This is such a great way to have lunch or dinner. It is in a beautiful courtyard/patio nestled under a gorgeous tree. You order at their counter, they give you a number and you are served the most delicious picnic style food you will ever eat. Plus when I was there they were playing all Beatles music, which I just can’t get enough of.
Here’s What I tried:
Olive Pain Rustique – A 1.5-pound long-rise rustic sourdough loaf with oil-cured Moroccan olives. I was given this as a present in Togo. I toasted it with butter and was just astounded; it is an amazing loaf of bread.
Bread & Butter, their organic, slow rise Pain au Levain with a scoop of house made organic butter. Another fantastic bread, super crunchy crust, just loved it. If I was stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one thing, it would be their glorious bread. They bake their bread fresh everyday, and it really is a modern miracle.
Rotie Chicken Meal, free-range, antibiotic and hormone-free rotisserie chicken meal includes 2 picnic sides, grilled Lebanese flatbread, pickled turnips and garlic sauce. The chicken has a very flavorful skin and the moist tender center; it is the best chicken you will ever taste.
Pommes Rotisserie (hot), Potatoes cooked in chicken drippings, lemon-pepper aioli. Nice cubed potatoes with the chicken drippings and aioli, it is out of this world.
Cardamom Carrot and red quinoa salad. With cardamom carrot, red quinoa, harissa, roasted chickpeas, sumac, and parsley. I have honestly never tasted this combination of flavors. It is healthy and just pops in your mouth, carrots never tasting this good.
Our Slaw, green cabbage, fennel, jalapeno, blistered peanuts, and cilantro-lime dressing. The cabbage is super crunchy and the peanuts add just the right amount of goodness, I had to keep coming back for more.
Caramelized Cauliflower, with turmeric, toasted pinenuts, golden raisins and baby kale. Oh my, another spectacular side dish, I would have to have this as a Togo item in my fridge at all times if I lived here.
Lamb “Kafta,” hand chopped on Skewer, with harissa & lebne
marcella white bean hummus. A super flavorful lamb dish that is an added protein must when you’re eating here.
Grilled Lebanese Flatbread, fire-grilled Lebanese flatbread, brushed with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with zahtar. I just can’t say enough about any of their freshly baked items, and the seasoning on this really sets this apart from any other type of flatbread you will ever eat.
Makela’s Fatouch, romaine, cucumber, radish, tomato, mint, parsley, green onion, flatbread, lemon, olive oil. A super fresh salad, and a great accompaniment with the chicken.
Owner Lorenzo is so charming and fun, he made my experience really great. He let me try whatever I wanted and filled me in with some of the facts about his 2-year-old restaurant, but the real star of the show is their food and amazing concept.
Ojai Rotie has created the perfect model for outdoor picnic dining. You’re under this gorgeous tree, in the beauty of this town and their stunning patio, what more could you want.
Ojai Rôtie
469 E Ojai Ave.
Ojai, California 93023
https://www.ojairotie.com/
