The Dutchess

The Dutchess Review: This Charming Restaurant Offers a Perfect Day-to-Night Transition in Ojai | Eater LA

"Opened in 2022 and immediately embraced as one of the more prominent contributors to Ojai’s dining scene boom, this day-to-night spot lets me move from coffee and homemade breads, pastries, and breakfast dishes (including congee) to bright Burmese and Southeast Asian plates with a Californian sensibility from chef Saw Naing. The space feels large inside, with two back dining rooms that have banquettes or wooden tables with vintage pews for chairs, and I love the old-school Dutchess bread oven from the space’s original bakery built into the brick wall of the back dining room. For breakfast, I kick the day off with the classic plate—Niman Ranch bacon, tomato chutney, Weiser Family Farms potatoes (iykyk), sourdough or gluten-free toast, and two sunny-side eggs—or get it in sando form with sharp cheddar on a sesame milk bun. Gluten-free congee with garlic chile crisp is an exceptionally comforting way to begin the morning, especially paired with the spicy-peanut-pocked kale and chicken salad, which has slivers of cabbage and a sweet-and-sour tamarind dressing. During dinner, must-get dishes like goat masala curry can be sopped up with freshly baked naan, while a classic tea-leaf salad and pressed chickpea fritters with tamarind chutney make for compelling sides. Pastry chef Kelsey Brito rounds the menu with seasonal desserts like a mango sticky rice sundae and strawberry semolina cake in the summer—the gluten-free sticky rice doughnuts stay no matter the season. In the mornings I see young families toting a croissant-loving kid or two in strollers; at night it’s couples on date night and the actor whose name I can’t remember who owns a vacation home in the mountains. Insider tip: the bakery makes some of the most decadent, in-demand wedding cakes in the region; pre-order through the website." - Nicole Fellah