THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vineyard Terrace Restaurant & Wine Bar

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Vineyard Terrace Restaurant & Wine Bar Restaurant Review:

Earnest, approachable chef-owner Steven Thompson, who has spent much of his career cooking California cuisine in the Far East, returns to his native state with this intimate, highly personal venture on a less-than-glamorous stretch of Ventura Boulevard. The tiny space, formerly home to a Vietnamese restaurant, has been dressed up with white linen, candles and wine-oriented art, and Thompson works his heart out in an open kitchen. The current wine list---in fairness, still a work in progress---is not likely to draw crowds to the wine bar, but the food is another story. Despite the chef's Pacific Rim experience, there is nary an Asian element on the menu, as he concentrates on California cuisine with Mediterranean tones. Starters might include a light pumpkin bisque, ratatouille tart with pesto and greens, and house-smoked salmon. Among entrées, we were impressed with Zinfandel-braised short ribs, lavender-rosemary lamb shank and pan-roasted truffled halibut with a delicious vegetable nage.