Ventura County Star, Calif. Lisa McKinnon column

Source: Ventura County Star, Calif.儲存倉July 27--The last time I peered through the windows at Sossy's BBQ Sandwiches in Newbury Park, the walls were bare and there was a pile of dirt in the middle of the concrete floor.What a difference six months of construction makes. On Thursday, I walked through the door for a preview arranged for subscribers to the restaurant's email list to find a kitchen full of employees and not one but two brand spanking new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant bathrooms.The dirt mound was gone, replaced by an artfully stained concrete floor, an assembly-line service counter similar to that of a Chipotle, and the Sossbar, a row of self-service pumps that dispense sauces ranging in heat from mild to flaming."I didn't realize how much decision making was involved in opening a new place -- from logos to deciding what kind of seating to put in the dining room," said Greg Smith, who is opening the restaurant with family members. (Their answer re the seating: a mix of aluminum chairs and upholstered booths.)A Camarillo native who graduated from Adolfo Camarillo High School in 1998, Smith launched his restaurant career as a 17-year-old buser at Ottavio's Italian Restaurant in Old Town Camarillo. He also worked at Ric's Restaurant in Camarillo and was on the opening crew of BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse in Oxnard before becoming a debt counselor. When the debt-management field became saturated after the mortgage crisis, Smith decided to look for something else to do.He found inspiration in a Mexican vacation he didn't even take. Parents Dan and Teresa Smith came home with stories of a restaurant they had visited: The food was marginal, but the sauce it came with was so good "you could put it on cardboard and want to eat the cardboard," Greg Smith remembers them saying.The Smiths set about recreating the sauce, identified as "Mexipotle" at the Sossbar. It and a lightly spiced concoction called "Sossy's Original" are the two house-made sauces among the eight now available.Significantly less easy was the task of constructing Sossy's at what for 15 years had been Burger Express, now in operation as Olympic Grill in Moorpark (6593 Collins Drive, Suite D-2, 552-9178).Remodeling efforts in the kitchen included the installation of two smokers. Hickory, mesquite, apple wood and redwood chips are used to smoke the dry-rub briskets, pulled pork, chicken and tri-tip used in sandwiches and wraps ($5 to $7). Sides include coleslaw accented with pineapple and mac 'n' cheese made with a marbled cheese sauce ($2 each), plus sweet potato fries and baked regular and sweet potatoes ($4).Heading the kitchen is Antonio Skeeters, a veteran of the late Smokey's House of BBQ in Oxnard. He prefers to be called Chef Tony, but Smith also refers to him as corporate chef, a title that hints at plans to open additional locations if Sossy's takes off, Smith said.Overseen by family friend Yvonne Randolph of Lifestyle Design, the decor might be dubbed rural-industrial chic. The Sossbar wall is covered in wood reclaimed from a Wisconsin barn, while the tables and stools are cut from thick slabs of reclaimed wood from Oregon. Canning jars hold napkins at each table, and are featured in the light fixture in the ladies' version of the aforementioned bathrooms.Management of the restaurant is a family affair. Father Dan Smith is helping with behind-the-scenes business matters, while sister Jaclyn Smith handles social media. Brother Robert Smith will come on board soon as kitchen manager, said Greg Smith."We just decided to put our heads together and go for it," he added.Sossy's, which offers six beers on tap and has an outdoor patio, opened to the public on Friday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (2140 Newbury Park Road, Unit D, 498-4227).Everything old and under construction is also new again at Ventiki Tiki Lounge & Lanai, which opened Monday at what used to be Bernadette's on Main in downtown Ventura. It's safe to say that patrons of Bernadette's will be amazed if they stop to take a look at the newly installed kitchen on their way to the bar."People told us it couldn't be done, but we did it," co-owner Kari Lewis said with a laugh.Coming out of that kitchen manned by chef John Itliong are pupus (Kahlua pork sliders, $8.95), sandwiches (citrus salmon torta, $12.95) and entrees (Cali poke bowl, $16.95); the bar serves mai tais in addition to original cocktails (Voodoo Temptress of the Seven Pleasures made with two kinds of rum, anyone?). H迷你倉沙田urs are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. most