RoobiFood

Sometimes when spending time in Ojai, I feel as if I’ve stepped into the enchanted valley where Brigadoon was nestled. Ojai Valley is a jewel box filled with gems such as lavender fields, orange and lemon groves, music under the stars and pink moments off the Topa Topa mountains. The people are warm and friendly. The charming town offers fine dining and great shops, all with an artistic flair. But the dazzling, many-faceted diamond amid all these jewels is the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, an oasis of heavenly beauty and earthly delights.

Recently I shared a birthday with President Obama, and my husband planned a romantic getaway at the Inn. The Inn itself is a stunning reflection of California’s Spanish mission heritage. Our elegant room had a dark wood four-poster covered with lush linens and pillows, a stucco fireplace and luxurious fabrics in yellows and blues. Our large balcony overlooked the Inn’s manicured, 18-hole golf course. A cheese platter with fresh crusty bread and fruit was waiting for us.

After cocktails in the Inn’s pub, we dined under a vine-covered trellis on the terrace of the Inn’s Oak Grill restaurant. Our table faced the Topa Topas and, as we sipped our Cambria chardonnay, we were treated to a fleeting pink moment. For those glorious few seconds, the mountains turned a lovely shade of rose before they subtly turned blue-gray as the sun faded behind the horizon.

Executive chef Jamie West’s menu is comprised of ‘starters’ that are interesting blends of California cuisine and old favorites, from ahi tuna tartar with avocado, crispy wonton and a ginger soy dressing to chilled jumbo shrimp cocktail. His entrees are ‘grill’ favorites with a twist, and range from USDA prime NY steak with mushroom bread pudding, grilled asparagus and a cabernet sauce to oven roasted natural chicken breast with mushroom barley risotto, swiss chard and cider bourbon glaze.

I started with a chilled cantaloupe, mint, pineapple blended soup with lavender infused honey, bits of pineapple and a dollop of crème fraiche. A taste of liquid ‘sherbet’ to tease the palette. My husband chose the farmer’s market salad of greens with Granny Smith apples, candied walnuts, goat cheese, pickled red onions and apple cider vinaigrette. A tangy and fresh combination of tastes and textures.

The sky was dark and the terrace lights glowed, as did the candle on our table when our entrees arrived. Because I had been dreaming of lobster, I chose for my main course the butter-poached Maine lobster tail on a bed of lobster risotto, crisp pork belly and savory cabbage. This was so delicious that lobster and risotto now fill my culinary dreams.

My husband decided to switch his wine choice to a Melville pinot noir when he chose the natural Kurobuto pork loin with a port wine reduction for his entrée. The pork, seared on the grill, came with garlic mashed potatoes, red cabbage and gala apple chutney. When I tasted the dish, I decided I could just pour the port wine sauce in a glass and sip it like, uh, port. Pork Port – the new after dinner ‘aperitif.’

To finish the meal, we shared the crème brulee with that Oak Grill “twist”… a cookie underneath and a bit of cinnamon gelato on top. Delicious.

Back in our room and before crawling into that big four-poster, we curled up on the cushioned bench on our outdoor patio and gazed at the stars. The perfect end to a perfect birthday. Complete with a Brigadoon moon.

ilona

“My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings”
www.myspace.com/othermusings

Ojai is a charming village east of the coastal town of Santa Barbara, California.  Located in the high desert, it’s famous for its “pink moments.” That’s what the natives call the phenomena that occur when the sun sets against the Topa Topa mountains, turning the sky pink.  Ojai is also famous for its theater and arts community, lavender festival and the exquisite Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, a Spanish style inn and resort complete with a picture perfect 18 hole golf course.

I know all this because my husband and I have spent some wonderful sleepovers with friends who moved to Ojai, leaving behind the smog and stress of “Los Angeles freeway” living.   On this trip, however, we were going to try a relatively new and popular Ojai restaurant, “Feast Bistro”… a restaurant with a menu designed by Chef Susan Coulter using locally grown produce and seasonal ingredients. 

Located on the main street in the village’s historic arcade, the restaurant has a simple and comfortable décor with its open air kitchen, wine/expresso bar, front and back cozy dining rooms and a back outdoor patio.  We were warmly greeted by co-owner, Beryl Schwartz (a former carpenter who always wanted to own a restaurant – how cool is that?!) who led us to our table for five set up in the back room.

We sipped a lovely Casa Barranca 2007 pinot noir from local vintner Bill Moses as we dug into our first courses.  The caesar salad was creamy with just the right amount of garlic.  The “steamers”- mussels and clams in a light garlic cream sauce were ‘divine’ – though, as a Long Island girl, steamed littleneck clams don’t quite measure up to the soft shell clam steamers you get up and down the coast of the northeast.  The only real disappointment was the “Pizza Pizza,” an artichoke, Canadian bacon, mozzarella pizza with red onion.  The crust was uninspired and the topping was bland.  But, then, this is a “bistro” not a pizza parlor and the steamers and salad made up for it.

Our entrees (none of which was a disappointment) consisted of a robust cannellini bean soup; a medium rare, flat iron steak with a classic pepper cream sauce cooked to perfection; a delicious seared duck breast with a sweet and sour sauce; slow braised pork that fell off the bone with fresh herbs and root vegetables; and the catch of the day – a seared ahi tuna with black beans, rice and chili, topped with guacamole made from the avocados of the chef’s own tree.  As our friend said as he tasted a mouthful of this fish combination… “It doesn’t seem as if all these tastes should go together, but this is the best ahi tuna I’ve ever had.”  ‘Nuf said. 

There are three desserts listed on the menu:  Jeri’s Citrus Olive Oil Cake, “Chocolate Chocolate;” and homemade cookies.  We opted for two.  I’m not a sweet eater, but Jeri’s citrus olive oil cake was amazing.  Light, not oily.  Sweet, but not sweet.  I don’t know who Jeri is, but I want to thank her for this amazing cake.  We also ordered the “Chocolate Chocolate” a concoction that the menu describes as “a journey through chocolate heaven.”  It was.  I’m sorry now we didn’t try the cookies. 

As we left the restaurant and headed back to our friends’ house sated and happy, I decided that Feast Bistro is definitely a restaurant that needs frequent visiting. 

www.feastofojai.com

“My Dinners With Richard & Other Musings”
www.myspace.com/othermusings