Welcome to the "805 Eats" dining blog where we'll keep you up-to-date on restaurant and food happenings in the 805. To send tips and comments, email edit@805Living.com.

Wine, Waves, and Beyond

June 2-5

Pismo Beach is the location of a four-day wine, food, and surfing festival this weekend.  Wine, Waves, and Beyond features a Barrel to Barrel dinner where winemakers, brewmasters, and local chefs show off their latest creations.  A Brew Masters’ dinner features five chefs from San Luis Obispo County who each create a course of food paired with a specific beer or ale from Firestone Brewing Co.  A longboard surf contest includes BBQ and will showcase the charity AmpSurf which teaches amputees how to surf with their disabilities.  See the Wine, Waves and Beyond website for more details.

Outstanding in the Field Dinner

Wednesday, May 11th 4 p.m.

Earthtrine Farms in Ojai is the site of tonight’s farm dinner from Outstanding in the Field.  Chef Rachel Main of Main Course California Catering will prepare family-style dishes using produce from farmers BD and Liz Dautch.  The evening begins with a farm tour and moves to long tables set up in the farm fields.  Wines are provided by Chris Brown of Cantara Cellars.  Tickets which can be purchased here are $200 each.  Amazingly, they’re not sold out yet, so act fast.

More Mother’s Day Dining

Sunday, May 8th

Padri in Agoura Hills is serving a buffet brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a complimentary glass of Champagne.  The stations will feature carved meats, seafood, pasta, salads, eggs, and desserts.  The price is $39 for adults; children under 10 are $6.

Tuscany il Ristorante in Westlake Village will serve brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Cafe Provencal in Thousand Oaks has a special Mother’s Day menu that will be available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.  It comes with a complimentary mimosa.  The four-course meal has options like a tomato stuffed with chicken salad, asparagus soup, salmon & shrimp a la nage (cooked in broth) and doused with a veloute (velvety sauce), and lemon cheesecake.  The whole menu is listed on their website.  The price is $40.

The Plug Nickel by Catering Celebrations in Westlake Village will set up tables inside and outside on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  A buffet will offer made-to-order omelets, crab cakes, shrimp, salmon, roast beef, ham, breakfast potatoes, mac & cheese, pastries, brownies, and cupcakes. The price is $30 for adults; children ages 5-12 are $13; children under 5 are free.

Safire in Camarillo is running brunch specials from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  The all-under-$20 menu includes salads, sandwiches, eggs Benedict, prime rib, and a petite lobster tail.  At dinnertime (4 to 8 p.m.) the regular al a carte menu (check it out here) is up for grabs along with the standard Sunday 3-course meal for $25.

Jonathan’s at Peirano’s in Ventura will have an acoustic guitarist and vocalist on hand to entertain moms.  A special omelet-brunch menu served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. includes dessert and costs $25.  The full lunch menu (posted here) will also be available.

71 Palm in Ventura has brunch and lunch specials from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  They include treats like a 3-egg omelet with feta and asparagus ($11), a seafood crepe with lobster-Champagne sauce ($16), a prime-rib sandwich ($20), and an avocado stuffed with shrimp Louie ($14).  Dinner (see the menu here) will be served from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Mother’s Day Dining

Sunday, May 8th

For the May issue of 805 Living Magazine, my dining feature focuses on LA restaurants.  (You can read the digital flip-book version of the magazine here.  My “Global Dining in LA” story starts on p83.)  Two of those restaurants have Mother’s Day menus.

Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood is serving a 3-course brunch with a dessert buffet and Champagne cocktails.  Menu choices (printed here) include baked quiche, wild salmon and cucumber salad, and New York steak + eggs.   The price is $65.

La Cachette Bistro in Santa Monica will be serving an a la carte Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Entrees include organic sunny-side-up eggs with eggplant and spicy tomato sauce ($14), roasted lamb sandwich with Swiss cheese and horseradish sauce ($14), and a Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream ($10).

More Easter Brunches

Sunday, April 24th

Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas is serving a three-course menu on Sunday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  Menu choices include wild mushroom quiche, biscuits and wild game gravy, and apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream.  The whole menu can be viewed here.  The price is $55.  A two-course children’s meal is available for $35.  An a la carte dinner will be served after 5 p.m.

Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara is staging its Easter Brunch buffet on the rooftop terrace from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.  Stations will have waffles, omelets, seafood, salads, leg of lamb, ham, and desserts.  The whole menu is listed here.  The jazz band Ulysses will be playing.  The price is $45.

Easter Brunches

Sunday, April 24th

Bellinis, Mimosas, and Bloody Marys figure prominently in this year’s batch of Easter Brunches.  There’s even an Easter Egg Hunt for adults at Malibu Cafe.

The Fleming’s Bellini (pictured) will be available all day for $7 at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Woodland Hills. From 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. a three-course brunch menu will be on offer along with the a la carte menu.  The brunch, with choices like a Wedge Salad, a frittata stuffed with mushrooms and steak, and walnut turtle pie, costs $33 for adults.  See the full menu here.  A special kids menu can be had for $16.

Malibu Cafe on the grounds of Calamigos Ranch offers endless mimosas at its Easter brunch.  The a la carte Sunday brunch menu will be in effect along with some special dishes ($6-$22).  The lawn will be transformed into an Easter Egg Hunting Ground for children (10-11 a.m.) and then for adults (noon-1 p.m.)  I say it’s about time we grown-ups were allowed in on the fun.  Dogs aren’t forgotten either.  Bring your pup dressed as a wabbit for the Dog-Bunny dress-up contest.  It’s free to enter and so are the egg hunts.

Cafe Provencal in Thousand Oaks will be serving its Easter meal from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday.  It comes with a complimentary mimosa.  The four-course meal has options like a seafood cake with tropical fruit salsa, carrot soup, pepper-crusted prime rib, and carrot cake.  The price is $35.

La Dolce Vita restaurant in Oxnard will set up a huge buffet in the plaza of Heritage Square on Easter Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.  The brunch comes with mimosas, Champagne, or Bloody Marys and a costumed docent-led tour (pictured) of Heritage Square.  Stations include fresh fruit, pastries, roast beef, ham, pasta, quiche, and salads. Poached salmon and au gratin potatoes will be there, too.  The price is $32 for adults and $15 for children under 7.

Santa Barbara County Vintners’ Festival

Saturday, April 16th, 1-4 p.m.

River Park in Lompoc is the site of this year’s Vintners’ Festival where the 110+ members of the Santa Barbara Vintners’ Association will be pouring their wares.  In addition to lots of wine, there will be wine-country cuisine, live music and a silent auction.  Member wineries plan events all around the festival from Friday through Monday, so visit the official website to see a list of all the wine-related events happening.  Tickets to the festival on Saturday ($75-$100) can be purchased there as well.

Great Harvest Fundraiser

Friday, April 8th, 7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Great Harvest Bread Company in Newbury Park is holding a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Friday.  All day at the bakery they will be accepting donations of $1 from customers.  All week they will donate $1 per loaf of Honey Whole Wheat Bread sold.

From the Barrel Tasting

Friday, April 8th 7-10 p.m.

The Santa Margarita Ranch is the setting for this year’s From the Barrel celebration.  Barrel enthusiasts will get to taste libations that come from wooden barrels like bourbons, ports, and barrel-aged beers from Firestone Walker Brewing Company.  Central Coast chefs like Chris Kobayashi of Artisan, Mark Sahaydek of The Grill at Avila Beach Golf Resort, and Justin Gabbert of Novo will be serving tapas to go with the alcohol.  You must be at least 21 to attend.  Tickets cost $50 per person and can be purchased here or by calling 805-540-3508.

Argentina Wine Dinner at Brooks

Friday, April 8th, 6:30 p.m.

Andy Brooks celebrates three wines from Argentina on Friday night with his wine dinner at Brooks in Ventura.  The three-course meal offers seared ahi tuna with a roasted red bell pepper relish; grilled quail with a medjool date sauce and a leek-cheese tart; and a ribeye with a chimichurri sauce.  The price is $65 per person.  Call 805-652-7070 to reserve a spot.

