Santa Barbara

Wedding there in May and will be staying for several days. Any recommendations?

La Super Rica Taqueria is awesome - really great posole, special tacos, etc. People make pilgrimages from El Lay.

Watch the movie Sideways.

I recently moved back to MI after living in SB for a while. La Super Rica is very tasty but I would say there are at least 5 other taquerias on Milpas that are at least as good if not better. Anyway, that is the place for mexican so you can't really go wrong.

This is no LTH but it lists nearly every place in town by food type:



Also, if you will have means to cook / make food to musts are the Farmer's market on State St., Saturdays (moves around throughout the week but Saturday is the best) and got to the fish monger early to get fresh off the boats seafood.



The food here is nothing earth shattering, not bad, but the view can't be beat:



For a nice French meal or Sunday brunch you could try Stell Mare's:



I'm heading out for a week at the end of the month so hopefully I'll have more to report then.

Enjoy!

I'd agree with jahol about La Super Rica - it's mostly famous because of its association with Julia Child, but I don't think the food is necessarily a destination spot, especially for a Chicagoan.

If you want a seafood-centric menu in a casual setting, I highly recommend The Hungry Cat. Yes, the original restaurant is in LA, but the SB branch is very good and the seafood specials are excellent.

Also enjoyed a higher-end meal at Julienne, and I like their menu format. I guess the cuisine could be characterized as "elevated rustic" and there are no subtle flavours.

If you really want a unique experience try Cold Spring Tavern! Originally an actual stage coach stop converted to a bar in one building and dining in another. The food and atmosphere are excellent with options including venison, rabbit, and game birds.

It's a little out of town, just up the pass on the way to Santa Ynez but well worth the drive.



Enjoy!

The sibling restaurant of the Boathouse is fun if you like getting your fingers and face all messy with local rock crab, freshly steamed: Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. It's a small place on the end of Stearns Wharf (which juts out into the Ocean at the base of State Street). Much of the seating lies along a counter looking out over Harbor. Or, sit at the 'bar' and watch the kitchen crew pull crabs out of the tank and steam them, shuck oysters, etc. The local wine (Kalyra) is pretty decent, especially the Sauvignon Blanc.

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
230 Stearns Wharf Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 966-6676

Or, for a little bit of (controversial) history, have breakfast at the original and only surviving Sambo's restaurant. The menu has changed somewhat from the late 60s - early 70s, but the logo, decor and memorabilia are much the same. You can see them here:

http://www.sambosrestaurant.com

When I had lunch there about a year ago, the clientele represented and interesting and diverse ethnic and racial mix. I'm guessing that few customers were aware of the chain's history. Charles Bernstein's book , "Fraction of the Action," is a decent account of the collapse.

The Original Sambo's on the Beach
216 West Cabrillo Blvd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-3269

jaholbrook wrote:If you really want a unique experience try Cold Spring Tavern! Originally an actual stage coach stop converted to a bar in one building and dining in another. The food and atmosphere are excellent with options including venison, rabbit, and game birds.

It's a little out of town, just up the pass on the way to Santa Ynez but well worth the drive.

http://coldspringtavern.com/index.html

Enjoy!

Beautiful - agreed! - and a spectacular drive. If you go to CST on Sunday afternoon, bring your Harley-Davidson.

jaholbrook wrote:I recently moved back to MI after living in SB for a while. La Super Rica is very tasty but I would say there are at least 5 other taquerias on Milpas that are at least as good if not better.

Thanks. I've been saying this for years and it's nice to see confirmation from someone who lived in SB. It's a good place, but it's not particularly special in 2012 and certainly not the big deal it was when "discovered" by Julia Child. The factors that kept people out of less "accessible" taquerias have faded. But I'll say LSR is a trendsetter and historically important, which is valuable in and of itself.

PS, can we imagine there were many decades in this country when gringos wouldn't go into a place like Tierra Caliente? Only if you were alive before 2004.

Agreed 100% JeffB. I would say if the OP has never been LSR is no doubt a worthy spot... they wouldn't be disappointed.

