In one of the most miraculous financial turnarounds in recent memory, a Ventura County Chili’s Grill & Bar that was slated for closure next month due to “evaluative criteria” has instead extended its lease.

A spokesperson for Chili’s parent company, Brinker International, Inc., said in a Sept. 6 email to The Star that the chain’s Newbury Park restaurant would close in October.

But on Sept. 7, word that Chili’s had signed a new lease for the location was shared with employees, who passed it along to patrons, who posted about it on social media.

The happy news did not appear to reach the aforementioned spokesperson, who over the next five days did not return emails or phone calls from The Star seeking confirmation of the deal.

The silence was at last broken Sept. 12, when the spokesperson responded with an afternoon email containing two sentences:

“As of yesterday, I can confirm that Chili’s restaurant located at 1700 Newbury Road will not be closing.” And, “please attribute any quotes in your story to ‘a Chili’s (registered trademark) Grill & Bar spokesperson.”

The Newbury Park location opened in November 2007 at a stand-alone building located near the driveway entrance to Courtyard Marriott.

The decision to extend its lease — by a rumored five years — comes as Chili’s cuts 40 percent of its existing menu in an effort to combat declining customer traffic. The idea: By discontinuing items like crispy asparagus, mango-chili tilapia and trendy quinoa, Chili’s can better focus on “meatier” fare like burgers, ribs and fajitas.

“We apologize to any guest who misses a departed dish, but with this bold move we commit to all guests to do a better job of serving our famous food on every visit, in every restaurant,” Chili’s President Kelli Valade said in a prepared statement.

The new menu will launch Sept. 18 (https://www.chilis.com).

In Agoura Hills, the Agoura Village Center space that closed late last year as Revolution Speakeasy reopened on Sept. 8 as Chianti Trattoria and Pizzeria. The new restaurant is operated by the owners of Tra di Noi in Malibu.

The Agoura Hills spot serves antipasti ($12-$14), insalate ($13-$15), pizze ($19-$21), pasta and risotto ($19-$25) and entrees ranging from free-range chicken breast with lemon-caper sauce ($23) to Novy Ranches‘ grass-fed Angus short ribs braised in Chianti ($29). Both entrees are served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The restaurant is open daily from noon to 3 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. (29020 Agoura Road, Suite A-10, 818-532-7200, https://chiantitrattoria.com).

In Oxnard, a string of “grand opening” flags marks the entrance to Fatso’s Pizza & Grill, a take-out-only spot that debuted in late June with what owners Jordan and Lorin Sweis tout as “fat-friendly, fresh fast food.”

The menu includes bone-in chicken wings in a choice of four sauces ($6.99-$19.99 for six to 25 pieces), cheese sticks ($4.99) and buffalo chicken cheese fries ($7.99) that are served in a large, circular aluminum to-go container. A single order is capable of serving multiple people.

Burgers ($2.99-$5.85) include the 805, which features two patties with avocado, grilled onions and pickles on sliced sourdough. Also available are calzones ($6.99) and pepperoni and cheese stromboli ($5.99). Build-your-own pizzas are $5.99 to $19.98, depending on size and toppings. Specialty pizza options ($8.99-$22.99) range from the Fatso Garden, topped with a variety of veggies, to the Diablo Fatso, an extravaganza of buffalo sauce, buffalo chicken, bacon and jalapeños with ranch dressing drizzled on top.

A 20-percent discount is in effect during happy hour from 1-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Fatso’s is located in the Circle K Center, where its neighbors also include a meat market, a barber shop, a cellphone service provider and, judging by the telltale orange and green curtains in the windows, an Herbalife distributor. Fatso’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (1980 N. Ventura Road, 805-351-5384, https://www.facebook.com/fatsofood/).

In Port Hueneme, the health-food restaurant Body Fuel Bistro made its soft-opening debut Sept. 12 in the Ralphs/CVS shopping center across from Naval Base Ventura County.

Angie Wiggins and Hailey Wiggins are the mother-daughter owners behind the fast-casual spot focused on what its website describes as “good food with great flavor.” The menu of dishes in the $7.95-to-$12.95 price range is divided into four headings: “light and crisp,” “savory and bold,” “wholesome and hearty” and “exotic and flavorful.” Options include sesame spring ahi salad and chicken curry with cauliflower; vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.

Body Fuel Bistro is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (599 W. Channel Islands Blvd., 805-228-1554, http://bodyfuelbistro.com).

In Simi Valley, the end of summer was rough on fans of shave ice. The Ice Bar Cafe (2902 Tapo Canyon Road, Suite C) closed sometime between late August and early September, taking with it a menu that included affogattos and McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams. (The Ice Bar Cafe’s Camarillo location remains open at 455 Carmen Drive, http://www.theicebarcafe.com.)

After finishing out the lease of a previous business, the owner of The Polar Parlor (2480 Erringer Road) decided to close on Sept. 3 rather than risk extending the contract as winter approaches. The catering side of the business will continue to offer crepes and shave ice for private parties, and a food truck may be in the future. The Polar Parlor’s website, Facebook page and phone number remain active (805-416-4978, http://www.thepolarparlor.com).

In Thousand Oaks, Flatiron Bagel Co. marked its soft opening Sept. 11 in the Oak Leaf Square shopping center. The restaurant makes its bagels in house, in flavors ranging from plain to everything ($1.25 each); gluten-free bagels are available ($2.25).

Breakfast sandwiches range from the Vermont (maple cream cheese with cinnamon and powdered sugar on a French toast bagel ($4.50) to the smoked salmon on an everything bagel ($9.95). Lunch sandwiches include the turkey and avocado on an onion bagel ($6.95) and the roast beef and muenster on garlic ($7.50).

Dessert combos like the Campfire and Nutty Nana ($4.50 each) are built on chocolate chip bagels. Hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (1817 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., 805-370-5800, http://flatironbagelco.com).

Lisa McKinnon is a staff writer for The Star. To contact her, send email to [email protected]. To have the VCS Eats newsletter delivered directly to your inbox, visit http://bit.ly/VCS_Eats and type in your email address.

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