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Area Dining
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Area Dining
"What’s new?” is more than a figure of speech around town these days. Restaurants are blooming all over the area. Novelty is the name of the game in an area offering everything from cappuccino and juice bars to haute cuisine and hot chili. Although Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village have a number of beloved stalwarts that residents like to brag about, there are many exciting new eateries—some elegant, some cozy and some just right for the entire family.
Dining out is more than a meal; many times it is a destination. Social life often revolves around going out to a restaurant. Business is conducted over a meal. Visitors and locals pursue leisure and recreational activities beginning or ending with breakfast, lunch or dinner. Individuals who commute to and from Los Angeles or other distant locations love to return to The Conejo for the ambiance of a local establishment to relax. Parents with children on-the-go frequently eat on the run. Plenty of favorite family fast foods, such as pastas and pizzas, hamburgers and fries, chicken and barbecue, traditional Mexican or new fresh grill-style, authentic Cantonese or low sodium variety, are available in restaurants scattered throughout the area.
Local cuisine is difficult to define as it draws upon a vast cornucopia of fresh farm vegetables, fruits, nuts, dairy and poultry products, as well as seafood and livestock products, all of which are readily available almost year-round. Like many other trends that begin in California, the state’s restaurants provide a culinary creativity with a style unto itself, combining informality, Asian and Mexican influences, and county-produced wines. Local residents prefer light, healthy foods with ingredients from farmers’ markets or nearby roadside stands.
Many eating establishments offer gastronomic pleasures reflecting international influences of Mexico, China, Japan, Thailand, Polynesia, France, Italy, Greece and other Mediterranean countries. The Landing at Westlake Lake and Marina provides a romantic setting for several restaurants offering lunch and dinner ranging from continental fare and sushi to elegant French and Italian cuisine. Choices vary from casual year-round patio dining with umbrellas and heaters, complete with ducks waddling around, to gracious service with aplomb amidst white-linen-clad tables and fine art decor. Other local favorites include a bistro-style restaurant and banquet dining room overlooking the grounds and gardens of Westlake’s original inn, where the planned concept of “City in the Country” is preserved and enhanced among lush greenery, flowers, fountains and statuary.
The Oaks Shopping Center is an enclosed mall that offers a variety of food fares. Other upscale shopping centers provide residents and visitors many dining choices while strolling among European-style village greens with fountains, flowers, courtyards and shops. Restaurant styles range from trendy open-kitchen with roomy ambiance to charming, cozy Old World cafes. Restaurants are an integral part of life in the community. The region has become a culinary mecca with many favorite eateries that offer excellent food and drink within every price range for every need and occasion.
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