boutique specializes in shoes and bags that are suitable for royalty—brands like Saint Laurent, Balmain, Lanvin, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Gucci, Fendi, Valentino, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, and Alexander McQueen— no aristocratic title required.

Remember aerobics classes? PlyoJam (plyojam.com), the latest fitness craze adopted by celebs and fitness fanatics alike, revisits the discipline’s foundation of cardiopumping movement with the addition of jumping and rebounding exercises (plyometrics), fab music, and an appeal to anyone of any fitness level. Newbury Park

resident Stacey Beaman has lost 60-plus pounds since she began taking classes in 2014. “People get amazing cardio and don’t get bored,” says Beaman. “It’s fun, sexy, sassy dancing with body rolls and hip swivels with high-knees and jump squats woven in, so you don’t realize how hard you’re working.” She took her devotion a step further and

began experimenting with choreography and helping Plyojam creator, cofounder, and choreographer Jason Layden execute the company’s business goals. Today, Beaman is PlyoJam’s COO and cofounder and teaches twice weekly at Rockit Dance Studio (rockitdance.com) in Westlake Village. —Heidi Dvorak

RANCH DRESSING

Ranch Men’s Store (ranchmensstore.com) is undeniably cool, with rugged Carhartt outerwear, button-downs for dressing up, and classic Levi’s for kicking back. It’s the high-low mix at this rustic apparel and accessories shop in downtown Santa Ynez that has earned it a dedicated local following. Owned by Recovery Ranch, a nearby soberliving treatment center for men, the store is manned by graduates of its 8- to 12-month program. “All the guys who work here have input on what we sell,” says office director Mark Sabens. “We’ll discover cool brands and go from there.” The formula is working: The year-old store has already expanded into the space next door. —G.J.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Evoking a chic Parisian living room, the shop is the venture of entrepreneur David Lipp and fashion designer Jason Salstein, friends since boyhood. “We want women to find items they see on runways and in magazines,” says Salstein. “But we also want them to be able to find their basic nude pump or gold flats. The collection is highly curated—the best of the best.” So take your rightful place on a resplendent pink-velvet couch, quaff a complimentary glass of champagne, and let the buying begin.  —H.D.

TOP: ZBESTFOTO; BOTTTOM: COURTESY OF RANCH MEN’S STORE

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Finds S H O P P I N G / S T Y L E / T R AV EL

Get in Gear Pump up your pursuits with the latest equipment for the ultimate sportsman. By Jennie Nunn

805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Finds

1. Head “MXG 3” tennis racquet ($240); The Tennis Shop, Westlake Village and Santa Barbara, tennishopofwestlake.com; Villano’s Tennis Shop, Santa Barbara, 805-680-5513; and head.com.

3. Odyssey “O-Works #7” ($230); GolfTec, Santa Barbara, golftec.com; and Dick’s Sporting Goods, The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Oxnard, and San Luis Obispo, dicks.com.

2. Sol Republic “Relays Sport” wireless headphones ($80); Best Buy, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Goleta, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; bestbuy.com.

4. Hoka One One men’s “Clayton 2” running shoes ($150); Fleet Feet Sports, Westlake Village, fleetfeetsports.com.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

5. Wilson “X-Connected” smart football ($200); Dick’s Sporting Goods, The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo; dicks.com. 6. Smith Optics “Parallel D Max” sunglasses ($129); Left Lane Sports, San Luis Obispo, leftlanesports.com. 7. Wilderness Systems “Tarpon 120” sit-on-top kayak ($939); rei.com. 

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Tool of the Trade

Professional chef John Cox shares one of his favorite tools, plus his know-how, for The Ultimate Cooking Experience in your own backyard.

Steelhead Trout Grilled Over Wild Fennel Fronds Steelhead trout is native to rivers along the Central Coast, and its color, texture, and richness are similar to salmon (wild salmon, or another fatty fish, such as black cod, would be a great substitution). The bed of fennel fronds used for cooking imparts a sweet licorice flavor to the fish, and the steam it releases helps keep the filets moist and flavorful.

Serves 4 to 6 1 Meyer lemon (cut in half, on the equator)

1 Steelhead trout, cut into 2 filets, skin on, pin bones pulled (approximately 1 pound per filet) 2 tablespoons sea salt 1 teaspoon wild fennel pollen (available at specialty stores) or ground fennel seed 1 teaspoon Espelette pepper (can be substituted with freshly ground guajillo chile, or a blend of cayenne and paprika) 2 tablespoons local olive oil (preferably herbaceous and spicy) 1 bunch fennel fronds, stems included Heat coals in the Big Green Egg grill to 450°F. Squeeze juice from one lemon half onto the two filets. Season filets with salt, fennel pollen, and Espelette pepper. Drizzle olive oil over the filets and gently massage to work into the flesh. Cut the remaining lemon half into slices and lay over the fish. Place the fennel fronds directly on the grill grate. Put the fish, skin-side down, on the fennel bed. Close the lid and let the fish cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until the flesh has turned a pale pink and flakes slightly to the touch.

Cooking Tip Big Green Egg offers a unique cooking system that cooks from above and below. This recipe allows just enough time to pick up the smoke influence sought by restaurant chefs, without losing delicate flavors and textures.

“Whether I am grilling delicate fish, searing steaks at over 800 degrees, or cooking brisket low and slow for over 12 hours, my Big Green Egg is the perfect cooking device to achieve the results I expect.”

ven after years of cooking experience, from Texas cattle auctions to upscale restaurants such as Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn, chef John Cox still gets excited about the process. “I constantly ask, ‘What’s the best method for doing this?’” he says. These days, whether he’s feeding 40 or 400 at his new restaurant, The Bear and Star in Santa Ynez Wine Country, Cox relies on his Big Green Egg for its versatility, precise temperature control, and flavor of live fire cooking, all of which meet his high demands.

Barbeques Galore Barbecues Galore is proud to be the largest authorized Big Green Egg dealer in Southern California. Stop by and ask our EGGsperts about The Ultimate Cooking Experience. Agoura Hills 28501 Canwood St., 818-483-7850 West LA 11021 W. Pico Blvd., 310-914-9693 Simi Valley 1263 Simi Town Ctr. Way, 805-526-1592 www.bbqgalore.com

Finds Style By Frances Ryan

Watch It!

Sporty blue timepieces made for the man of the hour.

1. Timex “Fairfield Chronograph” ($85); timex.com. 2. Rolex “Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller” ($14,400); Silverhorn Jewelers, Montecito, silverhorn.com. 3. Patek Philippe white gold “20th Anniversary Aquanaut 5168G-001” ($38,557); Polacheck’s Jewelers at The Commons at Calabasas, polachecks.com. 4. Rolex “Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II” ($18,750); Silverhorn Jewelers, Montecito, silverhorn.com. 5. TAG Heuer “Aquaracer Camo” ($2,800); Dejaun Jewelers at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, and The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills; dejaun.com. 6. Shinola “Runwell Sport Chrono 48 mm” ($1,100); shinola.com.

7. TAG Heuer “Connected Modular 45” smart watch ($1,700); Ben Bridge Jewelers at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; benbridge.com. 8. Jack Mason “Aviator Chronograph 42 mm” ($360); Ranch Men’s Store, Santa Ynez, ranchmensstore.com. 9. Omega “Seamaster Planet Ocean Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 45.5 mm” ($8,350); Omega Boutique at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, omega.com. 

7 32

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Escape From The Ordinary! North Ranch Country Estate! 5600 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village

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Finds Style By Frances Ryan

The Eyes Have It Aviator sunglasses take off this summer.

1. Oliver Peoples “Braedon” ($420); Malibu Country Mart, oliverpeoples.com. 2. Courrèges “22 Grams” ($308), 9026-Eyes at Malibu Country Mart, 9026eyes.com. 3. Barton Perreira “Airman Half Rim” ($640); Neiman Marcus at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, neimanmarcus.com. 4. Ray-Ban “Blaze Shooter” ($195), Sunglasses Hut at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, and San Luis Obispo; sunglasseshut.com.

5. Salt “Burkhart” ($550); Occhiali Eyewear, Santa Barbara, occhialieyewear.com.

5 6. Oakley “Feedback Daily Prizm Polarized” ($210); Oakley Vault at Camarillo Premium Outlets, oakley.com.

7. Blake Kuwahara “Sullivan” ($599); Occhiali Eyewear, Santa Barbara, occhialieyewear.com; and Urban Optics, San Luis Obispo, urbanoptics.com. 8. Tom Ford “Ace” ($395), Neiman Marcus at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, neimanmarcus.com. 

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Finds Travel By Erin Rottman

W STANDS FOR WINNING IN VEGAS

Hiking is on the agenda for desk jockeys seeking rejuvenation at Mountain Trek’s fitness retreat on Kootenay Lake.

REBALANCE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA here’s a specific allure to the recently opened W Las Vegas (wlasvegas. com). Rather than the over-the-top Sin City partiers, it caters to those with discriminating tastes. It’s sexy. And playful. Guests arrive through a hidden entry facing glittering panels, but it takes a keen eye to realize that these are composed of 36,000 fluttering gold poker chips emblazoned with the letter W. The elevator lobby sports playing-card wallpaper in an artful turn that in other hands could be kitschy. Each of the 289 Philippe Starck– designed guest rooms are draped in floor-to-ceiling toile prints evoking baroque-era France with eye-opening touches—like a beveled mirror mounted on the ceiling over each bed. Not to be outdone by giant resorts, the W holds its own with a spa, a 24-hour fitness center, a rooftop pool, private cabanas, two themed bars (bikini rockin’ and elegant), and a salon. It also

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

adjoins the SLS Hotel, giving guests easy access to a casino, shops, two showrooms, and seven top-notch restaurants, including Katsuya and Bazaar Meat by José Andrés. It’s a winning combination. —Heidi Dvorak

Mountain Trek’s weeklong fitness retreat (mountaintrek.com; $4,850) on Kootenay Lake near Nelson, British Columbia, seeks to rejuvenate office workers who sit at a desk for too long and raise metabolism rates and rebalance hormones for those slimming down for a big event. A typical day starts with yoga before breakfast; continues with a four-hour hike, lunch, and health lecture back at

HOT TIP Food tours, whale

watching, kayaking, and sailing are a handful of activities offered through the Santa Barbara Car Free 2017 Take the Train program (santabarbaracarfree.org). Show your Amtrak ticket to participating businesses for discounts on activities, museum visits, and hotels ranging from budget to luxury. The deal runs through the end of the year.

the lodge; and ends with dinner, cardioand strength-training, and a massage. Backpacks, trekking poles, heart-rate monitors, and laundry services are provided so guests can arrive with only a carry-on. Extra services include psychotherapy, acupuncture, and nutrition consults. Guests typically lose between 3 and 12 pounds and gain vitality, says program director Kirkland Shave. “By the end of the week, being immersed in that beauty, they walk out like children, almost. It’s like people reclaim 10 years of their life in a week.” >

TRAIN: COURTESY SANTA BARBARACARFREE.ORG; HIKERS AND LODGE: COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN TREK

Whimsical wallcoverings mimic toile patterns and French baroque styling in guest rooms at the new W Las Vegas.

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Finds Travel

GETTIN’ PRIMITIVE The Resort at Paws Up (pawsup.com; from $577), a working cattle ranch in western Montana, is turning Paleolithic with the Gettin’ Primitive program that runs July 23 through 29 and August 3 through 9 at the luxury resort. The program, run by Gary Steele, teaches families outdoor skills, such as building a fire and shelter, making arrowheads, identifying edible plants, tracking animals, and knife- and tomahawk-throwing. “Everybody is initially drawn to throwing sharp stuff,” says Steele, who lived in the Montana woods for 20 years without running water or electricity. “It just brings out some primal instinct in them. And actually, a lot of adults love it, too.”

Flanked by redwoods on a bluff beside the Sonoma coastline, the newly restored Timber Cove Resort is a peaceful haven with picturesque views of the ocean and the forest.

SONOMA SEASCAPES

Guests of The Resort at Paws Up can unplug while learning skills like archery, tomahawk-throwing, and petroglyph-style art techniques.

It’s not all primitive, though. Paws Up offers glamping tents with private bathrooms, electricity, and housekeeping as well as vacation homes with up to four bedrooms. Massages and body wraps are administered beneath pine trees at the resort’s Spa Town, a collection of tents connected by a wooden boardwalk. In addition to reserving Gettin’ Primitive, families can book Steele privately for a half day or full day. “If a kid is outdoors, he’s going to be way more healthy and balanced emotionally and physically,” says Steele. “I have seen huge differences in lots of kids now. That’s why I keep doing this.”

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

ARCHERS, TOMAHAWK, PAINTERS: STUART THURLKILL; OCEAN AND RESORT: COURTESY OF TIMBER COVE RESORT

n 1962, the late Italian-American artist Beniamino Bufano began creating an eight-story obelisk on the Sonoma Coast decorated with a Madonna, a child, and a hand—motifs of peace. The structure stands on the tranquil 25-acre property of Timber Cove Resort (timbercoveresort.com; from $250), overlooking the Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Bodego Bay and Sea Ranch. Built in the early 1960s, when ranches and agricultural structures dominated the coastline, the resort recently completed a restoration that preserves the original intent of the development: refuge. The 46 guest rooms in the redwood lodge feature down comforters, plaid Pendleton blankets, record players, and Russian River Roasters coffee. The resort has an ongoing partnership with Unbeaten Path Tours (unbeatenpathtours. com), whose owner, Margaret Lindgren, passionately recounts the history of Bufano’s obelisk at the beginning of her two-hour Seascapes hiking tour. She includes an overview of the property, detailing how the architecture connects to the history of the region, and covers regional oceanography and geology. “What’s interesting about the region is a lot of it is still agricultural ranch land,” Lindgren says. “It’s a real departure from the city and from urban life.” 

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Insider EVENTS IN & AROUND THE 805 By Heidi Dvorak

June 16–18

June 24

BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH: THE PAC6 PAINTS THE SIERRAS

THE CLASSIC AT PISMO BEACH

MACARONI & CHEESE FESTIVAL

Downtown Pismo Beach. Vroom-vroom. This roaringgood show gives cruise fans a chance to drive their classic cars en masse down city streets. There are auto products and apparel galore, a best-of contest, a charity auction, and two beer gardens; theclassicatpismobeach.com.

Avila Beach Golf Resort. Only grown-ups get to elbow their way into this fun foodie fair loaded with inventive versions of everyone’s favorite pasta. Plenty of wine, beer, and other spirits are on hand to wash it all down and make room for more; themacandcheesefest.com.

Santa Paula Art Museum. See how six Ventura and Los Angeles county artists—known as the PAC6— interpreted their six-week expedition of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in 60-plus paintings; santapaulaartmuseum.org. June 8–11

6/18

Here’s an Idea: Be part of an Oxnard seasonal tradition and attend the DOWNTOWN SUMMER CONCERTS that take place every Friday evening from June 16 to September 8 at historic Heritage Square in Peninsula Park. Musical performances include country, reggae, swing, and rock and roll. Get there early to nab lawn seating or go fancy and reserve a table for six. Upcoming are the Blue Breeze Band, the Impulse Band, Corazón Espinado, Rick Whitfield, Shari Puorto Band, Oxnard Salsa Ensemble, Caliente Band 805, Ignition, Juano & Friends, Aquarius, the British Beat Band, and the Company Band; heritagesquareoxnard.com.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

June 25

OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL

June 24

UNITED WE ROCK TOUR

Ojai locations. Pianist Vijay Iyer helms this world-renowned festival of classical music. Along with day and evening performances of world premieres and timeless classics staged all over town, there are educational talks, children’s activities, and artist discussions; ojaifestival.org.

CHARLIE FAYE & THE FAYETTES

Vina Robles Amphitheater, Paso Robles. Shades of the ’70s. Rock bands REO Speedwagon and Styx join former Eagle guitarist Don Felder for a night of unforgettable hits; vinaroblesamphitheatre.com.

Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara. This Austin girl group wasn’t around in the ’60s, but the multiracial trio retrieves the era of soul pop with honeyed tones, songs with story lines, and cute choreography; lobero.org.

Family Fun June 16–18

June 18

June 23–25

LIVE OAK MUSIC FESTIVAL

FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATION

Live Oak Camp, Santa Barbara. Camp the weekend or spend the day listening to performers Ozomatli, Nick Waterhouse, Liz Vice, Paul Thorn, Tipsy Gypsies, Donavon Frankenreiter, and others. Activities include jamming, barn dances, hikes, a talent show, and wood crafting; liveoakfest.org.

Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley. Take Pops to a presidential museum that houses Air Force One and the Titanic at the Reagan Library exhibit, and enjoy a barbeque buffet; reaganfoundation.org.

VENTURA COUNTY GREEK FESTIVAL

June 16–July 9 OLIVER!

San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. Charles Dickens’ classic story of an orphan who turns to a life of crime with a lovable gang of pickpockets comes to life onstage with Lionel Bart’s music; slolittletheatre.org.

June 18 SUMMER FEST

Malibu Bluffs Park. Dogs get their own fun zone at this K9 Connection fundraiser to help pair teens-in-need with shelter dogs. Bring Fido to this canine carnival with people games, dog games, and pet product vendors; k9connection.org.

Camarillo Freedom Park. Ever seen someone perform a Greek table dance? Check out the strong teeth of Aris Mikelatos at this cultural celebration. Eat baklava, dance the kalamatiano, and learn about the country that originated the concept of democracy; vcgreekfestival.org. June 24 OJAI VALLEY LAVENDER FESTIVAL

Libbey Park. Purple reigns at this fragrant flower fest of 100plus vendors selling lavenderinfluenced wares. Lyra, Mellott, Jon Gindick, and The Lucky Ducks play live music, and Ojai chef Robin Goldstein is a featured guest speaker; ojaivalley lavenderfestival.org. 

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF LIVE OAK MUSIC FESTIVAL; TOM FOX

6/16–18

Ozomatli

Through July 9

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Book your seats now for these upcoming events. JUNE Through June 18: Find out about the littleknown story of Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart—also known as Nannerl—in THE OTHER MOZART. The play chronicles the achievements of Wolfgang’s older sister, a keyboard virtuoso and composer in her own right; Rubicon Theatre, Ventura, rubicontheatre.org.

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Through July 17: In the exhibit A CERTAIN VIEW, 15 contemporary artists from Ventura and Los Angeles counties perceive the world through various mediums; Kavli Theatre Gallery, Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, civicartsplaza.com. Through July 28: Look skyward to see a panda, butterflies, birds, a caterpillar, and other fantastical creatures fashioned into kites by the legendary illustrator of the settings in Bambi in PAINTING THE SKY: THE KITES OF TYRUS WONG.

Wong passed away last year at the age of 106, but his creations still fly high; Malibu City Hall, malibuartsandculture.org. Through August 20: Take a figurative journey at YOU ARE GOING ON A TRIP, an exhibition of works on paper produced between the 1940s and 1970s that evoke metaphoric destinations. Organized by themes, including dreams, icons, home and travel, history, and humans and wildlife, the works represent a variety of styles including realist, expressionist, surrealist, and pop; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, sbma.net. Through September 3: Learn about the vaquero culture at IN THE SADDLE, an exhibit presenting the lifestyle of Mexican cowboys of the area. Along with saddles by legendary makers such as Sherman Loomis, Edward H. Bohlin, and the Visalia Stock Saddle Company, on view are examples of authentic cowboy attire, western art by local artists such as Nicholas Firfires and Edward Borein, and information on the history of the region’s equestrian culture; Santa Barbara Historical Museum, sbhistorical.org. June 3–July 9: Six students enter a contest, only one can win, and losers get a juice box. The pressure is on at the THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Presented by Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi, this play humorously chronicles the backstories and grueling competition between a quirky group of preteens. Even the audience gets to participate, so sharpen those spelling skills; Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, simi-arts.org. June 15: The sweet and soulful sounds of GORDON LIGHTFOOT fill the theater for one night as the singer-songwriter performs such memorable tunes as “Early Morning Rain,”

“Carefree Highway,” and “Rainy Day People.” Lightfoot offers up stories about his 50-year career as well as his view of creating music in the ’60s and ’70s; Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, civicartsplaza.com. June 15–July 2: Can a hideous creature learn to love and be loved? Find out as Belle enters its castle and its life in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, a tale as old as time. With singing candelabras, wise teapots, and dancing dishes, this musical love story contains unforgettable characters, elaborate sets, costumes, and the memorable score of composers Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman; Solvang Festival Theater, solvangfestivaltheater.org. June 19–20: The Music Academy of the West launches its first CLASSICAL EVOLUTION/ REVOLUTION CONFERENCE. It draws from experts on music, technology, arts, business, and media to engage in discussion about the evolution of classical music in present-day culture. Topics include the role of tastemakers and experts, redefining the live experience, development of virtual art, new financial models, audience development and diversity, and art as a response to social and cultural issues; Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, musicacademy.org. June 21–25: Floral heritage and colorful flower fields come to life at the LOMPOC VALLEY FLOWER FESTIVAL. This year’s theme is Small Town, Big Heart. Meet the Flower Festival Queen, take in the natural beauty, and enjoy a parade, a flower show, carnival rides, games, craft booths, musical entertainment, and an arts and crafts show; Ryon Memorial Park, lompocvalleyfestivals.com. June 22–24: It’s a street party, a chichi social occasion, and a riotous good time all in the name of vino. ROLL OUT THE BARRELS begins with the Barrels in the Plaza party with live music courtesy of Bear Market Riot, a grand tasting representing 50-plus wineries, and culinary concoctions prepared by San Luis Obispo County chefs. Buy a passport to SLO Wine Country to walk the vineyards, sample new vintages in the barrel, and attend tastings; San Luis Obispo locations, slowine.com. June 24: Four performance troupes—Synergy Dance Company, Dance Out Loud, Coastal Chamber Youth Ballet, and Coastal Youth Theater—get in step for CAN’T STOP THE FEELIN’, a dance, music, and theatrical stage production. The groups demonstrate a wide range of dance styles and deliver vocal performances of Broadway musical theater selections; Performing Arts Center, San Luis Obispo, pacslo.org.

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photos and autographs; The Canyon, Agoura Hills, canyonclub.net. June 30–August 6: The 21st season of the KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, an outdoor theatrical event, features two Kingsmen Shakespeare Company productions: Love’s Labour’s Lost and Julius Caesar. The first play follows the antics of the King of Navarre and his four companions who take an oath to devote themselves to three years of study and fasting and to give up women. However, the Princess of France and her ladies arrive in Navarre and test their resolve. Based upon historical characters from ancient Rome, the second play deals with politics and deception; Kingsmen Park, California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, kingsmenshakespeare.org.