days (701 E. Main St., 667-8887).COMING ATTRACTIONS: After missing out on the promotional possibilities of Fourth of July and the celebration this week of National Hot Dog Day, Dayna Haupt hopes to have Dayne's Chicago Beef & Dawgs open by the end of the month in Thousand Oaks. Check the restaurant's Facebook page for updates (2951 Thousand Oaks Blvd., 906-0888).Meanwhile, a second Ventura County location of the Texas-based chain Dickey's Barbecue Pit is on its way at what used to be Buffalo Bri's N.Y. Subs in Simi Valley. The space (2902 Tapo Canyon Road, Suite B), is being remodeled in anticipation of opening on or around Sept. 1, said franchisee Arman Grigoryan. He also plans to open sites in Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Studio City and Westlake Village. In the meantime, barbecue fans can check out the chopped brisket at the separately owned Dickey's site in Ventura, where dine-in promotions include free ice cream every day and a kids-eat-free offer on Sundays (6100 Telephone Road, Suite F, 212-4240).FOR A CAUSE ... OR TWO: Eat at any of nearly 20 Ventura restaurants participating in Fundraising Week and a portion of your check will go to the Turning Point Foundation, a nonprofit organization that offers support services for the homeless and mentally ill. Percentage amounts will vary from location to location, said Mark Stienecker, owner of the Ventura-based Restaurant Marketing Agency and organizer of the inaugural event, which runs now through Aug. 4.Participating restaurants include locally owned eateries such as Da Hickory House BBQ (10251 Telephone Road, 659-2772) and chains such as Romano's Macaroni Grill (4880 Telephone Road, 477-9925).Diners are asked to inform servers they are there to take part in the fundraiser. For information and a list of locations, click on http://www.fundraiserrestaurants.com.More than 250 people attended the third annual From Field to Fork Dinner benefiting efforts to build safe, affordable housing for farmworkers when it took place Thursday at The Walnut Grove at Tierra Rejada Ranch in Moorpark. For photos of the event, visit the Facebook page at VCS Eats.ONWARD IN OJAI: When they took over Hip Vegan Cafe from founder Nancy Samuels back in December, Ben and Marisa DiChiacchio kept the menu of cashew-milk date shakes, spelt-cornmeal crust quiches and Hip Hip Hooraw Wraps featuring jalapeno-almond p漮e in collard leaves. Now they are working to add beer and wine to the mix, as noted by the notice of application to sell alcoholic beverages posted near the front gate.Marisa said the license could go through "in a couple of weeks," after which they will add gluten-free beers, vegan wines and perhaps even a kombucha-beer combination to the menu. Extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights are also a possibility, she said. For now, the tiny cafe -- there actually is more seating outside than in -- is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (928 E. Ojai Ave., 646-1750).GOOD FOR WHAT ALES YOU: Enegren Brewing Co. in Moorpark will mark its second anniversary with an open house from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 3. The event will include commemorative glasses, nine beers on tap and cask, food by Custom Melt and sales of the brewery's first bottled beer (680 Flinn Ave., Suite 31, 552-0602 or http://www.enegrenbrewing.com).REALITY BITES: The documentary film "Hey Bartender" will give local audiences a beyond-the-barstool look at the craft cocktail movement when it screens now through Thursday at Roxy Stadium 11 in Camarillo (5001 Verdugo Way, 388-0532).Three Los Angeles-area chefs are among the competitors on the fifth season of "Top Chef Masters," which airs at 10 p.m. most Wednesdays on Bravo. They are Neal Fraser of Neal Fraser & Co. at Vibiana, Richard Sandoval of Richard Sandoval Restaurants, and Sang Yoon of Father's Office.IT'S A DATE: The 26th annual Taste of Camarillo Wine & Food Festival will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday on the grounds of the Camarillo Ranch House, 201 Camarillo Ranch Road. For information and tickets, $85-$95, visit http://www.tasteofcamarillo.com.Lisa McKinnon is a staff writer for The Star. Please send email to lmckinnon@vcstar.com. For between-column updates, follow 805foodie on Twitter and Instagram and "like" the Facebook page VCS Eats. Selected social media posts also appear on the website at http://www.vcstar.com/805foodie.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.) Visit Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.) at www.vcstar.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉價錢