Caffrodite
Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill
1876 E. Main St.
Ventura, CA 93001
In an effort to:
A) Save a little money
B) Be more green
C) Lose a bit of weight
I've been trying not to drive my car more than once a day. In keeping with this goal, my children and I end up walking or riding our bikes more-not necessarily a bad thing, of course.
So as a treat for riding to the beach and running during my daughter's Junior Lifeguard Comp Team practices, my daughter and I stopped for some coffee (steamed hot carmel for her) at Caffrodite, and to split a breakfast burrito from Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill.
When we first moved to Ventura 15 years ago, it seemed like we ate at Fresh Grill all the time. They had a very good tri-tip burrito, (not very Mexican, though) and it was an easy walk from the house. Then when the kids came along, we didn't go as much. The kids didn't really want to eat anything Fresh Grill served, so we drifted off to other places.
Caffrodite moved onto the Jim and Rob patio 12 years ago, and I went in a few times and didn't find anything that I really liked. As I've mentioned a few times, I don't really care for Santa Barbara Roast coffee, and every time I went in, I felt like I walked into a small gathering I wasn't invited to. The woman at the counter would serve my coffee, and then carry on talking to everyone else in the place. It didn't seem to matter that they came in before me or after me. I just didn't seem to rate conversation.
And to top it off, the coffee never seemed hot. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot coffee, and I like hot coffee.
So it's probably been four or five years since I've been in. But being on bicycle really limits your choices.
With some reluctance, (It's when we discovered La Petit Reve was closed) my daughter and I went in a few weeks back. And it was great! The coffee was hot ($2 for a medium), the barista carried on a conversation with both my daughter and I, suggesting some sort of steamed caramel drink instead of hot chocolate, which my daughter was totally happy with, and I finally understood why people rave about this place.
To make sure it wasn't a fluke, we came in again two days ago, and though it was a different woman behind the counter, she was just as friendly, even recommending a burrito from next door. Again, the coffee was hot, and my daughter was happy with her drink.
 |
| Bacon, egg and potato burrito and coffee |
The downside, such as it is, is that they serve Santa Barbara roast, which I find a bit acidic. Still, it was nice to sit beside Main Street, watching the cars go by and chatting with my daughter, fresh coffee and a breakfast burrito in hand.
Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill has three locations, but it seems like the two out in Ojai are no longer affiliated with the one in Ventura. They serve white Mexican food, which means that there are tortillas and corn chips, but it isn't the same as the Mexican food you'd find on the Avenues or in Oxnard. It's not bad, but not the same. My daughter and I split the bacon, egg, and potato burrito, and I smothered my half in their salsa. Fresh Grill prides itself in not using lard, and so everything tasted, well, a bit bland. Eggs were scrambled and tasted like eggs. The potatoes tasted like potatoes, and the bacon was extra crisp. My salsa tasted like tomatoes with onion, but no peppers. I've been trying to refrain from salting my food, and now I think I'm more sensitive to when little or no salt is used in cooking, and this seemed pretty salt free. Throwing food in a tortilla does not Mexican food make. It wasn't bad, service was neither fast nor slow, friendly nor unfriendly. It's not as bland as Taco Bell-to think in chain restaurant terms, Jim and Rob's Fresh Grill is closer to Baja Fresh than Chipotle.
I'll definitely come to Caffrodite more often. And I may start coming back to Jim and Rob's, but won't go out of my way.
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