Conejo’s Cold Comfort

There is a kind of prescribed remedy that sweltering folks in New York and other easterly locales find useful when hot weather arrives: Head to a nearby Italian ice joint.

“It’s like a ritual,” said Thousand Oaks resident Doug Fain, who sports a pronounced New York accent. “It’s hot, you go have ice, you hang out. That’s the thing to do.”

Fain has introduced a little slice of the East Coast to the Conejo Valley in the form of his recently opened Italian Ice King in Thousand Oaks.

Fain has patterned his 500-square-foot space--brightly adorned in red, white and turquoise--with the homey, informal appeal of an honest-to-goodness New York ice joint. There is a big-screen TV to watch the ballgame, and noshers can opt for New York-style pretzels.

“There are so many other New Yorkers that come and meet one another in my store,” he said. “They come. They hang out. They talk. They rehash their past.

“It’s a part of their past, their youth. Something they grew up with.”

What they come for, and what newcomers to Italian ice are discovering, is a water-based frozen concoction blended with fresh fruit. It’s nondairy, with no fat or preservatives.

Italian Ice King sports many flavors, which Fain said he ships in from Queens, N.Y., where his uncle has operated a neighborhood Italian ice store for 54 years.

Scooped and served in a paper cup, there is seemingly a flavor at Italian Ice King to please most palates, including apple, pina colada, licorice, pistachio, strawberry, tangerine, lemon and peach--26 types in all.

Slushy, it’s not.

“To call it a snow cone would be a curse word,” Fain said. “It’s nothing like that.”

Italian ice has an ice cream-like texture, Fain said.

“It’s very important to serve it at the right temperature,” he said. “It can’t be too cold, it can’t be too warm. It’s got to have that smooth texture. You get all the flavor from the fresh fruit.”

DETAILS

Italian Ice King is at 2687 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Hours: noon-9 p.m. daily. Call 379-4425.

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Calling all Parrotheads: Proving that not all wine enthusiasts aspire to be among the highbrow set, Daume Winery in Camarillo offers the “Jimmy Buffett Beach Party.”

Here is an occasion to don faded T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops, while scrutinizing the winery’s pinot noir, chardonnay, zinfandel, Sangiovese and other wares.

Held from 1 to 5 p.m., the free open house will offer nonstop Jimmy Buffett music, food-wine matching and barrel sampling.

The Daume Winery is at 270 Aviador St., Camarillo. For more information, call 484-0597 or (800) 559-9922. Internet: https://www.silicon.net/~homebrew/winery.htm.

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We now leave the sand ‘n’ surf and jet--figuratively--to another continent for Bastille Day observances. A few local French restaurants will present special menus Wednesday to mark France’s independence day holiday:

* 71 Palm in Ventura will offer a four-course prix fixe dinner menu, complemented by live music. The meal:

Crudite plate (fresh raw vegetables accompanied by a sour cream horseradish dip); assiette de charcuterie (butcher plate); entrecote aux poivre vert avec gratin dauphinois (grilled ribeye steak with green peppercorn sauce and scalloped potatoes), grilled salmon bearnaise with fresh vegetables or linguine Provencal; fresh cherry clafouti; followed by coffee or tea.

A glass of red or white wine by Mondavi will accompany the meal.

Cost: $35, not including tax and tip. Doors open at 5 p.m., service until 9 p.m. For reservations, call 653-7222. The restaurant is at 71 N. Palm St., Ventura.

* Le Rendezvous Restaurant & Wine Bar in Newbury Park will offer a five-course prix fixe menu. Included will be a Parmesan artichoke hearts appetizer; filet mignon steak, cordon bleu-style; salad greens; a four-cheese sampling platter; and napoleon.

Each course will be served with a different wine from the Bordeaux region.

Cost: $42, tax and tip included. Service begins at 7 p.m. For reservations, call 498-1019. The restaurant is at 1282 Newbury Park Road, Newbury Park.

* Cafe Provencal in Thousand Oaks will serve a celebratory menu of mixed greens with goat cheese, seasonal fruits and gooseberry vinaigrette; spinach veloute; choice of salmon en croute with champagne beurre blanc or pork and figs demi-glace or coq au vin; and millefeuilles.

Cost: $27.50, not including tax and tip. The menu will be served from 5 to 10 p.m. For reservations, call 496-7121. The restaurant is at 2310 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

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The Ventura County chapter of W.I.N.O. will host a benefit wine dinner July 18 for the Camarillo Boys & Girls Club. The event will be held at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo. A multi-course gourmet meal will be served with wares from Forest Glen, Belvedere, Murphy-Goode and Beringer wineries.

The cost is $50. Send checks payable to W.I.N.O. before Wednesday to 1358 Saddleback Trail, Camarillo, CA 93012. No refunds will be made after that date unless space can be filled from a waiting list. For more information, call 484-4196.

The local chapter of the nonprofit W.I.N.O.--Wine Investigation for Novices and Oenophiles--holds about 10 winemaker dinners a year. Most members are Ventura County residents, and the public is welcome to attend functions.

Rodney Bosch writes about the restaurant scene in Ventura County and outlying points. He can be reached at 653-7572, fax 653-7576 or by e-mail at: rodney.bosch@latimes.com.