805 Living Dining Blog: Angie Eats
Welcome to the 805 Living Dining Blog where our Dining Editor, Angela Pettera, keeps you up to date on restaurant happenings in the 805. To send her your tips and comments, email angela@805living.com. Happy eating!
Events listed on the blog are subject to change. Please contact the restaurants to confirm availability and details.
Bella Arte Meets Bella Vista
Bella Vista restaurant in the Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore in Santa Barbara continues its bi-monthly art nights. Thursday nights from 5-10 p.m. the restaurant will set out its seafood buffet ($49). Every other Thursday (Sept 3, Sept 17) Bottoms Art Galleries will bring over works of art like paintings and sculpture. Featured artists will be available to meet between 6 and 7 p.m. The art exhibits are free and open to the public. Valet parking is complimentary. For show and artist details, contact Bottoms Art Galleries at 805-695-0888.
Bella Vista, 1260 Channel Drive, Montecito, 805-565-8237.
www.fourseasons.com/santabarbara/dining.html
The Grill Re-Opens
The Grill on the Alley located in The Promenade will reopen on August 31st. It’s been closed these past few months due to an electrical fire that started in the walls. Because of the fire and water damage, everything from the floor up had to be replaced. But now you can again dine on chicken pot pie and steak in large cushy booths fit for film and television stars. The Grill is open for lunch and dinner daily.
The Grill, 120 E. Promenade Way, Thousand Oaks, 805-418-1760
Hawaiian Festival at Four Seasons Westlake Village
The Four Seasons Westlake Village Inn is having a Hawaiian Festival September 2-6. Every night in Onyx chef Jonathan Molina from the Four Seasons in Lana’i will cook a special Pacific-Rim meal to celebrate.
On September 5th, from 5-9 p.m., there will be a Hawaiian BBQ at Hampton’s. Musicians and hula dancers will perform on the lawn in front of the waterfall. The price is $49 for adults and $20 for children plus tax and tip.
Four Seasons Westlake Village, Two Dole Drive, Westlake Village, 818-575-3000
www.fourseasons.com/westlakevillage
Duke’s Wine Night
Wednesday night is Wine Night at Duke’s Malibu. When you order two dinner entrees, you get 50% off a bottle of wine from the list that’s normally priced at $60 or less. If you bring your own bottle, there’s no corkage Wednesday night.
Duke’s Malibu, 21150 Pacific Coast Hwy., Malibu, 310-317-0777
Soiree at Bogie’s
Friday, August 28th, 8:30 p.m.
The Jumpin Joz Jazz Trio along with Tim Cunningham and The Base King will be playing at Bogie’s lakeside lounge tonight. They’re in town to play at the Gatsby Jazz Festival which takes place Saturday at Malibu Country Club. The cover fee is $20 at the door.
Bogie’s Lounge, at Westlake Village Inn, 32001 Agoura Road, Westlake Village, 818-889-2394
Coast Meal Deals
Coast Restaurant & Bar in the Canary Hotel is offering a bevy of meal deals throughout the week.
On Tuesday nights, a Farmer’s Market Dinner costs $28. Chef Brian Parks will create a meal based on what he’s found at the farmers market that morning.
Wednesday night is Beer Tasting night with beer samples and appetizer specials for $12.
Friday night is “Off the Hook”: a three-course seafood meal for $28.
On Saturday night you can get dinner for two, movie tickets, and candy for $35 per person.
Sunday is a family-style meal that changes weekly for $25 per person ($12.50 for kids).
Coast Restaurant & Bar, in the Canary Hotel, 31 W. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara, 805-884-0300
Holdren’s Happy Hour
Holdren’s in Newbury Park celebrates happy hour from 4-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Draft beers are $2.50; some cocktails like the house Margarita and a Smirnoff Cosmo are $5. Small plates of food like French Dip sliders, steak bites, fried calamari, and chicken pot pie cost between $5 and $7.50.
Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood, 1714 Newbury Road, Newbury Park, 805-498-1314
Eric’s Lobster & Prime Rib Deals
On Monday nights, Eric’s Restaurant & Bar in the Palm Garden Hotel is offering a lobster dinner (complete with soup/salad, baked potato and veggies) for $18.
On Tuesday nights, a prime rib meal (complete with soup/salad, baked potato and veggies) is also $18.
