Dishing It Out

Pat Allison, owner of Allison’s Country Cafe in Ventura, has a difficult time coming up with a downside to the Oct. 16 Dine Out Help Out fund-raiser, in which local restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to the Ventura County Food Share food bank.

“The whole cycle is good: You help people who are in need and it doesn’t waste food,” Allison said. “I think it’s just really good all the way around.”

Allison’s Country Cafe will join more than 20 other restaurants throughout the county in donating 10% of next Thursday’s take, helping support Food Share’s Ready Prepared Meals Program. The program collects surplus ready-to-eat food from restaurants countywide and distributes it to local homeless shelters and other locations.

In its debut, last year, the Dine Out Help Out program raised about $5,000.

“I think we have a good community of independent restaurants,” said Allison, who contributed about $150 during last year’s benefit and donates $50 monthly to Food Share.

Among the restaurants involved in the benefit are Pompeii Trattoria in Camarillo, Avanti in Oak View, the Ranch House in Ojai, Lamppost Pizza in Newbury Park and Westlake, La Dolce Vita in Oxnard, Acapulco Mexican Restaurant in Simi Valley and Cafe Voltaire in Ventura.

For more information, call 983-7100.

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Ventura’s Cafe Zack will host a multi-course dinner Monday, featuring a variety of wines provided by Regal Wine Co.

The meal will open with salmon gravlax cold smoked over chardonnay vines and filo dough stuffed with brie and herbs. Next will be a salad of tossed baby greens, pear, spiced pecan and Stilton cheese mixed with a balsamic vinaigrette, followed by a Gruyere cheese crouton topped with three kinds of mushrooms.

For the entree, guests will be served herb-crusted prime rib with fresh rosemary, garlic mashed potatoes au jus and roasted green beans. Dessert will be an apple turnover with vanilla bean ice cream.

Cost is $60. The restaurant is at 1095 E. Thompson Blvd. For reservations, call 643-9445.

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Last week we reported that the California Grill and the Crab House of Camarillo were teaming up for an all-you-can-eat Oktoberfest event last Sunday. The event actually is scheduled for this Sunday.

The menu will include knackwurst, bratwurst, sauerbraten, German potato salad, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, chicken paprikash and Alaskan crab, plus a few light dishes.

A shuttle bus will travel between the two restaurants to allow for maximum food consumption.

Cost is $20 for the food (beer and schnapps are extra). The festival will run from 3 to 9 p.m. California Grill is at 67 Daily Drive; the Crab House is at 350 N. Lantana St.

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Coming Up: More than two dozen local restaurants and about 20 wineries will be represented Oct. 19 at the fifth annual Boys & Girls Club of Ventura Garden Party at the Pierpont Inn.

The Pierpont is at 550 Sanjon Road, Ventura. The fund-raiser will run from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $35. For reservations, call 641-5585.