What Is This All About?

It is About Dining Out versus Eating Out

Appearances on the Food Channel along with consistent ads in The Ventura County Star have produced a myriad of inquiries to me both via E- Mail and in person.

The question I am asked most is “ What is the best restaurant in the county” or more explicitly  “ What is the best (Italian, Chinese, French, Sushi, Fish, Thai, Steak) restaurant? And then perhaps more important why?

I have also been asked why most of my reviews are positive and why I rarely strongly criticize a restaurant. Well, there are now so many good places to “dine” in the Conejo- Ventura-Agoura area that there is little reason to waste my time or yours on the bad places. I let them suffer from benign neglect.  Basically, you should look to me for recommendations. However if I fall upon a widely known restaurant that is so suspect that you clearly should be forewarned against wasting your money I will then hit it hard. The archived reviews in my “Second Chances” feature give you all the information you need to take care of your local dining needs.

A prime example of that has been my recent reports on the wanton proliferation of pseudo sushi bars in the area. Sushi is not just Asian food. It is very specifically Japanese and requires years of training (optimally in Japan) to create sushi as it was meant to be presented. Just because a person looks Asian and wears a hapi coat and a rolled headband does not mean he knows what he is doing with that (raw and hopefully very fresh) fish. He often doesn’t and it often isn’t 

Incredibly, there are now at least 16 sushi bars operating in the Conejo-Agoura and perhaps another 20 in the rest of Ventura County. I have eaten in most of them but I have written reviews on only 8. Of the 30 plus, I have found only 7 that I consider truly authentic and acceptable. They are Kaminari, Takahashi, Sushi Nozawa, Hiyama, Sushi Oaks, Akio’s and Juro Cho (in Ventura.). That’s gives you plenty of choices. Why waste the time reviewing the remaining mediocre fakes.

Before I review a restaurant, I do some serious research. There are signs. Of prime importance is that the owner or operator is at the restaurant either in the kitchen or supervising the entire operation. In Europe, a restaurant cannot get the top rating in the prestigious Guide Michelin unless the owner is there and in charge of the kitchen. Michelin broke down a couple of years back and reinstated Alain Ducasse of Monte Carlo to the top rank even though he was flitting between Monaco and Paris. He tested Michelin further by recently opening on Central Park West in New York with dinners beginning at $150 without wine, tax and tip. You do the math.

The other signs? Of course, the restaurant should have an “A” rating if it is in a rated area. If the restaurant isn’t clean then how can they be paying attention to the serious art of fine cuisine? Is the restaurant of a size than can be managed and has an intimate and comfortable ambience?

Does the posted menu indicate some creativity and authenticity? Authenticity is crucial to me in ethnic restaurants. If I see chow mein, chicken fried steak, fried fish, meatballs, sukiyaki, California roll or even worse Ventura roll heavily featured, I pass. Is it on the water or on top of a tall building? I have found that in almost every case, there is an inverse relationship between proximity to water, height above ground and a satisfying dining experience.

Finally, do the prices seem commensurate with the overall product? We actually won’t know that nor about the food and service until we dine. Then when all is said and done the principal and overall issue is value. Was the entire package of food, ambience and service worth the number at the bottom of the bill?

While we do report on specific dishes and make recommendations, our real goal is to provide an overall feeling of the quality of the restaurant and encourage you to embark on the menu adventure on your own

We are also asked what restaurants serve decent and interesting food and are comfortable with children. I think that ethnic restaurants and especially Chinese restaurants are the best choice for the money. They love kids and make them feel important. The prices are right. You actually don’t have to order for them. They can eat family style while learning that it is a big world out there. Formal white tablecloth restaurants should be avoided.