Food Photo Adventure

Marble Slab Ventura Out of Business

2013-01-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

I'm sad to report that one of my favorite dessert spots for ice cream, Marble Slab in Ventura, is closed and out of business.

Marble Slab Ventura Closed

I've searched but can not find any news of this or explanation of why. It seems they were staying busy enough to keep the doors open, but perhaps not. I can confirm that a search of the corporate Marble Slab website for a location near that zip returns a response that says there are no locations within 50 miles of that zip code. Alas, this is also true as both the Oxnard and Thousand Oaks locations of Marble Slab have shut their doors too.

If you know why they went out of business, please leave a comment.

Mango Lassi Picture - Ventura Indian Restaurant

2012-12-14T14:11:00.001-08:00

Lassi Stock Photo (Mango Lassi Stock Photo) courtesy AeronauticPictures.com

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Maharaja Cuisine of India in Ventura, California, to prepare one of my Ventura Restaurant Reviews. While the review is in the works (and please follow me here, on Twitter and Facebook so you don't miss it), I thought I'd share this wonderful bit of foodporn captured while I was so hard at work sampling the food and hospitality.

The picture is of a delicious and refreshing Mango Lassi served by the staff at Maharaja Cuisine of India, complementary, after one of my meals. It was rather yummy and a nice surprise.

Car Accident 101 NB At Telephone 12-6-2012

2012-12-06T23:11:00.001-08:00

There was a nasty multi vehicle car crash on the Northbound 101 Freeway in Ventura, California, between Victoria Avenue and Telephone Road at approximately 10 pm, 6 December 2012.

Car Accident on Northbound 101 in Ventura 6 December 2012
(c) 2012 All Rights Reserved

Forgive the fuzzy, blurry images, but the news photos were shot without the benefit of a tripod in a moving car.

From the looks of the devastation, a passenger van and at least one car collided with each other and possibly the guard rail close to the slow lane. A big rig truck was also pulled over farther down the freeway perhaps indicating either involvement or an effort to stop and help.

There were multiple fire trucks, CHP cars and ambulances on the scene. At least one victim was visible being removed from the back of the van on a gurney.

Here is hoping there were no fatalities and all make a speedy recovery.

Kirin & Sushi Anyone? (picture)

2012-09-18T12:21:00.001-07:00

A cute neon sign seen at a local Japanese restaurant that specializes in sushi, soba, udon, and delicious soup, along with, apparently, Kirin beer.

How to Taste Coffee [video]

2012-08-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

In other words, how to conduct and describe a coffee tasting - like a wine tasting. Take a moment to listen to this excellent audio piece with lovely accompanying black and white photos from NPR.

The story was captured at Baltimore's Artifact Coffee. The gist of the piece is that there is a new trend in Foodie-land: Coffee Tastings in the same vein as classic wine tastings. All the snobby words are there to describe every conceivable quality and characteristic of coffee, from mouth feel to aroma. Not that this Foodie is complaining. I loves me my delicious coffee. :) Happy tasting!

Cooked Shrimp - Pictures of Food

2012-07-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Love seafood? Shrimp? Then this tasty food image should make your mouth water.

Fresh off the stove are the delicious golden nuggets of shrimp that make up the americana classic, the shrimp boil.

Bon appetit!

I've Seen More Appetizing Plating In A Full Diaper (Picture)

2011-12-19T11:46:00.001-08:00

What Greeted Me On Unwrapping an Original Tommy's Double Chili Cheeseburger in Ventura

The taste was not far behind... so to speak. My full restaurant review of Original Tommy's Ventura is coming soon.

Original Tommy's Open in Ventura!

2011-12-18T12:31:00.001-08:00

Holy cow! Original Tommy's has finally opened in Ventura. It sports a drive through window and a huge 800 square-foot patio as well as an ideal location just off the 101 Freeway near Victoria Avenue.

Look for it at 5663 Valentine Road. The burger joint famous for its car lube – like chili opened officially on December 15, 2011, at 10:30 AM, in the new Ventura location. By no means a new business, Original Tommy's was founded in 1946 by Tom Koulax.

