Always on a quest for healthy, freshly prepared meals, I stumbled on a great little neighborhood place in Westlake Village, Natural Cafe.

This cozy quickservice restaurant with its warm colors, bamboo wood flooring and tropical feel serves a healthy fare at reasonable prices.

Salads are large and tasty; I particularly liked the ranch salad with marinated chicken on a bed of baby greens with carrots, tomatoes, jicama and feta cheese.

The albacore salad was okay but would have been much better with a nice freshly seared piece of ahi tuna instead ofcanned albacore. The turkey burger (Gobbler Burger) was tender and moist and was served on a whole wheat bun with Thousand Island dressing. One of my guests tried the chicken enchiladas- corn tortillas stuffed with ranchero chicken, black beans, rice and cheese with a mild enchilada sauce. Not spicy enough for me but they were delicious.

For vegetarians or vegans there are plenty of tasty choices, and for those like me just trying to enjoy a healthy, freshly prepared meal, the Natural Cafe has entrees that will fit the bill.

They have a great selection of smoothies, made with all fresh juices and fruit, and bottled natural juices. If you like ginger ale, try the ginger brew.

This cafe is a great place for a casual quick lunch or dinner. Service is quick, but the staff could use a bit more training on understanding of the menu.

This small chain has several locations in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Newbury Park and Moorpark. The food is prepared fresh- they have quite a large menu. Prices are reasonable- salads, sandwiches and entrees are priced from $6.25 to $8.50. Why not go Natural!

The Natural Cafes in our area are located at968-12 Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village, (805) 449-0099; 1714 Newbury Road, Ste. R, Newbury Park, (805) 4980493; and 840 New Los Angeles Ave., No. B, Moorpark, (805) 523-2016. Hours of operation are from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Marty Bee is a pseudonym for the Acorn's restaurant reviewer. To preserve the objectivity of Mr. Bee's work, his appearance at each restaurant is kept a secret. He could be at a table next to yours. To read past reviews or make recommendations, go to www.marty-bee.com.