The Secret Garden is pleased to present the following reviews:

Secret Garden Restaurant

255 E High St   Moorpark , CA 93021

Michel is really NICE and charming.  Yes, he's French.  Yes, he's jokes around about being stubborn in his ways.  It is far from what was portrayed on "Kitchen Nightmares" and ended up being a very romantic and lovely evening and the Secret Garden in Moorpark.

Like very many out there, Kieran and I watched the season finale of KM (Kitchen Nightmares) and were really entertained to see a place in Moorpark featured.  "Dirty pig" and being a "stubborn French chef" is what Ramsey slammed on Michel the owner and chef.

When we got there, from the get go, the entrance was perfect for a rainy night, right along the parking lot, while on the show that is what Ramsey had difficulties with...walking around the building finding "locked door" after locked door before finding an entrance.  It's all sadly very dramatized which I am kind of sad to find out because I am an avid viewer and will continue to watch, I just will take it all with a grain of salt.

Michel and one other server worked the dining room.  He went around to all 6 tables and introduced himself and conversed with us.  We told him that we saw the show and he invited us to come in either Wednesday or Thursday for dinner and a viewing of the show, while he gives behind the scenes comments.

He was very nice, and to some it may seem like he's just "covering" his a *s after the show aired, but I really truly believe he is not only a great chef but a very good restaurateur and host.  

A lot of the clientele didn't even know what the show was.

On to the important stuff.  Michel has both his old menu and an insert for Ramsey's new and updated menu.  

We chose to order from Michel's 'cafe menu'  for 2 reasons, 1) it had better selections and 2) a 3 course meal for 2 with a bottle of wine was only $35 a person.

COURSE 1:
Soup de jour - Spicy Tomato Bisque
Salad - Caesar

Very, very good!  The tomato bisque was very filling and tasted very good.  The bowl was deceivingly deep.

COURSE 2:
Poached prawns with mashed potatoes cooked in a white wine sauce - which was EXCELLENT.  The carrots were perfectly cooked, while the prawns tasted pretty much like lobster.  They were HUGE and the mashed potatoes were excellent.

Skirt Steak entree - Michel communicated that they ran out of skirt but he had ribeye...which in my opinion is better anyways.  Kieran loved his entree and also enjoyed the mashed potatoes as well.  

COURSE 3:
Our server was on top of her game - she came by and offered us coffee just in time for our desserts.

Apricot Bread Pudding - Absolutely one of the best desserts I've ever had.  I don't usually do dessert, but this one was perfect, not too sweet, not too rich, but very flavorful.

Chocolate Molten Cake - Kieran enjoyed this, and I thought the bite I took was really good but I wouldn't order it because I don't like my desserts so rich.

Our dinner took about 2 hours, and never did we feel like we were waiting on the food or service.

I am really glad we went and we might be returning on Thursday to hear more about the behind the scenes.  

Some things he did share with us:  1)  Devon the sous chef was only brought in to film the show with them 2)  When Ramsey and Michel are screaming at each other and all the customers are looking in- the argument actually took place on a Saturday MORNING while there were no patrons in the dining room at all

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Read Our Review on "InsiderPages.com":

  "A great place..."  

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Thank you for your patronage and we look forward to spending

The holiday season with you and wish you a fabulous new year.

Call 805.552.9523 a bientôt!

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