Danny's Deli - Ventura, CA

I have driven past Danny's Deli probably a thousand times without ever giving it a chance. I am foolish for never stopping because the parking lot is always packed. That has to count for something! Anyway, on Friday I stopped in for an early lunch after I had my first ever MRI. MRI?! Melissa good Taste is getting old. I was sat at a large booth and was greeted by a very large jar of pickles.

The first thing I saw upon opening the menu was a Monte Cristo. That was an easy sell, I remember I fell in love with the Monte Cristo sandwich while dining at the Blue Lagoon in Disneyland over twenty years ago. Piping hot fries and side of ranch dressing came with the glorious sandwich for me to enjoy.

I liked this version a lot. The outside is crunchier than most versions I have had. It does require a sharp knife to work your way through the crunchy shell and massive body. The layers of ham and turkey are totally pronounced but could possibly supply an extra serving of cheese, as I did not notice it all. 

Danny's deli based on my first experience was great. With an addition of a soda, I escaped with a $13 bill and still had tons of food left on the plate that I absolutely could not even finish. I look forward to returning to sample some of their "deli" fare such as lox and whitefish. It all sounded great.

Date Night! Lure + Birdman

Hey party people! I know last night was only a Monday so I shouldn't be so excited for a wild, date night on the town but in my humble opinion these are the best nights to go out! One, you never really need a reservation to go anywhere and all the really wild, obnoxious people are probably at home nursing their hangovers and wounded bank accounts. So we date on Mondays!

We always start off with a nice meal and then venture into a movie, so lets go!

I picked Lure Seafood, again. I know, I know but I just love it that much...

We started off with the Smoked Albacore Crostini with a roasted tomato and dill cream sauce. It was good. A dainty starter, two pieces each but totally a perfect way to start the meal. #winning!

Scott is a big fan of Yellowtail so he got it simply grilled and picked the sides of creamed corn and grilled asparagus. I am so happy he loved his fish dish considering our epic fail of an anniversary meal with Azu's halibut. He finished his plate pleasantly happy.

I ordered my old, faithful winner of a plate - Idaho Trout Almondine with a parmesan potato cake and cilantro corn salad. This is a fantastic plate of food. It always takes me forever to finish it but I do end up eating every bite. Just give me some time and I promise the plate will exit completely empty. 

With our tummies full, cheeks sore from laughing and hands intertwined we wandered up California Street to catch the 7:00 showing of Birdman! We have been so excited to watch our favorite actor, Michael Keaton, in his movie so we bought our tickets and took a seat.

 Birdman - Michael Keaton

The movie was great! Don't expect too much action or bang bang, shoot 'em up animation. Expect really good acting, so much so you would think he was just being himself. The acting is so good you don't know when they are on stage or if they are playing out takes from the movie. It leaves you constantly wandering was that real? Everyone has different versions of how the ending happens based on your belief in life. There is no confirmation, so it makes you choose how you want the end of the story happens. I liked that you had to watch for clues and little comments to put two and two together in the end. Watch for those when you see the movie. It makes you think... 

Michael Keaton does it again, outstanding performance.

Date Night Success.

Weekend Fun! - Ventura + Ojai, CA

I have just had the most lovely weekend. Scott and I went into Ventura on Friday night for a bit of a staycation. We had dinner at Lure Seafood Restaurant (my favorite!) for a nice meal and a little pre-party for our big night out to celebrate Dana's birthday. After dinner we checked into the Crowne Plaza and changed into more formal attire, it was time to celebrate his little lady.... 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANA! 

We were asked to come in our most sparkly, 1920's glam fashion. Nichole knocked the theme out of the park! From her hair, fringe dress, pearl necklaces and long fur coat. Stunning!

 We had such a nice time visiting with our friends, playing pool on a really bad table and getting dressed up. I love a good theme party!

My ladies of the night, these gals sure know how to have a good time. 

The next day with VC Reporter in hand i decided to try the new Asian Fusion Garden which took over the old Chinese restaurant in Ojai. Upon entering not much is changed. There are less tables in the dining area and things do look a bit more streamlined. I decided to go for a lunch special and started with the Hot and Sour Soup as my starter. It was nice, it is a huge improvement from the previous owner's recipe.