JULY July 19–22, July 27–August 20: The story of the newspaper boys who were an integral part of the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York is told in NEWSIES THE MUSICAL. The plotline gives parents a smart way to teach youngsters a bit of history, with toe-tapping music and dancing; Marian Theatre, Santa Maria, and Solvang Festival Theater; pcpa.org. July 27 and 29: A new production of Donizetti’s THE ELIXIR OF LOVE is conducted by Speranza

Scappucci and overseen by Music Academy of the West voice program director Marilyn Horne. The fully staged and costumed opera stars select instrumental fellows as well as voice fellows chosen from 536 applicants; The Granada, Santa Barbara, musicacademy.org.

Santa Barbara’s favorite family owned Mexican restaurant serving traditional handcrafted recipes from the ﬁnest ingredients.

July 29–30: Breeders, trainers, handlers, and canines gather for the LOMPOC VALLEY KENNEL ASSOCIATION DOG SHOW, where judging, strutting, prancing, and posing can make all the difference between a loser and a winner. The show includes sight hound specialties and an allbreed show; Ryon Park, Lompoc, apps.akc.org. July 29–30: Spice up the weekend at the OXNARD SALSA FESTIVAL , where the music, the dance, and the condiment hold court. Enjoy Latin jazz bands, a salsa tasting tent with 50-plus varieties, a marketplace, international food booths, a zone for kids, and recipe and dance competitions; Park Plaza, oxnardsalsafestival.com.

AUGUST

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JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

August 18–20: Partake of premium vino at the Sta. Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance WINE AND FIRE WEEKEND 2017. Festivities include a Friday night barn party, a Saturday seminar, and a grand tasting at La Purisima Mission, where more than 24 member wineries and neighboring restaurants pair world-class wines with grilled local specialties. Many vineyards and tasting rooms are open for tastings; Sta. Rita Hills locations, staritahills.com.

Show Your Support

CALCAGNO

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Fun and fundraising go handin-hand at these local events. JUNE June 11: In the cool, cool, cool of the evening, dance by a lake to the music of local bands, dine on top-notch cuisine, and indulge in craft beer and fine wine to help raise money for international humanitarian projects at the 31st annual OJAI WINE FESTIVAL . It’s the primary fundraising effort of the Rotary Club of OjaiWest. Taking part are more than 60 awardwinning wineries and the makers of 35 national and regional craft beers and ciders; Lake Casitas, ojaiwinefestival.com. June 23: Grab a toga because the Boys & Girls Club of Simi Valley is offering up an evening of fun and raucous bidding opportunities at its 39th annual dinner and auction, themed A NIGHT IN ANCIENT GREECE . Money raised goes to providing educational and recreational programs that nurture kids and families in Simi Valley; The Vineyards, Simi Valley; bgcsimi.com.

LUXURY BEACH LIVING ON SANTA CLAUS LANE

June 24: There’s nothing like the sight of mounted men on horseback playing an elegant yet rough-and-tumble game on an emeraldgreen field to get a well-dressed crowd atwitter. The SANTA YNEZ VALLEY POLO CLASSIC FUNDRAISER does just that as well as benefits People Helping People, a Santa Barbara County community service organization. Along with the mallet-packed action is a Champagne and appetizer reception, a silent auction, a buffet lunch, and the ever-popular ladies’ hat contest; Piocho Ranch, syvpoloclassic.com. June 24: Where’s the only full-dome observatory on the Central Coast? It’s at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, along with a research library and exhibits focusing on astronomy, birds, insects, geology, mammals, marine life, paleontology, plant life, and the Chumash Indians. It goes without saying that keeping this institution going is imperative, so attend the annual museum fundraiser, the SANTA BARBARA WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL. Join other supporters under the oak trees for loads of savory and sweet bites, tastings, and a raffle; Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, sbnature.org. June 24, July 29, August 26: Take a walk on the wild side and see the mustangs that once roamed the plains at a RETURN TO FREEDOM SANCTUARY TOUR. The docent-guided walking tour allows for observation of the horses who have taken refuge and provides information on their origins, history, and challenges to survive; Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary, Lompoc, returntofreedom.org. >

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Insider June 27: Show support for farms and sources that provide naturally grown foods at the AGRICULTURAL DAY GOLF TOURNAMENT, sponsored by Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture, better known as SEEAG. The nonprofit organization educates students about farm sources of food and how they contribute to nutritional well being. Stay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, augmented by a Bloody Mary bar and farm-to-bar cocktails. Awards and prizes are given to the best golfers; Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, seeag.org.

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July 4: It’s all about celebrating community and country at the VENTURA 4TH OF JULY FIREWORKS SHOW & FAMILY PICNIC, presented by the Ventura Rotary Club. Bring a folding chair and a picnic dinner or choose from a variety of foodstuffs sold on-site. Come early for live performances, a fun zone with inflatables for kids, a DJ, and a robotics demonstration, all leading up to the Sky Concert, a flashy extravaganza that consists of 3,000 firework effects choreographed to a contemporary musical mix. All net proceeds go to charitable organizations in Ventura; Ventura College athletic fields, venturafireworks.com. July 8: Slimy suckers, large and small, are the stars of the CENTRAL COAST OYSTER & MUSIC FESTIVAL , but the culinary delights don’t end there. Wines, brews, special cocktails, and other foods from local restaurants and caterers are ready for consumption, too. Five bands play throughout the day and art installations are on view. The festival benefits the nonprofit Guerrilla Gardening Club, which educates at-risk youths; Avila Beach Golf Resort, centralcoastoysterfestival.com. July 29–30: The best of the west comes out for A TASTE OF CAMARILLO, a fine wine, craft beer, and gourmet food festival that gives attendees the chance to kick up their heels to the country music of Caught Red Handed. Those with parched throats can settle in at the VIP Lark Saloon and Wet Your Whistle Watering Hole; shoppers can be on the prowl for goods offered up by boutique vendors and a silent auction. The Meadowlark Service League fundraiser benefits local Ventura County charities; Camarillo Ranch, meadowlarkserviceleague.com.

AUGUST August 13–14: The fifth annual CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER’S CELEBRITY GOLF CLASSIC benefits three charitable organizations: the Kyle Family Foundation, the Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo, and the American Diabetes Foundation. Tee off with celebrities and enjoy dinner and an awards reception; Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, bgccam.org. August 17: Applaud those who provide quality medical service to others in need at the 24th annual DAVID FAINER M.D. & LEO TAUBER M.D. AWARDS hosted by the Ventura County Medical

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Resource Foundation. Enjoy dinner, live music by the Midnite Band, and a ceremony in which 10 deserving participants in the delivery of health care in Ventura County are presented with awards; Ancient Creek at Petersen Ranch, Somis, vcmrf.org.

Worth a Drive Venture just outside the 805 for these choice events.

Ongoing: Get behind the wheel of a late-model Porsche—a 911 Turbo, a G-Force, a 911 GT3, or several drool-worthy others—and have a 90-minute instructor-led PORSCHE DRIVING EXPERIENCE at a 53-acre test venue. The second location of its kind in the U.S. (the first is in Atlanta), this Porsche playground also offers driving simulators, a Porsche retail shop, and Restaurant 917 with views of the track. Visit the historic vehicle restoration exhibit and museumcaliber models next door at Porsche Motorsport North America; Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles, Carson, porschedriving.com.

Photos courtesy of Olio e Limone and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

Through September 4: It’s not too late to feel groovy. For those who remember or didn’t get to experience the Monterey Pop Festival, get in on some of the action at the 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUMMER OF LOVE. Special events are slated all over the county to honor the anniversary, including musical performances, art and photography exhibitions, a blues festival, a county fair, and three days of music concerts honoring the Monterey Pop Festival at the original venue from June 16 to June 18; Monterey locations; seemonterey.com.

Give Back

Photos courtesy of Olio Crudo Bar and Gary Moss /garymossphotography.com

Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you. Next time you’re admiring the natural surroundings or hiking the trails of the Conejo Valley, take a moment to consider what’s needed to maintain those 150-plus miles of trails. Want to keep it clean and hazard-free? Adopt a trail. As part of the CONEJO OPEN SPACE FOUNDATION ADOPT-A-TRAIL PROGRAM, individuals and groups can care for their very own trail. All that’s required is a one-year commitment, participation in an orientation and safety session, and making a report once every four months. Volunteers of any age can do as much or as little as they like, such as picking up trash, clearing brush and fallen branches, reporting potential hazards, maintaining drains, and filling in ruts. Make your trail a happy one; cosf.org.  If you would like to submit your event or organization for possible inclusion in Insider, please email the information and a contact number/ email to insider@805living.com. Please submit your request no later than 14 weeks prior to the issue in which you’d like the information.

Photos courtesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

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Mind Body Soul By Elizabeth Turner

HIIT the Mark

o time to exercise? What if an intense 10-minute workout could deliver the same measurable health and fitness benefits as, say, a 50-minute session on the stationary bike? That’s the promise of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, a fitness strategy that mixes short bursts of all-out effort with intervals of active recovery. “HIIT training is getting out of your comfort zone. It’s pushing yourself briefly,” says Linda Shelton, a Thousand Oaks–based fitness and wellness consultant and chief content-development officer for the virtual fitness solutions company Wellbeats. Faster Fitness HIIT training isn’t new, but mounting research suggests that it delivers maximum fitness benefits in minimal time. In a Canadian study published last year in the journal PLOS One, a group of sedentary young men did three 10-minute stationary bike workouts three times a week for 12 weeks. Each workout included three 20-second bursts of all-out cycle sprints interspersed with moderate-intensity pedaling. After

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12 weeks, the 10-minute riders showed improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and increased insulin sensitivity similar to those experienced by participants who had spent 150 minutes a week doing steady-state cycling. For overweight people the benefits may go even further. In a recent meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that 12 weeks or less of HIIT training significantly improved aerobic capacity in both normal-weight and overweight/obese participants. Among the overweight/obese exercisers, diastolic blood pressure and fasting glucose levels also declined; beyond 12 weeks, they saw reductions in waist circumference, body fat, resting heart rate, and systolic blood pressure. “Regardless of age, gender, fitness level, or expertise, a HIITstyle workout can increase the training effect,” Shelton says. “When you alternate vigorous activity with what we call active recovery, it makes it possible for the average person to exercise at higher levels in a more manageable way.” The trick is really going hard during that brief, all-out interval. “You want to get to at least 85 percent of your maximum heart rate,” she says. For those not wearing a heart-rate monitor, 85 percent will feel >

Science shows you can get seriously fit with workouts as short as 10 minutes. But it only works if you’re willing to leave your comfort zone.

Mind Body Soul like they’re working at a 9 on the perceived exertion scale, with 10 being out-of-breath arduous. “The goal is to go for at least 20 to 30 seconds,” Shelton says. Then you’ll slow to a moderate pace until your exertion feels like a 6 on that 10-point scale for about 30 seconds. If you need to recover a little more, take it down to a 4 or 5. Either way, you should be a little breathy but still able to talk in sentences. And then you do it again. It’s advisable to check with a doctor before starting any new exercise program, but HIIT has been shown to work for all fitness levels, explains Shelton. That’s because an athlete will have to do a lot more to reach a 9 on the perceived-exertion scale than a couch potato will. “As a person adapts to higher intensities, their tolerance level gets higher,” she says. Put HIIT Into Practice You can apply HIIT principles to cardio pursuits, such as running and biking, or you can take a HIIT-style class. Most classes still go at least 45 minutes, but shorter options are popping up. With five locations in the 805, 9Round kickboxing fitness gyms (9round. com) are all about the 30-minute HIIT-style kickboxing circuit. There are no set class times: Members show up, strap on a heartrate monitor, and jump into one of nine stations on the circuit. “Every three minutes a new round starts,” says trainer Vaughn Elbek, who owns the new 9Round gym in Goleta. “You can start anywhere—you don’t have to start on round 1.” With the guidance of trainers, you’ll spend two-and-a-half minutes on activities like punching a bag, jumping rope, and doing footwork. Then a bell signals a high-intensity interval. “That’s the anaerobic workout,” Elbek says, “the 30 seconds in each round we’re going to push you and get you going.” 9Round recommends coming in three times a week with a rest day in between. Shelton concurs. “HIIT can’t be the only workout you do,” she says. “To reap all the benefits, you need to have a recovery day, and you need to do other kinds of activity.” One more thing: If you hate leaving your comfort zone and you already exercise regularly, don’t change a thing. So far, research suggests both approaches will keep you fit and healthy. HIIT will just get you there faster. 

CLASS ACTS Many gyms and fitness studios offer some version of HIIT training in a class format. Strong by Zumba and Jillian Michaels BodyShred are two examples that are offered nationwide. Or try one of these local options: At Drenched Fitness (drenchedfitness.com) in Thousand Oaks, the 45-minute Drenched Express class combines cardio and total-body strength moves in HIIT intervals. The ZoneX at FitZone Ventura (fitzoneventura.com)

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

puts you through your paces in 45 minutes using treadmills, rowing machines, TRX, and free weights. The 60-minute Mad Morning Mix-Up at Mad Fitness Santa Barbara (madfitnesssb.com) keeps your body guessing with intervals using weights, ropes, tires, core-conditioning moves, and more. Rev SLO Fitness (revslo. com) in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero offers an hour-long Flex & Flow class that combines yoga, Pilates, and boot camp moves.

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Arts & Culture By Joan Tapper

I What a Week!

Swim or sink, Semana Nautica means there’s fun in store for athletes in the 805.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

Turn of Events Over the years, specific events have come and gone depending on fashions of the times and the enthusiasm of local promoters. By 1937 there were motorboat and motorcycle races, a badminton tournament, and a model boat exhibition. Boat races were perennially popular: Actor Humphrey Bogart was aboard a Cal32 for a yacht race in the late 1940s. Beginning in 1949 and for several summers thereafter, vessels decorated with blooms staged a “battle of flowers.” Years later there was also a beauty pageant of sorts, which crowned a Miss Water Sports, Miss Land Sports, and a Miss Santa Barbara. Among other events of the past were competitions for cyclists, skateboarders, horseshoe players, lawn bowlers, and archers. Past president and 1960 Olympic gold medal swimmer Jeff Farrell remembers watching a tug of war on the beach as part of Semana Nautica a decade ago. That was a throwback to a match between Santa Barbarans and sailors held long before then. “I also enjoy watching the 5-mile biathlon,” says Farrell about the event that is one of the festival’s oldest and is apparently one of a kind, since it subs a 4-mile run and 1-mile swim for the traditional ski-and-shoot race. The newest competition at Semana Nautica is the Run to Surf—a 5-kilometer run, a half-mile surf paddle on a surfboard, and a beach obstacle course—which can be completed by a three-person team or an individual. “It’s a fun event designed for everyone,” says Longo. Always popular are the ocean swims, with distances of 1 mile, 3 miles, and 6 miles; the age-group and masters’ swim >

t was June 1933 and the U.S. Navy fleet was in the Santa Barbara harbor. That was the only excuse needed to hold a citywide party. The officers and enlisted men of the five battleships in port were invited to golf tournaments, polo exhibitions, baseball games, dances, and garden tours. They were also challenged to test their athletic skills in boat races and other sports events against eager locals. Evidently a good time was had by all. That year’s Fleet Week was such a success that the following June, when several ships arrived again, the celebration took on a Spanish name and launched a tradition that continues to this day. The 80th edition of Semana Nautica (semananautica.com)—or Nautical Week—takes place this year from June 29 through July 9. “It’s a grassroots organization,” says president Dana Longo, a recreational ocean swimmer who heads the all-volunteer board. “We try to create buzz about cool athletic waterfront events. There are lots of organizations involved.” Participating organizations include the Lifeguard Association, the Maritime Museum, the Yacht Club, and the Sea Shells, which teaches sailing skills to kids. “We promote events under the Semana Nautica umbrella with posters, our website, and ads,” says Longo. The competitions are free to spectators, though there are fees for the athletic participants.

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Arts & Culture

In the 1950s Semana Nautica events included contests like this beauty pageant.

meets at Los Baños pool; and the water polo tournament at an ocean venue created off Stearns Wharf. On land there’s a beach volleyball tournament, which attracts the most spectators. What Floats Your Boat? For participatory excitement, though, nothing compares to the Kardboard Kayak Race, sponsored by the Maritime Museum. Most people add “Krazy” to the description. Teams of up to four people get two sheets of cardboard, a roll of duct tape, a marker, a utility knife, and just one hour to put together something that floats long enough to allow one kayaker to paddle from West Beach to a buoy and back.

“People really get into it,” says the museum’s guest services coordinator Jennifer Haake. “We get calls from engineers who want weight and dimensions. They get into the technical aspects but forget about floating. Last year there was a bachelor party that split into teams and built elaborate kayaks. The minute they got into the water, they sank!” Winners get a cardboard trophy covered in gold or silver duct tape and a gift certificate. “But mostly it’s about bragging rights,” she says. Each event has its own winners, but for those who support and embody the spirit of Semana Nautica, there’s the Jeff Farrell Award. “This is a fun way for young athletes to compete in a different context with a stress on the fun,” says the award’s noted namesake. Longo and his fellow board members have lots of ideas for the future as well: “A paddleboard race; family events for parents with kids. We welcome new events with open arms,” he says. “Semana Nautica is a community event. This is a way to celebrate what we love about Santa Barbara, the outdoors, and why we live here.” 

COURTESY OF SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Winners get a cardboard trophy covered in gold or silver duct tape and a gift certificate. But mostly, it’s about bragging rights.

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“Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course— the distance between your ears.” —Bobby Jones, first to achieve the golf Grand Slam in 1930

Alison Curdt A practicing psychotherapist brings the benefits of her trade to Simi Valley’s Wood Ranch Golf Club to help members improve their game.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

PHOTOGRAPHED AT WOOD RANCH COUNTRY CLUB, SIMI VALLEY.

merican amateur golfer Bobby Jones may have had it right when he teed up his observation about the importance of the mental game in golf. Every player’s game has at one time or another veered off into the rough. Alison Curdt (alisoncurdtgolf.com), director of instruction at Wood Ranch Golf Club in Simi Valley, is uniquely qualified to help get players back on the fairway. After all, it’s not every golf pro who has a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy. Club members and nonmembers of all ages and levels benefit from Curdt’s focus on mental-health coaching as well as her top-flight teaching skills. Curdt played at Florida State University on a full scholarship while earning a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and a bachelor of science in business administration with a focus on professional golf management. The St. Louis native began her teaching and professional playing career in Palm Springs and later spent seven years at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks as the first assistant and head teaching professional. “I realized that teaching was the most pleasant and rewarding part of my job and wanted to teach full time,” she says. Curdt is clearly good at it: She earned the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional award for Teacher of the Year in 2015 and was named on Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America 2016–2017 list. Curdt first picked up a club at the age of 7. “My dad got me into it,” she says. “I wanted to be in organized sports and at that time they didn’t start until age 8.” She has been competing on the links for 28 years and will play in her fourth LPGA major tournament at the end of June. Her experience in competition serves her well in her other position as assistant women’s golf coach at CSU Northridge. As a licensed psychotherapist, Curdt also works with clients at her practice, Curdt Performance Therapy, in Woodland Hills. “I work with clients including actors, musicians, CEOs, and athletes who want to perform better in any aspect of their life,” she says. “The concepts learned in therapy are transferable and applicable to a lot of different situations.” As if this all weren’t enough, Curdt is working on her doctorate in psychology from California Southern University with an emphasis in sports psychology. “I love helping people find their best version of themselves in golf or life,” she says. 

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Upgrades

Janus et Cie Fibonacci Collection rattan “Avanda” recamier ($5,799) and “Ava” lounge chair ($1,964) shown with See! Collection rattan open-module ottoman ($1,595); Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com.

Just Chill

Lounging around never looked so good. By Frances Ryan Turn to next page >

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

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Upgrades

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1. Gloster “Bells” side table with ice bucket insert ($1,000); Patioworld, Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills; patioworld.net. 2. Elaine Smith “Shadow Stripe” lumbar pillow ($115); Pacific Patio, Agoura Hills, pacpatio.com. 3. Palecek “Terrasse” outdoor chair ($1,296); Designs of the Interior, Westlake Village, interiordesignwestlake.com.

4. Tucci “PLX Manta Silo” umbrella (call for pricing); Pacific Patio, Agoura Hills, pacpatio.com. 5. Gloster “Ambient Cocoon” light ($770); Patioworld, Thousand Oaks and Woodland Hills; patioworld.net. 6. Janus et Cie Fibonacci Collection “Avanda” rattan recamier ($5,799); Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com.

7. Brown Jordan “Equinox” fire table (call for pricing); Pacific Patio Furniture, Agoura Hills, pacpatio. com; and ecosmartfire.com.  To view more, visit our Pinterest page, keyword: 805Living.

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JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

5006 Read Road Thousand Oaks, CA 93021 4 Bedrooms | 4.5 Bathrooms | 5,176 ft2 | 90,175 ft2 Lot Offered at: $1,999,900 This beautiful, gated Italian Villa sits on over 2 acres of stunning grounds with sweeping views. Sophisticated and elegantly customized with old world influences, the one-story masterpiece offers a seamless floorplan with 4 bedrooms, an office (optional 5th bed), 4.5 bathrooms, formal living and dining rooms, chef’s kitchen open to Hemingway styled great room, large laundry room and garages for 4 cars. The resort-style backyard features gorgeous landscaping, flowers, several areas of escape, artistic water features, a koi pond, lawns, a pool, spa and waterfall. It is enhanced with a lovingly planted and meticulously cared for orchard which is home to multiple varieties of fruit trees. There’s room to build a guest house, an outdoor kitchen and it’s zoned for 2 horses. This home must be seen and experienced in person to fully appreciate its beauty and serenity. Tim Freund, Estates Director (805) 427-3008 www.1000oaksrealestate.com Tim@1000oaksrealestate.com CalBRE #01078771 Dilbeck Real Estate | Christie’s Int’l Real Estate 850 – A Hampshire Road Westlake Village, Ca 91361 Information provided by seller or third-party sources. Information not verified or guaranteed. Some features may be without permits. Buyer to investigate all measurements.

Good Deeds By Mark Langton

Our Community House of Hope

The annual fundraiser dinner for Our Community House of Hope (OCHH; ourhouseofhope.org) took place in late March at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks. The organization’s mission is to ensure that terminally ill patients are treated with dignity and respect, and that they spend their last days surrounded by family and friends in a loving home environment, not in a hospital room. The four-bedroom residence in Thousand Oaks is staffed with professional caregivers and trained volunteers who provide personalized care and support to families. OCHH relies on the community for financial support since it does not receive insurance reimbursements or government funding.

