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Thursday, July 3, 2008 Saigon In and Out Opens On State: Saigon In and Out Vietnamese restaurant on Milpas Street has a new sibling. 1230 State Street, next to the Granada Theater, is the home of the new Saigon In and Out. Both restaurants are owned and operated by William Lam, a resident of Santa Barbara for more than 30 years. Lam learned the art of quality food preparation and restaurant management from his mother who owned an eatery in Saigon. Popular menu items include #2 spring roll and the #21 Pho Dac. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information visit saigoninandout.com. Yogurt Shop Coming To Carp: Baskin Robbins at 1005 Casitas Pass Rd in Carpinteria closed last March. Reader Preston tells me that new construction has started at that address and that it will be the future home of "YoYoYum Yogurt." Happy 4th Of July: I am currently writing today's foodie news from my laptop on the 101 freeway. I started typing in Santa Barbara and completed this blog as I passed the Getty Museum on the 405 freeway. I am traveling with family to my annual 4th of July outing in Newport Beach, CA. Even though I am a Santa Barbara native I have only enjoyed the 4th of July on the South Coast twice in my life. Specifically I go to the Balboa Peninsula to a home that has the Balboa Bay in their front yard and a beach on the Pacific Ocean in their backyard. For those of you enjoying the Fourth at home you might consider trying a 4th of July Fireworks Cruise. The Lil' Toot boat leaves Stearns Wharf at 8pm and returns at 10pm. Price is $65 per person and includes appetizers and wine. For more information call 896-6900. Wednesday, July 2, 2008 Summerland Cantwell's Opens Friday: Daily Sound columnist Leslie Westbrook is reporting today that the new Cantwell's Market at 2580 Lillie Avenue in Summerland is having a "soft opening" this Friday. Jim Gally, owner of Cantwell's Market in downtown Santa Barbara, says the hours will probably be 6am to 8pm. In addition to being a market, Cantwell's has more than 30 inside tables inside and out where you can have a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The store will have twice as many groceries as the original Summerland Market it replaces while also offering a large cheese selection, sausages, organic produce, party platters and catering services. Chocolate Tour And Tasting: Chocolats du CaliBressan at 4193 Carpinteria Ave #4 in Carpinteria is starting a series of chocolate tour and tasting events. If you are interested in the process of creating (or eating!) chocolates, Chocolats du CaliBressan will be hosting the events on two Thursdays of each month, including July 17th & 31st, August 14th & 28th, and September 11th & 25th. Time is 6-6:30pm, reservations required (10 persons minimum, 15 maximum), and the cost is $20.00 per person. Includes complimentary glass of champagne. You should RSVP by Monday before each scheduled Thursday event. For more information call 684-6900 or visit chococalibressan.com. French Festival:
On Saturday July 12th and Sunday July 13th from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. enjoy
the 21st annual Santa Barbara French Festival at Oak Park.
Admission is free and over 20,000 people are expected to attend. This
year's event will feature dozens of chefs preparing fine French
food...everything from crêpes to Cajun, from café au lait to decadent
desserts and pastries. Enjoy French beer, wine, champagne and soft
drinks. Tuesday, July 1, 2008 New Ownership: It has come to my attention that the local Baja Fresh restaurants in Goleta and Santa Barbara (and La Salsa in Five Points Center) have changed ownership. They had been company-owned outlets and have now been sold as franchises to a local businessman. I am told that the new owner, who takes over the restaurants in early July, will be adding cold beer to the menu at Baja Fresh. Afternoon Discount: UCSB students tell me that Courtyard Cafe near the school of Engineering now offers pre-made sandwiches at half price after 4pm. Marry Me Leyla: In my blog on November 30th, 2007, I mentioned that I was running on the Ellwood Mesa and spotted a huge sign in the sand saying "Marry Me Leyla" (see photo). I asked blog readers if anyone knew the story about that. Well, I finally heard from Leyla herself:
Monday, June 30, 2008 Saffron Opens Downtown:
"International cuisine" specialist
Saffron opened last week at 113 W. De La
Guerra St, a few doors west of the Paseo Nuevo mall. Their phone number
is (805) 966-3333. I added them to the guide this morning. Saffron's
kitchen is headed by Le Cordon Bleu graduate Executive Chef James
Schmidt and Pastry Chef Robert Kilburn.