Though closed on Christmas Day, original Tommy's Ventura will be open seven days a week and 24 hours a day for those needing their burger and chili fix.

Watch for our review of original Tommy's in Ventura as part of our Ventura Restaurants review coverage. Happy eating!

Urbane Café Ventura - Restaurant Reviews

2011-12-16T19:11:00.001-08:00

I stopped for lunch today at one of the most potentially interesting of Ventura restaurants: the Urbane Café over by Barnes & Noble. Yes that's Urbane with an E, not urban.

Urbane Cafe - Ventura Restaurants

The Urbane Café is interesting for a couple of reasons. First the menu is fairly reasonably priced. Next that same menu is full of seemingly delicious sounding items that also appear to be relatively healthy to consume.

While the place tries to give you the sense that it's a tiny local eating establishment, the truth is the Ventura Urbane Café is one of six locations, so far, in a rapidly growing restaurant chain.

I've eaten at the Ventura location several times over the past few years, with mixed results. I really want to like the place. I really do. Just listen to some of these sample items from their menu: Rosemary Chicken Sandwich - grilled rosemary chicken, roasted red bell pepper, provolone cheese, green leaf lettuce, and aioli sauce. Sounds good, yes?

How about this: the Californian Sandwich - artichoke hearts, avocado, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, jack cheese, green leaf lettuce, and herb mayonnaise. Yummy, right?

My favorite, which I had today, is the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich – cheddar, gorgonzola and pepper jack cheese, avocado, and a bit of tomatillo salsa.

Taste, texture and flavor wise, the sandwich was very good. It's also served each time with a small side salad. Today I got mine with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

That's a decent value for $6.99, without any beverage.

The biggest problem I have with this place is the uneven hospitality and service.

For example, today, after I ordered my sandwich, knowing that there was a salad on the side, since the order taker failed to ask me, I had to ask her what dressing options were available. I suppose if I hadn't raised the question, I simply would've been served the default.

A year or so ago, in the evening, after I place my order, I saw a food prep chef actually wipe his knife on a trash can rim and then continue to use the same knife to prepare meals.

Without any embarrassment at all, I canceled my order and asked for my money back. It was sometime before I gave them another chance. And only after talking to other people who had better experiences. A lesson to restaurant managers and employees everywhere: People do pay attention.

Stunning Berry Food Photography

2011-12-16T10:09:00.001-08:00

Food Stock Photo of Strawberries and Blueberries by Aeronautic Pictures - Used by Permission

A treat from Thanksgiving dinner. Gaze upon this sumptuous bowl of berries including strawberries and blueberries. A colorful, healthy, delicious side dish.

Heirloom Tomato aka Heritage Tomato - Bagel & Cream Cheese Picture

2011-11-21T11:26:00.001-08:00

Oh, Ashkenazi Jewish Soul Food nirvana! The only things missing were Lox, red onions and capers. Next time. In this picture of food - delicious food, we have a garden fresh heirloom tomato, something the British call a heritage tomato I've learned, sliced atop a bagel spread with cream cheese.

Food stock photo courtesy AeronauticPictures.com - used with permission.

This delightful combination makes for a great breakfast, brunch or lunch side dish, or with the Lox and friends included, the centerpiece of a meal.

Food Photo - Vintage Diner With A Twist

2011-11-18T13:58:00.001-08:00

Check out this cool new food photo shot in a classic vintage style capturing the moments before meal delivery at an American Diner or cafe table.

From Cheap Photos collection at AeronauticPictures.com - used with permission.

Note that the water glass is not so vintage - it is a biodegradable variety that can be tossed out without recycling.

Anacapa Brew Pub Ventura Serves Bones In Salmon Burger

2011-08-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

I'm truly appalled at my recent dining experience at Ventura's Anacapa Brew Pub. Perhaps I should not be too surprised as most of my prior experiences there have left me with the distinct impression that everyone who works there, from the owner to the waiters, feels that they are doing me a favor just letting me in the door.

One caveat: I've only seen the owner once and that was years ago. There could be new owners by now or it could be the same small man with small customer service values.