1. Ann Sobel, Ellen Henahan 2. Marsha Hoyt, Teresa Wolf 3. Leonard and Linda Frey, Kalie Ihrig 4. Kevin Richardson, Marin Austin, Pam and Tim Richardson 5. Mark Zempel, Heather Karr, Laura Zempel 6. Louise and Bill Ries, Jeanine and Joel Price, Kerrin and Jeffrey Turrow 7. Mike and Amy McMaster, Lynne and Stephen Andujar 8. Tim and Kelley Melvin, Kathy and Jef Kurfess, Kathy and Steve Schwaiger 9. Tom and Cara Cohen, Eloise and Chuck Cohen Photographs by Mark Langton

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1. Rona Barrett, Sherry Lansing, Peter Melnick, Beverlye Hyman Fead 2. Madeline Jacobson, Lauren Katz 3. Joyce Lukas, Dale Nissenson, Julianna Friedman, Leah Temkin 4. Laini Millar Melnick, Dilling Yang, Sherry Lansing, Henry Yang 5. Leatrice Luria, Jilli Levinson, Julianna Friedman, Irma Jurkowitz, Tom Dain 6. Eileen Barish, Julie Nadel, Etty Yenni 7. Adam Weiss, Roz Rosin, Michael Nissenson, Lila Scher, Michael Rassler 8. Kimberly Malesky, Leslie Cane Schneiderman, Rena Brawer, Joy Maskart, Jilli Spear 9. Natalie Myerson, Maureen White, Jana Young, Julianna Friedman, Bette Kay Myerson Photographs by Kelsey Crews

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

In mid-March, the Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara held its 33rd annual Women’s Philanthropy Luncheon at the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara in celebration of National Women’s History Month. The event’s guest speaker was Sherry Lansing, whose production credits include the Academy Award–winning films Forrest Gump, Braveheart, and Titanic. She became the first woman to head a major film studio when she was appointed president of 20th Century Fox in 1980, and from 1992 to 2005 she served as chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures. A strident philanthropist, Lansing created the nonprofit Sherry Lansing Foundation, which is dedicated to cancer research, health, public education, and encore career opportunities. The Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara (jewishsantabarbara. org) is devoted to strengthening the relationship between the Jewish community and the community at large through professional counseling and art-based education about issues such as identity and belonging.

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pedal power

Recreational and professional riders agree, the public roads of the Conejo Valley are a hotbed of world-class bicycling opportunities. BY BRANDON FASTMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

James Passantino WESTLAKE VILLAGE

CHANCES ARE YOU’LL NEVER GET to return a serve on Centre Court at

Wimbledon, shoot a fadeaway jumper on the court at Madison Square Garden, or burn rubber around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the sport of cycling, however, where the most hallowed venues happen to be public roads, the average weekend warrior can partake of the same venues as the pros. Nowhere is that more true than in the Conejo Valley, a favorite destination for professional team training camps and a regular segment of the AMGEN Tour of California, the most prestigious stage race in North America. That wasn’t always the case. In 2007, AMGEN Tour of California cofounder James Passantino received an invitation to visit the professional Team Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) training camp in Gilroy. There, he met team manager Bjarne Riis. “We hit it off,” says Passantino, “and I told him that Gilroy is a nice place, but where [I] live is significantly better for riding.” Soon enough, Passantino was leading Riis on a tour through the pastel canyons of the Santa Monica

Mountains, where sparsely trafficked roads offer ascents whose beauty and steepness conspire to take cyclists’ breath away. For the next two years, Team CSC (which was renamed Team Saxo Bank during that time) held training camps in the Conejo Valley. During those same years, the team acquired riders Carlos Sastre, who placed first in the 2008 Tour de France, and Andy Schleck, who placed second in the 2009 Tour de France. From that point on, the word was out. The roads of the Conejo Valley were legit. If Passantino was determined to sell the Conejo Valley as a worldclass cycling destination, he was equally determined to build a community among cycling enthusiasts right here in the 805. Along with Darrell Bradbrook, he comanages the Stonehaus Cycling Club, which welcomes all riders to two Saturday morning routes, one short and one long, and offers perks to paying members. All riders, like the participants in a recent spin who are featured here, gather first at The Stonehaus, a European-style enoteca at the Westlake Village Inn. 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Emma Gilbert

CHAM, SWITZERLAND Emma Gilbert first swung her leg over a road bike in February and recently completed the 500 kilometer Myeloma UK Ride 2017 from London to Paris. “My previous bike experience was on a three-gear city bike, complete with basket,” she says, “so it was a steep learning curve.” As AMGEN’s corporate affairs director for Europe, Gilbert is based in Cham, Switzerland, where she is certainly not at a loss for scenic cycling routes. When she visited AMGEN’s corporate headquarters in Thousand Oaks, though, she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to ride the Conejo Valley. “A stranger came up to me and invited me to go on a ride with her and a few of her friends,” Gilbert says. “They took me on a wonderful ride past Lake Sherwood and Hidden Valley, a totally unexpected and wonderful experience.”

RIGHTEOUS RIDES

Stonehaus Cycling Club comanager Darrell Bradbrook suggests three great routes—one for novices, one for intermediates, and one for experts—that exemplify the delights of the Conejo Valley from the saddle. FOR NOVICES: Hidden Valley Loop Take Lynn Road out and Portrero Road back through Hidden Valley and along Lake Sherwood. This route is about 20 miles round trip, depending on your starting point, and it’s relatively flat, as it passes through bucolic farmland and Sherwood Country Club. “It will definitely whet your appetite,” says Bradbrook.

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

FOR INTERMEDIATES: Rock Store A little more challenging is the iconic climb up Mulholland Highway to the biker hangout, the Rock Store. Bradbrook calls this ride “a rite of passage” for area cyclists. The AMGEN Tour of California has included it four times. There are 21 turns in two and a half miles, up an average six percent grade. If you start on Westlake Boulevard in Westlake Village, budget about an hour and a half. FOR EXPERT RIDERS: The Beach Loop At about 50 miles, the Beach Loop requires a bit of stamina. Starting northbound on Westlake Boulevard, it runs along Potrero Road past Hidden Valley and along the northern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains before veering right on Reino Road for a short jaunt, then left onto Lynn Road, which soon becomes Potrero. From there, it winds its way to a left turn at Hueneme Road, before dropping down to Las Posas Road and through Camarillo to Point Mugu. Then it courses about 10 misty miles down Pacific Coast Highway, turns inland on Mulholland Highway, and forks to the left at Highway 23/Westlake Boulevard.

Darrell Bradbrook

WESTLAKE VILLAGE Darrell Bradbrook, a real estate broker who comanages the Stonehaus Cycling Club with James Passantino, figures there are two reasons the Conejo Valley is great for road cycling. First, between ample bike paths, drivers who are used to cyclists, great bike shops, and several clubs, “the whole Conejo Valley is really very tolerant to cycling,” he says. “The second reason is that we are adjacent to some of the most iconic cycling roads in the world.” Those roads can accommodate anybody from the merely bicyclecurious to the hardest of hard-core fitness freaks. That’s not to mention the vistas provided by an amphitheater of mountain peaks to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Stephanie Marlin

WESTLAKE VILLAGE Last fall, Stephanie Marlin headed to France to conquer famous Tour de France climbs in the Pyrenees. “All my training was done here in the 805 for that trip,” she says. “The Conejo offers some of the best cycling in the world. It truly mimics segments of the epic Tour de France.” A certified personal trainer, Marlin never shies away from a gut-busting ride; in fact, she loves it when professional cyclists like Marco Arocha and Malcolm Hill drop in on the Stonehaus Cycling Club rides and push the pace.

Frank Buckley

STUDIO CITY Most mornings, Frank Buckley beams into the homes of Angelenos as an anchor on the KTLA 5 Morning News. On Saturday mornings, though, he trades his suit and tie for his treasured Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) jersey and cycling gloves. JDRF is a nonprofit organization that funds type 1 diabetes research, and its signature fundraiser is the Ride to Cure Diabetes. Buckley began road cycling when some of his friends urged him to join the ride in 2016. Now he sits on the board of the organization’s L.A. chapter and has learned a thing or two about endurance cycling. Pickle juice, for example, is a surefire cure for cramps, says Buckley, who learned that lesson when he succumbed to treacherous headwinds and searing heat on a Death Valley Century ride.

Dan Metcalfe

THOUSAND OAKS A Thousand Oaks resident by way of Bournemouth, England, Dan Metcalfe fell in love with cycling when he began training for the 2001 Nautica Malibu Triathlon. Since then, the actor, film director, and nonprofit director has been a

frequent visitor to the pain cave, a metaphorical land that cyclists employ to describe those moments when matter gives way to mind. His toughest ride? A 112-mile jaunt over the Canadian Rockies during the 2002 Ironman Canada. For Metcalfe, a bicycle provides â&#x20AC;&#x153;the beauty of the challenge to go where our bodies can take us.â&#x20AC;? 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Pattie Vericella

BEVERLY HILLS Pattie Vericella, the owner of Il Cielo restaurant in Beverly Hills, also entered the sport of cycling through JDRF. For her, it was personal. Four years ago, her teenage son Sebastian was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, but only after being misdiagnosed twice with the flu. “He was hospitalized, and I helplessly watched his young life change forever,” says Vericella. “I felt guilty, angry, and depressed. I needed to focus my energy in a positive way, so I wrote to JDRF asking if they could introduce Sebastian to an athlete with type 1 and we were connected to Eric Tozer, who was the coach of the L.A. chapter for the Ride to Cure Diabetes team. He invited me to join the team and raise funds for JDRF. Not knowing a thing about cycling, I bought a bike, joined the team, and began fundraising for a ride that was only five weeks away.”

Daren Dickerson

NEWBURY PARK “I love my custom-built Franco bicycle and I’m very glad to support a local business,” says Daren Dickerson of Franco Bicycles, the boutique bicycle manufacturer located in Newbury Park, where he lives. Like Varicella, Dickerson got involved with JDRF when his daughter, Lauren, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago. Unlike Varicella, he is a longtime cyclist with numerous triathlons, races, and endurance rides under his belt. He puts that experience to use as a USA cycling coach, whipping recreational cyclists into good enough shape to complete Ride to Cure Diabetes events. When he’s not making circles with his feet, Dickerson is the CFO of Shield Healthcare.

SAVE THE DATE JUNE 3 Ojai Valley Century, ojaivalleycentury.org JUNE 24 The Grand Tour, Malibu, lawheelmen.org AUGUST 19 Cool Breeze Century, Ventura, cibike.org OCTOBER 7 Westlake Village Century, westlakevillagecentury.com OCTOBER 15 Phil’s Cookie Fondo, Malibu, philsfondo.com OCTOBER 21 Santa Barbara 100, sb100.org MARCH 3–4 Malibu Gran Fondo, ridemalibugranfondo.com

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JOIN THE CLUB Channel Islands Bicycle Club, Ventura, cibike.org Conejo Valley Cyclists, Westlake Village, cvcbike.org Moorpark Bike Rides, moorparkbikeclub.blogspot.com Old Kranks Bicycle Club (50-plus-year-olds), Thousand Oaks Serious Cycling, Agoura Hills, seriouscycling.com Stonehaus Cycling Club, Westlake Village, stonehauscyclingclub.org

Chris Cuilty

WESTLAKE VILLAGE Chris Cuilty is the COO and CFO of Westlake Village Inn, Mediterraneo, Bogies, and The Stonehaus. “Part of our success with the Stonehaus Cycling Club,” says Cuilty, “was having a central meeting spot and sense of community. So riders of all levels, male and female, could come out and participate in our weekly rides and monthly wine social.” That doesn’t mean he’s not up for a quad-killing climb. “Climbing is a challenge and knowing how to conserve energy, where your heart rate should be, how to hydrate properly, and work with a group for support and positive motivation is so much fun,” he says. “Plus, the views from Piuma, Stunt, or Rock Store are epic.” 

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Polo Season! Prepare to be amazed, stomp the divots, and have fun. BY JOAN TAPPER PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

Professional Chilean player Felipe Vercellino (center) turns the ball.

805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

OLO IS CALLED the

“sport of kings,” but the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is doing its best to welcome everyone to its matches. “It’s your polo club,” says general manager David Sigman. “You don’t have to be a member. Once people get engaged, they can see why it’s fun.” To begin with, there’s terrific action on the glorious green field. “This is an adrenaline sport, with players going 30 miles an hour on their horses,” Sigman says. “The animals are the stars of the show. They pivot and turn unbelievably quickly.” If you’re wondering what exactly to look at, he says, “watch the balls and how the players set up the play. Think of hockey, and try to imagine where the ball will go next. And don’t forget that they switch sides after scoring a goal.” Add to that the overall atmosphere: grooms waiting with the many horses needed for each game; some classy cars driven by attendees, women in big hats and garden party garb (although there’s no dress code so feel free to wear casual attire). Notable occasions coming up this summer are the finals of the 12-goal season on June 25—“a great way to celebrate Father’s Day,” says Sigman—and the Gulfstream Pacific Coast Open in August. That celebrated tournament, with its 5-foothigh, silver-studded trophy, was broadcast on national TV last year and will again be shown on NBC. Any Sunday is fun, though, especially with the recently instituted Polo Overtime party with music by DJ Fab. And Friday afternoon matches (complete with happyhour cocktails and food) feature especially intense play, as the teams compete for Sunday finals. The games offer a rare opportunity to see this sport, especially played at such a high caliber, up close. There’s a “fully subscribed high-goal season,” notes board president and polo patron John Muse, “with six teams competing in four tournaments.” Adds Sigman, “We have great visiting teams and great local ones. It’s world-class polo.”

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A Spectator’s Guide

WHILE IT’S FUN TO SIMPLY WATCH the players and horses in action, newcomers to the sport might want to know some of the basics established by the United States Polo Association (USPA). Periods of play are called chukkers; there are six, each 7.5 minutes long. Players score goals by using their mallets to hit the ball through the goalposts at each end of the field, which is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide—that’s equal to nine football fields. The teams’ goalposts switch after every goal, and the team with the most goals at the end wins. Each team includes four players who have USPA-rated handicaps. Beginners start at a two-goal handicap; the finest, usually professional, players may be awarded a 10-goal handicap. Adding the handicaps determines which tournaments a team can play in: In a 16-goal series, the handicaps of the players on the team cannot amount to more than 16. The numbers on the players’ uniforms signal their positions: 1 is responsible for offense; 2 has roles in both offense and defense; 3, the strongest and most experienced, guides the attack; 4 primarily handles defense. Halfway through the game, after three chukkers, there’s a 10-minute break and an invitation to spectators to walk onto the field and stomp down the divots in the grass made by the horses. It’s a fun way to participate, and Champagne is often served.

• • • • •

Spectators enjoy Friday Happy Hour (above). While Argentine polo ponies are a unique breed, in the U.S. most are retrained offthe-track Thoroughbreds (above, right). Pregame prep (opposite): Most players bring 15 to 20 bamboo mallets to each game.

Turf war (clockwise from above): Team USPA member Jesse Bray (blue No. 2) and Felipe Vercellino race down the field, eyes on the ball. Polo ponies wait to saddle up. Antelope Polo Team player Jim Wright, ready to play offense.

Carrying on the tradition (from top): Trophies immortalize the sport. Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club board member Leigh Brecheen is one of few women players in the semiprofessional 12-goal league. Third generation Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club player Dan Walker puts his game face on. Requisite gear includes a protective helmet, kneepads, mallets, and boots that protect the lower legs.

A Century Plus

WHEN IT COMES TO LONGEVITY, the Santa Barbara Polo

& Racquet Club has some bragging rights. It joined the United States Polo Association in 1911, making it the third oldest club in the country and one with a colorful, starstudded history. Though it lacked a home field for a decade, in 1923 Max Fleischmann, heir to his family’s yeast fortune and an avid polo player, bought a onetime eucalyptus grove and began to lay out the stables and fields in Carpinteria, where the club is today. The 1920s and ’30s were a golden age for polo here, with Hollywood celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks, Will Rogers, and Spencer Tracy joining noted players from the East Coast, who arrived by train with their ponies, walked the animals from the station to the fields, and exercised them at the beach nearby. However, after 1936, club ownership changed hands a few times and games were halted during World War II, when soldiers were billeted on the fields. Polo revived slowly in the late 1940s and ’50s and then in 1961, Aloha Airlines founder Ruddy Tongg bought the club and lobbied to host the U.S. Open. He succeeded in 1962 and 1966 and ushered in a new era of polo popularity, helped undoubtedly by the scenic location and the good weather. Soon, stars like Marilyn Monroe were awarding the trophies, and actors Fess Parker and Michael Douglas were cheering from the sidelines. Financial woes threatened in the mid-1970s, but the addition of residential condominiums on the property and shrewd management by three generous trustees turned things around. The glitter returned as the club hosted the Federation of International Polo World Cup in 1998, and once again prestigious tournaments and 12- and 20-goal seasons brought the highest-rated professionals to the fields. The centennial year was even marked by royalty, when Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, competed in a charity match as the Duchess of Cambridge looked on. The polo club continues to cherish its history, but with gorgeously renovated fields, a grill with enhanced offerings in the Engel & Völkers Polo Stadium, and after-match music and cocktails, it has taken on 21st-century style. 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Mark Your Calendar

The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is located at 3300 Via Real in Carpinteria, 805-684-6683, sbpolo.com. Matches are played on Fridays at 4 p.m. (free admission) and Sundays at 3 p.m. ($10 per person). 12-Goal Series (June) Lucchese Vic Graber Cup, June 2–11 USPA La Martina Intra-Circuit, June 16–25 16-Goal Series (July/August) Belmond El Encanto Mayors Cup, July 7–9 Karma Automotive Robert Skene Trophy, July 14–23 Engel & Völkers Santa Barbara USPA America Cup, July 28–August 6 Gulfstream Pacific Coast Open, August 10–27 USPA National Youth Tournament Series Championship, September 13 8-Goal Series (September/October) USPA Presidents Cup, September 9–17 USPA Wickenden Cup, September 23–October 1 Women’s Tournament, September 14–22 Last Chance Tournament, October 6–8 The club also has a Polo Academy to teach the game to interested, would-be players. 

A groom in the tack room carefully cleans each bridle before the match.

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“We have great visiting teams and great local ones. It’s world-class polo.” —David Sigman, general manager, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club

805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Taste FOOD / WINE / DINING OUT

Wingin’It

Four Central Coast chefs put their mark on a game-day mainstay. By Jaime Lewis

SPICY AND CRISPY PUB WINGS “We are self-proclaimed wing connoisseurs,” says Martin Beckett, executive chef of Pappy McGregor’s Irish Pub (pappymcgregors.com) in Paso Robles. “We pride ourselves on serving elevated pub food up and down the menu, therefore these wings hit on all key great wing points: crispy, spicy, meaty.” Beckett fries and then bakes his wings for an extra-crispy texture. “In our opinion, no one likes a small, soggy, oversauced wing,” he says. For a more healthful take, he recommends skinning the wings before coating. Makes 30 wings 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper Vegetable oil for frying 30 chicken wings ½ cup butter, melted 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 16 ounce bottle Louisiana-style hot sauce (Beckett uses Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce) ACCOMPANIMENTS Blue cheese dressing Sliced carrot sticks Sliced celery sticks

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Preheat oven to 350°F. In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, filling it to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until it registers 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in 3 batches, dredge wings in flour mixture and shake off excess. Fry first batch until lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes, turning wings halfway through. Using tongs, transfer wings to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Return oil to 375°F before starting second and third batches. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Brush fried wings with hot sauce mixture to coat completely. Transfer sauced wings to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 15 minutes. Using tongs, turn wings over and bake another 15 minutes, until wings are crispy and have absorbed most of the sauce. Remove from heat and serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and carrot and celery sticks.

HABANERO MANGO WINGS When executive chef Jon Peloso created the sweet and spicy wings at Finney’s Crafthouse & Kitchen (finneyscrafthouse.com) in Thousand Oaks, he was aiming for something vibrant yet still accessible to even the pickiest of eaters. “The idea is to just blast you with flavor and not really exclude anybody,” he says. “I feel like

even people who can’t tolerate habaneros on a normal day can enjoy this dish.” As evidence that his method works, he says, “I saw a little old lady eating them the other day. She ate a whole plate, so I’m guessing she enjoyed them.” Peloso suggests smothering the wings with plenty of the habanero-mango sauce. “You really can’t have too much sauce,” he says. Note: Yellow bell peppers can stand in for the manzano chiles. Makes 30 wings HABANERO SAUCE 24 ounce bag frozen mango chunks 2 cups water 2 cups sugar 2 cups orange juice 1 fresh habanero chile with seeds, stem removed 2 fresh manzano chiles, seeds and stem removed ½ cup kosher salt 4 cups white balsamic vinegar CHICKEN WINGS 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons granulated garlic 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon ground pepper 3 pounds chicken wings 1 tablespoon queso fresco, crumbled 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves, chopped ACCOMPANIMENTS Sliced cucumbers Sliced carrot sticks Ranch dressing Preheat oven to 350°F. To prepare sauce: Combine mango, water, sugar, orange juice, habanero and manzano chiles, and ½ cup kosher salt in an 8-quart stockpot. Bring mixture to a boil over >

©tk CAMERON WHITMAN/STOCKSY UNITED

he marriage of chicken wings and sports viewing began in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, which is how Buffalo wings got their name. But these days on California’s Central Coast, the ubiquitous bar snack is moving into gourmet territory. With a high meat-to-bone ratio and plenty of nooks and crannies to harbor sauce, chicken wings make a tasty canvas for experimentation with seasonal ingredients and cultural spices. Try these recipes from four local chefs to cook up some zesty morsels for kick-off, tip-off, or cocktail hour. Just don’t forget the napkins.

Taste Food

LOLLIPOP WINGS Vegetable oil for frying 40 chicken wings ½ cup green onions, green part only, sliced diagonally, for garnish ½ cup black sesame seeds, for garnish

medium‑high heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.Working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender, taking care not to overfill the bowl, and blend on high until smooth. Set a strainer over a large bowl and pass mixture through, discarding solids. Add vinegar and whisk to incorporate. Set aside. To prepare wings: In a large bowl, combine, oil, garlic, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, paprika, and pepper and stir until mixture resembles a thick paste. Toss wings in mixture until thoroughly coated. Place wings on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and toss wings with habanero sauce. Transfer to a platter and top with crumbled queso fresco and cilantro. Serve alongside sliced cucumbers, carrot sticks, and prepared ranch dressing.