Friday, June 27, 2008 Subway Opens Downtown: No, the city has not built a new public transportation system (though with these high gas prices, it might not be a bad idea). Subway Sandwiches has opened at 1021A State St, replacing the old Cingular Wireless location, a few doors down from Spice Avenue. I added them to the restaurant guide today. Though this new location is Subway's 11th store on the South Coast, Starbucks still holds the record with 13 area outlets. Apparently sandwiches and coffee are the objects of our desire... Yellow Rose Update: In August 2007 I wrote a story with the headline "The Big Yellow Wreck." I reported that the now-closed Big Yellow House restaurant in Summerland was in a state of disrepair. In February 2008 I updated the story after having a conversation with the new owner of that building. I reported that if all goes according to plan, the final permits should be in place by mid-March with a grand opening of the Yellow Rose this August. I stopped by the Big Yellow House yesterday and apparently all has not gone according to plan. No construction has started at all. The only apparent change since my visit last year is that the dust is a little deeper and the weeds are a little taller! Sly's Update: After my visit to the Big Yellow House yesterday I continued south to Carpinteria to check on the status of Sly's Seafood Steaks Cocktails at 686 Linden Ave. Unlike the former pride of Summerland, Sly's is a flurry of activity, with construction workers nailing, sawing and painting. I spoke with restaurant manager Michael Bott and he told me they are hoping for a mid-to-late July opening. And The Winner Is...: In the last week I posted pictures from Nights at the Museum of Art and pictures from a masquerade ball at Epiphany Restaurant & Bar. After examining web site statistics, I can report to you that the most viewed picture from this month's Nights was of this smiling group. The most viewed photo at the masquerade ball was a snapshot of this cloaked crowd. Thursday, June 26, 2008 Personal Chef: During my foodie fact finding missions over the last few years I have noticed a growing trend: hiring a personal chef. I have met several personal chefs in my travels and increasingly read about them online. For example, I recently heard about Chef Gary Nielsen. For $100/hr (3 hour minimum) Nielsen offers personal chef services, cooking lessons, and kitchen organization. He advertises he services for "intimate dining, parties, entertaining business associates, holidays, weddings, and family gatherings." For more information call 403-5800 or visit sbchef.com. Best Of The Best: The Robb Report, a national magazine about places, products and services that appeal to the wealthy (which means I likely will never have a subscription!) recently featured the Hitching Post II restaurant in Buellton. Their May 2008 issue included the Hitching Post II in a list of the "100 best restaurants in the world." The magazine questioned dozens of the most influential vintners around the world and came up with a list of 100 restaurants that the panel of vintners agreed were the "best of the best." The restaurant, featured in the wine movie "Sideways," is located at 406 East Highway 246 in Buellton and can be reached at (805) 688-0676. Clean Creeks: Pizza Mizza at 140 S. Hope Ave and Shalhoob's Restaurant at 635 Santa Barbara St have been newly certified as "Clean Creeks" businesses. The City of Santa Barbara offers this certification for restaurants that take important steps to protect creek and ocean quality. Wednesday, June 25, 2008 Out Today: My "real job" requires an emergency fix of a failed computer server so I am off duty today. Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Cats & Dogs: The Hungry Cat restaurant and The Winehound are having a wine tasting event this Saturday, June 28th from 3-5 p.m. at the 1134 Chapala Street eatery. The wine tasting, which costs $100 per person, is advertised to have “incredible wines you never get the chance to taste” in addition to cheeses & appetizers from Chef Dylan Fultineer. For reservations and a wine list call the Winehound at 845-5247. Lunch Special: Pizza Mizza at 140 S. Hope Ave, next to Sears in La Cumbre Plaza, has a new 1-topping personal pizza lunch special. Price is $7.99 and includes a bottomless soda or iced tea. The special runs Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call 564 3900 or visit pizzamizza.com. Having A Ball At Epiphany: Last Friday night Epiphany Restaurant & Bar hosted a masquerade ball and fundraiser for Unity Shoppe. Here are the pictures... Monday, June 23, 2008 Champagne Dinner:
This Wednesday, June 25th, 6:30 p.m.
