During my recent vacation in the Midwest, I visited six states, limited myself to one order of deep-fried cheese curds, joined two friends for lunch at the Slow Food-inspired Marie Catrib's in Grand Rapids, Mich., bought three seed packets of red milkweed ("preferred food of Monarch caterpillars") at the Seed Savers Exchange farm in Decorah, Iowa, and was the 502nd person in line (give or take a few) for an Alton Brown book signing in La Crosse, Wis.

But more on Mr. "Good Eats" in a minute. We'd barely crossed the Ventura County line on the drive home from LAX when I noticed the first sign of openings, near-openings and one surprise closing that happened in my absence: Hanging off the building that had been home to Tryst in Newbury Park was a "coming soon" banner, clearly visible from the freeway. A phone call later, I learned that the new restaurant in question is Cholada Thai Cuisine, scheduled to open June 2. It is related to the eatery of the same name in Malibu but not to the Cholada in Ventura.

That wasn't the end of it. Strolling around downtown Ventura after the Saturday farmers market, I learned that El Rey Cantina had opened at what used to be Rotisseria.

Outside, the cantina features a retro-style neon sign and a display window filled with velvet paintings of Elvis Presley, aka The King, aka El Rey. Inside, patrons will find American and Mexican fare (including made-on-the-premises tortillas) and a wall-mounted 1980s-era jukebox stocked with tunes by Steve Miller, The Clash and Vicente Fernandez, known as the king of the rancheras. Owner Alessandro Tromba, the son of longtime county restaurateur Giovanni Tromba, describes the place as "a rock n' roll tequila bar" with "Tijuana-chic" decor. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. daily, with the full menu available until last call, said Tromba. El Rey Cantina is at 294 E. Main St. Call 653-1111.

More shocking was the sight at Westside Cellar, 222 E. Main St. There, taped to the front door, was a "closed until further notice" sign. Calls to the wine shop are answered by a recording that describes the closure as "temporary" and "due to renovations."

Westside Cellar was co-founded by James (Jimmy) Mesa, a local developer who has had a hand in changing the face of downtown, including the transformation of 66 California into Cafe Fiore and the more recent makeover of the Star Lounge. In 2006, he spearheaded preliminary efforts to turn the parking lot location of Top Hat Burger Palace into shops and condos. Today, that property sports a "for sale" sign in the shade of a tree.

In Camarillo, Jose F. Iribe Perez has opened Lucerne Restaurant after more than 20 years as both a chef and a server at Giovanni Tromba's Pastabilities, (now Bistro 13). Located in what used to be Mexican Express next to Kmart at 868 Arneill Road, the Italian restaurant serves vegetarian lasagna, seafood risotto and veal saltimbocca in a remodeled setting accented by a burgundy and Araucana-blue color scheme. For hours, call 383-5777.

New in Simi Valley is the Junkyard Cafe, named for its decor encorporating license plates and car fenders. "Customers bring us things; if it's good junk, we'll hang it up," said Tony Falato, who owns the eatery with Evelyn Loker. Located in the former Ameci Pizza & Pasta space at 1750 Los Angeles Ave., the cafe is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call 520-JUNK.

BIG BROWN: Inspired by his Food Network series of the same name, Alton Brown's new cookbook, "Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run" (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50), documents the people, places and foods he and his motorcycle-riding crew encountered while following the Mississippi from Louisiana to its headwaters in Minnesota's Itasca State Park.

Along the way, Brown watched the pounding of dried sassafras leaves into filé powder in Baton Rouge, La., put lines in the water at the Great Alma Fishing Float in Alma, Wis., and ate strawberry-rhubarb pie at Baxter's Vineyards in Nauvoo, Ill. And when he showed up for a "River Run" book signing at the Barnes & Noble in La Crosse, Wis., last month, it looked as though every resident of those burgs had shown up to say hello.

In town to visit my in-laws, I made it to the bookstore just before the signing began and found that the line already was out the door, spilling into the adjacent indoor mall. As I searched for its end, Brown — dressed in a tan suit, his hair standing at roosterlike attention — swooped past, making a beeline for a woman with an infant in her arms. "This is the last time that having a kid will benefit you in any way," he said with a laugh as he signed her book and sent her on her way.

Brown, who has a young child of his own, later called for all school-aged kids and their parents to move to the front, the better to get them home and in bed for school the next day. With the kiddies gone, the in-line conversations suddenly got a lot more interesting: The two women behind me dared each other to ask Brown out for drinks, then discussed the details of their favorite "Good Eats" episodes. "Do you remember the one when he was dressed all in leather? Mmmmmmm," said one.

Three and a half hours passed before I reached the front of the line. My feet hurt and my fingers ached from holding my stack of books. If Brown was feeling any ill effects from chatting with, and shaking the hands of, hundreds of people, he wasn't showing it. But don't feel too sorry for him: After trading in his motorcycle for a catamaran, Brown's next food travelogue series, "Feasting on Waves," will focus on his adventures in the Caribbean when it debuts in September.

IN REVIEW: For restaurant critic Rita Moran's thoughts on Sushi Planet in Camarillo, see Time Out in Thursday's edition of the Star.

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