LOLLIPOP WINGS IN STICKY ASIAN SAUCE “The perfect balance between sweet and spicy,” according to Phil Kastel, executive vice president of culinary for The Grill on the Alley (thegrill.com) in Westlake Village, these wings are called “lollipops” for their style of presentation: French cut with bone cleaned and meat pushed to one end. (Check youtube. com for Frenching tutorials if you care to learn.) The recipe here is a bit simpler with basic wings tossed in an anything-but-basic Asian-style sauce that packs a punch. Makes 40 wings and 1 quart of sauce STICKY ASIAN SAUCE ¼ cup water ¾ cup raw sugar ½ cup sambal oelek (a hot sauce available in most supermarkets)

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To prepare sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan or Dutch oven, heat water and sugar over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Add sambal oelek, brown sugar, garlic, and tamari and bring to a boil. Transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and add cornstarch. Blend until mixture thickens and is thoroughly combined. Pour into a large bowl and mix in cilantro and chopped green onions. Set Sticky Asian Sauce aside. To prepare wings: Fill a deep frying pan or Dutch oven with ½- to 1-inch of vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium heat until it registers 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry wings in batches for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until crispy, turning once. Using tongs, transfer wings to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels and drain. Toss wings with Sticky Asian Sauce until thoroughly coated. Garnish with sliced green onions and black sesame seeds and serve.

SAMA SAMA SIGNATURE WINGS Ryan Simorangkir, chef and co-owner of Santa Barbara’s Sama Sama Kitchen (samasamakitchen.com), says the inspiration behind these wings, which he and co-owner Tyler Peek developed together, is a popular chicken dish in Jakarta, where Simorangkir was raised. Called ayam kecap, the Indonesian original is comprised of chicken in a spicy-sweet soy sauce. “This was one of my favorite dishes growing up,” he says, “and to our surprise, it became one of the best sellers here at Sama.” The recipe calls for jidori chicken for fuller flavor. Available in organic food stores, this poultry is raised free range–style on vegetarian feed and is never frozen. Simorangkir recommends coating each batch of 8 wings with ½ cup of sauce. Extra sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week; use it like barbecue sauce on grilled meats and vegetables or tossed with rice. To make it, you’ll need kecap manis, an Indonesian soy sauce sweetened with molasses or palm sugar. Available in Asian grocery stores or from amazon.com, it’s sometimes labeled Sweet Soy

Sauce. “We use the Bango brand,” Simorangkir says, “because I think it has the least amount of sugar and best flavor.” For a less spicy version of the Signature Sauce, remove and discard the ribs and seeds before adding the chile peppers to the food processor. Makes 24 wings and 3 cups sauce SIGNATURE SAUCE 3 garlic cloves 1 medium shallot 4–6 red Fresno or jalapeño chile peppers 1½ tablespoons tamarind paste (available in Mexican and Asian markets or at amazon.com) 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar 1½ tablespoons coconut oil 1 cup sambal oelek (available at most supermarkets) ¾ cup kecap manis ½ cup butter (optional) WINGS 8 cups all-purpose flour 4 tablespoons kosher salt 24 jidori chicken wings Vegetable oil for frying To prepare Signature Sauce: In a food processor, combine garlic, shallot, chile peppers, tamarind paste, and sugar, and blend until a chunky paste forms. Warm coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (coconut oil has a low smoking point, so don’t get it too hot). Reduce heat to low and stir in spice paste. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 4 to 5 minutes to avoid scorching, until the paste reaches a dark orange color. The oil should begin to separate from the solids. Remove from heat and allow spice paste to cool. Transfer paste to a blender and reserve saucepan. Add sambal oelek to blender. Puree until smooth. Return sauce to saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Add kecap manis and butter (if using) and simmer for about 10 minutes, until sauce reaches the consistency of a thick barbecue sauce. Remove from heat and set aside. To prepare wings: Combine flour and kosher salt in a large bowl. Dredge chicken wings in flour mixture. Fill a deep frying pan or Dutch oven with ½- to 1-inch vegetable oil. Heat oil over medium heat until it registers 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry wings in 3 batches, for about 8 minutes, turning once. Using tongs, transfer wings to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels and drain. Transfer wings to a large bowl and toss with 2 cups Signature Sauce. Serve. 

1 cup brown sugar 2 garlic cloves 2 cups tamari 1½ teaspoons cornstarch 1 handful cilantro leaves, roughly chopped 3 green onions, white and green parts roughly chopped

Experience it ALL. HAPPY CANYON VINEYARD

PRESENTS THE

TH ANNUAL

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

POLO CLASSIC

JUNE 24 TH , 2017

SECRETARIAT DR. HAPPY CANYON, SANTA YNEZ, CA PIOCHO RANCH 1100

WWW.SYVPOLOCLASSIC.COM | 805.686.0295

Taste Wine By Shauna Burke

A Can-Do Picnic

Makers of local canned wines dish on their favorite picnic pairings.

n effortless, picture-perfect summer picnic suddenly becomes a drag when someone is stuck carting heavy wine bottles, cups, and a corkscrew down a narrow beach path, all while balancing the rest of those essential picnic accoutrements. For good reason, some of the wine industry’s most valuable players are betting on the seemingly bright future of producing quality canned wines. Taking wine out of the bottle for the can suddenly makes the drinking experience much more casual, not to mention that it adds the convenience of a portable, single-serve model. The cleanup is easy, each imbiber can choose his own preferred varietal or blend, and best of all, there is no possibility of leaving behind broken glass. So don’t be surprised to see more and more wineries adding a canning line. Here, local winemakers share their favorite picnic pairings to make their pleasant, easydrinking canned wines shine in the summer heat.

Alloy Wine Works by Field Recordings 2016 Methodé Aluminum Chardonnay Central Coast, $7.50 for a 16-ounce can alloywineworks.com

Andrew Jones, whose Alloy Wine Works label falls under the umbrella of the popular Field Recordings winery in Paso Robles, doesn’t recommend getting too fancy and prefers to let local restaurants and sandwich shops do all the picnic prep—after all, summer is all about taking it easy, right? Jones is known to grab the Pulled Pork Banh Mi from Lincoln Market & Deli in San Luis Obispo to pair with his crisp, dry sparkler. 84

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WHITES

Alloy Wine Works by Field Recordings 2016 Hans Grüner Edna Valley, $7.50 for a 16-ounce can alloywineworks.com

Alloy’s Grüner Veltliner pairs beautifully with the Chicken Shawarma Pita sandwich from Petra Mediterranean Pizza & Grill in San Luis Obispo, according to winemaker Andrew Jones. This varietal is known for being bright and crisp with fantastic acidity and versatility, making it a unique and welcome addition to any summer picnic.

SPARKLING

Porch Pounder by T.W. Ferm Co. 2015 Chardonnay Central Coast, $25 for a 4-pack or $6 for a 12-ounce can findyourporch.com

A great choice for summer, Porch Pounder’s 100 percent chardonnay shows notes of tropical fruits along with bright, crisp acidity. “We often ride our bikes through Edna Valley to taste wine and enjoy a great picnic,” says co-winemaker Paul Quinn. “We love to pair the canned white with smoked salmon and cream cheese on fresh cucumber slices, or even salami and cured pork loin.”

Nuclear Wine Company NV Nuclear White California, $80 for a 12-pack or $8 for a 12-ounce can nuclearwines.com

Winemaker Will Henry calls his chardonnay “light and crisp with lots of minerality.” He recommends pairing it with simple, classic picnic favorites like pasta, chicken, or potato salad, or even a lighter Mediterranean or quinoa salad.

ODERN MEXICAN CUISINE

REDS

Alloy Wine Works by Field Recordings 2014 Pinot Noir Central Coast, $7.50 for a 16-ounce can alloywineworks.com

Winemaker Andrew Jones goes for the toasty California Turkey sandwich from High Street Market & Deli in San Luis Obispo with his versatile pinot noir, which boasts bright acidity and a medium body along with notes of dark fruit and a hint of spice. A truly versatile wine, it pairs easily with a variety of picnic favorites.

Nuclear Wine Company NV Nuclear Red California, $80 for a 12-pack or $8 for a 12-ounce can nuclearwines.com

Winemaker Will Henry describes this cuvée as a “medium-bodied red that is even better served chilled,” and says it’s especially refreshing in the summer sun and heat. Henry recommends “a hearty roast beef or pastrami sandwich” to go along with this wine, adding that it also pairs well with hot wings and crispy fried chicken.

Porch Pounder by T.W. Ferm Co, 2014 Red Wine Paso Robles, $25 for a 4-pack or $6 for a 12-ounce can findyourporch.com

One of the best ways to enjoy canned red wine at a summer picnic is to turn it into sangria, says winemaker Paul Quinn. “Just add chopped fruit and a can of red wine to a 16-ounce Mason jar, screw on the lid, and you have yourself an easy, portable sangria,” he suggests. If you choose to forgo the sangria and drink the pinot noir–based blend as is, Quinn recommends pairing the wine with high-quality cured meats, either on their own as a simple charcuterie platter or in an Italian deli sandwich. 

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Taste Dining Out By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

A New Frontier

Fess Parker Home Ranch goes full scale with its new restaurant, The Bear and Star, in the Santa Ynez Valley.

nyone who ever met actor and vintner Fess Parker shared a similar sentiment: He was a person who listened well, remembered you, and always showed a deep sense of hospitality. The Texas native forged an identity in the minds of many last-century Americans by portraying the iconic heroes Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in movies and on television. But not everyone knows that his family life and professional enterprises left their own kind of legacy, as seen at the Fess Parker home ranch, more than 700 acres located in Santa Ynez Valley’s Foxen Canyon. Since Parker’s passing in 2010, his two children, Eli and Ashley, are filling his saddle, managing family holdings that include hotel properties, the Fess Parker Winery, and the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn in the heart of Los Olivos. The luxury inn is where their latest venture, The Bear and Star (thebearandstar.com) offers refined ranch cuisine that rides the line between culinary innovation and down-home Texas cooking. “It came time to take control of our own destiny,” says Eli at its recent debut, “and our team’s goal is to provide a restaurant representing the best of the Santa Ynez Valley and the ranch.” The California bear and Texas star symbolize

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the combined heritage and the best both states have to offer. Key to the venture is lauded chef and business partner John Cox (formerly of Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur and Cultura Comida y Bebida in Carmel-by-the-Sea), who met the Parkers and was immediately struck by their enthusiasm and genuine hospitality. “I like building teams and creating menus that tell a story,” Cox says. “Now it’s time to tell this story of Los Olivos and the Parker family.” His inspiration came one day from the Parkers’ golden hills dotted with oaks, which reminded Cox of his childhood in Texas. He saw the family’s cattle grazing beside the vineyards and imagined quail and other elements linking the land to a unique, home-style menu. The vision of a full-scale ranch-toplate operation became clear, hatching an ambitious plan for a closed-loop ecological system integrating livestock, garden, and wine and brewery operations. Chef Jeremy Tummel (formerly of Stillwater Bar & Grill in Pebble Beach and Santa Barbara’s Bacara Resort & Spa) soon joined the team and together they are about much more than dishing up grits, greens, and succotash. In a short time, the idyllic, working ranch was able to support quail, chickens, and ducks for eggs, a herd of sheep, five times the original wagyu cattle herd started by granddaughter Katie, and pigs in a fenced creek-side run. Spent grain from the brewery and grape pomace from the vineyard are used to augment the cattle’s diet. Farmer Carly Conley, aka “the garden fairy,” set up the property’s first greenhouse and planted a medicine-wheel herb garden and rows of crops grown with organic methods. Her aim is to establish a fully biodynamic system within a few years. Upcoming plans include an apiary for honey and a cinder-block cave for growing mushrooms—shiitake, pink oyster, lion’s mane—for the menu. In keeping with Parker-style hospitality, designer Oliva Villaluz has created a warm and welcoming dining room, with deep, plush velvet chairs and banquettes, woven kilim rugs and pillows, and reclaimed-barnwood >

The Bear and Star chef and business partner John Cox (opposite, center) creates menus that tell the story of the Parker familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ranch. (Clockwise from top, left:) Blackened catfish comes with a side of Lompoc lima beans and Texas grapefruit in a charred-onion vinaigrette. Signature bottles stand ready to accompany the waitstaff to tables to fill water glasses. Locals congregate in the bar area. A rustic mantel and a steer head above the dining room fireplace drive home the theme. 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

Taste Dining Out floors. Above a geometric-tiled fireplace hangs a steer head of the ranch’s beloved Texas longhorn, Maggie. A separate, state-of-the-art wine room used for private dining and local winemaker dinners is set with leather placemats, hand-blown vessels by Santa Barbara Art Glass, and Bowie hunting knives (used as steak knives), a nod to the Daniel Boone legend. Next to the lounge is the chef’s room, a dining and teaching area with a window view into the bustling kitchen and wall of cookbooks that Cox started collecting at the age of 17. It also serves as the culinary team’s inspiration room, housing their prized equipment: a rotary evaporator (a favorite of sous chef Trent Shanks) for distilling and concentrating pure essences and an ultrasonic homogenizer for infusing flavors, such as wood notes to a base for vodka.

The real workhorse of this kitchen is parked outside: a 30-foot custom reverseflow Texas smoker, with a wood-fire grill and pizza oven that can turn out food for up to 400 people for off-site events.

Personification of Parker hospitality (from top): Wood floors and tables, richly colored chairs, rugs, and pillows, leather placemats, and star motifs generate a warm, welcoming vibe. Smoked Wagyu Carpaccio is topped with shavings of egg yolk, shiitake mushroom, and radish. Rugged reclaimed wood meets plush red velvet and depictions of wildlife juxtapose those of livestock.

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But the real workhorse of this kitchen is parked outside: a 30-foot custom reverse-flow Texas smoker, with a wood-fire grill and pizza oven that can turn out food for up to 400 people for off-site events. Ashley Parker dubs it “Dorothy,” after the research device in the film Twister. When fired up, the contraption looks like a hot tornado itself, fueled with fallen red oak that imparts the signature smoke flavor. It’s also used for smoking chicken for the house Cobb salad, tomatoes for house ketchup, guajillo chiles for the Deviled Ranch Eggs, and wagyu beef for the carpaccio appetizer. Other specialties include quail with a bay laurel red wine demi-glace and farro risotto; a hefty Berkshire pork chop with cheesy grits, syrah-braised red cabbage, and grain mustard pan jus; blackened catfish with Lompoc lima beans, celery, grapefruit, and charred onion vinaigrette; and, of course, an array of cast-iron steaks, served with crispy shallots and herbed butter. The breakfast menu features smoked salmon toast, wagyu hash with poached eggs, and daily breakfast breads like homemade sticky cinnamon buns. Over in the bar, a diverse wine list features selections from France, Germany, and Italy, in addition to the family’s noteworthy Rhône varietals and other regional wines. Estategrown beer on tap comes from Third Window Brewery (thirdwindowbrewing.com) in Santa Barbara, of which grandson Kris Parker is a managing partner. The Bear and Star’s craft cocktails tell their own stories, like Marcy’s Sweet Tea, with Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Meyer lemon honey bitters, in honor of Parker’s widow, Marcella “Marcy” Rinehart Parker, who recently celebrated her 89th birthday. “The restaurant is the link that ties together what each family member is doing,” says Cox. Cox just missed meeting Fess Parker personally before his passing, but as Katie Parker says now, “He would have loved the evolution of this property.” 

The Guide W H E R E TO E AT N OW

Our aim is to inform you of restaurants with great food that you might not have experienced yet. The guide is arranged not by cuisine type, but by style of restaurant. “Fine Dining” choices have an elegant atmosphere and very professional service. Restaurants included under the “Foodie” heading are heralded for their wonderful chef-driven cuisine, regardless of atmosphere. “A Good Bet” listings are just that—solid, casual, and delicious. The “Fun, Fun, Fun” category brings you spots geared toward a good time. The “Lunch Bunch” listings are casual spots ideally suited for lunch hour. New listings will appear in The Guide in every issue. Please send any comments and suggestions to edit@805living.com. ON THE WEB: Visit 805living.com for more listings and to make quick and easy reservations at many of the restaurants listed here through Open Table.

Fine Dining

These restaurants have a skilled kitchen team, a lovely dining room, and great service. ANGEL OAK 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 877-783-6067 angeloaksb.com Steaks and Seafood Entrées $31–$65 or Market Price

Great Views, Romantic Located on the grounds of Bacara Resort & Spa, Angel Oak takes full advantage of its perch above the Santa Barbara County coastline and of the talents of its French-born executive chef, Vincent Lesage. The menu is modern steak house with a seafood twist. Starters include foie gras torchon with strawberry chutney, a seafood tower, and Dungeness crab cakes accented by local citrus sabayon. Main-course options include steamed halibut with pea-verbena puree, grass-fed New Zealand rack of lamb with house-made harissa, and certified Kobe beef ordered by the ounce. Desserts by the resort’s pastry chef, Brooke Martin, include new takes on Baked Alaska and other classics. Branden Bidwell, a familiar face on the region’s wine scene, is both general manager and sommelier, overseeing the restaurant’s 12,000-bottle cellar. In the sleek dining room, floor-to-ceiling windows offer panoramic views of the ocean, echoed by the blue Amazonite quartz of the 25-seat bar.

ARTISAN 843 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-237-8084 artisanpasorobles.com New American; Entrées $14–$31

Vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm, sustainably raised meats, and an award-winning chef combine to form a temple of gastronomy in the heart of 805 wine country. Chef and co-owner Chris Kobayashi prepares seasonal food for daily dinners, and weekend brunches. An afternoon menu of small plates, wood-fired pizzas, and drink specials is available daily at the bar. Chris’ wife, Shandi, matches excellent wines to her husband’s cuisine.

AUSTEN’S AT THE PIERPONT 550 Sanjon Road Ventura, 805-643-0245 pierpontinn.com New American; Entrées $24–$34

Named for a son of the Pierpont Inn founder, the restaurant is in temporary quarters while the original Craftsman-era section of the historic hotel undergoes renovations. The current dining room offers views of trees, sunsets, and slivers of coastline. Patio seating is surrounded by glass walls that retain the view while mitigating noise from the freeway below. Executive chef Jorge Espinosa oversees menus that cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The prime rib French dip is a midday favorite. Dinner options include steaks, pork chops, and sea bass with habanero-lime sauce. Sunday brunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. is an à la carte affair. Happy hour daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. boasts a $2 discount on every dish on the bar-bites menu.

BACARA RESORT & SPA 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 877-783-6067 bacararesort.com New American; Entrées $17–$43

Great Views, Romantic Unparalleled views of the Santa Barbara coastline are just part of the appeal at Bacara, where French-born executive chef Vincent Lesage oversees seasonal menus for each of the resort’s unique dining areas. (His modern steak house, Angel Oak, also is described under Fine Dining.) The Bistro offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner on an oceanfront patio with stunning views and a fireplace to helps keep patrons toasty well past sunset. Entrées by chef de cuisine Jeffrey O’Brien are reasonably priced given the setting: filet mignon with lobster mashed potatoes and cognac cream sauce comes in at $43. The Spa Café serves breakfast, lunch, and smoothies near an adults-only pool. The Bacara Bar is an in-the-round showcase for craft cocktails, snacks, and casual dinners, while the Foley Food & Wine Society Tasting Room offers hard-to-find wines by the flight, glass, and bottle.

UPDATE BELLA VISTA IN THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT The Biltmore Santa Barbara 1260 Channel Drive Santa Barbara, 805-969-2261 fourseasons.com/santabarbara/dining.html

Californian and Italian; Entrées and Sunday Brunch $20–$75

Great Views Named for its sweeping views of lawn, ocean, and sky, Bella Vista has a slightly Italian bent thanks to executive chef Marco Fossati. He uses local fish and organic farmers’ market produce, handmade pastas, and herbs from the chef’s garden at the resort to create such dishes as prime bistecca tagliata with salsa verde and crispy potatoes. Weekly specials include a Seafood at Sunset menu of shucked oysters and barbecued shrimp. (At the adjacent Ty Lounge, Fossati’s Mussel Madness Tuesdays menu features the shellfish prepared six ways and presented in cast-iron bowls from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.) The wine list offers local and international labels. Afternoon tea is served on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and requires reservations; call 805-565-8237.

BELMOND EL ENCANTO 800 Alvarado Place Santa Barbara, 805-845-5800 belmond.com/el-encanto-santa-barbara Entrées $28–$48

Great Views, Romantic The luxe Belmond El Encanto hotel perches atop its seven-acre hilltop property with sweeping city and ocean views. Settle in on the spacious terrace or in the elegant dining room and linger over artfully presented California coastal cuisine crafted by executive chef Johan Denizot. Local ingredients shine, including herbs from the chef’s garden and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as halibut sashimi and mains like king crab leg in lobster-chili broth and classic New York steak with a choice of sides. The wine list includes Santa Barbara County gems and globetrotting labels. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, although Sunday lunch is replaced with a bottomless Bellini brunch. Afternoon tea (reservations highly recommended) is served Monday through Saturday. In-the-know locals and hotel guests take in the sunset, cocktail in hand, on the terrace.

Opened just in time for the 71st Ojai Music Festival from June 8 to 11, Ojai Harvest (facebook.com/ ojai-harvest) offers lunch, dinner, and something not usually found in the Ojai Valley: latenight eats. Owner Spoon Singh also operates the Los Angeles County hot spots Fork in the Road and The Larchmont. In Ojai, his restaurant and adjoining bar offer ever-changing menus guided by local ingredients.

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The Dining Guide CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadario.net Italian; Entrées $15–$32

At the corner of Victoria and Anacapa streets, Ca’ Dario is somewhat off the Santa Barbara tourist path. That doesn’t mean it isn’t jammed with people twirling forks laden with al dente pastas sauced in Bolognese, or tomatoes with olives and capers, or smoked salmon with peas and tomato and cream. The Ravioli al Burro e Salvia is a fine example of a spinach-ricotta ravioli sauced in browned butter and crispy sage leaves. Steaks, lamb chops, and breaded chicken breast are quite filling. There’s a fresh fish special daily and sometimes a wonderful seafood risotto. Wines from Italy and the Central Coast line the walls.

CELLO RISTORANTE & BAR 2700 Buena Vista Drive Paso Robles, 805-369-2500 allegrettovineyardresort.com Italian and Mediterranean; Entrées $12–$49

Romantic Within the new Allegretto Vineyard Resort, Cello showcases much of what lifelong forager and executive chef Eric Olson finds in dishes like foraged mushroom risotto, scallop salad, and acorn-oatmeal cookies. This upscale Italian restaurant also serves steaks, flatbreads, and seasonally inspired dishes composed of ingredients from local, sustainably operated farms, ranches, and fisheries. A serene covered patio with a boccie court and large iron fire bowls encourages eating breakfast, lunch, small plates, and dinner outdoors beside the substantial kitchen garden. Cello also boasts a strong garden cocktail menu and a wine list that includes a handful of impossible-to-get bottles.