Spiritland Bistro
at 230 E. Victoria St. is having a “Champagne Dinner.” It is a 4-course
gourmet organic meal and the entrée is Scallops in Coconut Curry. The
dinner includes a speaker from Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards. Price is $45
and includes tax, tip with no corkage fee. Reservations required. Call
966-7759. Boathouse Update:
The official prediction for the opening date of Boathouse restaurant
was June 22nd. Last weekend I stopped by the restaurant, which replaces
the Brown Pelican
at Hendry’s beach, and it appears they still have quite a bit of work to
do. A lot of progress has been made but my *unofficial* prediction is
that the opening will not occur before August. Friday, June 20, 2008 Gelateria Gioia Closes: The Gelateria Gioia ice cream store in Montecito has been "almost" closed for awhile, with the open hours few and far between. I received this email yesterday: "Dropped by last night based on times stated here and this place is definitely closed. no ice cream in sight. no tables. no chairs. empty inside. nothing. looks pretty closed to me. - Lil" Central Coast Culinary: I recently heard about a business named Central Coast Culinary, run by Host & Chef Jerry Phillips. One of the services offered by Philips is the Santa Barbara School of Cooking. The cooking school offers a wide variety of cooking classes, demonstrations, and culinary tours. Their classes offer hands-on cooking techniques that will hone the culinary skills from the beginner to the seasoned chef; they offer classes in a wide variety of cooking styles from a farmers market tour class to the many ethnic styles that are popular today. The school includes: a custom home cooking classes, a hands on cooking class, a demonstration-style cooking class, a one-on-one skill development, custom recipes & shopping lists and shopping techniques. For more information call 805-430-6177 or visit ccculinary.com. Nights: The
Santa Barbara Museum of Art had their monthly Nights
extravaganza last night. Here are some
photos. Thursday, June 19, 2008 The sad news continues... Volare Ristorante Closes: Reader Margie sent me an email this week: "Hi John. Volare Ristorante in Santa Ynez is closing. I believe last Saturday was when the owner told my friends (who play jazz there) that he was closing the restaurant. That's the third restaurant in that location to go under. - Margie" Daltons Closes: Reader Tony tells me that a sports bar in Goleta is gone: "I know you don't typically cover news about drinking establishments in the Restaurant News but in case you had any interest, the diviest "dive bar" in town , Daltons out in the Padre shopping center in Goleta North has closed down. In the window is an license application for "Rounding Third" most likely to be another sports bar judging by the name. Thanks! - Tony" Fredric J. Baur 1919-2008: The man who designed the Pringles chips-in-a-tube packaging system has died at age 89. Fredric J. Baur was so proud of his accomplishment that his ashes were buried in a Pringles can. And in other news... Mazque: In my June 2nd blog I had a story about Mazque - the masquerade ball happening tomorrow night at 8pm at Epiphany Restaurant & Bar. I just received word that Epiphany co-owner Kevin Costner will be at the party. Tickets are $50 in advance, $100 at the door and a portion of the proceeds goes to Unity Shoppe. For tickets call (310) 775-7527 or visit mazque.org. Speaking Of Celebrities: I received this anonymous email yesterday: "I saw Adam Sandler last night at Holdren's and a friend said someone saw him last week. Is he filming a movie around here?" Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Nothing but sad news today... :( Zaffiro Closes: Zaffiro Italian restaurant in Goleta closed their doors after a successful three year run in Camino Real Marketplace. Zaffiro owners Perry & Paula Ferguson wish to thank the people of Goleta and Santa Barbara for all their support over the years. The Ferguson's encourage you to support the Santa Barbara Food Bank and the Rescue Mission; all their stocks of food at the time of closing last weekend went to both causes as well as to their kitchen staff. They are considering opening in another location in the future so stay tuned! Rumor has it that the landlord has been pursuing P.F. Changs to take over the spot while another rumor says the landlord wants a retail shop there instead. Your call. Rincon Sub Closes: Rincon Sub, located at 1108 Casitas Pass Rd in Carpinteria has closed their doors for good. They first opened in May, 2007. Reader Esrotu tells me: "Went to order some sandwiches today and they were loading everything into a truck. They said their last day was Friday...sad." Al Steinman 1929-2008: Reader PrimeTime emailed me last night to say that Moby Dick Restaurant's legendary Al Steinman has passed away after a brief battle with cancer. He was 78. A native of New York, Steinman worked for the original owner of Moby Dick's then became part owner in subsequent years. The restaurant, and Steinman, have been a fixture on Stearns Wharf for decades. The Moby Dick burned down several times, twice under Steinman's ownership, and he faithfully rebuilt it each time. There will be services tomorrow, June 18, 2pm, at Mt. Sinai in Burbank. Steinman, whose wife died in 2003, is survived by four children, a large extended family, and countless friends across Santa Barbara. Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Theatrical Treats: Enjoy a luncheon and play reading series at Victoria Hall Theater 33 W. Victoria St. This Thursday, June 19th will be a performance of "The Trial of Mata Hari." The 12:15 pm luncheon/matinee costs $25. For more information call 800-494-8497 . Free Egg Rolls: I saw an advertisement for Dish Cafe at 5722 Calle Real in Goleta recently that included a pledge to: 1) Make healthy food taste great, 2) Never use microwaves, 3) Support local organic gardeners, and 4) Make you healthier! But it was pledge #5 that really caught my eye: Free egg rolls with purchase of any dinner meal of $9 or more. For more information call 964-5755. Brunch At Stateside: Stateside Restaurant & Lounge at 1114 State St now offers Sunday brunch from 10am-2pm. The restaurant, which offers "Asian inspired California cuisine" also has started a "Quick Lunch." From 11am-2pm you can choose from Chef's selected $9 menu and your order will arrive within 15 minutes guaranteed or your lunch is free. Call 564-1000 or visit StatesideSB.com Monday, June 16, 2008 The Story Of Phelps Road:
This story has nothing to do with restaurants so consider it “food for
thought.” This is a tale about a small Goleta neighborhood's cry for
help that has been the subject of
online news stories but rarely
mentioned in the local print and television media.
Phelps Road is a quiet cul-de-sac in Goleta (near Costco) that is
threatened with being transformed into a cross-town highway. The new
highway is part of UCSB's “Vision 2025” Long Range Development Plan (LRDP)
that is open for public comment until June 23rd. Friday, June 13, 2008 Friday The 13th: Beware! $1 Tacos: Laguna Store & Deli at 512 Laguna St now has a $1 taco special on Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9 p.m. Speaking of inexpensive tacos, reader Jonathan recently sent me an email about Lilly's Taqueria at 310 Chapala St: "Howdy. After years, Lilly's Taqueria finally raised their prices. All tacos are now $1.35, up 10 cents. I can live with that. -Jonathan" Square Watermelons:
Here is a cool new trend, just in time for summer: square watermelons. A
round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator and the
usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves. Smart
farmers have found a way to force their watermelons to grow into a
square shape by inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases
while the fruit is still growing on the vine. I found a company located in
Michigan that makes these cases that you can buy online at
square-watermelons.com. Thursday, June 12, 2008 New In The Guide: Yesterday we lost a Java Jones but today we gained a Java Jon's. I recently discovered this place at 8 S. Milpas St. It is a full coffee shop inside a gas station at 8 S. Milpas St and it has a feature that is very rare in this town: it's open 24 hours. Until today there were only nine 24-hour places listed in this guide. Now there are 10. I spoke with the lady at the counter at Java Jon's and she said there is a constant stream of coffee customers all night and she keeps brewing new pots of java to keep up with the demand. They have 10 types of coffee available and grind their own beans onsite. If you're looking for a place to fuel up your car and body - think Java Jon's. Frugal Food: Here is a new culinary trend that is sweeping the nation: As food prices climb there has been a big boom in web sites offering low-cost recipes. At web sites such as allrecipes.com the number of visitors to the low-budget and quick-and-easy recipes has skyrocketed in the last few months. Allrecipes.com has seen a big increase in visitors searching for ground beef & pasta ideas and traffic to their "Making 10 meals with $10" page is booming. Other popular sites that offer inexpensive recipes or create-it-from-scratch suggestions include thriftyfun.com, thefamilyhomestead.com and hopefulhousewife.com. Ideas mentioned on these sites even include a variety of spam casseroles (yes, I said spam) and tips on making powdered milk taste better (add vanilla). Crushcakes: I finally tried Crushcakes Cupcakery the other day to see for myself the object of so many strong opinions. I ordered a chocolate mini-cupcake and a peanut butter mini-cupcake. They were delicious! I am not a cupcake expert (is there such a title?) so I don't know the nuances of that entire genre of dessert. But I do know what tastes good to me and this was great. While there I noticed that the price of regular cupcakes is now $3 instead of $3.25. Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Java Jones At State & Figueroa Closes: Believe it or not, Santa Barbara has lost a coffee shop. The name has been removed from the facade of Java Jones at 1101 State St and there is a sign posted outside saying, "sorry we're closed, please visit our other locations." In my April 11, 2008 blog I reported about a fictitious business statement for "Santa Barbara Juicers," announcing that they are soon doing business at 1101 State St. Employees working inside Java Jones at State & Figueroa last April told me at the time that they had not heard of Santa Barbara Juicers or of any plans to close. Now Delivering: Uncle Rocco's N.Y. Pizza at 437 State St. have a new sign out front indicating that they now deliver. Call 884-0994. The Habit Update:
The new Habit restaurant near La Cumbre Plaza is set to open this
August. Below is a photo I took last week of the construction.
