Photo by: Wesley Bauman /WBI. (c)2010As printed in VC Reporter
394 Restaurant and Lounge does the tapas twist
By D.K. Crawford 05/13/2010
394 Restaurant and Lounge
394 E. Main St.
Ventura
667-2120
$4-$22
394 Restaurant and Lounge (formerly Riviera Bistro) is bringing Latin spice to Main Street. What was once a saunter down the Côte d’Azur has shifted tempo into an upbeat Latin groove.
The place was packed at lunchtime. As I moved from the front to the back, the crowd changed. By the time I got to the bar, “All business in the front, and a party in the back,” the ’80s tagline about mullet haircuts, popped into my mind.
Businessmen doing deals crowded the patio; couples sharing bites took the tables in the front and the bar had the raucous, social lunchtime drinkers hanging out together. It was several worlds in one.
The menu is almost completely different, though you will see a few flashbacks to Riviera Bistro. There is still the rich, sumptuous lobster bisque with sherry, the Buena Ventura salad featuring roasted beets, and there are a handful of familiar entrees. They kept the favorites. But most of the menu is brand, spanking new.
394 serves tapas ranging in price from $5.50 to $7.95, or you can choose three to share for $14.95. Choices range from dressed-up savory potato wedges to mango shrimp ceviche or brie, pear and apple compotes.
394 also serves several “signature burgers”: two Kobe burgers ($14, $15), or certified Angus beef (CAB) burgers ranging from $9 for the basic to $15 for two trees with double patties, double fillings and double cheese. It also serves shrimp, tuna, chicken and pulled pork sandwiches. There are also salads and entrees. One intriguing choice is the Grande Quesadilla Especial, a 16-inch tortilla filled with your choice of chicken, shrimp, flank steak or pulled pork.
The interior remains familiar, yet spots of Spackle on the walls show there is remodeling in progress. The color scheme for now is still cranberry, mustard and avocado hues. The stage is gone, and now couches are scattered about, creating cozy seating areas. It’s part restaurant, part lounge vibe.
The CD sounded like a Latin jukebox. My waiter wore a tracksuit with charcoal velour pants and moved like a slinky through the dining room. He looked like a tennis pro and sported a pearly white smile.
He wasn’t the most observant waiter (he forgot to bring me a menu), but what he lacked, he made up for in kindness and a genuine desire to please. He’s the kind of person you just feel better being around. If I’d been in a terrible rush, I might have been flustered by things moving more slowly, but instead I took the opportunity to relax on a Friday afternoon.
I couldn’t resist the tapas. I ordered the trio of tuna on fire, Cabana chicken and al pastor with pork. I also ordered the La Rumba salad and a build-your-own CAB burger with my additions, maple wood bacon and Gorgonzola cheese.
The tapas and burger arrived simultaneously in 15 minutes. There were six servings of tapas (two of each variety), nestled in individual crispy tortilla triangles.
The Cabana chicken featured tequila-sautéed chicken with cilantro and roasted green peppers. Its flavors were comforting, mild and full. If it were a dance, it’d be the rumba, slow and mellow. The next bite was al pastor, marinated pork with diced tomatoes and chopped strips of lettuce, drizzled with a chipotle sauce. It was the zesty, exciting cha-cha-cha of the trio that woke my mouth up. The marinated pork tasted like citrus and the dressing like a spiced thousand island. The final tapa, tuna on fire, featured spicy tuna, fresh mango, diced tomato and avocado with slices of chilled cucumber on top. It’s the hot, spicy, crunchy merengue dance of the group. The three worked in harmony together, and their crispy, warm tortilla shells complemented the soft, warm fillings. I would certainly order the tapas again.
The burger came with the choice of sweet potato fries, patatas bravas or organic salad. I sampled both potato options. The patatas bravas were thick, crispy-edged wedges sprinkled with a hint of cheese and drizzled with the chipotle dressing (also the signature sauce on the burgers). The sweet potato fries were thinner, crunchy, salty and sweet and just simply amazing. Both were yummy for different reasons.
The burger was perfectly cooked and oh so juicy. Its potato bun was lightly sweet, and the maple bacon was cooked so it had crispy edges and a softer center. They were generous with the Gorgonzola cheese and the sharp combined with the sweet and salty is one of my favorite combinations.
The Rumba salad appeared about eight minutes later and was the only ho-hum of my dining experience. It featured romaine, avocado, roasted green peppers, crumbles of queso fresco and tortilla strips with a lime cilantro dressing. It had so much promise but, sadly, its lackluster dressing left it flat. If it had had the same zip the marinade and sauces had, it would have worked beautifully.
Besides a new theme, menu and vibe, 394 hosts a Sunday “Funday” brunch with endless mimosas and live music. The brunch features crepes stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo or jamon. Honestly, the fillings sound more like a heavier burrito or calzone rather than crepes but apparently they are a hit.
If you like sampling small plates and eating fancy burgers in a local restaurant with a smooth Latin vibe, 394 might be your new spot. Most of the food I tried was delightfully flavorful and well-prepared. As some of the bar crowd left, they called out to those who remained that they’d be back later that night. As I stepped out into the light, most of the lunch crowd was gone but the “party in the back” raged on.
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