UPDATE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE 2 Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 fourseasons.com/westlakevillage/dining Californian and Japanese; Entrées and Sunday Brunch $15–$72

What started as a monthlong pop-up called Naked Ramen (facebook.com/ramenpopup) has taken up permanent residence in the game room at Brendan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Agoura Hills. The cheeky name hints at the specialty of the house: bowls of ramen served without broth. Diners who last visited during Naked Ramen’s trial-run period will find that the menu now also includes a vegetarian option and the Japanese street-food dish takoyaki. Naked Ramen shares hours with Brendan’s, but has a deeply atmospheric soundtrack of its own.

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Trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in his native Spain, executive chef Jose Fernandez brings a refined farm-and-ocean-to-table approach to the resort’s elegant dining rooms. At Hampton’s, posh furnishings and waterfall views are backdrops for a Champagne brunch buffet with live jazz on Sundays. The more casual Lobby Lounge features waterfall views with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a Sustainable Living Menu. Located near the lobby, Stir is open daily from 6 a.m. with a grab-and-go menu of baked-on-site pastries and savory options to go with cold-brewed coffee, gelato, and other treats. With its fire pits and urban vibe, The Lookout is a sophisticated outdoor spot to start the evening with a cocktail and a small plate or two. Open Fridays through Sundays, The Tasting Room features California labels and a menu of wine-friendly nibbles. Sushi fans will want to visit Onyx, which gets its own write-up in the Foodie section of this guide. Valet parking is $7 with validation; selfparking is free for up to four hours with validation.

GIANNFRANCO’S TRATTORIA 666 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, 805-684-0720 Italian; Entrées $13–$28

Great Patio The family of owners welcomes you here with open arms. In good weather, opt for a seat on the back patio with its garden setting. Some customers always start dinner with a glass of wine and the calamari appetizer, which comes with perfectly grilled baby squid and shrimp next to a crock of slightly spicy dipping sauce. It’s a great idea. Salads are also quite nice and take advantage of the local growers. The pastas are lightly sauced and there’s a daily fresh risotto. Meats include grass-fed free-range lamb chops and rib-eye steaks as well as farm-raised chicken. Giannfranco’s is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Monday.

THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY 120 E. Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-418-1760 thegrill.com American; Entrées $11–$59

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Steaks and chops are legendary here and at the original Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills, the ultimate power-lunch spot. At this location, whether out on the patio or in the dining room and bar, diners enjoy American comfort food with international flair. Sushi is available at lunch and dinner, and the menu’s friendly reminder that “any turf can surf” is an invitation to order jumbo prawns and other seafood with your filet mignon or dry-aged New York strip. Weekend brunch offers avocado toast, Niman Ranch slab bacon and eggs, and $15 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. Happy hour is daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when you can make a meal of the specially priced lollipop chicken wings, spicy tuna rolls, and woodfired cheeseburger bites offered with cocktails, draft beers, and wines by the glass.

HOLDREN’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD 1714-A Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-1314 and 512 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-3363 holdrens.com Steak House; Entrées $23–$49 (more for surf‑and-turf combos)

Romantic, Sunday Brunch The décor is sophisticated enough for business, while the lighting is low enough for romance. Comfy seating and friendly servers encourage lingering. Appetizers, like the bacon-wrapped prawns stuffed with feta cheese and jalapeño, are hearty enough to be main courses. Steaks are marbled, tender, and seasoned

right. The signature Cowboy Cut is huge and sits atop a pile of spicy onion strings. All steaks come with sauce, a side dish, and a choice of soup or salad. Both locations are open for lunch on Monday through Friday; happy hour runs daily at both, on the patio and in the bar, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Newbury Park location serves a Sunday brunch menu of omelets, Tiki Toast, and more from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All meals are served inside or out on the patio at both locations.

IL CORTILE RISTORANTE 608 12th Street Paso Robles, 805-226-0300 ilcortileristorante.com Italian; Entrées $18–$34

Il cortile is Italian for “the courtyard.” At this upscale restaurant at the edge of downtown Paso, the courtyard invites diners to breathe in beautiful evenings. A more intimate experience awaits inside, where diners find what the owners call contemporary Old World styling. Northern and Southern Italian dishes are the heart of executive chef and co-owner Santos MacDonal’s seasonal menu. Along with caldi (hot) and freddi (cold) antipasti, there is a section of the menu dedicated to mozzarella. Pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi have fresh, inspired flavors, hallmarks of being housemade. Secondi (main courses) cover beef, lamb, and seafood; osso bucco is particularly nice. The restaurant has a small bar area and a wine list that raises a glass to California’s Central Coast and Italy.

LUCERNE RESTAURANT 868 Arneill Road Camarillo, 805-383-5777 lucernerestaurant.com Italian; Entrées $14–$22 Romantic

This family-owned restaurant offers white-tablecloth service (for lunch and dinner) where you’d least expect it: a strip-mall space next to Kmart. Tables are decorated with fresh flowers, and warm, heartshaped focaccia bread is in the breadbasket that arrives while you peruse the menu. Options include salads, seafood, and veal; pastas are mix-and-match: Choose a shape and a sauce to go with it. (Fettuccini is especially good with the Lucerne, made with chicken, capers, mushrooms, feta cheese, and sundried tomatoes.) Several $10 traditional Italian specials are available Tuesdays through Fridays at lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Save room for the house-made ricotta and chocolate chip cannoli, dusted with powdered sugar. The wine list focuses on Italy and California with an emphasis on labels from the 805. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for news of monthly wine dinners.

LUCKY’S 1279 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-565-7540 luckys-steakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $16–$69

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Black-and-white portraits of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, and Julia Child adorn the walls of this upscale steak house in Montecito. The plates and napkins are monogrammed, the patio is tented and heated for year-round enjoyment, and the bar opens an hour before dinner service begins. Steaks can be dressed with seven different sauces, there are eight versions of potato side dishes, and the onion rings should have their own Facebook Fan Page.

MASTRO’S STEAKHOUSE 2087 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-418-1811 and 18412 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-454-4357

mastrossteakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $30–$88

Live Music An expense-account vibe permeates this posh steak house and bar that also is known for its seafood. With quiet finesse, jacketed servers whisk sizzling plates out of the kitchen and onto white tablecloths. Steaks and chops are huge and tender; rich side dishes are served family-style. Salads are big enough for two as are desserts, which come with giant bowls of whipped cream. Seafood towers make impressive table decorations for those who want to indulge in oysters, crab claws, shrimp, or caviar. Selections from the sushi menu created for Mastro’s by chef Angel Carbajal include maguro lime rolls with chili tempura, and seared albacore topped with black truffle shavings. Orders of four or more sushi items are served on tiered pyramids that highlight each morsel. The Malibu Ocean Club location offers a spectacular ocean view and a weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

MEDITERRANEO 32037 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-9105 med-rest.com Mediterranean; Entrées $11–$105 (to share)

Great View, Kid-Friendly (breakfast and lunch), Sunday Brunch Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Mediterraneo provides plenty of dining options for locals and guests of the Westlake Village Inn, where it is located. Executive chef Lisa Biondi showcases local, season ingredients in starters such as Kurobuta pork belly with crispy white polenta and apple agrodolce, Italy’s answer to sweet-and-sour sauce. Entrées include an array of flatbreads, swordfish with sautéed rapini, Niman Ranch double-cut pork chops and oven-roasted carrots with rosemary garlic potatoes, and an 18-ounce free-range veal chop Milanese. The à la carte Sunday brunch choices range from light to decadent. Happy hour, on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., features live music, a $5 menu, and thematic food-and-drink specials (think Mozzarella Mondays and Truffle Tuesdays). Worth a splurge: classic and craft cocktails filtered through the imagination of mixologist and food and beverage manager Jacopo Falleni. Patios offer views of the lake or vineyard; a private room is available for special events.

UPDATE MR. CHOW 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 18A Malibu, 310-456-7600 mrchow.com Chinese; Family-style service $60–$80 per person; à la carte service available

Romantic Located in the Malibu Country Mart, this Mr. Chow location shares a menu and sense of showmanship with its famous older brother in Beverly Hills. (Both offer hand-pulled noodle demonstrations.) Décor is minimalist, putting the cuisine in sharp focus. Favorite dishes include honey-glazed prawns with walnuts, enlivened with dabs of spicy chili sauce from the small pots found on each table. A threecourse Beijing Duck dinner ($78 per person) is among the prix-fixe, family-style dining options, which tend to be less spendy than going à la carte. A small-bites menu is available in the bar, where the cocktails change with the seasons.

NOBU 22706 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-9140 noburestaurants.com Japanese with Peruvian Influences; Entrées $8–$46, Omakase Menu $100–$150

The stars love to come to Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant for its sushi bar and Peruvian-influenced Japanese cuisine as well as the omakase (chef’s

choice menus) and other high-budget treats. The rest of us might need to check our bank accounts before ordering the lobster shiitake salad with spicy lemon dressing (nearing the $50 mark at lunch and dinner). The ocean views available from nearly every seat are priceless—and a little easier to squeeze into the budget during breakfast and brunch service on Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when selections range from Jidori chicken and waffles ($24) to the caviar “hot pot” of steamed eggs topped with crème fraîche, crispy mushrooms, and caviar ($21).

THE RANCH HOUSE 102 Besant Road Ojai, 805-646-2360 theranchhouse.com Farm-to-table Prix fixe $45 for three courses, $55 for five

Romantic The Ranch House is much changed from the early 1950s, when it was founded as a pay-what-you-can vegetarian restaurant by Alan and Helen Hooker. But its sense of magic remains: A stream runs through the property, spilling into a koi pond with a bridge that leads to the gardens. Tables draped in white linens are tucked behind stands of bamboo and arranged on a sheltered patio strung with twinkle lights. (The table nearest the pond is a prime spot for marriage proposals.) Executive chef Sean Kingsbury channels the Hookers (who added meat to the menu in the 1960s) with prix-fixe dinners that continue to showcase local produce, some of it from the on-site herb garden. Don’t miss Kingsbury’s honeyglazed pork belly appetizer, which might come with strawberry-mango salsa one season and other accompaniments the next. No longer the 56-page behemoth it once was, the wine list continues to offer a solid selection. A note about the address: The Ranch House is located where South Lomita Avenue meets Besant Road, prompting Yelp and other online sources to place it at 500 S. Lomita Ave.

SABOR COCINA MEXICANA 2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-497-2457 saborcocinamexicana.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$24

Romantic, Sunday Brunch It’s flashy and fancy—not your usual Mexican cocina. Eat in the bar area where huge margaritas are being blended, or on the front patio while people watching, or in the main dining room with the massive chandeliers strung with red glass hearts. Chef-owner Leticia Hansen turns out beautifully plated entrées like chicken enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese and cochinita pibil, which is pork in achiote sauce. Her partner and husband, Mark Hansen, makes sure the dining areas are running smoothly.

SAN YSIDRO RANCH 900 San Ysidro Lane Santa Barbara, 805-565-1700 sanysidroranch.com American; Entrées $18–$56 at Plow & Angel; $38–$63 at The Stonehouse; Sunday brunch $75

Great View, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The five-star treatment at this historic resort starts the minute you turn onto the long drive lined with olive trees and lavender; it continues as you are greeted by a valet who whisks away your car from the circular entrance to its two restaurants, both overseen by executive chef Matthew Johnson. At Plow & Angel, the menu and setting are in keeping with a well-appointed tavern. Thick stone walls and a fireplace create a cozy space for enjoying barrel-aged cocktails and a menu of grilled flatbreads, beer-battered halibut and chips, and grilled New York steak with cognac peppercorn sauce. Upstairs, The Stonehouse dining room gleams with copper and burnished wood and has a sheltered terrace with views of Montecito. Seating is also available on outdoor patios below, furnished with a fireplace and

The Dining Guide fountain and flanked by loquat trees. At lunch, served Mondays through Saturdays, the rightfully famous BLTA is made with house-smoked bacon and Little Gem lettuce grown on the premises. A three-course market menu also emphasizes local ingredients. Served from 6 p.m. daily, the dinner menu includes house-made fettuccine with speck ham and carrot nage and Steak Diane prepared in the classic style—flambéed tableside. The list of wines and spirits is varied and deep. (Stonehouse is just one of 88 restaurants worldwide to earn the 2016 Grand Award from Wine Spectator.) Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes starters, entrées, desserts, and free-flowing Laurent-Perrier Brut Champagne. At $75, it’s a steal.

SUZANNE’S CUISINE 502 W. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-640-1961 suzannescuisine.com New American; Entrées $15–$28

Romantic Travelers to Ojai make Suzanne’s a part of their itinerary so they can explore what she’s up to in any given season. Relying heavily on the produce around her, Suzanne Roll turns out lunch and dinner dishes that are interesting and handcrafted. Breads for the sandwiches are made by a local bakery; soups change daily. You might see a rainbow trout grilled with rosemary and lemon or a stuffed Cornish game hen with an apricot-marsala sauce. The atmosphere is casual with seats on the back patio next to the garden and a most pleasant gurgling fountain and outdoor fireplace. For cooler weather, there’s also an enclosed patio. Note: The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.

Already known for its surf culture, Ventura has a new way to go with the flow: Fluid State Beer Garden (fluidstatebeer.com). Located inside a 1930s city landmark that originally served as a bank, the combination taproom and artisanal pizzeria (check out that sourdough crust!) has an outdoor patio furnished with picnic tables but no real landscaping, per se. No matter: The selection of California craft beers, wines, and distilled spirits is anything but garden-variety. TIERRA SUR RESTAURANT AT HERZOG WINE CELLARS 3201 Camino del Sol Oxnard, 805-983-1560 tierrasuratherzog.com New American; Entrées $16–$58 Wine-Tasting Menu $70

Tucked inside Herzog’s winery and tasting room, Tierra Sur specializes in wine-friendly meals made with careful attention to detail. Executive chef Gabe Garcia, who’s also a fan of local, seasonal fare, maintains the Mediterranean vibe of the menu. Marinated olives, lamb bacon, and corn tortillas are made in-house. Tapas feature beet salad as

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well as pastrami and corned beef tongue. Watch carefully, and you may see your bone-in rib eye for two prepared on the patio’s wood-burning grill before it is served with kale and sous vide oyster mushrooms. Desserts are elegantly plated variations on sorbets and flourless chocolate cake. Surrounded by the coppery glow of the walls and the burnished-wood wine rack that frames the kitchen pass-through, diners may need to pinch themselves as a reminder that they’re at a kosher restaurant in an Oxnard industrial park. On Fridays, only lunch is served. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays in observance of the Sabbath.

TRA DI NOI RISTORANTE 3835 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-456-0169 tradinoimalibu.com Italian; Entrées $18–$33

Sunday Brunch It seems this unassuming little restaurant in the Malibu Country Mart is never without a celebrity. The tables underneath yellow umbrellas on the patio afford a view of the playground where nannies push swings stocked with rock stars’ children. Even though Malibu residents know what they want without opening a menu, chef Francesco Velasco can still impress the rest of us with his handmade spaghetti, shaved truffles, local olive oil, and grass-fed beef. His spaghetti carbonara manages to be both low fat and delicious. His seasonal specials are a treat. The wine list is well-curated and matches the food.

TUSCANY IL RISTORANTE 968 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-495-2768 Italian; Entrées $18–$32

Romantic Village dwellers pack this beautiful space for its warm, friendly service and top-notch food. The menu is small, but the nightly specials are worth investigating. High rollers and celebs consider this their neighborhood boîte. Others come just for special occasions. The lobster and shrimp martini salad has hearts of palm, avocado, and pink grapefruit segments; the baby greens salad has shaved fennel and toasted pine nuts; the whole Dover sole is topped with a lemon-chervil sauce; and the chicken breast comes under a sun-dried tomato pesto.

Foodie Cuisine that shines

regardless of décor, service, ambience, or even views. UPDATE AROHA NEW ZEALAND CUISINE & BAR 30990 Russell Ranch Road, Unit C Westlake Village, 805-405-5054 aroharestaurant.com New Zealand fare; Entrées $26–$45

Kid-Friendly, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The spirit of aroha—a Maori word meaning “love”—is alive and well at this restaurant owned by husbandand-wife Gwithyen and Justine Thomas. She handles marketing and social media, and as executive chef and a native of Auckland, he oversees the menu of beautifully plated cuisine from New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. Some artisanal products are flown in thrice weekly. New Zealand Ora King salmon is served with burnt orange sauce; lamb is paired with smoked purple potatoes and grape-mint salsa. A cloudlike Pavlova is among the desserts. A separate children’s menu is available. Sunday brunch from

10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. features breakfast and lunch fare, such as ricotta pancakes and a venison short-rib sandwich with hand-cut potato chips. Drinks include nonalcoholic sparklers, and beer, wine, and spirits from New Zealand. The bar menu of small bites (lump crab cakes, crispy pork belly) and “main grub” (fish and chips, steak and cheese pie) is available Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Happy hour runs Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; specials include $5 beers and wines by the glass and a $7 cocktail.

AZU 457 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-640-7987 azuojai.com Mediterranean-Californian, Gastropub Tapas and bar snacks $5–$16, Entrées $9–$32

Weekend Brunch A long, dark-wood bar dominates the front room at this popular lunch, dinner, and tapas spot, creating the perfect setting for the Ojai Valley Brewery taproom. Small-batch ales and lagers made with local botanicals by Jeremy Haffner, the son-in-law of owner and chef Laurel Moore, are available by the pint, tasting flight, and take-home growler. Pair them with gastropub fare such as tacos, flatbreads, and poutine topped with braised beef and salsa roja. Lunch and dinner options include falafel chiles rellenos, and a vegan paella of white beans, peas, cauliflower, broccolini, and artichoke hearts. Blueberry-lemon pancakes and croquette eggs Benedict with preserved lemon hollandaise are on the weekend brunch menu served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional seating is available on the sidewalk, in the brick-lined dining room, and—in warmer months—on a sheltered, ivy-covered back patio.

UPDATE BARBAREÑO 205 W. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-9591 barbareno.com Californian; Entrées $18–$29

This restaurant highlights ingredients from the Central Coast in menus that feature a few changes monthly. Head chef Justin Snyder focused on pastry in his previous culinary lives, evident from the carefully composed salads, tartares, and desserts that emerge from the kitchen. Recurring favorites include starters like avocado roulade made with hamachi crudo and coconut-oolong milk, and cheeky Eggamuffins featuring buttermilk blini stacked with Seascape cheese, speck, and shavings of salt-cured egg yolk. Hope Ranch Mussels with fennel and mustard broth and slow-cooked Wagyu tri tip are also available, along with an extensive inventory of local beers and a wine list that recently garnered a Wine Spectator award of excellence.

BELL STREET FARM EATERY & MARKET 406 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-4609 bellstreetfarm.com American; Entrées $10–$15

Kid-Friendly Farm-to-fork dining goes country chic at this spot in Santa Barbara County wine country. The tables are covered with butcher paper—the better to catch spills from glasses of regional wines while giving kids a canvas for crayon masterpieces. The deceptively simple menu features soups, salads, and sandwiches made with local produce, Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, and artisanal meats. Prepared on a rotisserie visible from the order counter, free-range chicken from Santa Clarita’s Huntsinger Ranch stars in the tamarind chickensalad sandwich served with house-pickled veggies. Assemble-your-own picnic baskets are available; ask about after-hours dinners with local vintners.

BIG SKY CAFE 1121 Broad St. San Luis Obispo, 805-545-5401 bigskycafe.com Eclectic; Entrées $14–$25

A comfortable artist and foodie hangout, Big Sky serves fresh market cuisine with a Southern inclination for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with a list of 20 local wines by the glass. Chef and owner Greg Holt prepares two types of soup (one vegetarian) from scratch daily and fish specials like wild-caught salmon in an ancho chili glaze made of harissa, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar or Thai catfish with tofu. Among the breakfast highlights are beignets and huevos rancheros; lunchtime offerings include a turkey burger with sweet potato fries and buttermilkfried chicken salad with peppered walnuts and beets. In summer, market vegetables become gazpacho and green chili-flecked cornbread minimuffins are perfect for dunking.

THE BLUE OWL AT CANON PERDIDO 5 W. Canon Perdido Santa Barbara, 805-705-0991 theblueowlsantabarbara.com American, Asian Entrées $9–$16

Chef Cindy Black must be some kind of evil culinary genius. How else to explain the existence of the Guy Fieri Busts His Britches Burger, made with Rancho San Julian beef, a poached duck egg, Stilton cheese, and fried cheese curds? It’s one in a series of ever-changing burger creations that appear on the dinner menu, along with Korean hot wings and Chinese pulled noodles, available on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. following a recent expansion to the storefront café. Black’s crab melt on ciabatta and banh mi sandwich with oyster-chili mayo remain draws at lunchtime. But the Owl really lives up to its name on Fridays and Saturdays, when the menu, available through 2:30 a.m., greets late-night crowds with munchiesslaying dishes like the Kimcheezer, a grilled cheese with house-made kimchi. Settle in at the communal table with a craft brew or rosemary lemonade for prime people-watching.

BOB’S WELL BREAD BAKERY 550 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-3000 bobswellbread.com European; Pastries and Breads $1.50–$20, Entrées $7–$13

Located in a refurbished 1920s-era service station with its original Douglas fir floors intact, this artisanal bakery is well worth a visit. For the best selection, arrive at 7 a.m. on Thursdays through Mondays, when the doors open and aromatic scones, bagels, kouign-amann, pain au chocolat, and other pastries come out of the ovens. Loaves of naturally leavened, burnished-crust breads follow soon after. Special daily breads include pain aux lardons (Saturdays and Sundays), and gluten-free Centennial

Loaf (Mondays). The on-site café serves breakfast and lunch (think avocado toast tartine, croque monsieur sandwiches, and grilled bread with pâté and onion-bacon marmalade) until 3 p.m. Grab-and-go items for DIY picnics include ficelle sandwiches made with French ham, Emmentaler cheese, and house-made butter. Check the Facebook page for details about monthly meet-the-winemakers gatherings that include food-and-wine pairings.

NEW BOTTLEST WINERY BAR & BISTRO 35 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-686-4742 bottlestbistro.com Californian; Entrées $21–$33, Small Plates $13–$28

Located adjacent to Terravant Wine Company at the end of Industrial Way, Bottlest is inspired both by the neighborhood’s status as a foodie magnet and by the custom wineblending and -bottling program that will be available to online and in-person patrons starting in mid 2017. Executive chef Owen Hanavan, formerly at Babareño in Santa Barbara, uses locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce in carefully composed small plates (bite-size lamb meatballs with mint, poached yellowtail with rice crackers) and entrées (16-spice pork shoulder, catch-of-the-day with creamy potatoes) served on dishes of varying shapes and sizes. Lunch and bar menus are more casual, focusing on salads, sandwiches, and pizzas. Local beers and creative cocktails are featured with 52 wines on tap for selfservice using a card that tracks your choices. Most are from Terravant’s custom-crush facility, visible through a window in the dining room. A few are library selections sourced from other wineries in the region, giving diners a chance to try rare, cellared wines by the glass.

