Category Archives: Ventura County

by | May 29, 2009 · 7:36 pm

Our Own Little Kitchen Nightmare.

by Brian

Mikey and I started this blog mostly because we were bored and unemployed.  Now we’re neither.  In the interim we’ve managed to eat some good food, some not so good food, and meet a ton of really cool people.

Thanks to one of our readers, Michelle of ThePeevery.com, we might even get our 15 minutes of fame.  You see, Michelle is an avid yelper and is just generally pissed off about a lot of things (probably because she’s about to pop out a kid any day now).  One of the things that really got her going was her experience at Mama Rita’s in Newbury Park and the producers of a certain Gordon Ramsey fronted show found her review and invited her to come to Mama Rita’s Grand Re-opening.  She was gracious enough to invite Mikey and myself to the fun and it was all down hill from there.  Continue reading →

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by | May 24, 2009 · 7:27 pm

Simi Cajun Festival ’09 – Gator Does Not Taste Like Chicken

by Brian

I’ve been looking forward to this day for quite a while.  The Oxnard Strawberry Festival was just a warm up.

The Simi Valley Cajun Festival is easily the best thing going on in Simi all year.  I love spicy food, I love peoplewatching, I love exotic meats served on sticks.  Therefore, this is as close as I’m ever going to get to heaven.  Plus it’s in Simi.

Simi Valley Cajun, Creole Music Festival – Rancho Santa Susana park near Sterns St. in Simi Valley

I’ve been to this festival before, but I never realized it was a music festival.  I guess the multiple stages should have tipped me off, but they didn’t.  I think what finally did the trick was this guy:

Jimi Hendrix cover bands are awesome!

Jimi Hendrix cover bands are awesome!

But for me, it’s always been about the food.  I am a fan of all things Cajun: hot links, jambalaya, crawfish, gumbo and after trying it for the first time, gator on a stick. Continue reading →

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by | May 21, 2009 · 8:44 pm

Healthy Fish Tacos and Not So Healthy Desserts

by Brian

I can’t let Mikey be the fish taco guy for the site.  I just can’t.  Not when I’ve only just begun to have an appreciation for them.  So in response to Mikey’s fish taco ecstacy at Spencer Makenzie’s, I decided to take on a healthier fish taco in a quaint little mexican place in Westlake Village.

The Sea Casa

The Sea Casa – Corner of Westlake and Agoura Rd. Westlake Village

I had seen this place quite a few times, but resisted going in because there are so many great mexican food options around.  It wasn’t until a friend told me they had the best shrimp tacos that I really took an interest. Continue reading →

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by | May 20, 2009 · 8:21 pm

Westlake Jack’s Makes a Mean Monte Cristo

by Brian

Jack’s Deli in Westlake has been around for quite a while, but I’d never been there.  I’d only heard the mixed review from friends and acquaintances.  At least until last week, when I had two reliable sources tell me that Jack’s has two things that I love, good breakfast and a nice Monte Cristo.

For those of you who don’t know, the Monte Cristo is the king of sandwiches.  You might have thought pastrami would have the crown, or perhaps the philly cheesesteak, or anything not from subway.  But you’d be wrong.  The Monte Cristo is a triple-decker ham, turkey and swiss sandwich, which is dipped in egg batter, fried a golden brown that would make Scrooge McDuck blush, lovingly dusted in powdered sugar and served with a side of raspberry jam.  In essence, it is breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert all rolled into one.

Worth the heart attack? You betcha!

Worth the heart attack? Um, Hell Yes!

Continue reading →

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by | May 18, 2009 · 3:59 pm

Pulled Pork = Tri Tip?

by Mikey

A new bbq joint opened up not too far from me, so you know I had to check it out.  Plus, the place has my name stamped on it, so I had to find out if it was worthy to be a part of the Mike empire.  I’m on the fence with this one folks.  This place kinda left me confused, bewildered, and just a touch bamboozled.

Big Mike’s Smokehouse – In Ventura on Telephone Road near Saticoy

0518091431

Continue reading →

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by | May 17, 2009 · 8:05 pm

‘Nardfest ’09 aka. California Strawberry Festival

by Brian

Did you know that there are like 80 billion festivals in California every year?  Enough festivals to have one per person, per day, for about a century.  But what makes the California Strawberry Festival so special that EatMeCalifornia would do a whole post on it?  Not much, really.  Mikey and I just needed to get out.  Plus, I was upset that Mikey didn’t take me antiquing on the way home from SF last weekend.

California Strawberry Festival – In an undisclosed location near the University of Oxnard (Oxnard College)

(not as gay as it seems, yet still relatively gay)

(not as gay as it seems, yet still relatively gay)

As always, when considering an event Mikey and I ask one small but crucial question.  Will there be booze?  The answer in this case is a resounding YES.  They had strawberry beer, (which was quite nice) strawberry margaritas, strawberry wine, strawberry champagne and a whole lot of other stuff.  I would tell you about all of it, but I don’t wanna sound like that retard from Forrest Gump.  That guy was retarded, right?

Anyway… Booze?  Check.  Food?  Oh hells yeah!  Here are a couple of the delicacies that we sampled on this fine Oxnardian day: Continue reading →

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by | May 15, 2009 · 8:49 pm

Fiamme Puts A Fresh Spin On Italian

by Brian

What do you get when you mix classic Italian cuisine with a little bit of home-grown Cajun?  The answer is Fiamme.  This new addition to the Thousand Oaks dining scene went in where the old Alessio went out.  In essence the menu has remained Italian, but the prices are better and the owners, Jerry and Liz, have added a little of bit of Cajun fun and flavor to the dining experience.

Fiamme Restaurant and Bar – On Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks

There’s something to be said for eating in a beautiful setting.  This restaurant is richly appointed and comfortable.  The red hues and wrought iron, soft chairs and softer light make it a place befitting a fine Italian restaurant.  As far as looks go, this place can compete with anywhere I’ve been in Ventura County, or anywhere else for that matter. Continue reading →

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