One other suggestion not necessarily for the food but for the cocktails is Harry's. Bring a designated driver!! :shock:

Another vote here in the LSR is overrated category. It's fine, but not worth going out of the way for, especially for someone used to Chicago Mexican food.

Just returned from an awesome trip to SB. I mentioned it earlier here but if you have an opportunity to cook make it a point to go to SB Fish Market! We picked up some VERY fresh SB spot prawns that we grilled and were amazing. I went in and asked if they had any fresh thinking they maybe they had some in the cooler. When the guy at the counter pulled out his net to fish them from the tank I new we were in for something really special! He informed me that they keep them in the tank when they come in and what ever they don't sell they individually freeze right away. Best "shrimp" I've ever had.

Got back from my trip last week. Two main highlights.

On our first night, we hit Los Agaves, a newer Mexican spot in the downtown SB. I have to say, with no exaggeration, this was some of the best Mexican I have ever had. It exceeded Los Nopales by a fair margin and was comparable to anything I have had from Mr. Bayless. They have a free salsa bar with 6-8 different salsas. We started with these, and each one was better than the last. Each had a distinct flavor, but complex with multiple layers and flavors shining through. Several of these on their own could have qualified for my favorite salsas, but combined will definitely be the new standard bearer for me.

I also had the cochinita pibil, which was great as well. Came out in a sizzling skillet and was served with fresh tortillas. The tortillas were my only complaint as they were thicker than I am used to, but this dish was all about the juicy, perfectly seasoned pig. It was a fantastic version of Mexican pulled pork.

Our other great meal was at Hungry Cat, an SB outpost of an LA favorite I had yet to check out. I won't make that mistake again. Hungry cat serves some fantastic seafood.

We sat at the bar and chatted with chef for much of the meal. He was very engaging and consistently on top of everything. He chuckled and apologized when he plated one of our dishes and put it in the expo window only to have the food runner bring right back in front him.

We started out with some oysters, having one of each of east coast, west coast and local (CA, instead of the more regular NW oysters of Portland/Washington/BC). All were bright and tasty.

The next two dishes were the scallops and the clams. Both were different preparations but came in expertly seasoned broths similar to mussels. Each was excellent, and the clams were especially beautiful. They came with house made chorizo and kale -wonderful. We ended up sopping up the rest of the juice on each plate with an extra order of bread. I would have gladly eaten either preparation as a soup.

Hungry Cat is the first seafood restaurant I've been to with a chef driven, seasonal focus. They set the bar high, and I will definitely stop back on future visits to L.A. or Santa Barbara.

Los Agaves
600 North Milpas Street
Santa Barbara, CA
(805) 564-2626

The Hungry Cat
1134 Chapala Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 884-4701

The second half of my SoCal report, though they might call it Central Coast.

Had the pleasure of spending three weeks in Summerland, a tiny community that was formerly a combo hippy/religious haven and is now the poorer southern suburb of Oprah's Montecito. My kind of place - small, friendly and idiosyncratic as hell. The primary joy in getting out of Chicago in November/December and heading to SoCal is that it is like returning to the height of farmers market season, and it did not disappoint. Perfect tomatoes and lettuce, vegetables, nuts, artisanal meats, fresh seafood. Santa Barbara County has Farmers Markets at different locations (and of different sizes) six days a week. Bliss.

There is a place called Sugar and Salt Creamery that specializes in almond milk, mostly used in sorbets. They make what they call a sprouted almond milk that is rich, tasty and entirely decadent. Ran across them at my first Farmers Market, and then could never find them again despite trying repeatedly (I was told that they can be a little flaky...). So many other delicious discoveries like that - cheeses, exotic produce, and more. As I said, bliss.

And we did eat out a few times.

I did a casual study of Santa Maria barbecue, of course. Started with a tourist destination, up in the pass above Santa Barbara, Cold Spring Tavern. It is up in the middle of nowhere, a couple of miles off the highway. They serve meals and have a full bar, too, but on the weekends they do tri-tip and do it very, very well. Served on an excellent, lightly grilled roll with salsa and creamy horseradish dressing it is very tasty. Not really barbecue since it is only marinated and then grilled over red oak, but definitely worth enjoying. The crowd is a fun mix of bikers, tourists, locals, etc, and they have good beer on tap and music in the afternoon and evening.