BOUCHON 9 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-730-1160 bouchonsantabarbara.com Wine Country Cuisine Entrées $26–$38

Romantic Bouchon celebrates the local, from its carefully curated wine list to the craftspeople overseeing the successful remodeling of the garden patio at the front entrance. Executive chef Greg Murphy follows suit, using farmers’ market ingredients in dishes like panroasted local white fish with wilted dandelion greens or a soup featuring white carrots from Tutti Frutti Farms. (Murphy’s Foodie Stroll menu includes a tour of the Tuesday farmers’ market followed by a three-course meal with wine for $95 per person.) Add the gracious presence of proprietor Mitchell Sjerven and you have the ingredients for the first Santa Barbaraarea restaurant in a decade to earn the AAA Four Diamond award for excellence.

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The Dining Guide DOWNEY’S 1305 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-5006 downeyssb.com New American; Entrées $29–$39

Romantic Locals adore this gem of a restaurant, giving it raves online and in guides like the Zagat Survey, where it scored 28 for food (out of a possible 30 points). Chef-owner John Downey draws from nearby farms and waterways for his produce and seafood. Foragers bring their treasures to his back door. His exquisite cooking is seasonal so the menu is ever changing, but he loves potatoes, game meats, wild salmon, local seabass, and duck. The nightly tasting menu is an economical way to experience many different menu items in slightly smaller portions.

Thanks to its 5,200-squarefoot dining room decorated with a gold-flecked mural of a giant crab, EMC Seafood & Raw Bar (emcseafood.com) at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard has plenty of elbow room. That comes in handy during happy hour, Mondays through Fridays from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., when oysters are just $1 each.

EMBER RESTAURANT 1200 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande, 805-474-7700 emberwoodfire.com California-Mediterranean; Small Plates $10–$17, Pizzas $18–$20, Entrées $23–$32

Named for the wood fires used to cook the restaurant’s seasonal and farm-fresh dishes, Ember is the project of executive chef Brian Collins, an Arroyo Grande native who shares skills he honed at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos with his hometown. The menu, like the beer and wine list, is locally focused, changes monthly, and includes rustic specialties such as crispy kale and house-made fennel sausage pizza, Jidori chicken alongside a wedge of grilled polenta and farmers’ market veggies, and grilled rib eye served over roasted potatoes and topped with a decadent garlic confit and avocado chimichurri.

FARMER AND THE COOK 339 W. El Roblar Drive Ojai, 805-640-9608 farmerandcook.com Vegetarian; Entrées $6–$14

Kid-Friendly Steve Sprinkel is the farmer and wife Olivia Chase is the cook at this combination café, bakery, market, and community center in the Meiners Oaks area of the Ojai Valley. A soup-and-salad bar offers fresh, organic fare for those on the go. The daily menu of vegetarian Mexican dishes like Swiss chard enchiladas and huaraches topped with grilled veggies, Feta, and Jack cheeses, and salsa roja can be made vegan with the substitution of a housemade cashew “cheese.” Gluten-free and raw foods are also available. On Friday and Saturday nights, the weekend farm café menu features dishes inspired by what Chase has harvested from the couple’s farm less than 3 miles away.

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FINCH & FORK 31 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, 805-879-9100 finchandforkrestaurant.com American; Entrées $10–$35

Weekend Brunch Located in the Kimpton Canary Hotel, the restaurant has its own entrance at Chapala and Carrillo streets. The vibe in the dining room is sophisticated but comfortable, words that also describe the locally sourced menu by executive chef James Siao. Creative starters, flatbreads, salads, and entreés change with the seasons for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The latter, served from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, even has its own cocktail menu. The daily specials menu offers Siao’s famous buttermilk fried chicken on Tuesdays and a new pork dish every Thursday. The happy hour menu is so good they offer it twice a day on Mondays through Fridays: Early Bird is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Night Flight is from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Both feature drinks and snacks starting at $3. Go ahead and splurge on the $8 S&P wings, tossed in a sweet chili glaze and served with pickled celery.

FIRST & OAK 409 First St. Solvang, 805-688-1703 firstandoak.com California French Small Plates $8–$19, Entrées $34–$38

Named for its address, this restaurant inside the newly renovated Mirabelle Inn is a showcase for the talents of British-born executive chef Steven Snook, a veteran of the Michelin Star–rated kitchens of Gordon Ramsay. Snook marries classic and molecular gastronomy techniques with local ingredients, creating a small plates–focused menu that changes with the seasons. Artful platings of butternut squash soup poured over brown-butter sage tortellini as well as sous vide carrots with a 63-degree (Celsius) egg echo the drama of the Belle Époque–inspired dining room. For spring, heirloom tomato consommé is ramped up with vegetables and preserved lemon and a spring wedge salad showcases baby gem lettuce, topping it with green goddess dressing, fresh herbs, and pistachios. (Outdoor patio seating is also available.) Co-owner, sommelier, and general manager Jonathan Rosenson oversees the wine list, which includes selections from his family’s Coquelicot Estate Vineyard, also in Solvang, along with other Santa Barbara County labels. France, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand are represented, too. Call for news about winemaker dinners.

FOREMOST WINE CO. 570 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-439-3410 foremostslo.com American; Eclectic Small Plates $8–$16, Entrées $18–$35

In the heart of San Luis Obispo, this combination restaurant, wine bar and lounge, and burrata bar offers a metro-rustic vibe and globe-trotting wine list. Chef Julie Simon’s menu pairs worldly flavors with ingredients sourced closed to home. Dishes include hoisin-braised duck leg and seared albacore with coconut-milk farro. The burrata bar serves several combos, like the Bee Keeper, pairing the creamy cheese with shards of chewy honeycomb, stone fruit or berries, fresh rosemary, and sea salt–roasted almonds. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. features chilaquiles with smoked chilies, tomatillo salsa, crispy potato tacos, and avocado toast with seaweed butter. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. includes $5 by-the-glass wine specials, a $5 to $7 happy hour menu, and draft beers.

NEW GRANADA BISTRO 1126 Morro St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-9110 granadahotelandbistro.com Californian, French-Asian Entrées $14–$29

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Connected to the 17-room Granada Hotel, the bistro is both intimate and big-city urban, combining exposed brick walls with velvet upholstery and an eclectic art collection. (Check out the sculptural “tree” on the patio.) Executive chef Kenny Bigwood’s seasonal menus start with creative small plates, sides, and cheese and charcuterie selections. Don’tmiss entrées include cherry cola–braised ribs at dinner, Cuban panini, and a chef’s selection bento box at lunch, and eggs Benedict made with corn bread, bacon, and chipotle hollandaise during Sunday brunch. The wine list focuses on small-production labels from around the world. Cocktails often include locally foraged ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.

INDUSTRIAL EATS 181 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-688-8807 industrialeats.com New American; Entrées $6–$20

To find this destination restaurant on Buellton’s aptly named Industrial Way, drive past the Central Coast Water Authority office and look for a building painted with floating sausages, carrots, and wine glasses. At night, a neon “Eats” sign points to the front door. Inside, you’ll find imported cheeses, house-cured meats, and locally sourced dishes by New West Catering owner and executive chef Jeff Olsson, making his debut as restaurateur. Frequent changes to the menu are noted by pull-down rolls of butcher paper behind the deli counter. Wood-fire pizzas can be simple (rosemary with Parmesan) or adventurous (crispy pig’s ear salad with sriracha and an egg cracked on top). “Not Pizza” selections include veal sweetbreads with arugula and a beef tongue pastrami Reuben. Press Gang Cellars is among the local labels with wines on tap.

KITCHENETTE 105 S. Main St. Templeton, 805-400-1006 kitchenettetempleton.com New American; Entrées $6–$12

With its gleaming subway tiles and order-at-thecounter service, Kitchenette is the faster, more casual version of Artisan, its dinner-oriented sister site in nearby Paso Robles. As co-owner and executive chef of both restaurants, Chris Kobayashi shows that his dedication to creative local fare isn’t limited to the evening: The menus span breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Breakfast dishes include house-made granolas, cinnamon brioche French toast, and yellow corn grits with linguica, braised kale, and a soft-poached egg. At lunch, a turkey bánh mì with country pâté and the Kitchenette Cheeseburger with special sauce (and your choice of one or two patties) are the stars. Desserts include homey ice-cream sundaes and seasonal pies along with Kobayashi’s signature Churros and Chocolate. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are clearly marked on the menu. Beverages include fresh-squeezed juices and local beer and wine on tap. The outdoor patio is pet-friendly.

THE LARK 131 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0370 thelarksb.com New American; Entrées $18–$42

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone takes flight with The Lark, named for the Pullman train that once made overnight runs between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The past is present in the restaurant’s setting, a former fish market remodeled to include exposed brick walls, subway tile, a communal table atop vintage radiators, and private booths fashioned from church pews. As culinary conductor, executive chef Jason Paluska oversees a thoroughly modern menu that highlights local ingredients. Deviled eggs with jalapeño and crispy pancetta are popular starters to shared plates of roasted chicken served with blackpepper grits and black garlic-glazed lamb shank, depending on the season. Craft brews and wines by the glass extend the artisanal spirit into the bar. Desserts by pastry chef Jeff Haines include honey cremeux with spice-roasted strawberries, pistachio crumble, lemon curd, and smoked vanilla ice cream.

UPDATE LES MARCHANDS WINE BAR & MERCHANT 131 Anacapa St., Suite B Santa Barbara, 805-284-0380 lesmarchandswine.com European; Small Plates $8–$16; Entrées $18–$30 Weekend Brunch The vibe is Parisian bistro, but selections at this combination wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone give equal opportunity to the United States and other countries. The by-the-glass wine selection is well-rounded, craft beer is available on draft and in bottles, and the cocktails showcase vintage and contemporary recipes. The menu by executive chef Weston Richards includes charcuterie, cheese platters, and artisanal toasts made with bread from the neighboring Helena Avenue Bakery (you’re also welcome to bring in a pizza from the nearby Lucky Penny). Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m. Monday Night Chicken & Waffles features Richards’ lemonbrined fried chicken and sourdough waffles with house-made butter and hot sauce. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offers dishes such as shakshuka (a Middle Eastern poached-egg dish) and tres leches French toast.

LIDO RESTAURANT Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa 2727 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, 805-773-8900 thedolphinbay.com Californian; Entrées $18–$44 Chef’s tasting menu $65 or $100 with wine pairings

Great View, Weekend Brunch It’s obvious that executive chef Jacob Moss is a Central Coast native. He uses the resort’s gorgeous beachside setting as the backdrop for dishes featuring local, seasonal ingredients. Morro Bay oysters are served on the half shell with tequila-lime vinaigrette; while Cayucos abalone might be paired with roasted butternut squash and maple vinaigrette one season and marinated nectarines and blueberry beurre blanc the next. Steaks, roasted lamb with cauliflower puree and balsamic spheres, and pizzas topped with leeks, bacon, and a fresh-cracked egg are also available. Desserts by Brandi McClellan-Toback range from the semi-virtuous (Windrose Farms apple pie on snickerdoodle crust) to the sinful (Chocolate Indulgence cupcakes filled with marshmallow fluff).

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MAD & VIN 1576 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-688-3121 thelandsby.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$34

This restaurant located inside one of Solvang’s newest hotels is named for the Danish words for “food” and “wine.” You won’t find a single aebleskiver in the sleek but comfy dining room, but Mad & Vin still

CONTACT YOUR SALES REPRESENTATIVE OR CALL 805-413-1141. 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

The Dining Guide pays homage to Solvang’s heritage with a cheese fondue starter of melted Gruyère and fontina touched with brandy and the Nordic Caesar salad of local greens, white shrimp, and warm cheese croutons. At dinner, the lamb porterhouse with mint chimichurri and seafood hot pot, paired with selections from the primarily Santa Barbara County wine list, are not to be missed. Open from 4 p.m. on weekdays and from noon on Saturdays and Sundays, the bar is a Scandinavian-chic spot to meet friends for cocktails, like The Countess (think vodka, blood-orange shrub, and rhubarb bitters) and for bites that range from small, such as herbed olives, to large, like a rib-eye burger that also appears on the dinner menu.

Boar Dough Tasting Room (boardoughtastingroom.com) in Agoura Hills isn’t just about charcuterie platters, local and international wines, and dinner service: It also serves Sunday brunch. Available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the most important meal of the day includes omelets, waffle combinations (banana and Nutella, anyone?), and breakfast pizzas. The pie topped with Serrano ham, tomato sauce, and an egg, is a good way to start the day.

MARCELLO RISTORANTE 140 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, 805-371-4367 marcelloristorante.com Italian; Entrées $13–$32

It’s hard not to love an Italian restaurant that serves crudo (the Italian version of sushi), bucatini pasta (long spaghetti-like strands that are hollow inside like a straw), and burrata cheese, especially when paired with prosciutto and grilled tomatoes. In addition to all that goodness, chef and owner Tino Di Marcello serves handmade cappellaci pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach, squash ravioli in butter-sage sauce, and osso buco. Every few months, five-course dinners are paired with wines for around $60.

MOUTHFUL EATERY 2626 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-777-9222 mouthfuleatery.com Peruvian, Californian; Entrées $9–$14

Kid-Friendly Don’t let the multicolored chalkboard menu or the solar-powered toy pigs decorating the dining room fool you: This order-at-the-counter café may specialize in salads, sandwiches, and what are called “powerbowls” in a fun, casual atmosphere, but chef and co-owner Luis Sanchez is serious about the food—witness Mouthful’s inclusion on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. La Sarita, a sandwich of house-roasted pork shoulder served with fried sweet potatoes and pickled red onions, gets its heat from an aioli made with aji amarillo, a pepper from Sanchez’s native Peru. Additions at dinner might include malbec-braised short ribs on polenta one night and savory chicken stew called aji de gallina the

JUNE 2017 / 805LIVING.COM

next. Desserts include alfajores, delicate shortbread cookies filled with salted caramel. The Foodies in Training children’s menu includes a turkey slider with fruit, yucca fries, and a drink, all for $6.

NOM TEQUILA GRILL 450 E. Harbor Blvd. Ventura, 805-652-5151 nomtequilagrill.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$22

Located inside the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel, this casually upscale restaurant is named for the Norma Oficial Mexicana designation given only to distilled agave spirits made in Jalisco, Mexico. But diners may be inspired to refer to it as “nom nom nom,” thanks to the menu by executive chef Luis Martinez, a native of the tequila-making region. Ceviches come with plantain chips, while street-food options like barbacoa beef taquitos showcase housemade roasted tomatillo salsa. Entrées include chicken in a savory mole, shrimp-and-crab meat enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese, and beef short ribs braised in ancho chilies and dark beer. Tequila is an ingredient in frijoles borrachos, an optional side dish, and in the guacamole borracho appetizer, which gets its smoky heat from morita chilies. Prefer your tequila straight up? Create a three-taste flight for $15 or $55, depending on how top shelf you go. (The Million Dollar Margarita made with Tequila Ocho Extra Añejo and Grand Marnier is a splurge at $55.) Visit the website for news of tequila-pairing dinners and other special events.

NOOK 120 Santa Barbara St. Santa Barbara, 805-880-3365 nooksantabarbara.com American; Entrées $12–$18

Craft brew–friendly fare meets old-school culinary flair at this casual, order-at-the-counter spot helmed by German-born chef Norbert Schulz, whose time in Santa Barbara includes stints at his own restaurants, Norbert’s and Brigitte’s. At the aptly named Nook, he serves blackened rockfish tacos, lobster mac and cheese, and duck foie gras burgers as well as daily specials from behind the repurposed walls of a shipping container at the Waterline dining and art center in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Furnished with wood tables and colorful metal chairs, Nook’s dining room and adjacent dog-friendly patio are shared by Lama Dog Tap Room & Bottle Shop. You won’t go thirsty: Tasting rooms for Fox Wine Co., Blair Fox Cellars, and Topa Topa Brewing Co. are also on site.

OJAI VALLEY INN & SPA 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojairesort.com Various cuisines; Entrées $11–$60; Saturday Buffet Brunch $29; Sunday Bluegrass Brunch $49 The resort’s beautiful setting can be enjoyed by hotel guests and others who simply want to patronize the restaurants. As the fine-dining flagship, Olivella and Vine features California cuisine with a Northern Italian twist that comes courtesy of chef de cuisine Andrea Rodella. Beautifully plated dishes are served in dining spaces that include a private wine room as well as a veranda overlooking the first and final holes of the property’s world-class golf course. Olivella also offers a four-course prix fixe menu, available with or without paired wines, and hosts monthly winemaker dinners. Start the evening with small bites and craft cocktails, both made with local ingredients as often as possible, in the Wallace Neff Heritage Bar, located in the resort’s original golf clubhouse and named for the architect who set the inn’s Spanish Revival tone. Other dining options include the tranquil Spa Café in Spa Ojai, where light breakfast and spa lunch

are served inside or on the spa’s poolside terrace. The Oak is famous for its casual but attentive lunch service on a shaded patio overlooking the 10th hole. It also serves breakfast and dinner and two styles of brunch: buffet on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bottomless champagne with live bluegrass music on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indigo Pool & Bar offers salads, sandwiches, and adult libations served poolside and in cabanas. The Pixie Café is located at the family-friendly Pixie Pool. Jimmy’s Pub offers a menu of pizzas, burgers, microbrews, and barrel-aged cocktails. Next door, Libbey’s Market + Boutique is the place to go for a quick sandwich and a scoop of McConnell’s ice cream.

UPDATE OLIO E LIMONE RISTORANTE AND OLIO CRUDO BAR 11 W. Victoria St., Suites 17-18 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699, Ext. 1 olicucina.com Italian; Entrées $18–$41; Crudo Bar $12–$25

Husband-and-wife owners Alberto Morello and Elaine Andersen Morello treat their restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara like the gems they are: No ingredient is too good to employ. The organic extra-virgin olive oil from a grove near Alberto’s home village in Italy is so popular, patrons buy bottles of it for their own use. At the Ristorante, salads are fresh and the pastas and sauces are house-made. Standouts include gnocchi alla Riviera, which combines spinach-and-ricotta dumplings with fresh tomato sauce. With its glass shelves and glowing marble walls, the crudo bar is a jewel-box showcase for carefully executed dishes. Thinly sliced pieces of raw fish are accented with simple but excellent olio e limone (olive oil and lemon) and sometimes a bit more: Try the Atlantic Bluefin tuna belly with ginger vinaigrette and wasabi shoots for a meaningful experience. Selected appetizers, beers, cocktails, proseccos, and wines by the glass are half-price during happy hour service available Sundays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ONYX AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE Two Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 onyxrestaurant.com Japanese; Entrées $15–$45

Romantic, Great View A master at sushi, chef Masa Shimakawa also serves modern Japanese fare inspired by his training in Japan and influences from Thailand, China, and beyond. Cocktails and sake flights are available to pair with artfully prepared crab-and-smoked salmon rolls and with such dishes as roasted black cod and beef sirloin grilled in hoba leaves. Dinner is served Mondays through Saturdays at the sushi bar on the patio overlooking the resort’s waterfall and in the stylish dining room decorated with saltwater aquariums and the restaurant’s titular stone.

OSTERIA ORTO 5719 Lake Lindero Drive Agoura Hills, 818-735-3530 osteriaorto.com Italian; Entrées $15–$36

Live Music, Romantic This rustic Italian restaurant is the very definition of a hidden gem. Located at the Lindero Country Club, it is tucked behind a hedge scattered with twinkle lights to help guide dinner patrons as evening falls. (Osteria Orto also serves lunch on Tuesdays through Sundays.) Diners who find the path are in for a treat, especially after claiming a table near the gnarled olive tree in the courtyard. Service is gracious and attentive, starting with a greeting from co-owner Giuseppe Segreto, also known as Pino. The menu by co-owner and chef Franceso Pesce includes Kumamoto oysters with a secret sauce as a starter, followed by house-made

pastas (squid-ink tagliolini is the base for one seafood dish) and entrées like braised short ribs with roasted seasonal vegetables. Desserts are made in house. The bar serves beer, wine, and specialty cocktails. Food and drink specials are featured during happy hour on Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

PARADISE PANTRY 218 and 222 E. Main St. Ventura, 805-641-9440 paradisepantry.com Rustic; Entrées $9–$22

Sunday Brunch This combination café, wine shop, and cheese store occupies adjoining storefronts in Ventura’s historic downtown. Both spaces feature original brick walls and delightfully creaky wood floors. While 218 E. Main St. is devoted to wine sales and cheese and charcuterie displays, 222 offers wine tasting and soups, salads, cheese plates, and pâté samplers. Panini-style sandwiches include the Italiano, packed with arugula and truffle cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. (That’s right: The meat is on the outside.) Named for chef and co-owner Kelly Briglio, Kel’s Killer Mac is made with a new over-the-top combination of ingredients each week. (Gluten-free options are available.) Typically scheduled once a month, Sunday brunch features such dishes as Kel’s crab cakes with Meyer lemon crème fraîche, and French toast made with cinnamon brioche. Join the email list for news of upcoming popup appearances by visiting chefs and winemakers.

PAUL MARTIN’S AMERICAN GRILL 100 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-373-9300 paulmartinsamericangrill.com American; Entrées $13–$36

Romantic, Saturday & Sunday Brunch The farm-to-table movement never looked as elegant as it does at this bistro-style restaurant, which also has locations in Irvine, Roseville, El Segundo, San Mateo, and Mountain View. Tortillas and infused vodkas are just two of the items made in-house to augment the menu showcasing organic produce and artisanal ingredients. The kale Caesar salad features wild white anchovies, mesquite-grilled salmon is served with a chilled salad of quinoa and bulgur wheat, and natural meats are used for burgers, steaks, chops, and “brick” chicken (flattened and cooked evenly under the weight of a brick). Weekend brunch service starts with freshly baked millet drop biscuits and honey butter before moving on to your choice of entrée. Threecourse dinner specials include prime rib on Sundays and fried chicken on Tuesdays.Available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Taste of Paul Martin’s menu offers small plates, burgers, and signature cocktails from $5 to $13.

