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J's Tapas Restaurant in Ventura, California's
Coastal Vacation Getaway
J's Tapas—From the moment
we arrived in Ventura, Barbara was driven to find it. I
had been there before, but only for a reception and tour of
Ventura's oldest commercial brick building. It was getting late and
we hadn't eaten so I figured I could head back to the Crowne Plaza
Hotel (used to be a Holiday Inn) and just sleep it off. My friend
was on a mission, however, as I suggested we call it a day. She was
undeterred and wouldn't listen. She kept walking, so I followed her
along the lamp-lit sidewalks of Main Street on a cool, misty Ventura
night, not understanding her persistence. Searching for a tapas restaurant she
remembered and enjoyed several years ago from a romantic trip
with her husband (we were on a girlfriend getaway), we forged one
more block further, now near the end of the road for dining options. "Look
up!" I shouted, as I watched her advance 15 or 20 feet ahead,
then disappear. I tried to point out the bright yellow "J's Tapas"
sign that lit up the night. But my friend was gone.
It was no surprise that I found her inside the door of J's Tapas,
across the street from San Buenaventura Mission. Greeted by Jocelyn
Collis, a beautiful woman with long black hair, a petite figure and
charming smile, this candle-lit restaurant/nightclub featured music tuned to the steady beat of indie—you'd
swear you're in an artists' colony or college community, surrounded
by fine art, a trendy, upbeat vibe and some of the
hottest, cutting edge cuisine, I was soon to discover. Modern sofas in
one corner offer comfortable lounge space for casual groups or
couples
socializing over appetizers and cocktails. We opted for a small
table for two, passing by several ladies with nice leather jackets
& jeans, huddled next to
their sweatshirt-hooded
gents. They seemed wrapped in conversation in this low-key, "relax and stay a
while" comfort zone.
Home to what was once an
Italian grocery store established over 110 years ago, this restored
building contains wood treatments, high ceilings, a beautifully-decorated
cocktail bar with an amazing array of vodkas & liqueurs, and
several dining rooms. Side by side restaurants with two names and
two different menus are connected rooms in one building. We chose
J's Tapas, while next door in a more traditional restaurant
that's a little brighter and more formal with white linen
tablecloths and red cloth napkins is Jonathans at Peiranos. Its
walls are highlighted with racks that contain around 100 wines. The
dynamic duo of dining establishments are owned and operated by the
husband/wife team of Jason and Jocelyn Collis.
Chef Jason Collis is well known in dining circles. His award-winning
menus feature Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in
the traditional dining space and an appetizer menu in J's Tapas.
Fusion foods with influences from Spain, Italy and France,
plus an ambience
that's Ventura-casual, encapsulate what San Buenaventura (Spanish
for "good fortune") is all about.
You can't disguise Executive Chef
Jason's skills and years of training.
Collis graduated from one of 12 Le Cordon Bleu schools
worldwide, and has worked in the kitchens of some of the top names
in the food business. In Ventura, his body of work, namely
exquisite recipes, reflects a trend by chef's throughout the world to go
local. Locally grown, seasonal produce is selected for menus
based on what's available. We've seen this trend in Vermont
where it snows all winter and in New York, where growing gets a
little tough for several months. California's fortune comes from
the year-round temperate climate, and in Ventura County, a
commitment to maintain open space for
farming, one of its top economies. Assuring the freshest ingredients
and flavors, Collis scouts out reliable sources such as
Ventura's farmers market. He often purchases organic mushrooms from Santa Barbara,
herbs, tomatoes and salad greens from Somis, and items from small,
independent farmers.
The menu at J's Tapas is
broad, offering a variety of scrumptious dishes at affordable prices (appetizers start at an
affordable $3.) There are nearly 40 items on the menu that range
from soups such as
spicy crab bisque to salads delicately drizzled
in fresh herb dressings. Vegetables such as
Grilled Asparagus served with soy citrus mayonnaise, appetizers and
gourmet libations are so addictive, people actually plan their road
trips on Highway 101 for a stop at J's Tapas. Several popular crowd
pleasers are the House Smoked
Salmon Mousse and Antipasto Sampler for 2. The sampler includes Prosciutto Parma, Serrano ham, Sicilian black olives, Greek kalamata
olives, smoked mozzarella, fresh mozzarella, Asiago cheese,
Housemade Caponata, grilled marinated mushrooms, red seedless
grapes, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted garlic cloves. This
seductive plate is perfect for a date (you both have to eat the
garlic), or for friends and family.