A pretty standard lunch plate of Orange Chicken, Fried Rice, Mini Spring Roll and some broccoli garnish. Nothing about this dish was bad. Nothing. However nothing just sand out as delicious to me. It  filled my empty tank up and provided fuel versus providing this foodie euphoria. I will say I was craving larger pieces of white meat chicken rather than so many connective pieces of dark meat. 

The price is fair for the amount of food you receive just about $10. I am happy to support all new restaurants in my area so now it is your turn. The menu is scaled down tremendously so you can easily explore it all in a few visits. I cannot wait to try the Honey Walnut Shrimp next.

Sumo Japanese Restaurant - Ventura, CA

Sometimes I think I have been to every restaurant in Ventura County but then my friend takes me to a new place and it inspires me to search out the places I have missed. Last Sunday Dana and I ventured into shopping madness at Michael's and Trader Joe's and decided we needed a meal to give us energy to deal with the crowds. 

The restaurant itself is a large open floor plan that gives you options of sushi bar seats, large dining tables or comfortable boothes. Dana and I scooped up a booth while we browsed the menu. it was pretty traditional in way of special rolls, bento boxes as well as ramen soups.

 I decided to get down with the "Scream" Roll as it was packed with shrimp tempura, crab, spicy tuna, avocado and then topped with a cream cheese filled deep fried jalapeno! The sauce it rested in was a creamy spicetopia and topped with tobiko. Oh my, I soon found out why it was called the "Scream". It was very fiery! I soon decided to make my meal more enjoyable by removing the jalapeno and it was a wise decision because without the all the heat I could actually taste the rest of the ingredients. 

Sumo is a great place to grab lunch due to the amazing lunch deals. I wouldn't mind trying a different rolls because of the high quality of the seafood and the amazing sauce work.

Lure Seafood Restaurant - Ventura, CA

I took my family to my favorite place in Ventura to chow down. Where everything is fresh, plentiful and all seafood, Lure! Come virtually enjoy our lunch...

After a morning playing with the horses we all declared ourselves first and foremost, famished but also a little wiped out. How about a little cocktail to treat ourselves after the hard work of plating hard? The Bloody Mary proved itself to be highly potent and a good choice if you want a little seafood snack with   a leaded cocktail. I ordered the Blood Orangtini, it was sweet and lovely. 

For the table we ordered Guacamole and Chips to start and they came out fast. It was a good thing too because we all tore into it like it was the last plate of food on Earth. We also ordered the Lobster Spinach Dip served with crostini and it too was tasty. We just kept chowing down and happily enjoying each others company.

Charbroiled Oysters! I love them. I was excited to order two plates and they all went down the hatch once they were cool enough to handle. They are always so big and tasty. Today was no exception! 

As our entree's arrived person to person I became jealous of everyone's order! First up, Sand Dabs lightly breaded with panko and sauteed with a lemon butter caper sauce. She chose her side as rice pilaf as well as a side salad that came out before her main meal. 

Look at this Louie!

The seafood on this salad was so gorgeous and plentiful. The salad itself was a large portion and did lack dressing, but they gladly will bring more on request. It was ordered x2 at the table and not one left the table without food on it. It is a large portion so beware you salad orderers out there!

I ordered this Idaho Trout Almondine and loved every bite of it! The butterflied, boneless fish is pan seared and served skin on. The almonds and parmesan coating gives a crunch to the otherwise soft delicate fish. My side is the Cilantro Corn Salsa packed with jicama, onion, red pepper and jalapeno. I love this stuff! I couple eat many more cups full! The Parmesan Potato Cake was a great second pick of sides because the smooth creamy red potatoes seared flat with butter, parmesan was a perfect pairing partner to the fish. I loved my lunch, loved, loved it! 

I left feeling stuffed but in a good way. The way that makes you feel satisfied but still comfortable enough to walk and shop. And that is exactly what we did. The weather could not be any more gorgeous in Downtown Ventura so we took advantage of the sunshine!

