FrankAboutFood.com

Continental Cuisine and Outside Dining
Mandevilla
Curiosity recently  caused a quick walk through the Yellow Pages to check the Italian restaurants in the Conejo-Agoura area.  Subs, eat-in, takeout-or delivery pizza joints were not included. My pencil overheated at 21. There are 9 within a 1/2-mile radius of the 101 and Westlake Blvd. That might be about the same density as the restaurant area of the Trastevere in Rome. And the people living there are almost all Italian.

Further, the restaurant Mandevilla is buried behind Cisco's on Westlake Blvd. in a location known as "The Graveyard of Conejo Restaurants". Over the years at least four restaurants have left their bones bleaching in the Westlake sun including the recent Viva La Pasta, Sedona, an unremembered Chinese restaurant and a bistro that was in and out so fast no one can recall what they served.

Thus, Mandevilla’s chances for survival certainly seemed tenuous. However veteran restaurateur Tom Sweet had the answers. He is on the job every day paying very close attention to every detail. He has almost no turnover in management or cooking staff. The serving personnel are primarily long termers that have been trained to be consummate professionals. There are no Hooter’s or Chile’s refugees serving food that they can’t spell or pronounce  Unfortunately that problem exists in a number of pseudo upscale restaurants, especially the steakhouses and Italian chains.
 
Though he managed Locanda Veneta, rated one of the better Italian restaurants in all of California, and he still has interests in Ca Brea and Ca' Del Sole, Sweet saw the Italian overkill and took Mandevilla down the more eclectic road known as "Continental Food" …with an Italian touch. After all, in addition to working for him at


Open Kitchen

Locanda Veneta his partner, chef Nick Blinoff had also manned the stoves for the world-renowned but now extinct Blue Fox in San Francisco. The Blue Fox had consistently been rated the best restaurant in gourmet San Francisco, and in fact, may have invented Italo-Continental cuisine. 


Main Dining Room

 You enter Mandevilla via an inviting exterior triangular green awning to be greeted at the front hosting station adjacent to the open kitchen. The dining room has been completely remodeled from its fast food styled predecessor Viva la Pasta. Stylish chairs surround circular tables that are well spaced to offer a feeling of privacy and intimacy. Etched glass partitions, sophisticated wall décor and color coordinated tablecloths create a luxurious dining environment. A 12-table patio with strategically located heaters has recently been made available for the romantic outside diners at both lunch and dinner. .

The dinner menu defines the Continental touch.  Popular appetizers include Belgian endive salad with Stilton blue cheese (5.75), Chilled gazpacho with blackened shrimp (4.95), Manila clams steamed in garlic or red Thai curry broth and my favorite, Crisp golden crab cakes with chipotle chile cream and black bean sauce (both 9.95).

The pasta favorites are spaghetti Bolognese with meat sauce (12.50) or with Manila clams, shrimp and swordfish in a light garlic tomato sauce at  (14.95 plus Fettuccini with chicken, spinach and mushrooms (11.95). 


Outdoor Heated Patio

Grilled Salmon Plate
Blackened Chicken Salad

Braised Osso Bucco with saffron risotto (20.95) keeps the Italian connection open. Grilled swordfish is beautifully prepared with tomatoes, capers, basil, garlic and white wine (19.50). Roasted breast of Long Island duck with a dry cranberry- orange glaze is a wonderful and different take on this popular dish. New Zealand rack of lamb is served with roasted garlic rosemary jus. The most expensive item on the menu is Veal Chop with green peppercorn- mushroom sauce (24.95).

Desserts include Crème Brulee, Apple Tart, Chocolate Decadence plus Cheesecake, Sorbets and Ice Creams. All the food is beautifully presented.

The luncheon menu includes a wide selection of imaginative sandwiches that include Bistro fries and Mandevilla slaw on a Baguette or Foccacia. Most pasta can be ordered in half portions for lunch and many of the dinner entrees listed above can be ordered in slightly smaller portions at a somewhat lower price. For serious lunch eaters, the soup of the day or a small green or Caesar salad can be added to any sandwich, pasta or entrée for an add- on of $2.75.

Mandevilla is one of the three most interesting, attractive and best-managed restaurants in Ventura county.

Mandevilla  951 South Westlake Blvd.     Westlake     805- 497-8482     Most credit cards        Easy parking.