@TO-Cal Stand Out hed:Wolfgang Puck L.A. Bistro 30990 Russell Ranch Road at Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village. 818-597-1902. Offering lunch, dinner and takeout, the new bistro is the celebrity chef's first step toward Ventura County. The airy, contemporary spot has a casual atmosphere. Lunch is ordered at a counter and delivered to tables in the dining room and on two outdoor patios. Dinner is slightly more formal, with at-your-table ordering and service. Signature Puck dishes like smoked salmon pizza, pictured, and Chinois chicken salad are on the menu. Starters include a trio of Niman Ranch meatball sliders and Asian tacos served in butter lettuce cups. There are entrée salads, house-made meatloaf and a range of Puck's gourmet pizzas. Reasonable priced wines, beers and ales are in tune with the generally bistro-level prices. Joseph A. Garcia / Star staff

Here's a look back at Rita Moran's recent restaurant reviews, in chronological order. Moran visits restaurants unannounced and pays for her meals.

Jimmy's Slice, 586 E. Main St., Ventura. 648-6133. Offering "Ventura-style pizza," Jimmy's Slice is a neat little spot slivered between storefronts near the corner of Main and Chestnut streets in downtown Ventura. The pizza is very good, with thin crust and fresh toppings. In addition to the everyday cheese or pepperoni concoctions, there's a daily special. Vegetarian and "meat-lovers" versions are also available by the slice or the whole pie. Ask the counter person to make you a refreshing Italian cherry cream soda. Of the modest range of salads, The Wedge is particularly nice. Sandwiches include a hot meatball variation with marinara sauce and provolone.

Maharaja Cuisine of India, 2437 E. Main St., Ventura, 641-3644. What used to be Yasmeen's is now Maharaja Cuisine of India. It still offers a wide range of Indian specialties, albeit with a new chef who brings with him years of experience at Taste of India in Santa Barbara. The menu isn't remarkably different since the changeover, which took place in April, but some aspects are still in flux. One of the best dishes is Mughlai korma, a lamb curry dish from northern India that has wonderful flavor, both in the lamb itself and in the thick, aromatic sauce. The traditional kheer, or rice pudding, also is done especially well.

Tomas Cafe, 622 South A St., Oxnard. 483-6633. A popular gathering spot, Tomas Cafe in downtown Oxnard has added to its appeal by expanding the breakfast and lunch menus to include specialties from Uncle Herb's Restaurant & Pancake House, which closed last fall after 39 years. Ron Lassiter, one of Uncle Herb's owners, is now on the Tomas Cafe premises, and so are his recipes for Uncle Herb's gigantic cinnamon rolls and whipped cream-topped pancakes. The newly reinvigorated menu includes Mexican and American specialties for breakfast and lunch, served amid displays of works by local artists.

Treasure Beach and Cafe, 928 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai. 640-0611. A real find, just outside downtown Ojai, Treasure Beach and Cafe has elegant dining rooms, a small but appealing menu that changes regularly and a well-chosen wine list. Joined in the enterprise, which includes a fashion shop at the entry, are retailer Mary Goldberg and chef-caterer Jeri Oshima, a follower of the Slow Food movement. Ingredients are selected for their local-ness, seasonality and quality. The beet, mint and wild arugula salad is a standout, as is the broiled miso black cod with cold soba noodles and blanched spinach salad. Topping all, in season, is the roasted apricot sherbet.

Herb & Spice Thai Cuisine, 1407 E. Los Angeles Ave., Unit U, Simi Valley. 522-5000. A comfortable and quiet oasis in a busy shopping center, Herb & Spice has an energetic, helpful staff and a range of Thai dishes. A bakers' dozen of salad options includes the delicious yum woon-sen: silver noodles with shrimp, chicken and a sprinkling of peanuts, bathed in a lively sauce. Dinner features seafood, noodle dishes, curries and Thai barbecue. The red curry with pineapple and tomatoes is very good, and the crab-fried rice a fine dish to share. Fresh mango and Thai sticky rice is a refreshing dessert.