Fans of Sea Fresh Seafood in Ojai...

Fans of Sea Fresh Seafood in Ojai may notice something different on the menu in coming weeks. Beef. That’s right, for the first time since the popular establishment opened in 1985, there will be meat on the menu.

The restaurant has undergone some renovations over the past few months, and finishing touches on the kitchen should be completed shortly after Christmas. Added kitchen space will allow for the preparation of beef dishes, more chicken dishes and a lot more salads, said Mayra Sutton, a part-owner of the restaurant.

As for the rest of the renovations, they have been more cosmetic. “It was carpeting, tiling, a new fish case that’s more modern looking,” said Sutton. “We added some furniture out front, we covered our patio and we also added a bread and spice display.”

Sutton is a partner in the business with her husband, Bill, a commercial fisherman who supplies the restaurant with his catch; her brother, Gus Garcia; and a friend, Mark McWilliams.

“We were fishermen who became restaurateurs,” she said. “We felt we knew fish and we would be able to put out a superior product.”

Sea Fresh Seafood is at 533 E. Ojai Ave.

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If you’re looking to celebrate the New Year with some good food and a little alcohol, and you want to avoid the car ride home afterward, the Hyatt Westlake is offering a four-course gourmet meal and overnight accommodations for $175 per couple.

The menu for the evening will include gnocchi, rock shrimp and shiitake mushrooms followed by a fresh basil fondue and a salad with smoked chicken, green apple vinaigrette and goat cheese. The main course will be a choice of seared salmon, grilled swordfish and lobster sausage with pepper sauce, potatoes puree and petite vegetables; or a mixed grill of beef, veal and lamb, served with potatoes, shallot sauce and vegetables. Also included: a bottle of wine with the meal and a champagne toast at midnight.

Food will be served from 8 to 9 p.m., with entertainment and dancing from 9 to 1 a.m. For reservations call 497-9991.