Former
Cheesecake Factory and
Mimi's Cafe
executive Russ Bendel was recently named president and chief
executive officer of the Habit. Bendel is charged with expanding the
30-unit chain to more than 120 eateries over the next five years. The
chain plans to open units in California, Arizona and Nevada. In a
written statement, Bendel said he his happy to be part of a unique
burger brand. “It is well positioned in the premium, quick casual niche
and its commitment to quality is exceptional,” said Bendel. “I am very
excited to be a part of the growth of this world class brand.” The South
Coast Habit restaurants are wholly owned & operated by brothers
Brent & Bruce Reichard. The Reichards have run the The Habit
restaurants for more than 25 years and
last year sold an 80% stake
in the chain to investors, led by KarpReilly LLC. For more information
visit habitburger.com. Tuesday, June 10, 2008 I Love Santa Barbara: And apparently so does the popular Chinese restaurant chain P.F. Changs. I heard whisperings a few weeks ago that Chang & Co has an eye on the South Coast so I decided to call their media relations department. As soon as I identified why I was calling, the kind lady on the phone said "I love Santa Barbara." I then asked her if P.F. Chang's loves Santa Barbara too. She told me that they are interested in opening a location in the Santa Barbara area and have even sent representatives to our area to scout for a location. No leases have been signed at this point. Solstice Fundraisers: Aldo's Italian Restaurant at 1031 State St is now offering "10% Tuesdays for Solstice" on June 10, June 17 and June 24. 10% of your lunch or dinner at Aldo’s goes to support Solstice. Call 963-6687. Pierre Lafond Bistro at 516 State St is having a new wine release & food pairing dinner on Tuesday June 17th, 2008 at 7 p.m. Price is $95 and includes tax, tip and a $20 donation to The Summer Solstice Celebration. RSVP Pierre Lafond at 962-1455. Off Topic: On May 30th I
mentioned how the band Journey was in need of a new lead singer
and
discovered Arnel
Pineda from a video he posted on YouTube. Apparently finding your
new lead singer on the web is becoming popular. I just received word that
the band Boston,
using MySpace,
has done the same thing. Monday, June 9, 2008 It's Dinner Time At Sesto Senso:
They opened last December at 1026 Coast Village Rd near Vons in
Montecito as a wine & carpaccio bar. Last week the popular
Sesto Senso
added the word "Ristorante" to their large wood sign above the doorway,
responding to the wishes of their many fans. You can now enjoy Italian &
Californian cuisine Sun-Wed 5-10 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to midnight
Thu-Sat. Sesto Senso is brought to you by the husband-wife team Alberto
& Michelle Mastrangelo, owners of
Epiphany Restaurant &
Bar downtown. New Sunday Brunch: Giannfranco's Trattoria at 666 Linden Ave in Carpinteria now offers a brunch menu on Sundays (adults $20/person, children $15/person). Brunch starts at 11am and features a frittata omelet served with fresh fruit and choice of crisp green salad or classic Caesar salad. Lunch includes traditional Italian-style panini sandwiches and a selection of entree salads & pasta dishes. For reservations call 684-0720. Off Topic: If you have been holding off your purchase of an iPhone until the new, faster Internet version is released, your wait is about to come to an end. At 10am today Apple's Steve Jobs introduced the new "iPhone 3G" which goes on sale July 11th. A video of the speech will be available this afternoon at Apple.com. Some of its many new features include high speed wireless Internet (“3G”), Maps with GPS (find your location and track your progress along a route) and 3rd party software support (you can now add thousands of software programs, including games). It’s more affordable too, with prices starting at $199 (1/3rd the cost of the original iPhone). Late news: AT&T has raised the month cost of owning an iPhone by $10 