On this recent visit, a companion and myself met up at the Anacapa Brew Pub in downtown Ventura for a little business meeting.

Tip: Park in the free parking structure and walk over. The City Council members who voted for the parking meters in Ventura should be roasted on spits.

I'm used to the Anacapa Brew Pub kitchen staff "phoning it in" as closing time approaches but this night was a real, inexcusable disaster. A disaster only made worse by the actions of our waitress no doubt informed by policies set by the owner… Mr. Warmth as described above.

So what happened? Yah, I know, get to the point. Well my companion ordered a salmon burger. Not once, but twice, he found, and showed me, bones exceeding an inch in length. How did he find them? By munching down in large bites, exactly how one eats a burger or other sandwich when hungry. The first one was on its way down his throat when he caught it, and coughed it back up. That could have done some very serious harm to him.

Hidden bones in a burger? Are you kidding? What was the kitchen, chef, anyone thinking in there?

When the waitress was told of the problem she quickly (to her credit) apologized and asked if he wanted something else to eat.

But here is the insult to injury. When the bill came, nothing was comped. Not our meal. Not his meal. Nothing. Those greedy SOB's nearly injured him or worse and they had the unmitigated nerve to charge him (us) full price for the privilege.

Are you looking for a nice pub like place to dine in downtown Ventura? Try Dargan's at the corner of Main and California. Every time I've been in there the food and beverages were good, the staff friendly, and one of the owner's has come by the table to be sure my party was happy.

And that is how it should be my dear reader, as it should be.

PS. Sorry there are no pictures of food this time.

Hass Avocado Food Stock Photos

2011-08-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

Avocado Food Stock Photos
Courtesy AeronauticPictures.com

Yum, Avocados. I love a fresh, ripe avocado. Don't you? There are many ways to enjoy an avocado, but for me, and many other folks, Guacamole is the avocado food of choice.

Fun fact: See the familiar "mole" in Guacamole? Well, you may recognize Mole as Spanish for sauce. The word Guacamole is derived from a word in Aztec that translates, more or less, to avocado sauce. According to Wikipedia, at least.

But don't stop with Guacamole when you think avocado.

I love to spread avocado on fresh whole wheat bread along with a slice (or two) of good mozzarella cheese and ripe heirloom tomato for a hearty, healthy and delicious sandwich.

Avocado Nutrition Facts

People use avocados all kinds of crazy ways, including in elegant mixed drinks. However, it is common (and yummy sounding to me) in Asia to use the savory avocado in milkshakes and ice cream and other sweet deserts.

Slices of raw avocado are also popular in salads, incorporated in sushi and as a substitute for meats in some vegetarian recipes.

Hass Avocado Food Stock Photos
Courtesy AeronauticPictures.com

While I encourage you to enjoy avocados, please do keep an eye on their nutritional facts. While the flesh is full of good things that can help with your cholesterol (see your own doctor for advice) and keep your coat shiny, they are pretty high in calories so watch those numbers.

The amount of calories, even though it is from a pretty healthy source, per avocado, is 250. Take a good look at the avocado nutritional facts graphic. There are five (5) servings per avocado! And fifty (50) calories per serving.

More Hass Avocado Facts*:

Hass Avocados were patented on August 27, 1935, by Rudolph Hass, U.S. Plant Patent No. 139. They are one of the most common types of avocado and they are grown in California, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand and The Dominican Republic.
To identify a Hass Avocado look for an oval shape, a bumpy, pebbled textured skin and dark green to purple-black color when ripe.

Avocados offer nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 6% folate, 8% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.
Avocados may act as a "nutrient booster" by helping to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene as well as lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.
Avocados are a good way to get more lutein in the diet. An ounce of avocado contains 81 micrograms of lutein. Lutein has been shown to be concentrated in the Macula of the eye, and research suggests that it may help maintain healthy eyesight as we age.

*According to the Hass Avocado Board, an industry trade group.

So do enjoy avocados but do so keeping all the facts in mind.