PEARL DISTRICT 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 8 Westlake Village, 805-230-9944 pearldistrictrestaurant.com New American; Entrées $22–$38

Named for an industrial neighborhood in Portland that is attracting some of that city’s best chefs, Pearl District is the newest Conejo Valley restaurant from owner and former Oregonian Peyman Afshar and his longtime culinary collaborator, chef Richard De Mane. Décor at the Westlake Plaza location includes references to the Portland district’s 19th-century past (Edison-style lights, vintage streetgrid maps), while De Mane’s menu is a delectable mix of modern-day wonders, such as the Six Minute Organic Egg appetizer served with crispy prosciutto, and elevated comfort food like sweet-tea brined pork chops with red garnet yam puree and cider-sage jus. Wine, beer, and craft cocktails are available. Doors open at 5 p.m. nightly for service that is equal parts sophistication and homespun hospitality.

Q SUSHI & KIEU HOANG WINE LOUNGE 30770 Russell Ranch Road, Unit A Westlake Village, 818-540-3231 qsushi.com Japanese; Sushi and Sashimi $6–$22; Shared Plates $4–$18; Entrées $17–$32; Omakase $75+

This restaurant at the Shoppes at Westlake Village feels worlds away, thanks to its blend of traditional techniques, modern comforts, and one showstopper of a chandelier fashioned from found tree branches. Guests seated at a sushi counter of Breccia Imperiale marble can observe the creation of sushi, sashimi, and special rolls that showcase delectable cuts of Scottish salmon, Hawaiian and Japanese amberjack, and more. Playful options include the sashimi pizza, dotted with flower petals and miso beet cream. Others emerge from the serious heat of the robata grill, where pork ribs in miso BB“Q” sauce are prepared. The lunch menu served on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes quick-bite options like rice bowls topped with ume-glazed chicken breast or assorted sashimi; the prix-fixe Q7 meal option starts with edamame and albacore sushi and adds six kinds of sushi, sashimi, and hand rolls. The beverage list includes wines from Europe, the Central Coast, and, as promised, Napa Valley’s Kieu Hoang Winery. Beer, hot and cold sake, and beautifully garnished cocktails crafted from house-made elements like lemongrass syrup are also featured. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. offers special pricing on selected drinks, shared plates and more.

Fun in the Sun The perfect mix of affordability and enjoyment with stunning panoramic ocean views from every hole. 200 State Park Rd., Morro Bay 805.772.1923 | golfmorrobay.com

UPDATE SADDLE PEAK LODGE 419 Cold Canyon Road Calabasas, 818-222-3888 saddlepeaklodge.com New American; Entrées $26–$59

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Chairs woven from willow branches and game trophies hanging high on walls made of stone and wood speak to the rustic nature of this multistory restaurant nestled in the hills of Malibu. Executive chef Adam Horton is back and 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

The Dining Guide overseeing menus that are both elegant and stick-toyour-ribs: wild-mushroom agnolotti and mesquite woodgrilled steaks and game are among the selections. Tasting menus and wine dinners are available. The outdoor patio is a spectacular place for brunch.

Summertime, and the sampling of delectable food, wine, and craft beer is easy—especially when you sign up for any (or all!) of the Summer Tasting Series at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara (fourseasons.com/santabarbara). Seafood and rosés both still and sparkling are the focus on June 16, followed by savory barbecue and local microbrews on July 21. A local take on Italy’s Ferragosto Festival pairs whites and a fritto misto bar for an August 11 gathering at the ocean-front Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club, while harvest season in Santa Barbara wine country inspires a September 22 matchup between local vintages and a pig roast. Tickets are $78 per event, or $187 for your choice of three. SHEILA’S WINE BAR 330 N. Lantana St., Suite 32 Camarillo, 805-987-9800 sheilaswinebar.com New American; Entrées $10–$36

Some of the 805’s most creative—and most creatively plated—dishes come out of the kitchen at this familyowned restaurant in the Paseo Camarillo shopping center. Salads, pizzas, pastas, seafood, and steaks from the regular lunch and dinner menus are flavorful. But executive chef Ivan Medina really gets into action for the daily specials: A trip to the farmers’ market may inspire a pairing of wild striped bass and ramps served with their roots lightly fried for a bit of crunch or of braised pork cheek with honey-pickled burdock and roasted apples. Medina, a recent Culinary Institute of America graduate whose parents own the wine bar, is especially well versed in old-school preservation techniques, like making hoshigaki (dried persimmons). The wine list includes labels from California and all over the world. Many are available by the glass.

SIDES HARDWARE AND SHOES, A BROTHERS RESTAURANT 2375 Alamo Pintado Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-4820 sidesrestaurant.com American; Entrées $14–$35

Brothers Jeff and Matt Nichols named their restaurant after a business that occupied the building in the early 1900s. The country-store vibe appears in the decorative tin ceiling and menu items like the Hammered Pig, a lunch dish of pork tenderloin that has been pounded thin, breaded, deep-fried, then

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served in a salad of arugula, pecans, and Parmesan or as part of a sandwich with apple-mustard seed slaw. Lunch options also include fish tacos, sandwiches, and an array of burgers. You can’t go wrong with the ever-changing chef’s burger by chef de cuisine Michael Cherney, who also lets loose with a new Taco Tuesday menu available at lunch and dinner each week. Dinner fare takes on an international flair: A banh mi-inspired appetizer pairs miso-cured bacon with steamed buns, mussels are served in coconut broth and red curry, and lamb sirloin comes with goat cheese gnocchi and maitake mushrooms. Desserts by pastry chef Stephanie Jackson are homey yet elegantly plated. Local wines are available by the glass and in carafes, supplementing the full bar.

SLY’S 686 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, 805-684-6666 slysonline.com American; Entrées $12–$55

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Sort of casual, sort of stylish, this Carpinteria gem is a must-visit. With its Vespa hanging over the bar, glasswall wine room, and polished wood accents, it’s great for formal occasions. But the service is super-friendly and most of the patrons are comfortably dressed, so there’s nothing stuffy about an evening here, either. Chef and owner James Sly has been cooking for more than 40 years, and his cuisine tastes like it. You really can’t go wrong with anything on this American menu of steaks and seafood, but the abalone is a real treat. Unlike most chophouses, Sly’s offers a list of pastas as well as sandwiches and small cuts of steak for those who don’t have a huge appetite. Desserts are wonderful, too. Sly’s is open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner nightly, and lunch and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.

NEW THE SPOON TRADE 295 West Grand Ave. Grover Beach, 805-904-6773 thespoontrade.com American; Entrées $15–$32

Great Patio, Sunday Brunch The Spoon Trade serves what chef Jacob Town calls “elevated comfort food” in a bright and comfortable neighborhood hangout. Classic dishes (think: fried chicken, pasta, and upside-down cakes) are reimagined with of-the-moment flavors and local ingredients alongside a progressive beer and wine list.

SUCCULENT CAFÉ 1555 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-691-9444 succulentcafe.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$36

Executive chef Carrie Mitchum has reinvigorated Solvang’s Succulent Café. The granddaughter of Hollywood icon Robert Mitchum, the one-time actress gave up Hollywood for an education at Le Cordon Bleu and now has more than two decades of experience in the kitchen. She is obsessive about the quality of ingredients that go into her menu, which includes creative charcuterie platters, comfort foods such as buttermilk-marinated fried chicken and smoked meatloaf, and numerous vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Dine under sparkling lights on the patio or inside with its active bar scene. Lunch and dinner are served daily (closed Tuesday); breakfast is served on Saturdays and Sundays.

UPDATE S.Y. KITCHEN 1110 Faraday St. Santa Ynez, 805-691-9794 sykitchen.com Italian; Entrées $17–$37

Located on a quiet side street in Santa Ynez, this cozy

spot is an oasis of craft cocktails and rustic Italian fare in wine and tri-tip country. Executive chef Luca Crestanelli lets his native Italian roots show in housemade pastas such as wild mushroom pappardelle and a warm octopus salad with olives, potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. A lunch menu of salads, pastas, and oak-grilled meats and seafood is served daily. Also originally from Italy, mixologist and bar manager Alberto Battaglini makes his own bitters and stashes away dried fruits and herbs in glass jars that double as décor. The wine list features local and Italian labels. Available Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Aperitivo menu offers special pricing on beer, wine, cocktails, and light bites.

TRE LUNE 1151 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-969-2646 trelunesb.com Italian; Entrées $18–$37

Tre Lune, or “three moons,” is part of the Montesano Group, which owns Lucky’s in Montecito and Joe’s and Bucatini in Santa Barbara—and it shows. The walls are dressed in black-and-white photos of celebrities from yesteryear, the floors are Old World wood, and the tables are covered in white linen. Teeny tiny chairs mounted high on the wall bear brass plates engraved with the names of regular patrons. A ring-shaped, rolled pizza-bread appetizer is stuffed with smoked mozzarella and braised radicchio. It’s crispy outside and delicious inside. Pizzas from the stone oven can be topped with roasted eggplant, spicy sausage, or mushrooms and truffle oil. The wide selection of pastas are available in half or full portions. Veal scaloppine, rack of lamb, chicken Marsala, and even a cheeseburger round out the menu and support the extensive Italian wine list.

WINE CASK 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-9463 winecask.com Wine Country Entrées $24–$38; Chef’s tasting menu $75 for five courses, $95 for eight courses

Founded in 1981, the Wine Cask reinvents itself every time executive chef David Rosner goes to the farmers’ market. Local ingredients inform dishes at every turn, especially in the tasting menus that change weekly and sometimes nightly but almost always feature Santa Barbara County labels in the optional wine pairings. The regular dinner menu is a mix of seasonal mains and classical mains, the latter a collection of longtime favorites like wild mushroom risotto and pan-roasted local white sea bass. Desserts echo the elegant simplicity of the restaurant itself (bread pudding with bourbon-salted caramel is a standout). California wines are the focus of the international wine list compiled by wine director David Fainberg. Co-owner and vintner Doug Margerum also has one tasting room adjoining the restaurant, and a second, devoted to reserve wines, located elsewhere in the same complex.

A Good Bet Not too fancy, not too expensive, and a good experience all around.

AL MULINO EATALIAN BAKERY & BAR 3709 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-379-0016 almulino.net Italian; Entrées $8–$40

This café in the Paseo Marketplace offers an authentic Italian experience throughout the day, starting with cups of espresso in the morning and ending with flutes of prosecco at night. In between, diners will find fresh salads dotted with ingredients like berries and goat cheese, sandwiches stacked with meats and cheeses imported from Italy, and on Mondays through Saturdays from 5 p.m., Neapolitan-style pizzas from the café’s brick oven, visible through a window next to the bar. Dinner specials might be handmade pumpkin tortellini one night and shrimp with arugula and cannellini beans the next. Gelato and pastries are from Carrara Pastries, another Italian-owned business in the 805. Happy hour specials are available at the bar on Mondays through Fridays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

BLUE TABLE 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills, 818-597-2583 bluetable.net International; Entrées $8–$15

Live Music A few blue tables provide seating for outside dining at this charming deli with high-quality Italian eats for lunch and dinner. The indigo theme continues inside, where blue-wash wooden tables are topped with bouquets of fresh flowers. Different salads rotate through the deli case, and the list of sandwiches is written on a blackboard. (The proscuitto and burrata panini is not to be missed.) Pizzas, soups, cookies, and all other items here are made fresh daily. A small freezer carries pastas and sauces for home use, but anything on the menu can be taken to go. You’ll want to stay for dinner, available daily from around 6 p.m. The menu of comfort-food classics includes eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti with organic ground turkey meatballs. Local musicians are featured on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

BOLLYWOOD INDIAN RESTAURANT #3 860 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-777-7100 bollywood3.net Indian; Entrées $10–$15

Fresh vegetables are used in the curries, masalas, and kormas at this casual Indian restaurant. Chicken, lamb, fish, and shrimp are prepared a variety of ways: in the tandoori oven, with coconut-milk sauces, and in spicy vindaloos. Naan comes topped with garlic, basil, cilantro, and onions, or stuffed with cheese or potatoes. Beer and wine are on offer, along with excellent yogurt drinks like mango lassi and Indian spiced tea.

BRENT’S DELI 2799 Townsgate Road Westlake Village, 805-557-1882 brentsdeli.com Deli; Entrées $6–$20

Kid-Friendly For amazingly good Reuben sandwiches on rye bread piled high with pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, you can’t beat this slick deli.

The booths are cushy and roomy, leaving space for your tummy to expand as you down a four-layer slice of chocolate cake or a plate full of stuffed cabbage rolls. A separate bar also offers the full menu. The patio out back allows for even more seating. A counter up front expedites takeout orders. Brent’s Deli is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

CROCODILE RESTAURANT & BAR 2819 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-687-6444 treeinns.com Italian, Californian; Entrées $12–$22 With its Modernist lines (dig that zigzag porte cochère!), the Lemon Tree Inn offers a visual respite from Santa Barbara’s red-tile roofs. The hotel’s Crocodile Restaurant & Bar is a bit of an oasis, too, guarded by a primitive crocodile sculpture that often bears a grapefruit-size lemon in its mouth. Breakfast includes such I’m-onvacation treats as coconut-cinnamon French toast and eggs Sardou. Gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads, and sandwiches are available at lunch and dinner, but two dishes in particular keep guests and locals coming back time and again: The Wedge salad, topped with blue-cheese crumbles and pancetta, and truffled mac-andcheese, which is available as a side dish or an entrée. Happy hour runs daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Check the hotel’s website for news about wine events on the rooftop patio.

Ocean Views Walking Trail Picnic Areas Live Music Bocce

Arroyo Grande, CA│ 805.481.1772 │laetitiawine.com

EGGS ’N’ THINGS 92 Daily Drive Camarillo, 805-987-4497 and 2955 Cochran St. Simi Valley, 805-527-0055 and 1542 Moorpark Road Thousand Oaks, 805-497-1711 and 27560 Newhall Ranch Road Valencia, 661-702-8664 and 4020 E. Main St. Ventura, 805-642-3190 eggsnthings.net American; Entrées $6–$11

Kid-Friendly You can order breakfast for lunch and lunch for breakfast at all five locations of this family-owned mini chain, a locals’ favorite since its first site opened in Camarillo in 1974. Breakfast meals come with a complimentary Swedish pancake, a crepe-like delight topped with blackberry preserves and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Service is friendly and efficient, offering bottomless cups of coffee while dishes such as Special Recipe Pancakes, Florentine omelets, turkey burgers, and steak fajita wraps come out of the busy kitchen. Each dining room is clean and cheerful; some locations are updated with glasstile accents and murals that provide local color. In Ventura, that means dining near hand-painted images of surfers, the pier, and boats in the harbor.

ELADIO’S RESTAURANT & BAR 1 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-4466 harborviewinnsb.com American; Entrées $12–$25

Great View, Saturday & Sunday Brunch 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

The Dining Guide It’s tough to beat the view of the wharf and the ocean from the open, spacious patio with a fountain in the middle. Eladio’s whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for guests of the Harbor View Inn and anyone else who stops in. Morning staples include vanilladipped brioche French toast, crab cake Benedict, and smoked salmon scramble made with locally smoked fish. New England clam chowder, cheeseburgers, ahi salad with mango salsa, and fish-and-chips in a Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Double Barrel Ale batter show up at lunchtime. Pasta, steaks, and fresh fish round out the dinner menu. Happy hour specials are available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 2 Westlake Village, 805-230-9950 finneyscrafthouse.com American; Entrées $10–$25

Kid-Friendly The “craft beer spoken here” neon sign at the back of the dining room doesn’t quite say it all at this casual but polished gastropub owned by Greg Finefrock, a local whose childhood nickname inspired the restaurant’s moniker. In addition to the 30 brews on tap, you’ll find craft cocktails, California wines by the glass and bottle, and a fun atmosphere and menu that has something for everyone. Shareable appetizers include gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tossed in yuzu sauce and chicken-and-waffle bites that come with a tangy surprise: Tabasco-braised kale. The house burger is made with a chuck, brisket, and hanger steak patty on a brioche bun. Other options include tacos, salads, and flatbread pizzas (don’t miss the prosciutto and grilled pineapple combo). Families and other groups will gravitate to the communal tables available inside and on the patio. Seating is first-come, firstserved at the copper bar.

NEW FOOD HARMONICS 254 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-798-9253 foodharmonicsojai.com Gluten-Free; Entrées $7–$16

Ojai’s historic Arcade is the setting for this light-filled café specializing in gluten-free fare. There’s something for almost every diet, including vegan and paleo. Highlights include a raw vegan pizza that tends to sell out early in the day, the vegetarian sundara dosa with egg and sliced avocado tucked into a crepelike wrapper, and the bison burger accompanied by greens and sweet potatoes. Bison bone broth is available with optional add-ons like ghee and seaweed. Beverages include beer, wine, and turmeric matcha lattes.

NEW GRABBAGREEN 2835 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-418-5959 grabbagreen.com Healthy; Entrées $8–$11

Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this fastcasual gluten-free spot gives diners plenty of options for adding more fruits, antibiotic-free proteins, and dark, leafy greens to their diets. Newcomers are often greeted with a friendly “Do you want to drink your meal or eat it?”—a question that helps narrow the considerable array of choices. Pressed juices, smoothies, acai bowls, and collard wraps filled with yams, onions, and a choice of egg, steak, chicken, or veggies are on the menu with salads (aka Grabba Green bowls) like the Gulf of Mexico, made with avocado, shrimp, and spinach. Grain dishes (aka Grabba Grains) include the Indochin, featuring chicken, shredded carrots, spicy almond sauce, and noodles made from quinoa flour. A case of grab-andgo items is available for those eating on the run.

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HARVEST KITCHEN & BAR AT HYATT WESTLAKE PLAZA 880 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-557-4710 westlake.regency.hyatt.com Californian; Entrées $11–$29

Kid-Friendly Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Harvest welcomes hotel guests and the public alike. The dining rooms are sleek and comfortable with natural light, and patio and garden views. Locally sourced and seasonal ingredients shine in executive chef Daniel Buss’ house-made potato gnocchi with sautéed kale and English peas, roasted jalapeño and chicken flatbread, and the Chef’s Daily Catch with vegetables. The For Kids by Kids children’s menu features dishes created by Haile Thomas, host of the YouTube series Plant-Powered Haile. Furnished with fire pits and lounges, the outdoor patio is the perfect place to sample $5 cocktails and food specials during happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

HIMALAYA 35 W. Main St. Ventura, 805-643-0795 and 720 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-409-1041 himalayacuisine.com Nepalese, Indian, Tibetan; Entrées $8–$32

Live Entertainment Adventurous eaters will delight in dishes such as the Sherpa curry goat and chef specials featuring yak meat. Even the pizzas and burritos on the fusion-food portion of the menu are on the exotic side, since they’re made with naan and chapati from the tandoori oven. Vegetarian selections include bhindi masala, which is okra cooked with tomatoes and Indian spices. Feeling nimble? Try sitting cross-legged at one of the low tables set on a raised platform. The Ventura location serves beer and wine; the Thousand Oaks site has a full bar. Both offer a belly dance show about once a month.

JANE 1311 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-1311 and 6940 Marketplace Dr. Goleta, 805-770-5388 janeatthemarketplace.com janerestaurantsb.com Eclectic; Entrées $9–$25

Lots of interesting salads, sandwiches, and burgers are set down at lunchtime on small wooden and marble tables in this cute spot on State Street from the family that owns the Montecito Cafe. Jane is the name of the owner (Jane Chapman) and her grandmother (Jane Moody), whose pictures adorn the high walls. The loft seating and upstairs patio are cool and a bit secluded compared to the downstairs tables, which are always packed in the afternoon. The eclectic dinner menu offers pastas, steaks, and grilled duck breast. For dessert, the soft-serve ice cream is a fun choice, as is the coconut cake.

LINN’S RESTAURANT 2277 Main St. Cambria, 805-927-0371 linnsfruitbin.com American; Entrées $10–$34

Kid-Friendly What started as a farm stand is now a family-owned business that includes a restaurant, a gift shop, a café that specializes in freshly baked fruit pies, and the original farm stand, for those on a sentimental journey. No visit to Cambria is complete without at least one breakfast, lunch, or dinner spent at the combination bakery and restaurant, located in the seaside town’s historic East Village. Berries are a recurring theme on the menu, appearing in fruit-filled scones, glasses of olallieberry lemonade, and the raspberry-orange-

cranberry sauce served with roasted Shelton Farm chicken. Executive chef Matt Beckett is as skilled at whipping up comfort food classics (think beef Stroganoff and chicken potpie) as he is with gluten-free options and dishes featuring grass-fed beef from Hearst Ranch.

LOS AGAVES RESTAURANT 600 N. Milpas St. Santa Barbara, 805-564-2626 and 2911 De la Vina St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-2600 and 7024 Market Place Drive Goleta, 805-968-4000 and 30750 Russell Ranch Road, Suite G Westlake Village, 818-874-0779 los-agaves.com Mexican; Entrées $9–$17

Launched in Santa Barbara in 2008, this family-owned and operated group of restaurants has clearly struck a chord: Its original location is No. 16 on Yelp’s list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2016. The mix of authentic Mexican cuisine with casual but attentive order-at-the-counter service can now be found at four sites in and around the 805. Each offers the same menu of house-made tortillas, ceviche, salads, and burritos filled with all manner of seafood, poultry, or beef. Signature dishes include chiles Norteños, made with two poblano chilies stuffed with shrimp and Oaxaca cheese, and the show-stopping Land and Sea molcajete, a bubbling-hot mixture of meat and seafood with house-made salsa, avocado, chorizo, grilled onion, and nopal, served in a three-legged bowl carved from volcanic rock. Los Agaves restaurants in Santa Barbara and Goleta serve beer and wine as well as agave margaritas and micheladas. The newest spot at The Shoppes at Westlake Village has a full bar that offers top-shelf tequilas and drink specials. Diners who sit at the bar can order food there, too.

MARGARITAS MEXICAN GRILL 702 Lindero Canyon Road, Ste 704 Oak Park, 818-879-7900 margaritasmexgrill.com Mexican; Entrées $11–$22

Kid-Friendly Located in Oak Park Plaza, this family-owned spot is named for the popular cocktail, a multitude of which are listed on its menu, but the friendly service and fresh takes on authentic Mexican dishes should get equal billing. Seafood stars in ceviche, tostadas, and a massive burrito packed with sautéed scallops, fish, and shrimp. The mole poblano features grilled chicken. Spinach enchiladas include mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes, and the family-recipe of albondigas soup is served according to the number of meatballs you desire. Breakfast items are available early in the day. The happy hour menu is in effect weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and includes a trio of soft corn tacos with grilled chicken, carnitas, and carne asada plus beer and wine specials starting at $5. As for those titular cocktails, they range from the simple house margarita (a bargain at less than $7) to the more complex (up to $15), with creative rims, infusions, and a rainbow of colors.