so it won't be quite the deal as I originally reported. Friday, June 6, 2008 Jodi House Round Up: Jodie House, also known as the Brain Injury Association of Santa Barbara, is having an event tomorrow, Saturday June 7th noon-3pm. Event includes BBQ, music, games and more. Ticket price is $20, $10 for children under 12. Address is 1235-C Veronica Springs Rd in Santa Barbara. Call 563-2882. Playing In The Kitchen: I recently heard about a series of culinary workshops for kids called "Playing in the Kitchen." The workshops are "hands-on" with cooking demonstrations including summary of kitchen ABC'S, kitchen tools, measurements, kitchen rules, food safety tips and clean up. Workshops are co-ed and limited to 10-12 children. Staff for each workshop includes chef/instructor and up to three teenage camp counselors. All children receive a notebook of recipes, participate and prepare most recipes. Each day kids work in small groups to prepare the day's recipes and healthy meals. Workshops include The Beginner Chef (ages 7-8), The Apprentice Chef (ages 8-9), The Sous Chef (ages 10-11) and The Master Chef (ages 11-12). For more information call 637-6123 or visit playinginthekitchen.com. New At The Zoo: The Santa Barbara Zoo had a special event for local media and the hospitality industry last night. While there I took some photos of the gathering. Part of the night's itinerary included a tour of the new $7 million renovation that is underway near the grassy hilltop at the zoo. They are building a restaurant called "The Wave" that will include sustainable seafood and local produce. It will also offer catering for events at the zoo. The biggest part of the renovation is a huge new condor exhibit where the public will finally get a chance to see real condors up close. The condor exhibit is being built into the hillside overlooking the bird refuge. There will also be an amphibian exhibit that showcases amphibians from the Los Padres national forest. Weather permitting, the renovations should be complete around spring 2009. Thursday, June 5, 2008 California Pasta Reopens Today: Closed since January for a remodel, California Pasta in Paseo Nuevo opens today. Co-owner Jim Craddock sent me a message about the changes: “California Pasta has just undergone a major remodel/ full transformation. It has taken a bit longer than expected but the restaurant came out beautiful. We have an entirely new restaurant from the ground up, to include all new equipment, granite tables & counter tops, plates, etc. The menu has been kept primarily the same with very little change.” Summer Sessions: Chad's Restaurant at 625 Chapala St now has live music on their heated patio every Thursday & Friday evening. Also enjoy Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30pm. Dinner starts at 5:30pm until closing. Call 568-1876. Apple: It appears that Apple is still in pursuit of the former Pier 1 Imports location at 928 State St for use as a new Apple Store. A reader attended the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) meeting on May 28th and Apple representatives were there too. For more about that, see the HLC notes below. Historic Landmarks Commission Agenda: I took a look at the May 28th agenda for the Historic Landmarks Commission (HLC) meeting that is posted on the City of Santa Barbara's web site and found two items of interest:
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 1st Thursday Music Series: The Wine Cask at 813 Anacapa St is hosting an after party for "1st Thursday," an evening of art and culture in Downtown Santa Barbara. Starting on June 5th the Wine Cask will have a summer music series from June-Sept. 8-10:30p.m on the first Thursday of the month. Includes a five-piece Jazz band on the Wine Cask court yard and admission is free. Speaking Of Wine Cask: Here is an official announcement from the Wine Cask:
Gas Is Cheap: ...when compared to other products found in your home. Now if we could just survive on 6 oz of gas...