Enjoy this Guacamole Recipe Video:

In-N-Out Burger Ventura Review

2011-07-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

In-N-Out Burger Animal Fries Double-Double & Burger

Ate at the In-N-Out Burger Ventura today - a Saturday at noon in July. Yah, it was going to be busy. Sitting at the rather slimy booth people watching was a bit like being ringside gazing on a slice of Americana - at least the West Coast edition. That's always interesting.

But the dining room / seating area was pretty filthy when we arrived. Tables, chairs, floor, the whole thing. Another pet peeve of mine is watching staff wipe a table down with just a damp cloth - spreading God Knows What from the prior surface to yours - and simply spreading whatever was on your surface around - not really cleaning it at all. We asked for a clean up and got the smear. Ick.

The floor was sticky too. Never a nice sound or feeling.

Yes, I know it was a busy time. So, your point? How a restaurant, burger joint or food truck does when it is busy is the real measure of the chef and kitchen management team - not how they do when it is slow.

As usual at In-N-Out, the young staff was friendly, helpful and professional. I've rarely encountered any jerks at any In-N-Out. The company really deserves commendation for the way they hire and train what is nearly always a very young group of servers and cashiers.

Our Animal Fries were fresh and hot but there was a giant lump of essentially unmelted cheese in the middle. That was a miss for sure. I had a Double-Double which looked pretty good, was hot, and rather tasty, but unfortunately was sporting a gargantuan pile of unmanageable lettuce. As I was eating this became an unruly green missile that headed for the sidelines. Sloppy and rushed work on the cooking line in the kitchen folks.

My companion had a standard burger with grilled onions and that seemed to be prepared properly.

Pros: Nice attentive staff, predictably decent food and value for the money
Cons: Really dirty dining room; sticky floor

Trader Joe's Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt Review

2011-07-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Trader Joe's Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt Review

I just tucked in to an 8 ounce container of Trader Joe's Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt. I bought it because I like Yogurt, and having had this flavor before, I liked it too. Man does Trader Joe's have a gift for messing up a good thing.

While most of the employees are happy, smart and really helpful people projecting this Utopian image of good old Trader Joe's, my sense is behind the scenes at corporate HQ either "Joe" is being held captive while his company is being slowly destroyed or there is a clearly defined plan to very gradually squeeze every penny from the good will the brand enjoys while hoping nobody in the buying public notices. Well I have been noticing for some time. And it sucks.

The store employees are still great. No doubt about that. But Trader Joe's corporate, or TJ's as it is popularly known, really sucks donkey doo doo. I can cite product after product that has either been brought "in-house" under TJ's private label when a commercial brand was successful, only to have it ruined, or, decent house items run into the ground. Recently, in the case of the Trader Joe's Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt, a TJ's dairy staple is turning to garbage thanks to either cost constraints or zero quality control. What grates so much is the TJ's "Flyer" loves to tout how finicky the TJ's tasters and quality folks are supposed to be... bollocks to that. It is clearly all about the bottom line these days.

While I can't name names as it would harm good folks, the employees at my local TJ's have agreed with me (more than a few times - staff and management) that quality has been suffering terribly due to choices made by corporate management.

In the "instant case," the Trader Joe's Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt I just ate started off okay - a Greek-style yogurt that was creamy yet firm, not too sweet or tart. But then you take a bite of any of the so-called Apricot or Mango and the train flies, not falls, off the track. Geez. What the hell were those supposed to be? Not any Apricot or Mango I've ever eaten. As a child I've eaten fresher and tastier boogers.

I've struggled trying to find an analog for the texture and flavor of the bits of "fruit." They "give" more than cardboard and rubber pencil erasers but those qualities do come to mind. Seriously Trader Joe's, fix your Greek Style Apricot Mango Yogurt and the other products you've destroyed (Apple Blossoms come easily to mind). Despite your clever efforts to sell your story, it is very clear to me and doubtless many others that the Emperor Has No Clothes.

UPDATE: I've eaten the second container of this yogurt purchased at the same time as the one reviewed above. This one was devoid of any fruit whatsoever. None. Just the yogurt itself. If that does not speak to inconsistencies in the quality control process at Trader Joe's I don't know what does.

