The New Restaurant at Ventana Debuts

Former Cielo Restaurant Opens After Year Long Renovation

Big Sur, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2009) -The Restaurant at Ventana, which was damaged in a structural fire in August 2008, has been completely renovated and reopened to the public on Friday, September 25.

With a new wine room greeting guests at the entry, the expansive cedar interiors open up to an inviting lounge area with a majestic redwood bar and oversize copper fireplace.  The new dining room provides the opportunity to share in the excitement of the restaurant's exhibition kitchen.  As part of the renovation, the dining room floor was elevated, offering picturesque views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The Restaurant at Ventana's legendary outdoor terraces are an ideal venue for dining alfresco, with dramatic 50-mile views of the rugged coastline. Guests can select to sit beneath the vine draped arbor, in front of the grand outdoor rock fireplace or under a market umbrella.  Whichever the choice of location, a meal here is as spectacular as its surroundings.

Ventana's new Executive Chef, Dory Ford, has crafted seasonal menus with fresh local, organic and sustainable ingredients. Ford comes to Ventana from the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium where he created menus for the Portola Café and Restaurant, oversaw the banquet/ catering division as well as served as host chef for Cooking for Solutions, the Aquarium's premier annual food and wine event. Under Ford's leadership, The Restaurant at Ventana is now participating in the Aquarium's acclaimed Seafood Watch program, which contributes to healthy oceans by educating consumers about environmentally sustainable seafood choices.

Lunch offers delectable options such as Piave Cheese Soufflé, Sustainable Seafood Chowder and Pumpkin Agnolotti; dinner includes outstanding main dishes such as Seared House-Spiced Bison Strip Loin, Liberty Farms Sonoma Duck Trio and Dungeness Crab Stuffed Monterey Squid.  Additionally, much of the produce on the menu is harvested from Ventana's own organic gardens.

The restaurant is open daily with the following hours:

• Lunch: 12:00-3:00 p.m.
• Mid-Day Menu: 3:00-5 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Reservations are recommended.  Call 831.667.2331. For more information about The Restaurant at Ventana visit the resort's website at www.ventanainn.com.