Himalaya Cuisine - Ventura, CA

 

I have been burned out on my usual picks of food. Things have been blah to me lately because I have been lacking in variety so I decided to mix it up and eat at a place I have never been to... Himalaya Cuisine. It proudly serves food from India, Nepal and Tibet. I sat down and was given a menu that did not look too familiar to me so I made my best guess at what I would like and prayed it would be delicious.

While I waited for my food I noticed this ad for an Asian beer. How cute is the bottle?! 

They brought out a lentil soup called "Dal" that came with my Lunch Special order. It was lovely. The spices warmed me from the inside out. The ginger is the soup could be tasted and it gave me a comforting feeling that awakened my senses. 

After I licked my soup bowl clean my lunch special was presented in front of me. I ordered the Shahi Korma Chicken with rice and chutney. The chicken was so tender it practically melted in my mouth and the sauce of the korma was a tad spicy, I could have handled more but didn't want to be cocky my first trip out of the gate. The creamy base seemed to mild the spice. 

I will be back, for sure, ready to explore the rest of the menu... I still have a lot of countries to dine at it seems! The menu is separated by the regional cooking... How fun!

Aloha Steakhouse - Ventura, CA

Hello Alvin! 

Hello Cassie!

The Ranch crew has been enjoying working with our remuda this week because of the cool weather. It is nice to throw on a sweat shirt in the morning. It makes me feel snuggly. Anyway, the horses are all on their game and are gearing up for upcoming shows to Bakersfield and Paso Robles.

 After long days at the ranch Scott and I get to occasionally treat ourselves to date nights on the town. This particular evening we went to one of our beach front favorites, Aloha. I felt festive by ordering a fruity cocktail - The Kauai Love.

We decided to start with an appetizer of a Stuffed Artichoke with sauteed mushrooms. It was an interactive starter that required a little work with our conversation. I totally recommend it. 

I ordered the Parmesan crusted Orange Roughy and regretted it based on my first saw through the "batter" it was an egg based and it was soggy and tough. A weird situation for such a tender fish. The taste of parmesan was nonexistent. I just ordered bad plain and simple.

Please do not let my entree order scare you away from this place. I usually leave here feeling amazing and totally pleased. Just steer around this order and try something else. I promise you will be content!

Capriccio - Ventura, CA

I AM SORRY!

I must apologize for not blogging in like, forever... I was busy being a supportive horse show wife and competitior. I wear many hats! And lets resume with our regular blogging schedule...

 Main Street in Downtown Ventura is a happening place. When I was new to the area I used to stroll the sidewalks and enjoy the blocks of stores, restaurants and bars. One place I had not dined yet was Capriccio so I rallied my two foodies, Dana and Darla for a visit. Inside the corner restaurant it has a lot of local art on its brick laid walls, which made for a lot of visual interest. 

We were starving so torn into the bread the second it was set on the table. The olive oil and basalmic was lovely. We ate more than we should have.

When Dana and I heard the "Soup of the Day" was lobster bisque we got a little excited and ordered it. The bowl was a large one and I instantly knew I over ordered but didn't care at all. The soup was nice and I used the remaining bread as a vehicle to get more of the creamy bisque inside of me. I forced myself to stop eating so I would have room for my entree.

Darla was a good little eater and ordered the Walnut Salad with addition of chicken. It is complete with field greens, roasted pears, candied walnuts and blue cheese. That is my kind of salad! If I was craving lettuce that day, I would have followed her lead!

There was a special of Salmon Almondine served with a Vegetable Risotto and I jumped on that train. I love the trout version so I decided the salmon must be just as delicious. The fish was cooked perfectly and the almond coating was nice. However, I do wish it was served with some kind of sauce. The thick piece of fish and nuts made for a dry bite if you did not include the risotto in each forkful. The risotto itself was nice but the large chunks of al dente vegetables distracted me. I think the pieces should be served smaller and cooked to resemble the rice, soft and creamy.

It was a nice meal, totally comfortable atmosphere and service on point. A great place to stop in for lunch. If you are lucky enough to snag a table outside you will be entertained by the people watching!