MARMALADE CAFE 4783 Commons Way Calabasas, 818-225-9092 and 3894 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-4242 and 3825 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-5246 and 140 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-370-1331 marmaladecafe.com American; Entrées $10–$22

Salads, sandwiches, soups and waistline-friendly half-orders of pasta are lunchtime mainstays at this chain known for its cozy, French-country décor. But

chef Aaron Johns also showcases fresh produce and California ingredients in newer dishes like the Petaluma chicken potpie, served upside-down in a bowl of flaky puff pastry. Happy hour deals are especially sweet, with half-price appetizers (think Maryland crab cakes), $5 well drinks, and glasses of premium wines available for $9 to $12 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Or take advantage of the free corkage and half-off pricing on all bottles during Wine Down Wednesdays from 4 p.m.

MERSEA’S 3985 Avila Beach Drive Avila Beach, 805-548-2290 merseas.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$15

Great View, Kid-Friendly Located on the Harford Pier, this modern take on a casual seafood restaurant offers a lot of sightseeing bang for the buck. Indoor tables are placed near tall windows, and outdoor seating includes a row of colorful bar-stools at a counter that doubles as the pier’s railing for a stretch. (Look down: You just might spy an otter frolicking in the kelp.) The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burritos, but seafood is the star at this spot operated by members of the family behind Dorn’s Original Breakers Café in Morro Bay and Duckie’s Chowder House in Cayucos. Highlights include a crab melt sandwich with avocado, chowders of both the Manhattan and New England variety, and daily specials like garlic fries topped with blackened shrimp, blue cheese, and avocado. Decorated with whimsical octopus pendant lamps, the bar serves beer, wine, and cocktails.

MONTECITO WINE BISTRO 516 San Ysidro Road Montecito, 805-969-7520 pierrelafond.com Californian; Entrées $12–$32

Bistro fare takes on farm-to-table flair at this favorite spot in Montecito’s Upper Village. Chef Victor Carranza oversees wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, and entrées that include California sea bass with mussels in saffron broth and a hearty Watkins Ranch beef bourguignon. Craft cocktails are available as well as an international array of wines, including the restaurant’s labels, Lafond Winery & Vineyards and Santa Barbara Winery. The latter’s varietals are just $6 per glass during happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

NÎROJ KURDISH CUISINE 30313 Canwood St. Agoura Hills, 818-889-7888 nirojcuisine.com Middle Eastern; Entrées $17–$26

Romantic, Live Entertainment Dishes from the Levant, a region that stretches from Turkey to Egypt along the Mediterranean Sea, are featured in this unexpected jewel of a restaurant located in Reyes Adobe Plaza. Familiar items such as dolma, hummus, falafel, and baklava (served warm, by the way) are joined by those specific to the Kurdish people and culture, localized by the use of produce from area farms. Vegan soups include nîsk, a puree of red lentils with sundried mint and spices. Lahmajun pairs ground beef and lamb with tomatoes, onions, and chopped chili peppers atop thin-crust bread. Seating is at a glass-tiled bar or at round copper tables in a dining room decorated with colorful textiles and ornate metal lanterns. Beverages include Turkish and Kurdish coffees plus wines from Turkey, Lebanon, Argentina, and California. Belly dancers perform on Friday and Saturday evenings.

POOKIE’S THAI CUISINE 900 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-381-0094 Thai; Entrées $7–$13

Kid-Friendly Downstairs in the Water Court Plaza office complex, owner Pookie creates delicious Thai dishes for lunch

and dinner daily. Lunch specials are a steal at $7 to $8 each. She also has a wide selection of interesting salads like the Outrageous Beef Salad with a spicy lime dressing and the protein-rich Yam Yai salad with shrimp, chicken, egg, and peanuts in a sweet-andsour dressing. Noodle dishes are generously sized and include the classic pad Thai and the interesting Hi Yo Silver with fried noodles, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Curries, vegetarian options, and fish dishes (such as the crispy sole with tamarind and chili sauce) give diners lots of great choices not found elsewhere.

PUBLIC SCHOOL 805 120 Promenade Way, Suite A Westlake Village, 805-379-3909 psontap.com American; Entrées $8–$28

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the area code and the goal of offering guests “an education in the art of food and beer,” this gastropub makes the most of its schoolyard theme. Baseball mitts decorate one wall and happy hour is known as “recess.” (It’s also known as a bargain: Meal-worthy bites are just $4 to $6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays). More than 40 craft beers, most on rotating taps, are available to pair with executive chef Phil Kastel’s inventive fare. He earns extra credit for adding crispy fried capers to an appetizer of salmon “pastrami” carpaccio. Burgers, salads, and wood-fired flatbreads are lunch and dinner options; fried Jidori chicken and waffles are on the breakfast menu, available from 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Organize your own field trips to Public School 612 in downtown Los Angeles and Public School 310 in Culver City.

SESAME GARDEN 1775 E. Daily Drive, Unit G Camarillo, 805-383-8018 sesamegardencamarillo.com Chinese; Entrées $8–$16

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Operated by the owners of the Sesame Inn in Newbury Park, this sister location offers the same menu of fresh Sichuan favorites in a small, cheery space at the Camarillo Plaza shopping center. Takeout and dine-in orders are served in a flash, a plus for patrons on both a schedule and a budget: Available from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at both locations, the luncheon special includes soup of the day, fried or steamed rice, a side salad, and an entrée for $6.95 to $8.50 per person. In Camarillo only, delivery is available from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for orders of $25 or more.

THE STONEHAUS 32039 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-483-1152 the-stonehaus.com Mediterranean; Sandwiches & Platters $10–$17

Dog-Friendly, Great Views, Kid-Friendly, Romantic Patterned after an Italian enoteca, the aptly named Stonehaus starts each day as a coffeehouse, serving kale-berry smoothies along with baked goods, wraps, and breakfast sandwiches from Lisa Biondi, executive chef at the adjacent Mediterraneo at the Westlake Village Inn. It switches to wine bar mode in the afternoons and evenings, when the menu includes charcuterie and crostini platters, salads, panini, and desserts. The outdoor pizza oven is fired up nightly (check website for hours). Wine flights are arranged by regions, varietals, and themes. Patios overlook the waterfall and the working vineyard, which is open for picnicking on Stonehaus fare (check website for information about seasonal tastings and festivals). The picnic tables and bocce ball court are family friendly, and visiting canines get a water fountain of their own near the courtyard fireplace.

SUSHI PLANET 951 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 114 Thousand Oaks, 805-379-9844 sushiplanet.net 805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

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The Dining Guide Japanese; Entrées $7 and up. Prices vary for sushi, sashimi, and premium rolls.

Tempura, bento boxes, udon, and sashimi are on the menu. But what this local chain is really known for is its colorful and creatively named rolls. The Saint Valentine consists of crab salad, avocado, tuna, salmon, and shrimp rolled in soy paper to form a teardrop shape; they’re served in pairs, which resemble hearts. Some of the simplest preparations are also the best: You can’t go wrong with tuna tataki, a beautifully plated dish of seared tuna cut into thin pieces and topped with slivers of jalapeño; baby spinach leaves and a sweet ponzu sauce help cut the considerable heat. Beer and wine are available.

TOSCANOVA 4799 Commons Way, Suite A Calabasas, 818-225-0499 calabasas.toscanova.com Italian; Entrées $15–$44

Garden View, Romantic Like its sister site at the Westfield Century City shopping mall, this restaurant at the Commons at Calabasas re-creates the feel of a Tuscan getaway without the airfare. In Calabasas, diners have the option of lounging around a patio fire pit or sitting at a table overlooking a garden that is a draw for barefoot children at play on the grass. On the menu set by owner and founding chef Agostino Sciandri is a section devoted just to mozzarella (burrata with sautéed eggplant, anyone?) as well as a pizza topped with seasonal truffles, housemade pappardelle with wild mushrooms, and grilled sliced filet mignon with baby arugula and shaved Parmesan. Lunch adds sandwiches and flatbread pizza to the mix. The bar is the place to be on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., when your first order of the featured beverage is 5 cents.

Fun, Fun, Fun Look to these eateries for festive food, an upbeat atmosphere, and a good time. ANDRIA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET 1449 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, 805-654-0546 andriasseafood.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$24

Kid-Friendly No visit to Ventura Harbor—or to Ventura, period—is complete without a stop at Andria’s, a locals’ favorite since 1982. On weekends, the fast-moving line to order can stretch out onto the restaurant’s front patio. Additional seating includes indoor dining rooms decorated with vintage photos and fishing gear, and a protected patio with a view of the docks. Charbroiled fresh catch of the day dinners come with rice pilaf, bread, and a choice of salads. Some items are available in stir-fry dishes. But deep-fried is the preferred method of preparation for everything from onion rings (served in a towering stack) to halibut and chips, oysters and chips, popcorn shrimp and chips, and, well, you get the idea. The atmosphere is beach casual: Orders are called out by number when ready, and it’s up to diners to gather utensils, tartar sauce, and other fixin’s from a counter near the kitchen. Beer and wine are available. An on-site fish market is open daily.

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UPDATE BOGIES BAR & LOUNGE 32001 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-2394 bogies-bar.com Spanish-California Small Plates and Entrées $4–$15

Great Views, Live Music Surrounded by greenery and water, this bar on the grounds of the Westlake Village Inn is a gorgeous place to get your groove on: Live music and/or club nights are scheduled nearly every night of the week. On the patio, wicker chaise lounges are arranged in semiprivate groupings around fire pits and a bar counter looks onto the dance floor through roll-up doors. Inside, bronze curtains and silver wall sconces shimmer in the mood-setting darkness. (Some areas are available by reservation.) It all adds up to a great backdrop for a menu that includes happy hour specials like $3 draft beers, $5 glasses of wine, and dinner-and-drink duos ($10–$14) on Mondays through Fridays from 5 pm. to 7 p.m. Spanish influences are evident in dishes like paella and crispy patatas bravas with Fresno chilies and garlic aioli.

CAFÉ HABANA 3939 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-0300 cafehabana.com Pan-Latin; Entrées $9–$25

Sunday Brunch Café Habana isn’t limited to Cuban food or cocktails. Dishes represent all of Latin culture, from South American ceviches to Mexican grilled corn and huevos rancheros to Cuban pulled-pork sandwiches. Owner Sean Meenan is an eco-warrior while partner Rande Gerber brings in the celebs and keeps the nightlife hopping. The food is good, the cocktails are great, and the coconut flan is out of this world.

THE CAVE AT VENTURA WINE COMPANY 4435 McGrath St., Suites 301-303 Ventura, 805-642-9449 venturawineco.com International; Small Plates $3–$18; Salads and Sandwiches $7–$11

Saturday Brunch Patrons at The Cave conduct their own tastings via Enomatic machines, which dispense 1-, 3- and 5-ounce pours at the push of a button. Executive chef Alex Montoya’s creative, wine-friendly menu of shareable small plates changes on the first Tuesday of each month. Look for combinations like prosciuttowrapped pork chops with apricot-cashew stuffing and Arctic char with sinigang broth and tomato concasse, plus an assortment of pizzas, burgers, and desserts. (Save room for one of Montoya’s awardwinning frozen custards.) For the best acoustics, nab a table in the Barrel Room decorated with dozens of glass balls hanging from the ceiling. It’s also available for private events.

THE COPA CUBANA 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 103 Ventura, 805-642-9463 805copa.com Cuban; Entrées $12–$18

Great Views, Live Music This lively spot in Ventura Harbor Village may inspire you to book a flight to Cuba. Owner Andres Fernandez runs it and the neighboring 805 Bar & Grilled Cheese out of the same kitchen (the two eateries share a phone number), but the Copa Cubana maintains its identity with a separate menu that includes a classic Cubano sandwich, the hash-like picadillo topped with fried eggs, and lechón asado, which is roasted pork served with black beans and yucca marinated in garlic. The dog-friendly patio, with views of nearby boat docks, is an especially fine place to sip a piña colada on a lazy afternoon. Live entertainment is scheduled most days, with an emphasis on Latin jazz.

DUKE’S MALIBU 21150 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-0777 dukesmalibu.com Seafood; Entrées $14–$45

Great Views, Sunday Brunch Gorgeous ocean views are maximized in the dining rooms and bars of this large, Hawaiian-themed seafood and steak house, which in summer 2016 marked its 20th anniversary with updates to the décor and menu. Swinging chairs and a life-size bronze statue of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku greet diners before they step through the front doors and into an interior filled with wood screens, glass mosaic tiles, and chairs sporting surfboard stripes. New dishes presented by chef Eric BosRau showcase regional ingredients in beautiful platings. Fresh fish is available in a variety of preparations, including Parmesan-herb crusted with lemon, capers, and macadamia nuts. Longtime Duke’s fans, take note: Your favorite coconut shrimp dish is back as coconut shrimp croquettes. Kimo’s Original Hula Pie remains as advertised. A Sunday brunch buffet is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Barefoot Bar for breakfast items (think loco moco and banana and macadamia nut pancakes) from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Poké tacos, fish and chips, and pulled-pork sandwiches are served daily.

FLOUR HOUSE 690 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-5282 flourhouseslo.com Italian Starters $10–$20; Pizzas $14–$18; Pasta $15–$23

With its sleek interior, dynamic menu, and portrait of Sophia Loren, Flour House isn’t just a pizzeria; it’s a love song to Italy. Co-owner and Salerno native Alberto Russo works magic with imported flour and a Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, the gold standard for traditional pizza napoletana. Simple and flavorful, each pizza emerges blistered and soft, with just a few toppings. Favorite pies include the Queen Margherita with San Marzano tomato sauce and buffalo mozzarella and the Nordista with pesto, mushrooms, speck, and fontina. Don’t miss co-owner Gessica Russo’s house-made pastas or the weekday night aperitivo hour from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., featuring cocktails such as the classic Negroni and Aperol Spritz as well as beer and wine, served with a complimentary plate of small bites.

LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE 29281 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, 818-477-4566 ladyfaceale.com French, Belgian, and American; Entrées $8–$17

A brewpub with a Belgian accent, Ladyface delivers top-notch beers from brewmaster David Griffiths and an elegant menu that includes moules frites (mussels and fries), ale-brined chicken, and chocolate porter cake. Ale-pairing suggestions are printed on the menu. A communal table lends to the convivial atmosphere as do the beer floats made with local ice cream. Growlers (reusable half-gallon glass jugs) filled with Ladyface ales are available for takeout.

LOS OLIVOS WINE MERCHANT & CAFÉ 2879 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-7265 losolivoscafe.com Wine Country; Entrées $12–$29

This retail wine shop adjoins an all-day café with seating indoors by the stone fireplace and outside on the wisteria-covered patio. Cheese plates and olives are small bites perfect for pairing with wines at the bar. Salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and pizza comprise the lunch menu. At night choices get a little fancier with pot roast, lamb shank, pasta, chicken, steak, and fresh fish. The wine selection from the

shop (available to diners) has more than 400 labels and specializes in picks from California’s Central Coast. Now that’s fun.

UPDATE OLIO PIZZERIA 11 W. Victoria St., Suite 21 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699, Ext. 2 oliocucina.com Italian; Small and Shared Plates $5–$19; Entrées $15–$21

This combination Italian pizzeria and enoteca is brought to you by the owners of Olio e Limone Ristorante, the more formal eatery located next door. The Victoria Court setting includes a long bar with a peekaboo view of the pizza oven, plus small tables. Menu offerings include chicken, fish, and beef entrees, as well as pasta, antipasti, salads, cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and house-made dolci. The pizzas, with thin, chewy crusts, are individually sized and topped with excellent ingredients—sautéed rapini, spicy salami, cremini mushrooms, and black truffles among them. Lunch or brunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the dinner menu is available daily from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Wines from California and Italy are available by the glass, carafe, half liter, and bottle.

We’re awfully fond of the playful, rubber duckie garnish that comes with two of the cocktails at Bottlest Winery Bar & Bistro (bottlestbistro.com), located adjacent to Terravant Wine Company in Buellton. Made with Andrew John’s Premium Gin and a lemon twist, the Bathtub Martini is a direct reference to Sesame Street Muppet Ernie and his bubbly tune about bath-time fun. Less obvious is Lew’s Gimlet, mixed with Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Meyer lemon juice. We dare you not to smile or to take pictures for Instagram when either drink arrives at your table.

NEW PLATA TAQUERIA & CANTINA 28914 Roadside Drive, Suite 10 Agoura Hills, 818-735-9982 plataagoura.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$26

Plata means “silver” in Spanish—and a good time in the Whizin Market Square. The menu at this taqueria is homey but elevated: House-made tortillas and mix-and-match trios of soft tacos are featured, the latter with a choice of veggies or eight types of protein, including ahi tuna and short ribs. Spa Nachos are made with roasted cauliflower and crispy kale; guacamole is available in three variations, including tradicional and ranchero, made with bacon and roasted pumpkin seeds. Other standouts include chamorro de cordero, a chile-marinated lamb shank served with spinach tamales, and pollo con Elvia’s mole, named for chef Elvia Saldivar, who is co-owner with her husband. Nearly a dozen specialty margaritas star on the cocktails list. Pull up a colorfully upholstered stool at the copper-topped bar to enjoy $7 margaritas and other drink and food specials during daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

SWEETFIN POKÉ 6256 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 1310 Woodland Hills, 818-888-8970 sweetfinpoke.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$14

This cheerful, order-at-the-counter weekday-only lunch spot located in the Shepard Place Shops would also be a good fit for the foodie category. Chef and co-owner Nirasha Rodriguez taps local farms for produce featured in the popular gourmet salad bar, which offers house-made vinaigrettes and dressings. The menu of prepared foods includes chicken shawarma lettuce cups with Israeli relish, a vegan Crack Bowl of quinoa, green chickpeas, lemon tahini, and roasted tomatoes, and open-faced sandwiches, or tartines, topped with a choice of smashed avocado and pickled baby vegetables or prosciutto with fig jam. Dishes created for Rodriguez’s catering clients sometimes also appear on the menu as The Daily Addition; descriptions are posted on the café’s Facebook and Instagram pages. The expansive dining room offers space to stay and enjoy local wines by the glass and craft beers and kombucha on tap.

TAVERNA TONY 23410 Civic Center Way Malibu, 310-317-9667 tavernatony.com Greek; Entrées $13–$37

UPDATE FRESH & FABULOUS CAFE 221 W. Fifth St. Oxnard, 805-486-4547 American; Entrées $8–$12 myfreshandfabulous.com Kid-Friendly Thanks to a 2016 move to a new space just down the street and around the corner from its former home in the Woolworth Building, this family-friendly spot has expanded its menu to include items cooked on the grill (think pancakes, burgers, and a flat-iron steak topped with chimichurri sauce). Owner Magda Weydt is a registered dietitian, so healthy options— like a spicy cauliflower burger patty augmented with quinoa—abound. Omelets, salads, sandwiches, and house-made cookies round out the menu, and beverage selections include a serve-yourself Tractor Soda Co. fountain. Tea service with all the frills is available on Saturdays and Sundays by reservation.

Located in The Village at Topanga, this Sweetfin builds on the menu available at its sister site in Santa Monica and at poké restaurants in general. Fans of the fledgling chain (four more locations are on the way) will want to make the trek for the Avo-Coco Albacore bowl, made with pineapple, Fresno chili, mint, snow peas, and a sauce of avocado, coconut, and green sriracha. Other signature bowls include the Kale Snapper, the Shiitake Chili Tofu, and Spicy Yuzu Salmon, while BYOB (build-your-own-bowl) variations are nearly infinite. All bowls start with a diner’s choice of three bases not seen at other poké spots: citrus-kale salad, gluten-free kelp noodles with cucumber slaw, and bamboo rice milled with chlorophyll, for a boost of vitamin B.

This huge space at the northeast corner of the Malibu Country Mart is almost never closed and never empty. There’s always fun to be had: If the classical guitarists aren’t playing, the waiters might be singing, or the owner, Tony Koursaris, might be telling stories at one of the tables. Every meal starts with Greek-style country bread and house-made dip. The roast baby lamb is a specialty of the house for good reasons: The meat is garlicky and mostly tender with some crispy bites. The accompanying potatoes are roasted with lemon juice and the carrots are cooked with dill. Greek coffee is a perfect end here.

TRATTORIA FARFALLA 160 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-497-2283 farfallawestlakevillage.com Italian; Entrées $13–$30

The dark and sexy environs evoke both romance and fun, aided by a classical guitarist playing in the lounge area on Friday and Saturday nights. Excellent Italian fare from chef-owner Santino Coccia includes an extensive list of cheeses and a full-blown fresh mozzarella bar. Salads are created as either starters or main courses. The pasta list is long and has many interesting choices. Pizza, plus seafood like cioppino and branzino, and plenty of meats will satisfy most appetites.

Lunch Bunch Casual spots ideally suited for lunch hour. Enjoy!

CHAMPAGNE FRENCH BAKERY CAFÉ 180 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-379-5911 champagnebakery.com French; Entrées $7–$9

A quaint bakery that harks back to France with chalkboard menus and large mirrors, this outpost of the chain is a welcoming place. Nice sandwiches, quiches, crêpes, and salads vie for your attention with an array of delicious baked goods including croissants, madeleines, custard brioche, and crispy palmier cookies.

UPDATE THE FOOD LIAISON 1033 Casitas Pass Road Carpinteria, 805-200-3030 thefoodliaison.com Californian; Entrées $6–14

THE NATURAL CAFE 508 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-9494 and 361 Hitchcock Way Santa Barbara, 805-563-1163 and 968-12 Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-449-0099 and 840 New Los Angeles Ave. Moorpark, 805-523-2016 and 1714 Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-0493 thenaturalcafe.com Healthy; Entrées $5–$9

Kid-Friendly The Santa Barbara State Street location launched all the others. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options make this a magnet for the health-conscious. The same casual menu is available for lunch or dinner with extremely reasonable prices. At night there are soup, pasta, and fish specials. Fresh vegetables abound in the Buddha Burrito wrapped in a wholewheat chapati. The Zen Burger is a Gardenburger done right. The Ranch Salad is a favorite with grilled chicken breast over baby greens with carrot, jicama, and feta cheese.

NM CAFÉ INSIDE NEIMAN MARCUS 6550 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Canoga Park, 818-316-7040 American; Entrées $14–$24

A quiet oasis in the midst of the Westfield Topanga mall, this pretty café has stone floors and walls, and lively seats covered in a green-and-brown-print fabric with orange dots. The service is polished, the complimentary popovers are delish, and the salads are huge. Sandwiches include a BLT and a lobster club.  805LIVING.COM / JUNE 2017

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