Exploring my home state of California is something I love to do.  Even though I’ve spent my 41 years living here, there are so many neat spots that I’ve driven past hundreds of times and hadn’t a clue how many wonderful experiences were an exit away.  On the way to Los Angeles, yet short of the hustle and bustle of city living is the southern California gem called the Conejo Valley.  30 short minutes from Malibu and 45 minutes from the city of Angels, the Conejo Valley encompasses the cities of Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Simi Valley to name a few.

If you’re visiting and you need to know where to go to find some of the best food in the area, perhaps the state, or are a local looking for a new place to enjoy,  here’s a list of places I’ve ventured to recently on my media visit.  I’m drooling all over again writing about them!

Ladyface Alehouse and Brasserie, Agoura Hills In the shadow of Ladyface mountain we dined al fresco at this restaurant and craft brewery on our first lunch together as a media tour group.  Craft beer is new to me just as wine was a few years ago, but it’s exciting to try new flavors.  Best way to do that is starting the table off with a sampler, The Ladies of Ladyface is an 8 glass variety and I was eager to taste!  Blind Ambition is a Belgian Abbey, deep copper hue, low bitterness and chocolate undertones, it was my favorite followed by the lighter La Blonde, smooth and light malt sweetness finishing dry.  I liked the dark Picture City Porter a lot due to it’s coffee and chocolate flavors, it’s almost like  “dessert beer” if I can say that.  It wasn’t an every day beer, but a special one!

I love group meals, because we have the ability to order a bunch of items and not commit to one.  The wood-grilled flatbreads were incredible, both the more traditional margherita and the alsatian-style (tarte flambée, gruyère, applewood-smoked bacon, and caramelized onions).  I’ve always loved beets and seeing them on the menu in salads just makes me happy.  The roasted & pickled beets salad included toasted pistachios, a goat cheese fondue, arugula, and a red wine vinaigrette that was so refreshing on that warm afternoon!  But, my favorite that I’d order again and again, the Farmer Jacques is a pulled pork sandwich on brioche with an ale glaze, ale mustard, and amazingly spicy roasted pickled jalapenos!  Oh my, I was almost too ornery to share it!  Such a fun place, can’t wait to visit again!

 

The Grill on the Alley, Westlake Village  I did some research on this restaurant before dining there and was thrilled to know there is a restaurant in the San Jose area (near home).  If this was going to be a winner, I could enjoy it again on a date with my husband in the future.  As one of the country’s best steakhouses, The Grill delivers superior service in a sophisticated atmosphere, modeled after the great grills of New York and San Francisco in the 30s & 40s’. The flagship location opened its doors 30 years ago, just steps from famed Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and now there are 7 locations across the US.

Wine bottles line the walls in the restaurant and the menu is plentiful with cocktails, varieties of bourbon, whiskey, and scotch and even beer if you choose.  I fell in love with a Michael David Petit Verdot from Lodi called Inkblot and only 1.5 hours from home I can’t wait to visit the winery!  The appetizers were amazing especially the crab.  Dinner was a petite filet mignon with jumbo shrimp that was cooked perfectly to my liking and just melted in my mouth.  I’m not sure where I stored all the food, but it kept coming and dessert was divine.  One of my new favorites is key lime pie and again, I felt greedy in not wanting to share with my tablemates, but I obliged.  Completely looking forward to visiting the San Jose location with my husband for a special night out!

 

Public School 805, Thousand Oaks  Sitting down at the table with a composition notebook menu, clipboard drink menu, and binder paper napkins, I sort of geeked out.  You see I was a school teacher way back when and I just loved this fun decor that also included encyclopedia walls and old-school baseball mitts on display.  A variety of ales on the menu, a warm day, and being driven around in a limo, I decided on a beer with lunch.  Bear Republic Brewing Co in Healdsburg, CA offered a sweet Scottish style Red Rocket Ale by the bottle and it was delicious.  I love that from this trip down south I can now head north and visit the brewery on another trip.

We ordered some plates to share around the table like Speck & Eggs, Bacon Cheddar Tots, and Ahi Tuna Tacos.  The flavors were out of this world, the creamy eggs had the slightest crunch of celery, and the tots were accompanied by a sriracha ketchup.  I don’t eat seared tuna, but I loved the taco idea with my beer so I ordered the Adobo Tacos & Cilantro Lime Rice. The meat on the two roasted chicken and two braised short rib tacos was tender and the added green chilies added the spice I loved.  The green hue to the cilantro lime rice was something out of Cat in the Hat almost too fitting for the school theme, but the rice was cooked perfectly and seasoned just right with an added crunch from pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

If the apps and entree weren’t enough, you will be stunned by the desserts!  Think chocolate chip cookies, Nutella, carmelized bacon, and vanilla bean ice cream and your taste buds will be shocked with delight!  I’m a chocolate fanatic and this was a dream ending to an amazing lunch.  Also offered is Campfire S’mores that includes krispy rice with a whiskey marshmallow fluff! I’m not a whiskey drinker, the flavor is surprisingly strong for my taste, but my tablemates sure enjoyed it!  This spot is one that had a closer location to my home, I’d be there quite often!

