RESTAURANT REVIEW / WHEELER HOT SPRINGS : Worth the Climb : Good food and a rustic atmosphere are two reasons to make the journey for dinner or brunch.

It had been more than two years and a couple of chefs since the paper had reviewed The Restaurant at Wheeler Hot Springs, so it was time for a return visit. Since I had not done the original review, it was my turn to climb the hill to Ojai.

The restaurant offers dinner Thursday through Sunday and weekend brunch. Head Chef Gael Lecolley resides over dinner, and Guy Leclerot--who arrived recently--is the brunch chef. Both have impressive Southern California restaurant credentials.

The first trip was for dinner, so we drove up the canyon after the sun had set. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, when we returned for brunch, that I realized how beautifully situated the place is, tucked away alongside the stream at a narrow point in a chaparral-covered canyon, on Highway 33 about six miles above Ojai.

In the daytime, we sat outside, at one of the two tables on the “terrace”--actually more of a large porch--where we looked through the sycamores to the canyon sides. In the background, especially on Sunday afternoons, the motorcycles roared, coming and going from the joint across the road where the bikers hang out.

But as winter approached, the terrace-porch tables seemed less inviting; perhaps the food itself became more important, and we moved inside, near the free-standing fireplace by the bar, or in front of the big rock fire in the dining room.

Some may come up here for the spa, with its hot tubs and massages and swimming pool. I came for the good food--some of it very good--reasonable prices, good service and the almost rustic environment.

On the first trip, the dinner menu interested me right away, with items such as timbale provencale ($14), a mixture of eggplant, zucchini and red bell peppers; the grilled pork fillet ($15), and chicken alla piemontese ($16), a bird stuffed with cheese, bell peppers and arugula. There were also several specials that were not listed on the menu.

We led with lobster bisque ($5.50). This was lighter than some bisques, which is the way they do it in the south of France. It had obviously been simmering for a long time--perhaps the first rule in bisque making. The dish was a tiny bit peppery, just the thing for a cold night.

The best of the appetizers was the insalata d’anitra ($7.50), which I had ordered because it was duck prosciutto on mixed greens, with marinated goat cheese croutons and pine nut dressing. The dressing was great, but there was a so little duck--in a place which otherwise serves very substantial portions--that I’m still trying to figure out exactly what duck prosciutto is all about.

Two appetizer items were less appealing. The carpaccio alla Cipriani ($8.50) lacked any flavor at all and seemed a bit watery. The souffle of wild mushrooms ($7) was just bland.

The most dramatic dinner dish was what they call the Perfect Match ($19)--Malaysian shrimp, Norwegian salmon and scallops, grilled over an oak fire. The flavors were excellent, mixing the smoky taste from the grill with the flavors of the garlicky aoli sauce in which the dish sits. The shrimp were overcooked, but were cheerfully replaced when that was pointed out.

The sea bass ($18) in a provencale sauce came beautifully cooked.

In the pasta line--on the menu--the ravioli au chevre ($15), which comes filled with goat cheese and mascarpone on a coulis of fresh tomatoes, was rubbery; I found it too dense and certainly too al dente. But that was all right because, when it came, I was listening to the live solo guitar in the background and the soft, classic jazz and pop melodies made up for the ravioli.

Brunch was really good. It was $16, and included fresh orange juice, lots of Chilean champagne and an outstanding dish of breaded chicken Dijonnaise.

Thick slices of breaded chicken breast were sauteed, brushed with a tomato-basil sauce and set in a sauce of Dijon mustard, with linguine on the side. The chicken was tender and the Dijon flavoring and the seasoned breading were tangy and savory.

Eggs Benedict Florentine comes on the usual English muffin. The spinach, which defines this as a Florentine dish, was fresh, the hollandaise sauce rich and eggy. Perhaps it could have been a bit more lemony.

The fresh fruit waffle, billed as being simply topped with fresh fruits, was a bit of a problem. The waffle was so covered with fresh fruits and nuts that it quickly got cold. Perhaps it should be listed as a fruit salad, with a waffle hidden underneath.

The other outstanding dish was the warm duck salad. The salad was crowned by a big hunk of hot, dripping brie, the duck slices were thick and rare, but not too rare for our American tastes, and the greens underneath were lathered with a raspberry dressing. The accent is heavily raspberry, and the mixture of flavors--hot brie, duck and raspberry--is just wonderful.

The menus at Wheeler do change seasonally, as do the herbs, many of which are from the adjoining gardens.

Desserts are made by chef Leclerot, who did not send me into ecstasy with the custard-filled chocolate eclairs ($6), although he did capture my heart with a tangy mango mousse cake ($6).

* WHERE AND WHEN

The Restaurant at Wheeler Hot Springs, Highway 33, Ojai, 646-8131. Open for dinner Thursday-Sunday, 5-9:30 p.m., for brunch Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Reservations accepted, major credit cards accepted, full bar. Dinner for two, food only, $45-$75. Brunch for two, food only, $32.