Two places in Summerland also do Santa Maria barbecue. The owner of Tinkers, just off the highway, Joe, recently (like last month) built himself a portable barbecue outfit, and on Monday he does tri-tip, beef ribs and pork ribs. Condiments just include salsa and a pretty sweet and mediocre barbecue sauce, so stick with the salsa. He had been doing this for less than a month when I visited with him (on two different Mondays) and admitted it was still a work in process. Tri-tip was solid, but no better and nowhere near as good as Cold Spring's. Pork ribs were interesting, chewy and fatty in a way smoked ribs are not really. Nice flavor, but just okay. The beef ribs, however, were delightful - very much like chewing on the savory, crispy ribs from a roast, only crispier, more spicy, but still with that great, beefy flavor. Tinkers is a burger/hot dog joint otherwise, and while the Bride enjoyed their fish and chips twice, I do not see the point - pretty it all came out of a bag in the freezer before going into the fryer. Cantwell's market, at the other end of downtown Summerland, does tri-tip on the weekends, but I never made it so I cannot give any advice. Further study is surely required.

Mac's Fish and Chips on Main in Santa Barbara does the English thing pretty well, and delivers the goods. Freshly battered big filets of fish, stubby, browned chips, malted vinegar and good quality tartar sauce. Damned good. Respectable (NE) clam chowder, too. Nothing fancy, but they always have soccer on the telly.

Up in wine country we had a great Thanksgiving dinner at Root 246 in Solvang, a (Danish) town that is so cute it makes your teeth hurt. Seasonal, fresh cuisine. Started with arctic char, smoked in house with greens and a house horseradish cream, moved on to gigantic seared scallops and finished with persimmon ice cream. Many good, local wine choices. They gave me a tour of the kitchen where the chef proudly showed me his Santa Maria barbecue setup, which he had brought with him from Las Vegas. The restaurant is led by, and the chef is a protege of Bradley Ogden. We hoped to make it back for a second, non-holiday meal, but never did. However, given how good the special occasion meal was (and they were busy), I feel pretty confident a regular meal service will be even better. Excellent ingredients cooked with great technique and seasoned with confident restraint. I like his work.

I did make it to the Wine Merchant Cafe is Los Olivos twice, because I enjoyed my first meal so much. The first time I had the BBQ brisket with cole slaw and onion strings. It is supposed to come as a sandwich on facaccia, but I asked them to hold the bread so I got a big, beautiful, crazy brisket salad. The brisket was more like little chunks of sauced, burnt ends and with the vinegary slaw and crispy onion strings it was both beautiful and delicious. Unfortunately my second meal was nowhere near as good on a very busy Saturday afternoon. Cream of broccoli soup had some herbal flavor that did not please me, and my buttermilk fried wings had an interesting Asian zing to the sauce with a touch of sweetness, but did not have the underlying crispness I would expect from the buttermilk breading, and the blue cheese dressing was bland. Too bad.

Finally made it to Super Rica and it was very solid. Definitely lots of California-Mexican touches, like the chorizo that was more like an unsmoked polish than any chorizo I have had before. Sauces were mild overall, salsas had a bit more bite. Meat was well prepared, good quality, and there was nothing wrong with my meal. I can give you a list of 10 places in Chicago I would go first, from Cemitas Puebla to Xoco, but I would not be at all unhappy to go back there either. Cannot say the same for Los Agaves. Carnitas tacos were uninspired, the beans could almost have been Heinz pork and beans, as the Bride said, and the rice seemed like a fluffy white rice with a nice quality frozen vegetable mix added in. I had trouble finding anything interesting, or hot, at the salsa bar. The horchata was okay, but otherwise it was a waste for me.

