I had the opportunity to dine at Maravilla Restaurant at the Ojai Valley Inn last night. While we have some very fine restaurants in Ojai Valley, including the Ranch House, Suzanne’s, Bodee’s, Azu, Feast Bistro, Auberge and others, none match the exquisite dining experience of Maravilla.

Black truffle risotto, lobster bisque, apple rosemary and a tour of the kitchen after the jump.

(images taken with iPhone – click to enlarge)
The restaurant itself is beautifully decorated, with a roaring fireplace, big couches and a pianist on a grand piano in the lounge. Our good-humored waiter William was extremely knowledgeable on the ingredients used, how dishes were prepared and appropriate wine pairings. Culinary suggestions that might be considered “up-selling” coming from a less-skilled waiter were entirely appropriate and contributed to a complete dining experience. Attention to detail and a friendly, professional staff were notable.
I started with a blended leek soup topped with shaved black truffles and an infused olive oil. My entrée was the “market vegetable composition” which was a black truffle risotto. Throughout the meal, we were surprised with small individual plates from the kitchen, little extra tastes like gnocchi and later, a strawberry macaroon. Other highlights included a lobster bisque with a truffle grilled cheese sandwich and three stellar desserts that were only described by their flavors and not their composition, including apple/rosemary, cherry/chocolate/mascarpone, and chocolate/peanut/caramel.

After our meal, Executive Chef Peter Edwards (pictured, left) gave us a tour of the kitchen, which serves a number of restaurants and room service at the Inn. Speaking from experience as a waiter in high school and college, I was quite impressed by the kitchen, which was immaculately clean, quiet, roomy and efficient. Maravilla Chef de Cuisine Levon Wallace (right) leads a team of friendly, talented chefs that deliver dishes of the highest quality.
The menu on the website is out-of-date, although it gives a good sense of the current menu. Prices are slightly higher than listed on the menu in the link. Maravilla is not a cheap meal, but is certainly a memorable experience. Highly recommended for a special occasion or when a well-heeled friend on an expense account wants to take you out to dinner. I look forward to saving my pennies and experiencing Maravilla again in the not-too-distant future.