Eric’s Restaurant & Bar, in the Palm Garden Hotel, 495 N. Ventu Park Road, Newbury Park, 805-716-4100
Summer Party at Cafe Provencal
Saturday, August 29th, 8:30 p.m.
Celebrate the summer in your beach clothes (swimsuits are an option!) at Cafe Provencal’s Ultimate Beach Party. A full buffet of short ribs, chicken, salads, and desserts will be laid out. Drinks include sangria, sparkling wine, and soft drinks. A DJ will spin tunes for dancing. Seating will be set up inside the restaurant and out. The price is $60. Reservations must be pre-paid.
Cafe Provencal, 2310 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 805-496-7121
James Beard Dinner at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa
Saturday, August 22nd, 6:15 p.m.
Jamie West, the chef at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa has been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York. To celebrate this honor, he’s re-creating the meal for local residents on Saturday night. He’ll be serving a duck salad with a blackberry vinaigrette, smoked lamb loin with with a blue-cheese gratin, and a chocolate-walnut sable cake with Grand Marnier gelee and chocolate mousse. The reception begins in the Maravilla Lounge at 6:15 p.m. Dinner takes place in the Maravilla dining room at 7 p.m. The Craig Thomas Band will begin playing music for dancing at 8:30 p.m. The five-course dinner with wine pairing, tax and tip costs $125. Or stay overnight at the hotel and receive dinner for two at no extra charge.
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, 905 Country Club Road, Ojai, 800-422-6524
Heirloom Tomato Celebration at Piatti
Available August 14-30
Piatti Locali and Piatti Ristorante & Bar in Montecito are celebrating the tomato this month. For the next couple of weeks heirloom tomatoes will be featured in a series of dishes at the restaurants. From a cocktail with V-8 juice and tequila ($8.50) to a baba a rum dessert served with peaches poached in tomato syrup ($6.50), the tomato gets its due. You’ll also find a Caprese salad ($11.50), a Parmesan risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes ($15) and a Tuscan fish stew ($21).
Piatti Locali, 101 S. Westlake Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 805-371-5600
Piatti Montecito, 516 San Ysidro Road, Montecito, 805-969-7520
Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro Happy Hour
Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro celebrates happy hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday with wines by the glass costing $5-$6.50. Appetizers like steamed mussels, carpaccio, artichoke and prawn flatbread, and a cheese plate cost $5-$9.
On Saturdays, oysters get their turn in the spotlight. Oysters from the West Coast cost $2 each ($11 per half-dozen, $22 per dozen) from 4-6 p.m.
The first Wednesday of each month is the Passport to the World of Wine celebration at 7 p.m. $25 gets you a sampling of five different wines paired with appetizers from chef Nathan Heil.
Pierre Lafond Wine Bistro, 516 State St., Santa Barbara, 805-962-1455
Famous Dave’s Opens in T.O.
Famous Dave’s BBQ chain started 15 years ago in Hayward, Wisconsin. On Monday, August 10th it opened a Thousand Oaks location. (A Simi Valley restaurant has been open in the Town Center Mall for a couple of years.) The pit barbecue joint offers many ‘cue styles like hickory smoked ribs, Georgia chopped pork, and Texas brisket. There are also entree-sized salads topped with smoked meats or even smoked salmon. Pecan pie is on the dessert menu. The atmosphere is casual and blues is on the sound system. Famous Dave’s is open for lunch and dinner daily.
Famous Dave’s, 3980 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 805-497-0227.
Beer Dinner at Brooks
Thursday, August 20th, 6:30 p.m.
Sierra Nevada beer will be the focus of this four-course dinner. Some of the dishes include lamb sliders paired with pale ale, grilled quail with chutney paired with torpedo extra IPA, and pecan pie paired with porter. The price is $65.
New Owner for Plug Nickel
Valerie Vollmer has taken over ownership of The Plug Nickel, restaurant and catering business, from her mother Dixie Vollmer. Dixie has run the Nickel since 1975 and is excited about the transition. As for Valerie, well, I guess her mama never told her not to accept a plug nickel.
The Plug Nickel has a tea room, library, and expansive patio for private corporate events as well as weddings. As a restaurant, it serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, is closed Saturday, and serves brunch on Sunday.
The Plug Nickel, 717 Lakefield Road, Westlake Village, 805-495-3469
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