And then we had a couple of Italian meals that were much better. Cafe Luna in Summerland is a coffee, sandwich and baked goods place most of the day, but they switch over to Italian dinners when the sun goes down. Little, casual place, very, very friendly. They make pizzas and the Bride's bruschetta turned out to be on one of the crusts. The garlicky topping was better than the crust, which I suspect might have been frozen. The cream of artichoke soup and caesar salad were much better. The Bride then moved on to the Capellini Pomodoro which seemed to me to be topped with exactly the same mix as the bruschetta - not a bad thing for her. My roasted chicken with mushrooms was overcooked and a bit stringy. A pleasant place, but hit and miss on the food.

Giannfranco's Trattoria in Carpenteria was much better. The greens and vinaigrette came together perfectly to start, and the strozzapreti guancile in a spicy basil sauce was rich and complex. Desserts were solid, but not very interesting. The menu seemed worth exploring more, but we did not make it back. Our companions also recommended Clementines Steak House as a deliciously retro place. Old school salads, relish platters, house cocktails and the only choice is small or large, and how do you want it cooked. We did not make it.

We ate well. We also drank well. The best wineries for me were Lama Rosa, a little place up in the hills past Buellton that belongs to Richard Sanford, founder of Sanford, who really turned me on to California Pinot Noir. He makes delightful, lighter Pinots and the prices are good. Not so sure business is good, so get them while you can. And I have always loved Foxen. They make a great variety, prices are reasonable and the wines are reliably good. In recent years I have found their Pinots and Syrahs to be a bit overbearing in some years, and my favorites this time were some of the Bordeaux varietals and blends, along with their Chardonnay which is lightly oaked and seems to be on a nice upward trajectory for my taste in recent years.


[url]Sugar and Salt Creamery[/url]
Santa Barbara Farmer's Market
Cold Spring Tavern 5995 Stagecoach Road http://sugarandsaltcreamery.com/Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Tinkers Burgers 2275 Ortega Hill Road Summerland, CA 93067
Cantwell's Market Summerland 2580 Lillie Ave, Summerland, CA
Mac's Fish & Chip Shop 503 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Root 246 420 Alisal Road Solvang, CA 93463
Los Olivos Cafe and Wine Merchant 2879 Grand Avenue Los Olivos, CA 93441
La Super-Rica Taqueria 622 North Milpas Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Los Agaves 600 North Milpas Street Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Cafe Luna 2354 Lillie Ave Summerland, CA 93067
Giannfranco's Trattoria 666 Linden Avenue, Carpinteria, California 93013
Clementine's Steak House 4631 Carpinteria Avenue Carpinteria, CA 93013

I agree with the recommendation of Cold Springs Tavern -- even if just for the drive and the history.

When I was in SB a couple of years ago for my college reunion, I enjoyed dining at Downey's. American/California cuisine, locally sourced. If it's not too busy, the owners enjoy chatting with guests. Right on the main drag.

http://www.downeyssb.com/
1305 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-5006

The Shellfish Company at the end of Stern's Wharf is fun -- or at least it was in the past. It's not just a place to dine -- it's where the fishing boats come in. So very fresh. No idea if it's as good as it was, because it has been a couple of years, but the reviews remain extremely positive -- and at least worth strolling out there for a look -- and for the view back toward Santa Barbara (kind of like going out on Navy Pier to get a good shot of Chicago).

http://www.sbfishhouse.com/shellfish-co/

And the Santa Barbara Winery is a great little place, kind of off the beaten path. Lots of lovely offerings -- without having to leave town.
http://www.sbwinery.com/
202 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara
(805) 963-3633

However, Santa Barbara is so beautiful, it will enhance whatever you're eating.

Cynthia wrote:However, Santa Barbara is so beautiful, it will enhance whatever you're eating.

But despite that, perhaps because of the wonderful raw materials so easily available, it is pretty easy to eat very well.

The Shellfish Company was also recommended to us, but we did not make it. Instead I bought live crabs at the farmers market and made up a garlic/chile oil to serve with them.

