Hooters Administrative Public Hearing in Thousand Oaks on Thursday, September 15th

Update from VC Star on 9/20/11: Thousand Oaks resident Don Hunn, 77, has paid $1,130 to file an appeal of the decision to allow a full bar at the new Hooters. This is outstanding news for local newspapers as it provides continued comedy material.

Update from the VC Star on 9/16/11: Operators granted full bar. The decision can be appealed to the City Planning Commission within 10 calendar days and a fee of $1100. Over 60 people attended the meeting and it lasted 3 hours. 39 people spoke against the application, 12 spoke in favor of it. Ah yes, no doubt this is not the last we've heard of this "issue."

Today, the City of Thousand Oaks Community Development Department mailed a Notice of Admininstrative Public Hearing to all property owners located within 500 feet of the proposed Hooters in the Janss Marketplace parking lot, 401 N. Moorpark Road (corner of Moorpark Road and Brazil Street).

The persistently vacant ex-Sizzlers, ex-Fuddruckers location proposed for Hooters. The hearing will be held on Thursday, September 15th at 3 p.m. at City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. Anyone is allowed to attend and be heard on the following matter:

Applicant: Thousand Oaks Wings, LLC

Sign on Potential Future Hooters Location Door. TOW Stands for Thousand Oaks Wings

Request: To modify the existing special use perrmit condition limiting on-site sale and consumption of beer and wine only to allow sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages in conjunction with the operation of a restaurant.

This should be interesting, based on the concerns voiced by some local residents. If you're looking for some excitement on September 15th, this could be the place to be (in close competition with the 65 cent funnel cake sticks offered up by Hot Dog on a Stick on September 15th!!).

The sole purpose of the hearing is to address whether the applicant shall be allowed to have a full bar and if that is allowable under City code. The purpose of the meeting is NOT to address whether or not a Hooters should be "allowed" there in the first place. It may be entertaining watching how the the City manages to keep the scope of the meeting within its stated purpose.

Expect plenty of news coverage. For further information about the request, contact the City of Thousand Oaks.

The majority of Hooters restaurants have full bars, including the following locations that are closest to Thousand Oaks: Santa Monica, Hollywood, Burbank, Downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim, Oceanside and West Covina.

If for whatever reason we don't get our Hooters in Thousand Oaks, I'd be o.k. if they bring back Sizzler.

Mandarin Bistro to Open in Newbury Park at the Old Pick Up Stix Location

9/12/11 Update: Mandarin Bistro will be open for business on Monday, September 19th.

Cool menu - get to see what you're ordering! :>

Original post 7/11/11: Thanks to a tip from fellow Facebooker Kimberly G, I've discovered that what used to be Pick Up Stix at 501 S. Reino Road in Newbury Park will soon be Mandarin Bistro. I have no additional information at this point but it looks like it will be opening soon.

Hopefully there will be good as I'm always hungry for Chinese food, and I'm always hungry soon after eating Chinese food. But that's another story.

But I digress. I wonder why they call it a bistro. Bistro is a French word that according to Webster's Dictionary means "small, unpretentious restaurant." Well OK, I guess this location is small and pretentious, so that works.

On a separate but kind of related note, CB Richard Ellis is marketing space 501-D in that plaza, 3 doors down, between the cleaners and the Hallmark store. That would be Pure Beauty. They say the 2,540 sq ft space will be available in October 2011 at $2.45 per sq ft, including fixtures, plus $.40 for triple net.

Here's where Mandarin Bistro will be located

Jeff Gorrell Sidewalk Office While on Deployment to Afghanistan

Today I drove by Marie Callender's in Camarillo and did a double-take when I saw a large Jeff Gorrell sign and card table. Recalling he has been deployed in Afghanistan, I thought, wow, guess he's back! So I parked and met up with his District Director and Field Representative at the booth and discovered that Jeff is still on deployment, perhaps until early 2012, and that his team holds these table-top offices around the county to listen to and exchange ideas with constituents. Was great to see them out there!

