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Culinary Connection
Dinner and a Movie
By Ward Porrill
Moviegoers often have the same complaint about movie theaters: they're just too darn expensive. Since ticket prices are only going to go up, the best solution (next to staying home) is to get more bang for your movie going buck. That's where the Muvico 14 in Thousand Oaks comes in.
Located right off the 101 freeway in "T.O." the Muvico towers like a fortress outside the Oaks Mall's ample parking spaces and open-air shops. Its gleaming exterior features an eye-catching LCD marquee that shows trailers for both current and coming attractions - perfect for those spontaneous moviegoers who show up having no idea what is playing.
Inside, the box office girl greeted me and my movie date cheerfully as we purchased our tickets for our matinee, which, at $9.50 a pop, at least was playing in one of the "reserved seating" theaters. Being a fan of the Arclight Theaters in Hollywood and Sherman Oaks, I have become quite accustomed to reserved seating - it comes in handy when a big movie is opening and you want to snag those coveted middle-row seats. For you old-school types, though, the Muvico 14 offers general seating theaters as well. Just don't complain when you end up in the front row.
We then noticed a display menu for Bogarts Bar & Grill located upstairs, so we decided to give the joint a look-see. As the escalator whisked us upstairs, we were greeted by a wide expanse of tables overlooking the downstairs lobby. Though we didn't have time for a full meal, the upscale décor and eager-to-please servers standing by made us both wish we had arrived a lot sooner. We asked the cashier girl behind the to-go counter which items were okay to bring inside the theaters and she informed us pretty much anything could be brought in, which brought to mind the stares one might receive as you dig into the grilled New York steak perched on your lap.
Downstairs, the concession counter offered a dizzying array of snacks including mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, and pizza. Due to time constraints, however, we opted for the usual popcorn and bottled water ($8.50 total.) I noticed the previously-popped remnants sitting at the bottom of the glass case and asked the nice kid behind the counter when the next batch was to be popped. He not only assured me that he could start one in a matter of minutes, but he also offered to bring it to us inside the theater when it was ready! We instantly took him up on his offer. Honestly, I would have trusted this kid with my debit card pin number.
We entered our theater as the previews were showing and had no problem finding our seats because the house lights were still on - a nice touch, though I usually hate to give late-comers any kind of slack. The interior was quite inviting as the walls displayed images of a Parisian skyline at night, which added a touch of romance to the proceedings.
Our seats were comfortable, the theater floor was spotless, and the picture and sound quality could not have been better. And yes, the cashier made good on his promise and delivered our fresh bag of perfectly-salted popcorn right to seats in the middle row. You would have thought that we had directed the movie ourselves! Afterwards, as we headed for the lobby exit, we were thanked not once, but twice by the friendly staff for our patronage.
Now, some people might think that $30 might be a lot to pay for an afternoon at the movies, but considering the deluxe treatment we were given, the Muvico 14 gave us our money's worth and then some. I'll just have to remember to save up - and save room for that New York steak next time.
Muvico 14
166 W. Hillcrest Drive,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
(954) 564-6550