Anacapa Update:
I stopped by the 600 block of Anacapa St to see the construction
progress of Bollinger's
(602 Anacapa St) and
The Melting Pot (608 Anacapa St). It appears Bollinger's has made a
lot of progress but still has a few months to go. The Melting Pot on the
other hand doesn't appear to have started construction yet. The Melting
Pot's web site still lists 608 Anacapa St in Santa Barbara as a future
location. Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Say Hello: Replacing El Caballo at 3130 State St (which closed last week) will be “Brummis – The German Taste,” brought to you by Manuela & Veronika Brumm. Say Goodbye: Chili Town at 730 N. Milpas appears to have closed its doors. Reader Chris tells me that there is a big realtor's sign in the window next to a faded "closed for remodeling" note. Say What You Will: Chilango's Mexican Restaurant at 503 State St is temporarily closed for a remodel.
Study Break: The UCSB
Alumni and La Cumbre Yearbook present a “Study Break” for
students at The Arbor
(on campus) on Wednesday, June 4th 9pm. The event, limited to the first
500 students, includes free
Woodstock's Pizza, energy drinks, a raffle
and iPod giveaways Monday, June 2, 2008 Paradise Cafe Turns 25: The iconic Paradise Cafe at 702 Anacapa St is celebrating its 25th anniversary this week with specials running from June 2 - June 5. The anniversary specials include their famous Paradise Burger for $7.50, Paradise Margaritas $4, Paradise Chardonnay $5, Paradise Syrah $6, Cobb Salad $8.50, and Huevos Valenzuela $6.50. The Paradise Cafe is located in a 1915 vintage brick and stucco building that once housed an Italian bakery. Attached to the main building is a Victorian structure that served as the proprietor's residence. The La Paloma Cafe opened at that location in 1938 and the building has been the home of the Paradise Cafe since the early 1980's. Call 962-4416 or visit paradisecafe.com. Put On Your Mazque: Epiphany Restaurant & Bar at 21 W. Victoria St will be the site of a masquerade ball fundraiser for Unity Shoppe on full moon Friday, June 20, 2008 at 8pm. The masquerade ball series of fundraisers titled "Mazque" was started by Justin Michael in 2006 who recently joined the Unity Shoppe board of directors. I personally have attended these events and they are fantastic (tip: you can buy or rent a mask at Victorian Vogue, 4289 State St). Previous Mazque events raised tens of thousands of dollars for Westside Boys & Girls Club, Santa Barbara Middle School, and The Red Cross. Tickets are $50 presale and $100 the night of the event which includes bubbly, hors d'oeuvres and dancing. For tickets call (310) 775-7527 or visit mazque.org. June Jazz At SOhO: Enjoy a series of jazz dinners during June with SOhO Restaurant & Music Club at 1221 State St. June 9th 8pm: Rebecca Kleinmann Presents the Elameno Quintet, June 16th 7:30pm: Kate McGarry, June 23rd 8pm: Frank Catalano, June 30th 8pm: Sally Barr Jazz Quartet. Call 962-7776 for reservations. Friday, May 30, 2008 Norton's Sold: Reader Foodie Dan passed word to me that Norton's Pastrami at 18 W. Figueroa St has been sold and that there will be no major changes. Smooth Jazz Sunday Brunch: Magic 106.3, in conjunction with Marmalade Cafe in La Cumbre Plaza, is offering a jazz brunch this Sunday from 11am-2pm. The live performance from jazz guitarist Jay Soto will also be broadcast over radio and on kmgq1063.com. For more information call 682-5246. Book Signing: Chaucer's Books at 3321 State St has a book signing this Sunday, June 1st at 3pm by author John La Puma, M.D. La Pluma's book is titled "Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine - A food lover's road map to losing weight, preventing disease, and getting really healthy." Off Topic: Last December the band Journey was in need of a new lead singer. While browsing YouTube, Journey guitarist Neal Schon accidentally stumbled upon a video of a band named Zoo in the Philippines. In the video the band was on stage covering Journey songs. The lead singer of Zoo, Arnel Pineda, sounded so much like former Journey frontman Steve Perry that he thought the video was a hoax. It wasn't. And Arnel Pineda is now the band's lead singer and touring the world with them. Here is a video about the discovery of Arnel Pineda. Thursday, May 29, 2008 One In...: Owner Jim Craddock tells me that California Pasta in Paseo Nuevo reopens this weekend after five months of renovation that includes a new kitchen. And