Did you like this review? Then please follow me on Twitter, like this story on Facebook, and like our Facebook fan page too. It is all right over there on the right side of this page. Thanks and happy eating!

Round Table Pizza Review - Ventura

2011-07-10T22:16:00.001-07:00

Came in after 9 pm on a Sunday night and found the place empty. There was just one table with three guests inside. At first there was only one employee visible in the back but one other showed eventually. Not a word was said to us by the dour "team member" standing by the register - greeting, boo, nothing, until we began to order. This is a pet peeve of mine - not being greeted.

As time past several other employees also showed, including one we thought, seriously, who was going to rob the place. Imagine our surprise when he was seen working in the kitchen.

In the interest of fairness the dour one was later helpful in offering us a to go box without being asked.

Our pizza was pan crust or deep dish. First impression was greasy. The crust was good but the sauce I felt tasted like it was out of a can. My companion said it tasted like DiGiorno, supermarket pizza, and eventually, that the sauce seemed like it was warm "Lunchables." I'd eat it again but at over $20 for the large I think there is better value out there.

Round Table Pizza Ventura
Pros: Seems clean, large menu, clean but tired bathroom, fresh looking salad bar
Cons: Price - expensive for what you get; sullen staff, greasy average pizza

Coffee Bean Review - Palermo Ventura - El Salvador Everest Co-op

2011-05-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Coffee Bean Review - El Salvadorian Everest Co-op

The Palermo Coffee Shop in Ventura, California, is well regarded for its blend of gourmet coffee and tea beverages, gelato, pastries and free Wi-Fi internet access. It also offers a hip yet not in your face atmosphere that feels comfortable and welcoming. During a recent visit I passed on a fancy hot or frozen blended coffee drink and instead decided to sample a coffee bean that was new to me.

The Service
While there are signs at the register and counter indicating where to order and where to pick-up, I stood for some time in front of pick-up counter, without ordering, and without any other customers in line, and neither of the two employees said anything to me. I'd have appreciated being asked if I had any questions, directing me to the register when I was ready to order, or simply a "hello." Instead I was just ignored.

After I decided to try the El Salvador Everest Co-op coffee beans, I paid for my purchase and was handed an empty cup. All straight coffee drinks are dispensed from a thermos by the customer. This does keep the coffee from burning in a hot urn and doubtless speeds the line during peak hours, but I found it a bit impersonal.

I should add that once I appeared at the order counter the staff was polite and friendly.

My taste in coffee runs to the non-acid-y, but robust and full of flavor. As you can see the El Salvador Everest Co-op was described as "medium bodied, easy drinking, and nutty." That sounded pretty good to me.

My daily coffee beans, for reference, are Trader Joe's Bolivian Organic Fair Trade blend. I find them full of robust flavor, mild yet rich and without bitter or acidic notes.

Coffee Beans Reviewed
Perhaps it was this one batch of El Salvadorian Everest, the way it was roasted, or perhaps it is just the way these beans taste, but I was disappointed. My cup of coffee tasted like barely flavored water. I'm neither kidding nor exaggerating. Perhaps it comes across in the photo? It was thin and flavorless. Yes, I use several tanker trucks full of cream. But that should yield really creamy full bodied coffee, not creamy brown water. And that is what the El Salvador Everest Co-op coffee beans tasted like, this time, to me.

Cheers!

Ventura Pizza Hut Review - Epic Tale of Errors

2011-05-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

Pizza Hut Coupon

Sometimes you just have to wonder how a business stays in business. Pizza Hut, and specifically the location near Ralston and Victoria in Ventura, California, are a case in point. Here is what happened. My companion and I had one of those Pizza Hut coupons and we planned to use it on our way home from a brief grocery shop.

She is the restaurant coupons guru, not me. Really. No, really. Tonight's mission (cue the music): A few essentials are purchased from Trader Joe's, after ordering a pizza on the way in those welcoming sliding glass doors, so it will be ready for a hot and tasty pick-up on the way home. Conceptually, this was going to be an even sweeter experience because we expected to save a cool $3.00 on our large pizza with the Pizza Hut coupon she found.

You win a ribbon if you've already guessed it did not go down that away.