A recent visit to Santa Barbara found my husband in nostalgia mode, revisiting his alma mater, much the same and much altered. In the downtown area and along the waterfront, the sprucing up of the last few decades made things a lot more inviting than he recalled. Though there is still a contingent of professional alms-seekers, the panhandling these days has a creative aspect, as shown in this beach display below the pier that invites a coin toss:


Beach Blanket Bingo? by Josephine2004, on Flickr

And this is a fine example of the sort of vehicle I had hoped still existed in Southern California, though we saw only one actual VW bus:


Wild Ride by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Food-wise, there were many good things. We ate our first dinner at Arnoldi's Cafe, a supper club my husband remembered from the 70's, when his parents visited him at school and took him out for steak. He had steak again and it stood up to his memory of it. I thought my braised rabbit excellent in that it lacked any hint of commercial stock in the braising sauce, and was perfectly cooked, rather than overcooked, which can easily happen with delicate rabbit. I also thought the house-made fettucini was excellent.

I am really sorry that I did not take any photographs. Check out their website for history. Arnoldi's has a ton of atmosphere, from its thick rock walls quarried and built by Joe Arnoldi himself, to the cozy dining alcoves and vintage Hamm's Beer signs over the bar. The taxidermy head of a Tule Elk is serious, rather than ironic (shot by an Arnoldi hunter) and the bocce court out back this holds spring bocce tournaments. Arnoldi's is a landmark of Santa Barbara since 1937. I'd happily nominate it for GNR status if the long arm of LTH ever reached that far.

We attempted a comparison of La Super-Rica and El Bajio, (the other Milpas taqueria that seems to be the best by consensus on non-LTH boards and blogs), however, it was closed on the only day we could try it.

The stretch of Milpas where there are several taquerias is just lovely.


Milpas by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Contrary to what we had heard, there was no wait at La Super-Rica.


La Super Rica by Josephine2004, on Flickr

We were frankly disappointed by La Super-Rica. I agree with dicksond that the chorizo tasted like chopped up unsmoked Polish - a "no" for me, though I could see how some might enjoy this with a bit less char.


Tacos 1 SB by Josephine2004, on Flickr

The other taco meats we tried were also dried out, cold and flavorless, really below par. The tortillas, on the other hand, were outstanding, being made on the spot to order.


Tacos 2 SB by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Seems like this is a place that is known for the charred chile pasilla stuffed with cheese. We saw it being made after we had ordered and well into the time remaining before our midday sail. Unfortunately, we had ordered the wrong thing, but I was not tempted by the rajas because I know I could not face an afternoon of high winds sailing with a stomach full of cheese and chiles.


Super Rico by Josephine2004, on Flickr

We enjoyed the sailing and perhaps the sea wind stoked our appetites for shellfish. We indulged at the Santa Barbara Shellfish company on the pier, one of the buildings pictured here.


SB Pier by Josephine2004, on Flickr

The interior is small, in fact, so small that I could barely take a photo inside. There are seats at the bar and seats along the windows at a shallow counter. If you want to spread out, you can sit outside. (A bit chilly that night, and no beer allowed.) So we perched.


SBSC Interior by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Here are some of the local rock crabs, awaiting their fate, presumably unaware.


Crab @ SBSC by Josephine2004, on Flickr

The cooking goes on in view of the bar.


SBSC by Josephine2004, on Flickr

This was an outstanding meal from every point of view but comfort, as we were perched with a lot of food. I tried the rock crab for the first time and found it to be a bolder-flavored choice than Dungeness, with a more coarsely textured meat, quite to my liking. My husband prefers the Dungeness for its delicacy, and because he grew up on it in the Bay Area. He was delighted with his fresh Dungeness that night, saying it was even better than the crab we had at Elliott's in Seattle last summer. A bottle of the a local Sauvignon Blanc was reasonably priced. We thought the meal (two starters, two crabs, chowder and wine) an excellent value at $87, including tax.

Service was truly charming and surprisingly prompt and attentive. We were not rushed out of there, even though there was a crowd waiting at one point. We had hit the place just before the dinner rush, and I would certainly recommend that you arrive around 5 PM if you don't want to wait. And if you are not in the mood for a big meal, this is also a good place to have a salad or sandwich. But why do that? Next time I am going for the 7 pound spider crab!

