Restaurant Review #251, Leila's, Oak Park

Grilled lamb loin with Israeli couscous and apricot sauce

If you think all the delicious gourmet restaurants are in LA County, Leila's in Oak Park, a small pocket of Ventura County near Agoura Hills, will prove you wrong. There's also plenty of free parking, and the surrounding area makes for a beautiful drive during the day.

Soup of the day: Corn chowder, $8

The restaurant is pricey for the 'burbs, but the portion sizes are plenty generous--not what you'd get at Chili's, but larger than usual for a fine-dining restaurant. Most appetizers and salads are $11-$17. Most entrees are in the $20s, and desserts are $7-$8.

Crab and mango appetizer

One might argue that a number of the plates are embarrassingly overdecorated, but I'm willing to overlook a Pollock-inspired design if the food is tasty.

Grilled shrimp appetizer

The grilled shrimp appetizer with grilled lemon slices and chili dipping sauce was some of the most flavorful shrimp dishes I've ever had. For me, it was the most memorable dish of the night. (Of course, I was also the hungriest at this point in the evening.)

This dish didn't really do it for me. I don't think steak belongs on top of french fries (it makes the fries soggy) and the meat-to-fry ratio was really out of whack.

Complimentary bread with garlic, lemon, and herb-infused olive oil

Gnocchi

Ice cream puff (rapidly melting)

Chocolate pyramid

Dining room

The restaurant has a fair number of tables, but the dining room is divided into separate sections, so it feels intimate and isn't too noisy. The service was rather slow and indifferent, however. I have few complaints about the food, but for some reason I haven't felt compelled to return to Leila's.

Leila's

706 Lindero Canyon Road
Oak Park, CA 91377
(818) 707-6939
Leila's website
Leila's menu