Something to Crow About

Since buying the Galloping Hen restaurant in Ventura a little over a year ago, Gustavo Castano hasn’t been home all that much. Developing his breakfast and lunch business, he said, has been a full-time commitment.

Castano has been so scarce, he said, that his wife suggested he leave a picture of himself at home so the family dog wouldn’t forget what he looks like.

That could become an even bigger problem these days because the Galloping Hen has added dinner service to its menu Thursday through Saturday.

It’s a big transition for an establishment that, for about 20 years, has developed a reputation as a breakfast house.

“The thing was to try to know, after a year, if people would like to eat dinner here,” Castano said. “The menu I have, I believe, is a simple-tasting menu where you have items that you don’t really do at home. . . . For dinner we try not to be too fancy, but we try to create something other than the normal stuff.”

The dinner menu includes traditional American dishes such as pot roast, chicken fried steak and pork chops; seafood dishes include grilled salmon in ginger cream; Mexican cuisine; pasta; and salads. Entree prices range from about $6.95 to $11.95.

Although he is anxious to develop a dinner clientele, Castano said he won’t be opening more than three nights a week any time soon.

“If this year we create a full house Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I’ll make myself happy--then next year we’ll see about more nights,” he said. “It’s not easy because it’s different kinds of customers. It’s like you’re starting a new restaurant.”

The Galloping Hen, at 305 Borchard Drive, is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

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Les Gardner, chairman of the Ojai Wine Festival, which comes to Lake Casitas on Sunday, sees a major difference between the 13-year-old event and many other wine festivals.

“This is really a family day, with supervised child care--the family can come to just enjoy themselves,” said Gardner, owner of the Attitude Adjustment Shoppe liquor stores in Ojai. “It is more casual than most.”

Casual, but still packing a punch.

Forty-two wineries and eight microbreweries will offer samples at this year’s festival, a fund-raiser sponsored by the Ojai West Rotary Club. Leeward Winery of Ventura, Daume Winery of Camarillo, Old Creek Ranch Winery of Oak View and Barnwood Vineyards of Lockwood Valley will be the local representatives pouring wines.

“You can get wine at all levels--some very, very sophisticated wines to very basic wines,” Gardner said. “Generally, you have time to talk to the winemakers, find out how they make their wines, what they do to make all their wines unique.”

There will also be food prepared by eight Ojai-area restaurants, arts and crafts booths and tours of the lake.

The festival will run from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $17 in advance, $20 at the gate general, $10 for nondrinking adults and youth 13-20, free for children 12 and younger. Information: (800) 648-4881.

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Other opportunities to feast this weekend include the Greek Festival at the Camarillo Airport and the Knights of Columbus Chili Cookoff and Car Show in Simi Valley.

The Greek Festival, sponsored by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, will feature the traditional baklava and other Greek foods.

There will be music, dance and crafts to fill gaps between trips to the pastry booth. The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $2 general, free for children under 12.

For hotter and spicier food, folks may want to visit the 12th annual Knights of Columbus Chili Cookoff and Car Show at 10 a.m. Sunday at St. Rose of Lima Church, 1305 Royal Ave. About a dozen chili chefs will prepare their dishes on-site in a competition sponsored by the International Chili Society. There will be plenty of mouth-dousing drinks for the chili samplers. Admission is $3 general, $1 seniors and children 6-12, free for children under 6.

Leo Smith can be reached at 653-7570 or by fax at 653-7576.