Jeff was voted to the California State Assembly in 2010 in the 37th District that covers Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Ojai, Thousand Oaks and about one third of Simi Valley, as well as some other outlying areas (frankly, the district boundary map confuses the hell outta me http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/37/?p=districtMap). His website is http://arc.asm.ca.gov/member/37/.

Hugo's Restaurant to Open at Whizin's Center in Agoura Hills this August

Originally posted 6/8/11: Hugo’s, the popular family restaurant with the highly eclectic menu, will open its third full-service location in Agoura Hills on SEPTEMBER 26th!

The new Hugo’s will be located in the revitalized Whizin’s Center just off the 101 Freeway.  It will be 4200 square feet with 120 seats.

The opening marks a return of sorts for co-owner Tom Kaplan, who attended high school in Agoura before its growth into a sizable Los Angeles exoburb.

Tom’s father, Terry, opened the first Hugo’s in West Hollywood 30 years ago, turning his prime butcher shop into a breakfast spot for the local residents, many of whom were Hollywood big shots who would have their morning “Power Breakfasts” there.  It was not uncommon to see the likes of George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg hanging out over a cup of coffee and strategizing their next big movie.

Hugo’s has evolved from veal to vegan and now sports a menu that includes not only one of the best Burgers in town, but a vast array of vegan and vegetarian options and a commitment to what Tom calls, “our Stealthy Healthy menu.” Mustard and ketchup are gluten-free as is most of the menu and special attention is paid to food allergies and to creating delicious vegan alternatives to traditional fare.

Hugo’s Pasta Mama, originally designed as a breakfast item featuring pasta, eggs and Italian seasonings, is so popular it has been featured “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” and Hugo’s is at the top of many Best Breakfast lists.

“The idea behind Hugo’s,” says Tom, who lives on the street behind the Studio City restaurant, “is to introduce a lot more people to health food without them even knowing or thinking about it.”

Hugo’s Restaurants has locations in West Hollywood and Studio City and operates Hugo’s Tacos in Atwater Village and Studio City.  The company is owned and operated by Tom and Emily Kaplan, Richard and Leslie Brenner and Bill Kohne.

For more information on Hugo’s, visit www.hugosrestaurant.com and go to http://twitter.com/HugosRestaurant and www.facebook.com/hugosrestaurant

Conejo Valley Guide is a Finalist in CBS Most Valuable Blogger 2011 Competition!

Vote Daily! Click This Link!Conejo Valley Guide has been nominated for the CBS Los Angeles Most Valuable Blogger Award 2011. There are 6 categories of blogs...Dining/Entertainment, Local Affairs, Sports, Health/Fitness/Medical, Lifestyle and Everything Else. CVG was nominated to the Lifestyle category and is competing with 3 dozen other blogs.

Vote for CVG by CLICKING HERE every day until September 9th. No signups needed. Takes literally 1 second. CVG is the other Ventura County based website on the list from what I can tell. Thanks for your votes! Forward to your friends!

Winners will receive $50 Amazon gift cards. I certainly will be giving this card away via a Facebook contest. So help me win by VOTING EVERY DAY!

I did notice there is one more local nominee, in the Local Affairs category. Vote for Westlake Revelations in that category. In fact, his chance at winning are 3X better than mine because that category has only 11 entrants! Nice!

Looks Like Ranch Hand BBQ is Relocating to Another Newbury Park Location

Since this original post on July 17th I've spoken with several people who say they can't live without their tri tip and ribs. They opened on September 1st. We've been there and my kids love it. Popular place already!

Ranch Hand BBQ currently is located at 3321-B Kimber Drive in Newbury Park. However, there's a brand spanking new Ranch Hand BBQ sign up next door to Tutti Frutti at 1015 Broadbeck Drive. Given these two locations are only 1.5 miles apart, one might presume that Ranch Hand BBQ will soon be moving to this new location.  I believe my wife and kids have eaten at Ranch Hand before and I heard no complaints. And that is all.

Visit http://ranch-hand-bbq.com/ or call 805.375.4252 to learn more about Ranch Hand BBQ.