With its sweeping views of the coast and intriguing menu, Eric Ericsson's on the pier in Ventura is a destination for relaxation.

Relaxation is a subjective feeling and there's no set formula for achieving it. Sometimes it comes after three days in a faraway place. Other times it finds you within minutes while still close to home.

With three young children, relaxation is hard to come by, especially the variety that takes days to find. So with my wife's sanity in mind, we make it a point to seek out the more local kind. We've found that dinner at Eric Ericsson's in Ventura does the trick.

Given its location, it's not hard to imagine why. The restaurant sits atop the Ventura Pier and from its wide windows, you can gaze down the length of the pier, glimpse the Channel Islands on the horizon, or watch surfers bob in the swells off Surfer's Point. The view is exceptional and so is the food.

Naturally, seafood is well represented on the menu. The specials change daily, but clams, lobster, shrimp, ahi, calamari and crab are abundant, whether served traditionally or in intriguing variations.

Eric Ericsson's on the Pier 668 Harbor Boulevard Ventura, CA 93001 805-643-4783 www.ericericssons.com Getting There From Santa Clarita, take State Route 126 west to Highway 101 north. Exit San Jon Road and turn left. Turn right on Harbor Boulevard. Turn left into the parking lot for pier/beach parking. Proceed to end of parking lot under pier. Be sure to get your ticket stub validated. Hours Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

On our last visit, April started with the clam chowder bread bowl, and then followed with the baked blue crab and artichoke dip for her main course. The rich blend of artichoke hearts, jack cheese and red bell peppers was full of tasty crab and made for an ample dinner. The grilled stuffed chiles caught my attention and were every bit as good as they sounded. Executive Chef Nicolas Duran roasts two large green pasilla chiles, loads them with shrimp, crab, jack cheese and cilantro, and garnishes them with tomatillo cream sauce.

Our favorite time to visit is late afternoon. The lunch crowd is long gone, and the dinner rush hasn't yet started. It offers the best opportunity to snag a window table, order a glass of wine or pint of beer, and alternate between mulling over the menu choices and studying the scenery. If for some reason you get bored looking out the window, turn your attention to the decor. Hanging above the main dining room is a metal fish sculpture that is remarkably detailed given its medium.

The service at Eric Ericsson's is a pleasant surprise. The wait staff's mellow pace matches the setting. That's not to say they're inattentive. Instead, they do their job but let you linger and enjoy your meal and the scenery. It's a refreshing change from many beachfront eateries, where they strive to set new records for how many times a night they can turn over their tables.

By the time dinner ends we're nearing a state of relaxation. What seals the deal is a walk along the pier. There's no better dessert than a full serving of sunshine complemented by an ocean breeze and the surf crashing on the pilings below you. We're not far from Santa Clarita, but it sure feels that way.


Eric Harnish is a Newhall resident.