Eatery to Serve Food Fit for Andes Music Fans

Ventura’s Cafe Bariloche will provide the post-show eats Friday night for those attending the “Music of the Andes” concert at Church of Religious Science, a couple of blocks away from the downtown Fir Street establishment.

Plans are not firm, but co-owner Jane Acuna said she may have a special Peruvian dish or a ceviche special on the menu. But no promises, she said.

What she can virtually guarantee is that the restaurant, which will also be open to the general public, will serve the usual traditional South American empanadas for which it has become known. (Friday night is the restaurant’s regular empanada night.)

Acuna purchased Cafe Bariloche last February, as a joint venture with her husband Max Acuna, a native of Chile, and their business partner, chef Gustavo Jauregui of Argentina.

The Acunas had been friends of Francisco Perri--who owned the restaurant with his wife, Angelica Navarro--before Perri’s death in March 1995. While maintaining the restaurant’s original South American theme, Acuna said she plans to develop the menu’s range of cuisine.

“We’re trying to slowly put more and more out from different countries,” she said.

The regular menu includes nine choices of empanadas, priced at $2.50 for one and $4.50 for two. Among the selections are Argentine beef, ratatouille, spinach and feta, and spicy corn.

There are also five salads--including a Chilean cabbage salad and a Chilean bean salad--house specialties --including a Milanesa sandwich and a tortilla Espanola--desserts and daily specials.

Friday night’s Peruvian Concert--an 8 p.m. show by the five-member ensemble Inkari, is part of the Pieces of the World international arts series. A Brazilian dance concert Nov. 2 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center is scheduled to be followed by an authentic Brazilian dinner at Cafe Bariloche.

Acuna said plans are in the works for the restaurant to provide additional special dinners from time to time.

“We’re looking forward to doing dinners by invitation. Six-menu dinners with maybe four courses, including dessert, hopefully by the beginning of next year,” she said. “We are taking it slowly so we can keep it good and fresh.”

The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m. Friday nights and on occasional Sundays.

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Noah’s Bagels continues to increase its presence in Ventura County.

With outlets in Ventura, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, the New York-themed bagel bakery is scheduled to open a fourth county location Nov. 1.

This one will be at 140 Westlake Blvd. in Thousand Oaks.

And now is a good time to check out the other three. The bagel chain’s Southern California stores are giving away one free bagel per visit through Wednesday. Or buy six bagels and get another six gratis.

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The Santa Barbara County Vintner’s Assn. will present “A Celebration of Harvest” Saturday at the Flag Is Up Farms, along Highway 246 between Buellton and Solvang. Nearly three dozen of the county’s wineries and about 40 restaurants will provide samplings of their products.

Wineries scheduled to participate are Buttonwood Farm, Zaca Mesa Winery, Firestone Vineyard and Sanford Winery. The restaurant list includes the Remington Restaurant at Los Olivos Grand Hotel, Roy, Piatti Ristorante and Bistro 1111, all from Santa Barbara.

Tickets are $60 and must be ordered in advance. Call 688-0881 or (800) 218-0881.