Tia Babe's - Santa Paula, CA

Tia Babe's! I have been wanting to eat here for about 6 months. It has either been closed or I am too busy to stop, every time I have a hankering. So here we go!

Spicy salsa! When I asked for a more mild one, they didn't have any. Wowza!

Super tasty Cadillac Margaritas... yummy. I wish I had one right now!

Two Cheese Enchiladas with the most tasty sauce I have had in a long time. I am a Sauce Girl, if you don't have the best sauce don't even try selling me on your stuff. The rice and beans did the job but that sauce... Score.

Two Beef Tacos for the Mr. They too were tasty morsels of goodness.

I must say, Tia Babe's did the job and did it well. Thank you for giving Melissa Good Taste another place to sink her Mexican food cravings into.

Tia Babe's - Santa Paula, CA

Tia Babe's! I have been wanting to eat here for about 6 months. It has either been closed or I am too busy to stop, every time I have a hankering. So here we go!

Spicy salsa! When I asked for a more mild one, they didn't have any. Wowza!

Super tasty Cadillac Margaritas... yummy. I wish I had one right now!

Two Cheese Enchiladas with the most tasty sauce I have had in a long time. I am a Sauce Girl, if you don't have the best sauce don't even try selling me on your stuff. The rice and beans did the job but that sauce... Score.

Two Beef Tacos for the Mr. They too were tasty morsels of goodness.

I must say, Tia Babe's did the job and did it well. Thank you for giving Melissa Good Taste another place to sink her Mexican food cravings into.

Vito's New York Trattoria - San Jose, CA

I flew to Nor-Cal for a visit and I ate some pretty delicious food. Tapas, Sushi and this...

Seafood Risotto...

And Pan Roasted Tilapia...

My Mom and I were in a rush but I will be back to do a proper review of this place. The food was THAT good! If your ever by the San Jose Airport give this place a look, it is just off of Skyport Drive.

McPhee's Grill - Templeton, CA

The last time I went to McPhee's I was just a wee one showing at the Templeton Sales Yard in the junior Buckaroo. So that was quite some time ago and decided this trip to Paso would be a nice time to re-visit.

Some bites to enjoy before dinner. They serve olive oil with their bread, I asked for butter.

The Mushroom Soup to start. It looks beautiful right? It tasted just fine and served as a nice compliment to my buttered bread.

That is a whole lot of action on one plate! The Mahi Mahi crusted with macadamia, Asian slaw, cucumber salad and wasabi mashed potatoes. The sauce was a terrific ginger sesame. I ate and ate until there was nothing left on the plate!

Both Cowboy Ron and Scott got steaks and declared them just so so. Nothing that should be written home about.

But this, this is something I want to bathe in daily. Hello Creme Brule. Best I have had in a long time. I pretty much polished this one off myself!

If you are looking for a more contemporary dining experience come here. Looking for steaks? Maybe head down the road. That was my experience. What was yours?

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!

Jonathan's - Ventura, CA

Jonathan's at Pierano's Grocery features food found all over the Mediterranean. They have an extensive tapas menu that even found me, a little foodie totally intrigued!

How about Filet Mignon Hummus? Yes, you heard right. The meat was totally juicy, salsa spicy and the hummus cooling. Perfect combination.

When I saw Portuguese Crab Bisque on the menu I could not pass it up. it was delicious. Real crab meat and very generous portions too. This is a must order.

Already pretty full from my previous eats, I went with the Spanakopita. Two deep fried deliciously spinach filled pillows! The feta was served on the side for a perfect forkful in every bite.

Now for the star of the evening: The Vegetable Paella. Filled to the brim with peppers, chokes, mushrooms, zucchini and olives. The rice was cooked just right and the portion was enough for two! A dent was barely made into this one. Thank goodness for left overs.

I believe another trip to Jonathan's will be in the works. We have to make our way through the Tapas menu!

Far Western Tavern - Guadalupe, CA

The Far Western Tavern remains popular with local cowboys and farmers, but now also appeals to the Santa Maria Valleys growing number of tourists, wine enthusiasts and foodies!

The soup of the day was Beef Vegetable and it was full of really tasty morsels. The best part was the rich broth, almost concentrated.

Hello Deluxe Steak Sandwich. The meat was like butter, so tender and perfectly cooking to a medium rare. The onion rings were asked to be well done and so they were - so much so one burnt my tongue!

The Original. It hasn't changed in decades. An oldie but a goodie.

The Far Western Tavern is moving! Plug Orcutt in your GPS for your next Far Western Experience. I know I will!

Novo - San Luis Obispo, CA

Novo is a cool restaurant located in Downtown San Luis Obispo. Their outdoor seating backs up against the creek that runs through town. The hostess ever so pleasantly sat us in the best seat in the house! And a martini perhaps? Yes, please. Raspberry and Blueberry.

The Salmon bisque that got rave reviews on Yelp. I loved it very much. They served a lot of salmon in it so I didn't want to fill up on it. Next course please!

Caesar Salad served with a little originality. Knife and fork needed!

The Grilled Bone-In Ribeye. A lot of meat! This was the carnivore's special. served along side roasted potatoes and vegetables. This was a lot of food!

My meal was the special of the night - Mahi. It was so delicious. The cauliflower puree was also scrumptious. I cleaned up my plate to the best of my ability. I was so full.

All in all, it was a beautiful evening. Great weather, cool ambiance and an adventurous menu. I would go back.