Sunday we took a drive up into the hills, along an old stagecoach route, where we visited Cold Spring Tavern.


Stagecoach Route by Josephine2004, on Flickr

This picture gives you an idea of the setting, and its popularity. We had to park well down the hill:


Road from Cold Spring Tavern by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Most people stop at the roadside to gather at huge log tables and eat from the grill set up by the tavern building itself. Not realizing this, we headed inside to see about getting our names on the list. Doesn't this look like something that belongs in The Shire?


Cold Spring Tavern Exterior by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Doesn't this look like something that belongs in The Shire?


Cold Spring Tavern by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Except for the sailing jackets, we might have fit right in with the Baggins clan!


Ray at Cold Spring by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Ray's venison sandwich was rich and generously portioned, hot off the grill. My tri-tip sandwich was dry and cold, hardly the quality of what I saw on tables outside, but fortunately, the portion was small. A side salad, in contrast, was quite good. I'll get the venison next time.

Heading over in the direction of Solvang, where, as predicted upthread by dicksond, my teeth began to hurt. Passing up Solvang's many bakeries and shoppes we ran across the improbable story of survival that is Andersen's, a restaurant that made its name in Pea Soup. It was packed.


Andersen's by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Here is their signature:


Splitting Peas by Josephine2004, on Flickr

We ate a third night's dinner at Brophy Brothers. It is also located on a pier where fishing boats like this are docked:


Fishing Boat SB by Josephine2004, on Flickr

Brophy Brothers is crowded, hugely popular, even on a Monday night. We walked the pier while waiting for our buzzer to signal our turn at table. The pics I took did not really turn out, but the bottom line is that this place is a good alternative for a shore dinner if you are looking for a few more amenities than those available at Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. A more comfortable table is sometimes important. I liked Brophy's. All the seafood and fin fish we had were ultra-fresh and not as split second overstored, overseasoned or overcooked. This is hard to find. Sides were so-so, except for the good chowder, whose clams were clearly fresh, not frozen. Again - hard to find. Service was friendly and professional. Is there ever rude service in California?

Here's a last look at Santa Barbara: It reads, "Life is a Voyage." Indeed.


Mural SB by Josephine2004, on Flick

Arnoldi's Cafe
600 Olive Street
Santa Barbara, CA
93101

La Super-Rica Taqueria
622 N Milpas St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 963-4940

Santa Barbara Shellfish Company
230 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 966-6676

Brophy Brothers
119 Harbor Way
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 966-4418

Andersen's Pea Soup
376 Avenue of the Flags
Buellton, California 93427
(805) 688-5581 Fax (805) 686-5670

Josephine wrote:It was packed.

Should one take this abbreviated description as an indication that it isn't worth adding to the crowd?

I've always wondered about that place.

Dmnkly wrote:

Josephine wrote:It was packed.

Should one take this abbreviated description as an indication that it isn't worth adding to the crowd?

I've always wondered about that place.

I'm still wondering, Dom. I wrote about the packed parking lot and people waiting because I am truly mystified by the appeal of pea soup for the current generation. I've written elsewhere about the growing ranks of homey dishes (like pasties in Northern Michigan) that are being rejected as "old people's food" these days. But Southern California, for all its image of slender beach bodies has deep offerings in the donut and burger category, as well as in that other homey specialty, chicken pie. So perhaps there is a serious undercurrent of comfort food that we are overlooking. That is where pea soup comes in.

Most of the people going into Andersen's were young families- families of all ethnicities, not just old white retireees and young Asian tourists spilling over from the cutesiness of Solvang. I'm thinking that pea soup is not a universally favored dish that would draw a young, diverse crowd. There must be something else at Andersen's pulling them in. A buffet seems like a good candidate-it was a sunny Sunday. And the place is huge - maybe Andersen's is one of the places you can bring young kids and have the noise they generate bother no one. I wish we had had the inclination to investigate, since I am one of those old white people that was raised on pea soup. It would do me good to find that something so dear to my palate has a chance of surviving into the next generation.

