20 days ago
Earl
We had previously been to Larsen's Steakhouse in Valencia. That was a darker, more personal, private restaurant with high-back booths and dim light. Perfect for a romantic date. And we had been given a gift card for $50. Larsen's Grill was similar in menu, with the added seafood twist since it is in Oxnard near the Pacific Ocean. It was much more open. With lower backed booths, from nearly anywhere in the restaurant you could see the well stocked back-lit bar that stood 12 or 15 feet tall as well as two large screen televisions showing the "game of the day". When we went it was the Seattle Seahawks vs. the San Francisco 49rs. The music was playing contemporary rock just loud enough to come to mind occasionally, but not so loud I couldn't hear my wife. The lower backed booths, large number of free standing tables, the music, and the lighting all gave the restaurant a more casual feel. The staff were top notch. When we stated we were looking for a sweeter wine, a la White Zinfandel style, she suggested one and informed us we could sample a wine if we wished before buying the glass or bottle. But we both opted to get cocktail drinks. Mine was the Signature Drink Whiskey Sour. Very good. My wife ordered a margarita and liked it so much she had two. We split a Cesar salad for an appetizer. Then my wife had Rotisserie Chicken with Garlic, Lemon & Herbs (a full half chicken with crispy skin and a succulent taste) while I had the Hawaiian Marinated USDA Prime Tri-Tip. The meats were cooked perfectly, and the sides (asparagus for me, garlic mashed potatoes for her) were very tasty. We finally ended our meal by splitting the Chocolate Cake. It came with Vanilla Ice Cream and Whipped Cream and was so delicious we nearly licked the plate clean. Overall, we both came away from our experience at Larsen's Grill feeling very satisfied. Although it was the gift card that brought us, we will definitely visit again when we are in town.