City Bowl Express - Ventura, CA

My girlfriend's were in Ventura doing girlie, fun things so they called me to meet them after I was finished up with the horses. After my chores were done I slapped on some make-up, pulled on the sportiest clothes I had hanging in my closet and bee lined for Ventura. Yee-haw!

Next to the nail salon the girls were in there was a place called City Bowl Express that sold fast food Chinese. I was curious if they possibly served Boba Teas and to my delight they did! Score! What is a Boba Tea you ask? "Boba" are large, chewy tapioca pearls that rest at the bottom on the drink. You are given a large straw to slurp up the boba and drink at the same time. It is weird but really cool all at the same time.  

While they made my Boba drink I looked over the day's selection of Chinese Food. Nothing caught my eye...

But my outfit did! I was surprised I put this fun look together so quickly! The restaurant had a wall of mirrors so selfies were totally easy!  

 And here is my Boba! I ordered the Strawberry and it came out like a smoothie with the boba on the bottom. The drink itself was very refreshing as it was hot in Ojai and I did not drink near enough water.  The boba were plentiful and required lots of chewy mid drink. I thought it was fun for about 5 minutes and then the novelty wore off! Ah well, it was fun while it lasted!

Victoria Pub - Ventura, CA

I love a good food adventure so when my friends called me to meet up for lunch for Ventura I was all in. Victoria's Pub was a place I think Scott and I walked into one time a long, long time ago but never stayed for eats of a drink. I recognized the place right away as I walked in.

I met up with Lisa and Dana as they were already waiting for me to join them. They were probably starving and wanted me to hurry up! 

 I love a place that has Fish and Chips on the menu but I just absolutely ADORE a place that has an option to upgrade to halibut from cod. What a treat! The fish was fried perfectly and the huge fries were creamy delicious. 

The Victoria Pub is an excellent place to watch a game, meet for friends or just grab a good meal. I like the feeling of the cool, dark pub as it is mostly all hardwood. It made me feel like I could possibly in Ireland or England. It has that far away feel.

Gosh, I am obsessed with finding the World's Best Fish and Chips...

Mar Meadows - Channel Islands, CA

Up way before the sun, I anxiously got dressed and threw on my favorite suit. Today was the day I was going to get to go to the Channel Islands! Technically, we were going to Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the collection of islands. It is 22 miles long and 6 miles wide. Full of caves, beach and volcanic rock! Also home to some really cool surf spots...

My Captain!

My view of the sun rising up over the Pacific Ocean, so beautiful! The ride from the Ventura Harbor to the islands in our little C-Dory is about an hour and a half. The ride out of easy, maybe a bit chilly but nothing more than a sweat shirt and sweat pants could not handle.

We have arrived! We anchored the boat at Mar Meadows, a surf spot that is known for it's easy riding wave. We anchored in front of the wave break so I couldn't grab any cool surf action shots.

I loved the cool foggy photos because it was such a neat place. I felt like I was in a different part of the world. When you are at the Channel Islands you feel so far out of touch, yet you truly are not that far away at all. 

The crest of a wave that Scott was probably surfing on!

I had a pretty cool suit to rock while at the islands and splash around on my foam board but to be perfectly honest, it was pretty chilly! The suit is made by Seea, a super cool suit company. I opted to stay snuggled up on the boat and try to read my new book...

I got through the first chapter nodded off and seriously napped. This was the first day nap that I have taken in a long, long time. I woke up feeling totally refreshed and happy. Boat naps are the best!

The boys came back on the boat and I served up sandwiches that I had made the night before and put in the cooler. Milton's bread, swiss cheese, turkey, avocado, tomato and sprouts were the perfect fuel for the two surfers.

Vanilla Cream Soda's are my new favorite thing. So I supplied these to wash down the sandwiches. If you have not tried them yet please do!

I cannot express how relaxing, breath taking and just how special my day was. It was just a short little half day trip but it felt like I went around the world. I feel blessed to have experienced the joy of the channel islands, hopefully with more adventures to come!