RESTAURANT REVIEW : Laid-Back Setting of the Ojai Valley Offers Lunch Treats With a Kick : Choices range from savory dishes at Suzanne's to French country fare at L'Auberge and zesty pizzas at Boccali's.

By DAVID GOLDMAN

Sept. 22, 1994 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

It’s still warm up in the hills of the county’s backcountry, in the sheltered valley that the Chumash Indians called Ojai, the nest.

And as Southern California’s summer winds down and fall approaches, we start thinking about places that hold the promise of a lovely lunch after a short drive. The Ojai Valley immediately springs to mind.

Many of us enjoy the mid-summer heat of the valley so much that we head up in July or August and grab a table on an outdoor veranda or terrace. Over an icy beer or a bottle of chilled wine, it’s both sensual and relaxing to gaze out over the dry California landscape and toward the mountains ringing the valley; to luxuriate in the warmth, peace and tranquillity.

The best of these lunches--if sophistication and consistently excellent preparation are the criteria--come out of the kitchen at Suzanne’s Cuisine. Suzanne’s building, on Ojai Avenue as you come into downtown from the west, is nothing out of the ordinary.

But once seated in the lovely patio at the rear, you can’t help but notice the enticing dishes being served to fellow patrons. They fit pretty well with the gentle sounds of the garden fountain and the sage-like aroma of the California plantings.

Suzanne’s ceviche seafood salad ($9), a dish of raw, fresh fish, maybe salmon or halibut or sea bass, marinated in lime juice, and served in a salsa of lime and lemon juices with jalapenos, cilantro and other herbs, delivers spicy flavors to the tongue. The fish is firm but not tough, and the melding of flavors is just right.

And for the juiciest, messiest, most succulent fish sandwich, the grilled halibut ($8) is unbeatable. The gently broiled fish is served on rich, coarse nine-grain homemade bread, with lettuce and tomatoes and--this is the clincher--a superb homemade mayonnaise with fresh dill and capers.

Desserts are luscious treats and include rich, yet crisp, sorbets, in flavors ranging from kiwi to apricot.

Just off the main drag, in an older house on a corner, is the venerable L’Auberge. Admittedly, there are many who might think this country French menu is a bit heavy for a warm day. But the rear veranda, with swirling overhead fans and views across the oak and pepper trees and up the Topa Topa bluffs, is a lovely one, and a bottle of chilled Piesporter easily mitigates the heat--even if the waitress does occasionally forget to keep the bottle on ice.

At L’Auberge, one dish of choice would be a small bowl of steaming, cheesy onion soup gratinee ($5), and perhaps a plate of fish pate ($6.50). Or try the cold cream of chervil soup ($4). The main dish here is always a big one, such as the hefty omelet ardenaise ($8.75), stuffed with ham, onions, mushrooms and cheese.

Out on the other end of town, amid citrus groves at the foot of the Dennison grade, sits a small, wooden-framed restaurant called Boccali’s. In this pastoral setting, patrons eat outside at picnic tables under Budweiser umbrellas, twisted oak trees overhead and mountains rising nearby. Or there are tables inside, in a decor dominated by red-and-white checkered oilcloth.

Boccali’s pizza crusts--a bit bread-like--do tend to get heavy on the edges, but the toppings are excellent. You can add anything from crab to garlic or go for the basic cheese model ($8.95, 14 inches). The shrimp and the chicken chunks come moist and tender. And don’t forget the garlic bread--some of the best around ($2.25)--thick and chewy, with Parmesan cheese and herbs.

Lemonade, freshly squeezed, is a drink of choice here, but pizza does seem to cry out for either the Michelob or Millers on tap.

Details

* WHAT: Suzanne’s Cuisine.

* WHERE: 640 W. Ojai Ave., Ojai.

* WHEN: Open for lunch Wednesday-Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; brunch from 10:30 a.m. on Sunday.

* COST: Lunch for two, food only, $18 to $35.

* FYI: Reservations accepted, major credit cards, beer and wine.

* ETC.: Call 640-1961.

Details

* WHAT: Boccali’s.

* WHERE: 3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road, Ojai.

* WHEN: Open for lunch Wednesday-Sunday noon to 9 p.m.