Rosti - Calabasas, CA

A couple days ago I had to make a trip to LAX to pick up my dear friend Dana. The trip was an exhausting one for the both of us and we were craving a nice lunch. Dana had been to Rosti before and wanted to share her experience with me. Upon entering you can see that it is a casual eatery featuring Tuscan cuisine. 

After reviewing the two sided menu and reading through selection after selection of salads, pizzas, sandwiches and pastas I was totally undecided on what I should order. After a few bites of the bread that was brought to the table I knew what I was going to go for...

You know I am a total sauce girl so when I saw the Tilapia with Spicy Pink Mushroom Sauce I thought that might be worth a try. The sauce was in fact a little spicy, but mostly totally flavorful from the rich mushrooms. The sauce leaned heavy on the salty side but as I ate it with bites of fish and mashed potato I thought it was a perfect component to the dish. I ordered sauteed spinach with roasted garlic with it as a side and did have a couple bites. The entire plate was a win as a whole!

 Now this dish is so Dana. She loves a good Caprese Sandwich but when you add Milanese to the party it is just awesome! The breaded chicken cutlet, mozzarella, arugula, tomatoes and pesto on the ciabata baked in house was crazy good. French fries were served on the side and could not have been better. Hot, crispy and salty!!

I left feeling full and totally satisfied. That is the way you want to feel leaving any restaurant but on this day it just felt lovely because it was also affordable. I cannot wait to go back and explore the menu further, the salads in particular all sounded amazing. Ciao!

Blue Stove - Thousand Oaks, CA

What is better than finding a really classy Christmas Outfit at Nordstrom's half off? Well... Not much but the lunch I had at their in house restaurant, Blue Stove comes in a close second! Read on...

I have had a Nordstrom's Gift Card burning a hole in my pocket (Thank you Kate Good Taste) for quite sometime now and after scrolling online for something that caught my eye I just never used it. I decided maybe a trip to the actual store might do the trick and it worked! After my successful trip I was starting to get a little hungry. A glass of Chenin Blanc perked me up and I was ready to make a lunch decision. 

 They must of knew I was coming... A perfectly sized portion of scallop to risotto was waiting patiently for me on the menu. The Lemon Scented Risotto was lovely, as was the jumbo scallop that was nicely split three ways. I must say this deal of a meal was only $12. In fact nothing on their menu is over $13. I know the portions are smaller and meant for sharing but for me, they were just my size.

Do I love Nordstrom's? Of course. Do I love Blue Stove even more? Absolutely! I will be a repeat guest for sure!

Fins - Thousand Oaks, CA

I use YELP a lot to help me navigate me through the restaurant scene. Well YELP you officially let me down...

Beautiful restaurant.

Decent bread with a side of pond scum.

A trio of flavorless soups - Lobster bisque, Spinach and Clam Chowder.

Snapper Tostada - which tasted like frozen fish just thawed out for this special occasion.

Last and least, the worst crab cake (balls?!) I have ever had.

The service was poor and the bill was high! What a day.

PF Changs - Thousand Oaks, CA

I put on my mandarin collar to to get in a festive mood to enjoy a meal at PF Changs! Beautiful location by the way, in "The Lakes" in Thousand Oaks - with shopping too!

Happy Hour! Asian Tacos are always fun. The beef really gets stuck in your teeth though!

Egg Drop and Hot and Sour Soup. Both just tasty enough to get the meal rolling...

The Lettuce Wrap Chicken has always been my favorite here at Changs. However, this time not so. The lettuce had a metallic taste to it! They probably didn't use a plastic knife on this one.

Mongolian Beef and Honey Shrimp. They were tasty. I was just really stuffed at this point. I had more fun spicing up my rice with their "secret" blends. Hot Mustard WILL make you feel alive if you consume it spoonful qualities.

All in all it was franchise food heaven.

The Grill On The Alley - Thousand Oaks

When ever you need inspiration on where to eat just turn to Yelp.com - I usually am never disappointed. The Grill On The Alley caught my eye and decided it was worth a try.

Whenever there is Lobster Bisque on the menu I know that it is going to be a lovely dining experience. I ordered a cup and it was a large one! The soup was amazing, very rich. Go easy on this one!

Next up was Lobster Ravioli, a supplemental to their regular menu. Sometimes ordering a special makes me nervous. It is not something they practice or eat very often so it is a gamble. This was a bad gamble. Not so good...

But these Crab Cakes were the best EVER! I almost want to jump through my computer screen and have them for dinner tonight. The shoestring potatoes were tasty, kind of reminded me of those Pik-Niks - a good memory.

The food was a little pricey but the atmosphere is chic, kind of like a miniature Lucky's (Montecito). I would for sure go back and cruise the menu or just stick my crab cakes!