Monday Night Supper at Artisan

Monday, March 28th

The Monday Night Suppers series at Artisan restaurant in Paso Robles bring farmers and vintners together with diners for family-style meals.  On Monday night, the farmer will be a fishmonger:  Eric Gonzales from Pier 46 Seafood.  And the vintner will be a brewmaster:  Matt Brynildson from Firestone Brewing Company.  The food has a Japanese bent for the night, beginning with izakaya (pub food that pairs well with beer).  The main course is plates of kobe beef, and miso black cod, and lantern scallops with crispy rice cakes.  Dessert is adzuki bean ice cream with chocolate spring rolls.  The price for food is $38.  To have three Firestone beers paired with the food, it’s an additional $16.  For reservations, call 805-237-8084.

Battle of the Barrel

Saturday, March 26-Tuesday, March 29

Ladyface Ale Companie in Agoura Hills faces off against Malibu Family Wines beginning this weekend.  How did this battle come about?  Here is Ladyface’s explanation: “The folks at Malibu Family Wines love our beer and we love their wine. We even worked with Malibu’s vintners to create Ladyface Cuvee, a blend of Malibu’s Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah varietals, served exclusively at Ladyface.  It was all very friendly until someone suggested putting Ladyface beer in Malibu Family Wines’ barrels.  Ladyface decided that La Trappistine Belgian dubbel would be aged in a Semler Syrah French oak barrel with fifty pounds of fresh Syrah grapes from the Semlers’ Malibu Estate.”

And now that La Trappistine ale can be tasted alongside the 2008 Semler Syrah at both establishments.  Ballots will be taken (no limit) to decide which is better—the Syrah-laced ale or the Syrah wine—through Tuesday at 4 p.m.  On Tuesday, March 29th from 4-6 p.m., votes will be counted and a winner announced at Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie during the Battle of the Barrel Finale party.  Tickets to the Finale party, which include samples and an amuse bouche, cost $10.  Attendees must be 21 and over.

Wine Dinner at Padri

Thursday, March 24th, 7:30 p.m.

Padri Restaurant & Martini Bar in Agoura Hills will be pouring the “Super Tuscan” Tenuta Tignanello from Piero Antinori with an angus filet during its wine dinner on Thursday night.  In all five courses of food like farro soup, sweet-potato gnocchi, and a blackberry flambee will be served along with five Antinori wines like Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Vinsanto.  The price is $125.  Call 818-865-3700 for reservations.

Windows Beer Dinner

Saturday, February 26th, 6 p.m.

Windows on the Water in Morro Bay has designed a dinner to pair with Belgian-style ales.  Beer Specialist Charles Hiigel will be on hand during the reception and four-course meal to discuss the suds.  Dishes include an oak-fired venison lollipop, braised short ribs, and a dark-chocolate terrine.  The full menu can be viewed here.  The price is $75.

Valentine’s Day - Restaurant Options (Part 2)

Monday, February 14th

71 Palm in Ventura has Monday night seatings at 5, 6:45, and 8:30 p.m.  A special 3-course menu will be on offer with choices like Louisiana crabcakes, aged New York steak with a Cabernet reduction and potatoes au gratin, and a flourless chocolate cake.  The price is $55.  71 Palm will also be open for lunch on Monday.

Brooks in Ventura will serve a special Valentine menu Monday night.  Each dinner includes a choice of appetizer, entrée (like filet mignon, grilled lobster tail, Vermont quail in a Sherry maple glaze, Provencal risotto, or boneless lamb loin) and dessert.  The price is $75.  On Friday, Saturday and Sunday those dishes and more will appear on a special a la carte menu (entrées $20-$38).

Olio Pizzeria in Santa Barbara is offering a 3-course meal for $45 on Monday night.

Brothers Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos will be cooking up menu specials from Friday through Monday 5-9 p.m.  Expect dishes like slow-roasted prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes, horseradish-dill-crusted salmon, and a hot fudge brownie sundae with butterscotch gelato.

Artisan in Paso Robles will stick to its Monday Night Suppers format for Valentine’s Day.  That means a 3-course family-style meal for $38 with optional wine flight for $25 more.  The menu is abalone tortellini followed by grilled hanger steak and then a chai-spiced chocolate fondue with olive-oil cake.

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