But I was satisfied by the outstanding signage.

I had one of the best meals of my life at Jane - http://www.janerestaurantsb.com/.

It was nice but not too fancy. I started with the fried brie and apple fritter salad, had citrus salmon, and the coconut cake. They all sound unremarkable, but I dream of this place. They just did something great with the preparation of each.

Nice to see that there have been some updates here -- because it's time for another college reunion, so in October, I'll be heading out to SB to revisit my alma mater -- but with a few days added in to explore and dine. I'd almost forgotten about Cold Springs Tavern. Thanks for the reminder, Josephine. Though I like to try new things, I think I'll probably try to get back to the Shellfish Company. Hard to resist good seafood. And thanks for the tip on Jane, adriennez.Always fun to have a new place to try out.

Looking forward to getting back.

Just got back from my reunion trip. Had gorgeous weather and some excellent food. Took up a few of the recommendations above, including Cold Spring Tavern and a return visit to the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, where I indulged in the evening special of two massive, locally caught rock crabs. Fortunately, the weather was warm enough to sit outside and watch the sunset while cracking and digging through the crab shells.

I also enjoyed Chick's Waterfront Grill, which is next door to the splendid, relatively new Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (where I learned that 1/3 of all whale and dolphin species spend time in the channel off Santa Barbara). The Waterfront Grill was a good alternative for someone interested in avoiding the packed, football crazed crowed at Brophy Brothers, just steps away. The menu said their clam chowder was the best in Santa Barbara, and I can actually believe that. Not cheap, but it actually had more clam than potatoes and celery combined.

A recommendation sent me to Stella Mare, a charming, country French restaurant set in a house built in 1862 that overlooks the Bird Refuge. Interesting menu, splendid meal. Off the menu, I had the bone marrow, which comes nestled in sautéed oyster mushrooms. From the evening specials, I had the beef bourguignon, which was excellent and served with bacon and Guyere mashed potatoes. Yum. And very reasonably priced.

Chuck's Waterfront Grill
113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
Phone:(805) 564-1200

Stella Mare
50 Los Patos Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Phone:(805) 969-6705

My wife and I are heading out to SB on Thursday!! We both lived there, her for 15 yrs. and me for about 1 year. Seriously questioninig the move back to a place where "Arctic Blast" seems to be a regular phrase in the weather forcast!!!

Anyway, we know the area quite well and will have a car to branch out beyond SB proper. Just wanted to bump this to see if anyone has any spots not already mentioned above.

We've got a few places we can't miss but we're always looking for a new / hidden gem.

Thanks!

Back to the frozen tundra....

A few new items on our latest visit:

The Funk Zone - The place to be for locals and tourists a like. We arrived in town and asked several of our friends what's new and exciting to see / eat / drink in SB. The first answer from everyone was "The Funk Zone". This is a rejuvinated section of town that was pretty run down and industrial up until about two years ago. Now it's full of wine, beer, and spirits tasting spots and several pretty cool resturaunts.

We started out at Cork and Crown tasting room on Anacapa. The really nice thing about this place is that they have about 6 tasting options from bubbles to REALLY high end CA Cabs. The wines are from around the word as well rather than one specific SB County vinyard.

After a few other stops we ended up at Area 51. A pretty funky local winery with some pretty decent wines. The highlight here was not the wine (not bad but nothing super special). Accross the square from the tasting room is Lucky Penny. To set the bar for this place the first time I went to Spot 50 I thought best pizza I've had of that style... that all changed with Lucky Penny and they delivered to Area 51 with pizzas hot out of the wood fired oven. If you like WFP and are in the neighborhood I highly recommend Lucky Penny.

Probably the hottest place according to locals and by the looks of the large crowd is Lark. Unfortunately we were unable to eat here but people rave about the food and the space.

has about everythign you need to know!

Besides that plenty of great fresh seafood, authentic tacos, and some of the biggest waves I've ever seen! You may have seen these on Youtube. A great time as always!

Enjoy.