Order placed? Check.
Trader Joe's shopped? Check
She enters Pizza Hut while I wait in the car. Moments later she emerges and tells me that they won't honor the coupon. The staff claims it does not apply to special priced pizza. They claim that the only price available on the signs in and around the store for a large three topping pizza is not a regular price, but a special price. No big deal she says and pays full price. She waits a moment in the car before heading back in because they also tell her that her pizza, ordered by phone, is not done yet.

Pizza Hut Prices In Store

Do you see anything on those signs about the price being special? Or does it appear to be the regular, everyday great price? Yah.

Back inside, she waits. And waits. And waits some more. Finally, she hears one of the staff say "oh" as they discover her pizza, ready all along, was sitting atop the delivery orders.

They call her over and slide the now-cold-pie in her direction without so much as a "sorry." She comes out to the car and tells me what transpired and back inside we go with her Pissed Off food blogger companion in tow this time. Me.

As an aside, while I'd been waiting for her, other employees - drivers (I saw them pull up with empty delivery bags) and inside staff hung out and horsed around in front of the doors to the store. Real professional. Not.

Once inside I ask to speak to the manager on duty. I go over the coupon issue and the frigid pizza. The manager incorrectly repeats the bogus information about the coupon not being valid as the current standard price for the three topping large pizza was somehow special. Yah, short yellow bus special.

As to the cold pizza and rude delivery, all the manager would offer was a credit for the price of the order, not back to the form of payment, but as an in-store-only (and that location-only) credit for a future purchase within 30 days. Thanks for nothing Pizza Hut.

We leave with that and a firm commitment to contact corporate. During that call they had a General Manager call us back. After some brief phone tag we reached someone who was seemingly: professional, courteous, helpful, and apparently genuinely sorry for our experience. We explained that we really did not want a credit at that location because we had no desire to go back in there and deal with those employees. He seemed to understand this and offered a refund and a future credit. Details were exchanged. He even provided some additional ways to contact him when we were ready to place a future order from another local Pizza Hut store so he could be sure to have the staff take good care of us. Frankly, I'm a little nervous about ordering with that much attention as the means, secretions and methods to "get back at us" on Pizza prepared out of sight are long and unpleasant to contemplate.

Unfortunately, he later called back (out of my earshot) and said that it would take a very long time for the credit to appear and would we accept another type of credit. My companion agreed. Only time will tell if the General Manager actually does make this whole mess right but from our contact with him it appears that at least they train their management well as he said the right thing the right way from the very start.

Think I'm just being a nit picky jerk? Go to Google maps and search for Pizza Hut Ventura. Then look at the ratings and reviews. The one I'm writing about here seems to have upset more folks than just me.

Don't let these first reviews and their thumbs down results let you think I'm just a complainer. I really look forward to bringing you tales of delicious food and wonderful staff illustrated by nice food pictures. And I will.

USDA Lowers Pork Cooking Temp To 145°F

2011-05-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

That's right, our pigs are safer. Or as some would have it (can you say Alton Brown), were safe all along. Well, safe enough to cook, when using whole pieces of meat (more on that in a moment), at only 145 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has lowered the recommended cooking temperature from 160 to 145 F.

But don't go hog wild just yet. The change does not apply to everything pig. Here is what the USDA has to say:

"This change does not apply to ground meats, including ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork, which should be cooked to 160 °F and do not require a rest time. The safe cooking temperature for all poultry products, including ground chicken and turkey, remains at 165 °F."

If you are a fan of the Food Network's Good Eats hosted by the ever smart Alton Brown you know that this is something he has been agitating for over the many seasons of his successful show. If I recall correctly, he claimed the modern American porker is a rather healthy and safe critter, without the risks of the trichinosis (caused by the parasite, Trichinella spiralis) associated with pigs past.

Thus, he reasoned, the high temp mandated (well, suggested for the home cook), was too high, unneeded and flavor/quality damaging. It looks like he was right all along. Kudos to you AB!

Even with these new numbers the USDA strongly urges consumers to use a "food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the meat, then allowing the meat to rest for three minutes before carving or consuming." But don't forget to rest the meat for three minutes says the USDA.

