Camarillo is a Ventura County town best known for its “premium outlets,” a row of high-end shops visible from the 101 that generate a frenzy on a typical weekend, and a retail firestorm the day after Thanksgiving. Thanks to Michael Muirhead, chef and co-owner of Safire Bistro, Camarillo finally found something else to tout in 2007.

Despite the mini mall location, the stand-along restaurant is refined, with dark wood, high back blue booths, an exhibition kitchen and boxy golden lanterns and sconces that cast an amber glow. Near the entrance, don’t be surprised to find a jazz trio playing stand-up bass, keyboard and drums.

Muirhead was Lee Hefter’s sous chef for three years at Spago Beverly Hills, and Hefter has notoriously high standards, so that credit was a good sign. Fried Spanish Olives ($8) were outstanding, explosively flavored pitted olives that didn’t really need the garlic aioli, but it didn’t hurt.

Crispy Sesame Dusted Calamari ($11) weren’t all that crispy, but they did have whispy tempura-like batter and a dish of hot & sweet Chinese mustard. The plate also came with sunomono – sweet, thin-shaved pickles dusted with sesame seeds.

The evening’s special turned out to be the best dish, which should probably be the case. Five pepper-crusted New Bedford (Massachusetts) sea scallops came with caramelized cuts of Japanese eggplant, Thai red curry with just enough kick, escarole, scallions and cilantro. On the side: a mound of jasmine rice, which soaked up the curry to good effect.

For dessert, Un-Banana Cubana ($8) amounted to a Cuban-style “banana split.” Bone-dry fried plantains were rolled in toasted walnuts and cinnamon and drizzled with bourbon caramel sauce, plated with a rich scoop of dulce dé leche gelato and a fluffy cap of house-made whipped cream. Overall, the dessert worked out pretty well, but it was too sweet and the bananas should have been caramelized.

Safire Bistro was a solid restaurant. Was it worth an hour drive on its own? Probably not, but if you’re going to be at the outlets, it’s almost undoubtedly your best dining option in town.