@TO-Cal Stand Out hed:Pacific Fresh Seafood Grill Vons shopping center, 2060 E. Avenida de Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks. 493-0104. The family-founded (and family-friendly) restaurant lures diners with Greek specialties and grilled seafood, along with other familiar dishes. The Athenian shrimp, pictured, has a terrific sauce, and the tarama salad (a smooth paste made with fish roe) is delicious with pita bread (order enough, and it could serve as a first course). Grilled lamb shoulder chops are oozing with flavor, and the homemade baklava is chock-full of walnuts and honey, seasoned with aromatic spices. Prices are reasonable. James Glover II / 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.

El Rey Cantina, 294 E. Main St., Ventura. 653-1111. Channeling a stylish mix that is part Elvis Presley, part Tijuana, El Rey Cantina serves a range of hip cocktails along with a short menu of Mexican specialties, most of them spicy enough to make you reach for another beverage. The cantina makes its own tortillas, which among other things are used to wrap El Rey's seared ahi burrito and Trio of Enchiladas, served with red, white and green sauces. A real surprise is the fine quality of El Rey's hamburgesa, a delicious patty with a hint of jalapeño and cumin that is accompanied by a generous serving of fries.

Ironhorse Restaurant and Lounge, in the Glen Tavern Inn, 134 N. Mill St., Santa Paula. 933-3534. The new restaurant in the landmark inn is owned by Santa Paulan Yolie Cerda and features a menu by chef Walter Cozean. Some effective use is made of local citrus, and the menu covers a wide range of tastes and styles. An avocado roll appetizer is tasty, spicy and deep-fried; cream of broccoli soup is full of flavor; and strawberry shortcake, with no fresh strawberries, is more like a big, sweet, strawberry-flavored sundae. There is probably something on the menu to tempt every palate, much of it at modest prices.

Vivoli Cafe and Trattoria, 3825 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 373-6060. New to the North Ranch Mall space that used to be Louise's Trattoria, Vivoli has a sister restaurant in West Hollywood and another slated to open soon in Valencia. It features Italian cuisine brought to the table by young Italian servers, who add zest and charm to the proceedings in addition to knowing their stuff. The menu includes familiar favorites (cioppino, risotto, panini, pizzas, branzino) and specials. The wine list features vintages from — where else? — Italy.

Sushi Planet, 2001 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo. 383-7666. The new spot in Camarillo not only has sushi and a good range of Japanese cuisine, but also has a full Thai menu. The basics are there, but the specialty rolls and items are unusually creative: Sake-based cocktails can be paired with such dishes as the Oh My God! Roll, which features spicy shrimp salad and shrimp tempura topped with tuna, salmon, avocado and "sumo" sauce. Modestly priced lunch and dinner combos also are available. (Another Sushi Planet site at 537 Los Angeles Ave., Suite A, in Moorpark, also has specialty rolls and Japanese fare, but no Thai dishes.)

The Cave, Ventura Wine Co., 4435 McGrath St. (corner of McGrath and Telephone Road), Ventura. 642-9404. The intimate faux-cave setting at this new wine bistro inside the Ventura Wine Co. is handsomely decked out with sleek chairs, tables and a corner couch. Food orders are taken at an entry cash register; patrons can purchase wine-tasting cards in any amount they desire at a separate register. Food is delivered to the tables and wines are selected by the customers, along with the number of ounces to be poured by Enomatics machines, which are self-serve, credit card-operated wine dispensers. Lunch items are salads and sandwiches; beginning at 4 p.m., small plates are served, featuring items from filet mignon to a selection of cheeses. The cooked food is especially tasty.

Zookers, 5404 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria. 684-8893. Zookers' owners Jeanne Sykes and her chef son, Brent Monsour, bring lifelong interest in food to their restaurant's table. Their pleasantly informal restaurant is decked with ravishing orchids, single blossoms on each table, bunches of the exotic flowers at the entry and on counters. The same freshness comes through in their food preparation, with an emphasis on organic local produce. Sandwiches and salads are crammed with good greens, tomato, avocado and the like, and the soup specials are really special. Fare turns more solid at dinnertime, with dishes like lamb shanks and turkey-mushroom meatloaf. The menu has a Mediterranean influence in such items as hummus, pita bread and curry chicken salad. The beef in the beef stack/provolone sandwich is roasted on the premises, as is the turkey.