Seaward Avenue

Ventura

February 24, 2005

I live off of Seaward here in Ventura, a cool beach street that leads from the water to Larribee Stadium at Ventura High. The street has some of that beach funkiness, a combination of rich and poor that seems to permeate beach towns of a 1940's vintage, when people didn't want to live on the ocean so the land was cheap. The street ends on the beach with a nice bed and breakfast on one side and a public parking lot that bumps into the pool complex of some nice looking condos. Between the freeway and the beach is a liquor store and the remnants of a surf shop that burned down under somewhat suspicious circmstancecs.

Joannafina's is about a block off the water, a Mexican place painted in the colors of Thrifty Ice Cream. It has a small indoor dining area and a large back patio that works well when I bring my children. Joannafina's serves good menudo on the weekends and has a great Sunday Brunch. The service is quick and friendly, the food flavorful. Dinner for two can easily be had for under $40. They serve beer and margaritas over ice.

Many people in Ventura county feel Duke's has the best burgers in the county. I don't think that I'd argue, though I think there's about 10 or 15 places in LA to get a better one. Still, Duke's is good and looks the part of a beach burger joint. The decor is early 60's surfer, with Hawaiian shirts, board shorts and old coolers on the walls, a self serve condiment bar and soda fountain and sawdust on the floor. The clientele is all surfer and service is reasonably quick. There is also some outdoor dining.

Seaward Fish And Chips is just that, a fish and chip joint that isn't too expensive, and serves both red and white clam chowder. The service is friendly if not always quick and the prices are reasonable. It seems to stay open later than the other places on Seaward.

I've been sitting on this for a while, so I'll post it and add more. There's a sushi place that I haven't been to, a thai place that was okay but I'd like to try again, and Tacos and Beer which a couple of people have told me is very good, but I haven't been to. I mention Full O' Beans in my coffehouse comentary, but I'll say again, they are very friendly.

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