 

Harvest Kitchen and Bar (inside Hyatt Westlake Plaza), Thousand Oaks  Part of our group stayed at this fabulous hotel, and we all had a chance to dine here one morning.  Now I have to admit I’ve never gone to a hotel restaurant for a meal outside of staying at that very same hotel.  But locals, if you’re reading this, walk…no run over and check it out!  Farm-fresh cuisine from the  natural bounty of Southern California features fresh, seasonal foods all made from scratch with locally grown produce, grains, meats, and dairy products.  special food options such as: Organic, Gluten free, Dairy free and Vegan are available.

There was a steel cut oatmeal bar that could be bruleed once you filled it with nuts and berries.  Then there was the banana french toast with walnuts and blueberries.  My taste buds were overwhelmed with fruit and sweetness.

Lots of traditional breakfast items with additional gourmet options like ham and cheese paninis with dijon and roasted tomato relish, steak and eggs with chimichurri and cheddar jalepeno toast, and omelets with add-ins like kale and goat cheese.   Organic fruit smoothies are also offered. Harvest Kitchen and Bar also serve an incredible lunch and dinner!

 

The Lab Brewing Company, Agoura Hills  Beer. Food. Music is their mission and aside for opting for a cocktail this particular night, they came through!  You notice the large copper fermentation vessels aligning the restaurant as you enter and with an eclectic menu you can be sure to find something you’ll love.  “Favorites include Miso Glazed Salmon with Bacon Fried Black Rice, Roasted Chicken Flatbread, and a Kale Caesar Salad. No, this isn’t your typical “bar food” – though the LAB Burger is to die for. Everything is fresh farm to table.”

On this end to a particularly long day, I craved comfort food and ordered a pepperoni flatbread with banana peppers and it hit the spot. Also, I passed on wine and beer despite the brewery and opted for a strawberry lemon drop which was vodka strong! The place was hoppin’ for a Thursday evening so the waitstaff were a little slow, I had requested a little more strawberry to balance my drink and never got it.  Just in time to distract us from the service, Preston Smith a one-man-band hit the stage with classic rock tunes that were really incredible.  The vibe was loud and fun, with nightly food and drink specials and weekly entertainment this place can be that fun hang out you go with your friends after work or a long day with the kiddoes.  Check it out!

 

Sip Malibu, Agoura  If you love classic rock music and wine, you will want to visit this hidden gem!  Decorated with Hendrix and Marilyn Monroe pics and with Pandora playing so many great tunes, enjoy some fabulous wine with friends.  As an added bonus, if you’re drinking a label named after one of the songs that is played inside the wine room, you’re a winner!  That bottle you’re drinking will be half-off if you decide to purchase it.  That thinking alone will have you spending a good part of your day hoping for “White Rabbit” or “Purple Haze”to be played, but honestly the great tasting wines will have you wanting to come back!  The Sip Favorites flight gives you both red and white wines and you may love the The Witch from their Woodstock Collection or Honey Pie!

 

The Rabbit Hole Cafe, Agoura Hills  Without compromising flavor or freshness, this neighborhood cafe has a conscience.

Using locally sourced, GMO free, vegan, gluten free, and environmentally aware products and foods, you’ll love this whimsical and charming cafe for your mind and body!  Looking around you see people alone dining and working on their laptops.  Some come in and browse their deli section that’s a health food hub for the culinary conscious.  There’s also a section of the dining area with jewelry, candles, and vegan dental floss.  Mostly I loved that going with the theme of Alice in Wonderland, the walls are painted with a grinning cheshire cat!

Oh and there’s the food.  Organic coffee and smoothies that sound more like dessert than breakfast.  Free-range eggs with organic cheddar made with a salad with a balsamic dijon dressing made for a good start to my day and pre-hike breakfast.  Some of my tablemates enjoyed egg and potato wraps in whole-wheat tortillas and the Brussels bowl which consisted of deep fried salted Brussels sprouts and fried egg over a bed of potatoes with grilled onions, drizzled with pesto aioli!  The owners were so gracious to host us and have us promote their cafe, I already know I’ve sent some new customers their way by means of social media sharing and their unique menu!

What a way to explore a new area, by eating your way through it!  For more information on the Conejo Valley, visit their website at http://conejo.com/.