Santa Barbara’s big culinary takeover next week is actually two years in the making. Taste of Santa Barbara, presented by the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience in partnership with the Julia Child Foundation, was originally scheduled for May of 2020, and then the world shut down. Rescheduled to this month – May 16 to 22 – […]
Last week Montecito Country Mart announced that its newest eatery, Alma Fonda Fina, is scheduled to open in June. The restaurant is the latest offering from Ramon Velazquez, a local Santa Barbara chef and Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, and the owner of the popular Corazon Cocina in the Public Market in downtown Santa Barbara. Alma […]
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Philip Stein doesn’t fit the standard mold of a polo club chef. For starters, his warm and friendly personality is devoid of the stuffy airs that one might assume is mandatory among those in close orbit to the regal sport. Now the Fieldside Grill’s executive chef, he was completely unfamiliar with the game – and […]
Word on Coast Village Road is that the owner of Montecito Deli, Jeff Rypysc, is in talks with a well-known Montecito restaurateur to sell the business, located at 1150 Coast Village Road. If all goes as planned, the deal will close April 1. The new concept for the deli, which has been in the same […]
In hard times, delivering comfort in a pan is a family tradition When death comes knocking, my Italian family goes to the kitchen. As early as I can remember, whenever a family member was infirm or passed away, an imaginary bell would ring and someone – usually a family elder – would go into the […]
Sea urchin have been a known aphrodisiac in Japan for thousands of years. Uni, as the Japanese call it, rose to popularity in North America in the late twentieth century, with Santa Barbara Uni becoming the most sought-after in the world. Uni has much to offer from a nutritional standpoint, fully loaded with a healthy […]
Picnic benches, orange blossoms, and warm soft breezes. These days, dining is an outside affair as restaurants continue to exercise safety precautions and give diners a chance to indulge in one of the most celebrated days of the year. Although restaurant owners and chefs are focusing on both patio dining and takeout options this Valentine’s […]
One of the things I love about Montecito this time of year is the incredible scents that start filling the air. Each week something new is wafting in the breeze. Today, as I walk out the door, a wall of jasmine greets me. Next, it will soon give way to the intoxicating aroma of orange […]
This time of year, when days are short and nights are longer, it feels important to celebrate light and be light-hearted. The traditions of Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all include lighting candles, singing songs, and feasting together. Although COVID sensibilities have pared down the numbers, we don’t have to cancel the party. Smaller […]
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If you look closely, you might catch a scant glimpse of red, yellow, and orange leaves on the trees as you walk through town, but if you’re really hungry for a sign of autumn, look at a menu. Local chefs have begun introducing new dishes for fall and winter and the fare isn’t just inspired […]
On these chilly fall days, nothing sounds better than a warm grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of homemade soup. Nothing sounds better — except perhaps having someone else make that deliciousness for you. (And bonus points if they can set-up and clean-up!) Enter Michelle Isom, a longtime member of the Santa Barbara foodie community, […]
After all the holiday gatherings that were cancelled last year, Thanksgiving will take on extra special meaning in 2021. More pressure, perhaps, to find that perfect wine to pair with turkey and all the trimmings. But a sigh of relief, for many, that someone else is willing to do the cooking. Here are a few […]
Buena Onda, a family-run eatery on the Eastside, serves Argentinian wine alongside empanadas, chimi papas, and canoncitos. Whenever someone mentions Argentinian food, I immediately think of Nacho Figueras, the Argentinian polo star who dips in and out of Santa Barbara during summer’s polo season. Thinking of Nacho and his swashbuckling polo conjures up images in […]