Tapas (meaning "cover" in
Spanish) come in hot
or cold versions with a variety of options at J's Tapas restaurant.
Satisfying
as a stand-alone dish or with a salad for a complete meal, they're
often served with a dipping sauce (see above photos, top left). Originating in Spain as
finger foods to accompany cocktails during the period between the
end of a work day and late dinner, there they are smaller and served much
like bars in the U.S. offer free chips or cocktail nuts. In the United
State tapas have taken on a whole new flavor with delicious fillings
and larger portions to satisfy the hunger and lifestyle of Americans
who may simply prefer a light dinner.
Listen up! If you haven't
sampled tapas served with heavenly martinis, you're missing two
treats that you can search the coast and never find, except at J's Tapas. Non-martini
drinkers really need to give these cocktails a shake.
Consistently winning awards, we sampled the Rose-Infused Martini
(shown above) served with delicate, red rose petals. It was alluring—and
addictive. But it's just the start of great martini sampling.
Key Lime Martini made with Absolut Vanilla, natural key lime juice imported from Key
West, triple-sec, brown sugar and a graham cracker-rimmed glass;
Chocolate/Cherry Martini made with $70-a-bottle Ultimat black cherry
vodka; Kiltie Martini, pairing Ketel One, single malt scotch, a few
drops of 12-year-old malt scotch and a sprig of thyme should entice
even a stout beer aficionado.
If you haven't gotten the
picture, what's selected and served by the Colis clan is nothing
short of the best. Celebrities making trips between Beverly
Hills and their getaway estates on the Central Coast choose J's Tapas (and Jonathans at
Peiranos)
for dining while en route. Affordable
and casual, it's well worth a stop on your next road journey
between Southern California and Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, Hearst
Castle or San Francisco. Or better yet, stay in Ventura and enjoy
this amazing destination with great hotels, shopping, dining, live
theater, daily boat excursions to Channel Islands and seasonal whale
watching.
The
gracious couple working side by side, either in the kitchen or out
on the floor where Jocelyn offers a friendly face and makes sure
that service is great, are down-to-earth, nice people who
quickly become friends. No matter what the occasion,
and whether you're just passing by or plan to stay, J's Tapas in
Ventura is one
of our favorite stops on the California Coast. There are several
fantastic restaurants along Ventura's Main Street offering different
environments, menus and hours. But for gourmet preparations in a relaxed club atmosphere, J's Tapas
is the finest choice. I'm anxious to go back to Ventura to sample
more from J's Tapas menu, while Barbara confessed that in a few
short months since we visited, she returned with her
husband―and
they live in Sacramento nearly 450 miles north of Ventura! I told
you she's driven when it comes to J's Tapas.
Getting there: J's Tapas, 204 E. Main St.,
Ventura, CA Call: (805) 648-4853
www.jonathansatpeiranos.com
Exit US Highway 101 at California Street (from the south) or
Ventura Ave. (from the north). Drive several blocks or 0.2 mi
east away from the ocean and turn on Main Street. From California
St. take a left and you'll find the restaurant a few block away on
the left side of Main Street. From Ventura Ave. take a right
on Main St. and go a few blocks, where you'll find J's Tapas on the
right side of the street. It is located across the street from
Ventura Mission.
Cost: $3 - 15 for
appetizers and tapas
Service: Opens at 5
p.m. daily; banquet facilities and special events are invited by
arrangement; al fresco dining at a courtyard patio with water
fountain is special, too!
Menu: Rotates every
three months, check web site for updates: jonathansatpeiranos.com
Entertainment: Live
jazz is served up weekly, usually Wednesday through Saturday, call
to confirm: (805) 648-4853
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