Tag archives: Margarita Kallas Lee

Chaplin’s Closes
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   February 21, 2019

Earlier this month, Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee, owners of The Monarch and Chaplin’s at the Montecito Inn, announced the closure of Chaplin’s Martini Bar, which opened in September. The duo, who has found great success with their all-day eatery, The Monarch, as well as their newest concept, Silver Bough, have plans to open another eatery […]

The Silver Bough
By James Buckley   |   February 21, 2019

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee and his wife-baker, Margarita Kallas Lee, in addition to having opened The Monarch in the space occupied by Montecito Café for nearly 30 years, recently opened the most audacious restaurant experiment on the Central Coast. It’s called “The Silver Bough” (the name revolves around a Celtic legend), and it’s an eight-guest […]

New Offerings at The Monarch
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   November 15, 2018

Four months after opening for business in Montecito Inn, the owners of The Monarch restaurant announced November 1 that they have expanded their operations to include brunch, which is now available seven days a week.  The menu, which is available from 7 am to 2:30 pm, includes breakfast items that will be offered for the […]

Strings and Things
By Richard Mineards   |   September 20, 2018

Santa Barbara Symphony’s 65th anniversary season, which kicks off at the Granada on October 20, promises to be a real humdinger. It includes a Stravinsky double bill, including The Rite of Spring, directed by the Ensemble Theatre Company’s Jonathan Fox with the State Street Ballet, and, for the first time on November 24, a Thanksgiving […]

Just Warming up
By Richard Mineards   |   July 19, 2018

The Monarch is ready for its closeup! The 45-seat eatery, which replaces the iconic Montecito Cafe at the Montecito Inn, has been dogged with problems, including the Thomas Fire, the mudslides and, more recently, the heatwave that caused an electricity transformer to explode, knocking out power to the eatery and its neighboring nosheteria, Lucky’s. The […]

Crab Take
By Richard Mineards   |   April 12, 2018

After myriad delays Frankland’s Crab & Co, described as a modern American shell shack, opened its doors at the 90-year-old Montecito Inn, formerly owned by silent film star Charlie Chaplin. The bustling Coast Village Road nosheteria, part of the Los Angeles-based restaurant group Scratch Restaurants, is run by chef-owners Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee, […]

Frankland’s Crab & Co. to Open
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 29, 2018

Nearly a year-and-a-half after the closure of Montecito Café at the Montecito Inn, Los Angeles-based restaurant group Scratch Restaurants has announced the opening of the first of four concepts at the historic Coast Village Road hotel: Frankland’s Crab & Co will open its doors on Friday, April 6.  Chef-owners Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee […]

Youth Served with $500K
By Richard Mineards   |   January 25, 2018

It was child’s play when Kids Helping Kids, the 10-year-old organization launched by students at San Marcos High School, raised a record $501,251 to help local children in need with two sold-out concerts at the Granada. The group, headed by economics teacher James DeVries, has raised more than $2.5 million since it started. Singer-songwriter Andy […]