"A "rest time" is the amount of time the product remains at the final temperature, after it has been removed from a grill, oven, or other heat source. During the three minutes after meat is removed from the heat source, its temperature remains constant or continues to rise, which destroys pathogens."

Enjoy!

Hair In Food - A Ventura Restaurant Shows How Not To Handle It

2011-05-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, that really is a picture of hair in my food (bacon) in a Ventura restaurant

I just returned from eating breakfast / brunch at a Ventura restaurant I visit rather frequently. I'm not going to name names as I like the place and staff. That's also why I feel compelled to write this up. I expected better from them. Better? Better than what? Well to start with, my pancakes came with a side of bacon. And the bacon came with a side of hair.

Hair in your food. That's simply yecch. Disgusting. Nobody is perfect, especially me, but hair in your food speaks to a quality control problem in either the source ingredient (the bacon), how it is stored in the restaurant's kitchen, the chef or prep crew's hair control, or somewhere after it is plated and served to the guest.

No matter the source, I had a large and apparent dark hair (and not one of the curly ones, thank goodness), staring right back at me as the plate hit the table. The chef missed it. The server missed it. But I sure didn't. Not only did I spot it, I was able to take a photo or two before I called someone over, quietly, and brought it to their attention. No need to make a scene folks. And I did not.

Here is the real rub for me. I was there with another guest. This means our check had entrées for two, etc. Comping (taking the item off the check) the pancakes a la follicle is a no brainer and any eatery allowed to operate in Ventura or elsewhere that indoor plumbing is no longer a novelty would and should do that. And that is what this place did. Nothing more. Nothing less.

But any place I care to give another chance to, let alone one where the staff knows my name and where I've brought someone else along should comp the entire meal. That says, "We truly are sorry, we appreciate your business, please forgive this error, allow us to show you some other time that this is not how we operate."

Instead this place, with the knowledge of very senior staff, just phoned it in and did the barest of minimum efforts. And that, Ventura eaters and restaurateurs, is how not to handle that.

Wheatgrass Photos

2011-05-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

Wheatgrass

This is not exactly a new phenomena but sprouted foods like wheatgrass show little sign of dimming popularity. These two food photos were taken at a local farmer's market. They seem to capture the lush, healthy qualities of simple, raw and natural foods.

Wheatgrass Picture

Cabo Beach Grill Review - Ventura

2011-05-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'm going to launch this blog with a very quick and nearly third person review, more on that later, of the Cabo Beach Grill in Ventura. Third person review? Well, I went in there with someone who ate their food and I only sampled one item.

First Impressions
We went in mid-evening on a Friday night. The place was empty. I expected to see tumbleweeds blowing across the floor kinda empty. There was one other patron waiting for a to go order, two staff members and us. Purty darn empty on what should be a busy night. Not a good sign.

My companion went to read the menu and place an order. The female member of staff smiled and seemed very friendly. The other employee seemed busy near the grill working on that other customer's order.

I drifted over to their salsa bar to see what delicacies they offered. I guess that Friday evening is outside the normal service hours. The salsa bar had two completely empty, and I mean dry empty bowls, leading me to conclude they had been empty for some long time.

Not a good next impression.

I changed course and headed to the wall near the front door to read the review they proudly posted, undated, from the Ventura Reporter.

That looked promising - it spoke of great food at a good value price. Hmmm.

My companion ordered a Taco combo with a chicken taco as the entrée. Oh, and it was to go.

I had purchased a sandwich from another restaurant so off we went into the night.

The Eating
At home I bade them go eat while the food was hot. I was going to fiddle around with shooting some food photos of my sandwich.

Joining them some ten minutes later I asked what they thought of the Cabo Beach Grill food? Their face said it all. Not happy. They said the chicken meat was dry and the tortillas were simply "nasty." What do you want, they are not exactly the most eloquent food critique on earth. I tried one of the chips myself. A bit oily, soggy, stale and soft. The term "dreck" comes to mind. Look it up if you are not a member of the tribe. Or married to one.

I'll pass on the Cabo Beach Grill from now on.