ENCINITAS -- Greg Lukasiewicz used to wear Ferragamo shoes and designer suits to work. Now he wears flip-flops and shorts.

Lukasiewicz owned a restaurant in Pasadena with a nightclub, wine bar and two private dining rooms. Fed up with life in the fast lane, he traded his million-dollar restaurant for an outdoor cafe with a million-dollar view in Cardiff.

Now, Lukasiewicz is having the time of his life, working side-by-side with family and friends developing local seafood-based fare to a loyal and growing customer base. Today, the former high-flier passes the hours surrounded by his daughters and wife. He even has time for his newest passion: spearfishing.

This Southern California fairy tale began three years ago when Greg and his wife, Laurel Manganelli, sold their controlling interest in a 12,000 square-foot fine dining restaurant in Pasadena to pursue a more family-oriented lifestyle in North County.

The couple took charge of the concessions at San Elijo State Beach Campground off Coast Highway 101 in Cardiff, a business run off and on for 20 years by Manganelli's family.

Today, she operates the store where campers come to buy charcoal, s'mores fixings and beach hats. Daughters Halie, 11, and Devon, 13, sell shaved ice (a job Manganelli had when she was their age).

Lukasiewicz runs the cafe, at 2050 S. Coast Highway 101 (at Chesterfield Drive), where patrons sit at picnic tables and look out over the cliff at surfers and sunbathers.

"Life is beyond perfect," he said. "I can cook at the grill and look out at the ocean -- I can see all the way down the coast to La Jolla. It's far beyond anything I expected."

Life flows at a relatively relaxed pace. It's a welcome change from the grueling schedule the couple kept seven days a week for 14 years.

"I think I was the first to say I can't go on anymore, " Manganelli said. "I felt like our kids were growing up without us. It was as if we were working for our investors. As a couple, we always said family comes first."

The choice was more difficult for Lukasiewicz, who at one point was involved in up to four restaurants.

"I was a little hesitant at first to leave L.A. because my family lives in Pasadena," he said. "I had a following there, and the investors wanted me to keep developing more restaurants.

"But I wasn't home enough," he added. "Now I'm learning to scale down. I don't take for granted the magic life has to offer. "

The couple bought a modest house in Oceanside next to Manganelli's mother. Lukasiewicz took a year off. He helped his wife set up the campground store and spent lots of time with his kids. Eventually, he wandered into the cafe kitchen where the most exotic item on the menu was nachos and cheese.

He began to experiment with the kind of food he himself loved to eat: gourmet tacos -- an after-hours favorite for the culinary cognoscenti of Los Angeles.

Slowly and quietly, he let his business concept grow.

Last summer, Bull Taco was born. The name is an homage to Restaurant Bulli in Spain, founded by world-class chef Ferran Adria, dubbed the "Salvador Dali of chefs" by Gourmet Magazine.

Bull Taco specializes in local fresh seafood and organic produce. Grilled fish, oyster and duck tacos cost no more than $2.50. Lobster, crab, abalone and tacos are a little more, priced at $5-$10. Early mornings on the deck you can grab a breakfast burrito, juice and espresso.

The cash-only cafe is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Non-campers must park outside on the street. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Bikers and others can call ahead for a pick-up.

Call (760) 436-6601.