When it comes to making a successful go of a restaurant in Santa Paula's landmark Glen Tavern Inn, could the third time be the proverbial charm?

In the wakes of Avenue X (shuttered by fire in April 2006) and The Grove (closed in January amid much finger pointing by multiple partners), Ironhorse Restaurant & Lounge made its public debut Friday with a new look and a rejiggered menu.

Gone is the expanse of bamboo flooring that managed to survive the fire and then see service during the days of The Grove. In its place are red wall-to-wall carpeting and a host station near the door to the inn's lobby. Likewise, the bar area has been stripped of the drum-shaped, sit-and-spin stools of old; in their stead are high-backed wooden chairs, the better to cradle the posteriors of patrons settled in to watch the new HDTV screens.

Signifying the restaurant's shift from haute to home style, the menu is devoid of foams and any ingredient that has been "scented" by another. You can, however, get mac 'n' cheese sprinkled with panko bread crumbs, and the flatiron steak is marinated with "fresh herbs and citrus" — a nod to the region's reputation for lemons, said Eric Barragan, a former Grove partner who is acting as a consultant for Ironhorse owner Yolie Cerda.

For now, Ironhorse is open from 4 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, with happy hours from 4 to 6 and again from 9 to 11. A May 2 grand opening in conjunction with Cruise Night could include live bands, Barragan said. Daily service and weekend brunch will start around May 18. But for its "soft opening" last weekend, the restaurant already was offering such brunch-time niceties as white tablecloths and vases filled with daffodils.

Ironhorse is in the Glen Tavern Inn, 134 N. Mill St. Call 933-3534.

Just a few blocks away, Mupu Grill still has the vintage neon sign and recycled-from-Chasen's booths it had when it reopened in 2005. But chef and manager Tom Davis is new, and so is his take on the menu. Witness Sushi at the Mupu, which on Friday nights gives diners the option of ordering a sashimi salad or Mupu Roll (salmon, tuna, crab, shrimp, rice and avocado wrapped in nori, fried tempura-style, then served with spicy mango and papaya sauces) instead of — or in addition to — the regular menu of soups, salads, steaks and burgers.

The Mupu Grill is at 930 E. Main St., Santa Paula. Call 525-9779.

OPEN AND SHUT: The former Exotic Thai Cafe at 2001 E. Ventura Blvd. in Old Town Camarillo has been transformed into Sushi Planet, which, in addition to the titular dish, also serves Thai fare not available at its sister site in Moorpark. Specialties of the multicultural house include the Don't Ask Me Again appetizer, along with the "famous" White Roll made with chopped, deep-fried lobster and shrimp served with spicy tuna and "Planet sauce." The Camarillo Sushi Planet is open daily. Visit http://www.sushiplanet.net or call 383-7666.

After months of rumors and unpredictable hours (now it's open! now it's not!), Black Angus closed for good last week on Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Given the ever-changing needs of the The Oaks mall nearby, more in-the-neighborhood closings could be in the works.

And nine months after Hungry Hunter closed on Moorpark Road, there's news to report: The empty building now has a big "for lease" sign out front.

WINE TIME: The Wine Closet, an aptly named teeny-tiny wine shop at 130 North A St. in downtown Oxnard, will gain some extra (but temporary) square footage during two upcoming events.

First, Wine Closet owner Linda Hunter will team with Barroco's Restaurant for a free, open-to-the-public chamber of commerce mixer that includes wine-and-food tastings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the restaurant, 529 South A St., Oxnard. Then, from 3 p.m. April 27, Hunter will bring more than 20 wines to the courtyard at Oxnard's Heritage Square, where they will be paired to appetizers from on-site restaurant La Dolce Vita. Tickets are $30.

For information about either event, call 746-5708.

Now through the summer (and perhaps longer), Old Creek Ranch Winery near Oak View will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for mini-tours and tastings. (The $5 tastings showcase assorted whites and reds, including a 2005 barrel select Westerly Vineyards syrah.)

From 9:30 a.m. Saturday, winery owners John and Carmel Whitman and friends will be on site to bottle Ace, a syrah-merlot blend made in honor of Carmel's late father, John "Mike" Maitland, who served with the Flying Tigers during World War II. Call 649-4132.

Used as an uncredited location for several scenes in the movie "Sideways," the northern Santa Barbara County town of Lompoc will play host to the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival. Slated from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday in River Park, the event also celebrates the grape-growing region known as the Santa Rita Hills. Advance tickets, $75: 688-0881 or http://www.sbcountywines.com.

LOCAL TREASURE: Three courses featuring local ingredients (and wines) will be at the heart of an open-to-the-public April 24 dinner organized by Slow Food Ojai/Ventura to mark the opening of Treasure Beach and Cafe in Ojai. The combination retail shop and eatery is a joint effort by Mary Goldberg and Ojai chef and Slow Food member Jeri Oshima. Required reservations, $60: 640-0611.

PASSOVER PLANS: When I wrote last week about the kosher-certified falafel wraps that are newly available at Islands Cafe on the CSUCI campus in Camarillo, I should have been more emphatic in pointing out that such items do not a Passover meal make — especially given that grains and breads are typically avoided during the Jewish holiday. For best results, look for that "kosher for Passover" label. Better yet, attend one of the community Passover Seder dinners taking place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Chabad of Ventura. Info and reservations, $20-$40: 658-7441.

IN REVIEW: For restaurant critic Rita Moran's thoughts on Oh! Sushi in Oxnard, see Time Out in Thursday's Star.

— E-mail Lisa McKinnon at lmckinnon@VenturaCountyStar.com.