gutfud – the food, es ist gut » 2008

Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant

It has the feel of a family-style restaurant, and I thought the themed dining rooms were fun. We were seated in the Venetian room, with murals of a canal scene complete with hungry pigeons. Other rooms had a Roman them, Florentine, and Sicilian. I want the Sicily room next time. All these rooms spin off [...]

La Carreta

I’ve driven by la Carreta for countless years and never stopped in. I finally did this week and it was not at all what I was expecting. It was smaller thanI thought and had real linens on the tables, even cloth napkins. Both pluses. Why do they cover their windows so that nobody can see [...]

Tupelo Junction Cafe

A friend of mine once asked me: what’s the difference between a regular breakfast and a really good breakfast? The answer: about 5 bucks. That’s right. For an extra five dollars, you can move from ordinary breakfast to extraordinary. Take that, Law of Diminishing Returns! The question about good breakfasts came about because of Tupelo [...]

JJ Brewsky’s Restaurant and Bar

There aren’t too many choices for good food in Old Town Camarillo (if there are, please send me a PM and let me know), JJ Brewsky’s was recommended as one of the few. What I like about the place is the big open space, it’s a welcoming sight in this part of town that’s been [...]

California Pizza Kitchen

Is CPK trying to be fancy destination dining, or mainstream chain food? Their locations in shopping malls, their mass marketing, their uniform service all indicate mainstream chain food. But their prices say fancy dining. Something is not right. Single pizzas and salads are in the range of $12 each. When the restaurant is set next [...]

Cold Spring Tavern

THE hangout for the biker communities that live in these hills, this is their bar on the weekends. Be grateful they haven’t lost their patience with all the tourists and DINKs poking their noses in and getting their little cars stuck in the mud. I’m not a biker, but I’d be ready to beat up [...]

Bella Vista – Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel

I didn’t stay at the hotel, I only ate at the cafe. I had the most amazing profiteroles ever. Not just choux pastry, ice cream and chocolate sauce, but profiteroles that were a work of art. I think there was gold leaf involved. Four little pastries each with a different ice cream, and a warm [...]

Renaud’s Patisserie and Bistro

Renaud’s has recently opened in Loretto Plaza, next door to Harry’s Plaza Cafe. It is a French style bakery and bistro with a warm neighborhood feel. In the morning it smells of a busy warm oven. I got an almond croissant straight off the baking sheet that was sweet, crisp and flaky. The plain croissant [...]

Square One (closed)

Everyone in my dinner party agreed – the meal we had here at Square One was one of the best we’ve had this past year. The place is owned by the chef and head waitress who put their heart and soul into the creative dishes. A year ago I ate here and was very disappointed [...]

Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant

Blah blah, mother’s Chinese and no restaurant Chinese is better than her’s, blah blah. That said, I dined here with her recently, at her request, and came away pleasantly surprised. We even ordered off the standard menu. Here’s the trick – DON’T get the stuff you recognize because all that “kung pao chicken” and “moo [...]

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