One Out: Mexican restaurant El Caballo at 3130 State St has closed its doors after two years in business. Before El Caballo took over the location it was a Chinese restaurant named "Golden China." I heard a rumor that the restaurant was sold to new owners who are German. Hmmm... Musical Indulgence: Emilio's restaurant at 324 W. Cabrillo Blvd now offers live music. Tonight from 4-6pm Jacques McKaba will be playing and Justin Claveria entertains from 9:30pm-Midnight on Friday. Dinner Theater: Circle Bar B guest ranch at 1800 Refugio Rd offers a new dinner theatre show from May 31 - July 13 titled "Who’s In Bed With The Butler?" The theater, a small intimate converted barn and bunkhouse has presented comedies and musicals for over 36 years. The dinner features Santa Maria-style tri tip barbequed to perfection by the Circle Bar B guest ranch owner Jim Brown. General admission is $40 for dinner and the show. Senior admission (over 55) for Sunday matinees costs $32. For more information & reservations call 967-1962 or visit circlebarbtheatre.com. Apple Update: Rumor has it that the former location of Pier One Imports is available for lease. On January 16, 2008 the News-Press reported that an Apple Store was going to be taking over the space. Sounds like that is not going to happen. The Pier One location was too huge for an Apple Store in my opinion and hopefully another suitable spot on State St will open up. Perhaps someone can convince Cheesecake Factory or Houston's to take the space? Wednesday, May 28, 2008 Mission To Mars:
Here are pictures and a video taken yesterday
at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Tuesday, May 27, 2008 After School Cooking Class: Washington Elementary at 290 Lighthouse Rd on the Mesa offers a cooking class on Thursday nights. Each class they will prepare a main dish for 4 -5 people for your child to take home for the final bake or boil. The dishes will be an assortment of dishes made with beef, chicken, pork, or fish. Your child will learn self sufficiency and have the sense of accomplishment by providing your family dinner. Simple recipes are sent along with the food that can be recreated at home. $30 per class grades K - 6, includes all materials. Call Rebecca Brand at 563-0945. Business Lunch: The Wine Cask at 813 Anacapa St offers new lunch options for business clientele. Presto Lunch: 45 minutes or less and includes specialty low price choices off of the restaurant menu. Leisure Lunch: Lunches include a glass of wine (red or white). To-go Lunch: Specialty box lunches to take your meal with you. Call 966-9463. I'll Be Back: In case you didn't
know, the folks at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Pasadena
successfully landed a spacecraft on the polar region of Mars on
Sunday (see
photos taken from the Phoenix Mars Lander). The Phoenix Mars Lander,
designed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems,
isn't a rover but instead stays in one place. It has a robotic shovel
that will dig through the dirt to reach ice. It will then place the dirt
& ice in a multi-million dollar Easy-Bake Oven and examine it for signs
of life. Monday, May 26, 2008 No News Is Good News:
I am taking the day off today and enjoying the I Madonnari festival at
the Mission. Friday, May 23, 2008 Scotch Bonnet Opens On Chapala: Yesterday Sevilla restaurant (428 Chapala St) closed its doors and opening in its place is Scotch Bonnet, named after the world's hottest chili pepper. The new restaurant serves Spanish cuisine with a Cuban flair and is open nightly for dinner from 5:30pm-10pm (tapas is served until 11pm). Sevilla owners Marc Jones and Steve Karan have partnered with Katie & Amy Scott from Tupelo Junction Cafe who will manage the restaurant. While I was visiting the eatery yesterday I was able to get a copy of their menu, just for you. In case you don't know, the name of the restaurant is pronounced "Scotch Bah-net." Pizza Mizza Coming To Goleta: Pizza Mizza, located at 140 S. Hope Ave in La Cumbre Plaza, is planning to open a new restaurant in Goleta. They are looking for a 1500-2000 square foot location in the Good Land and I'll let you know as soon as piping-hot news slides out of the oven. Speaking of Pizza Mizza, they have sold their ownership stake in the Beach Grill at Padaro to their partners Ed and Nicole Schram. The news owners at Padaro Lane are considering offering a "Beach Grill Pizza." Burger Place Update: I stopped by Burger Place at 1016 Coast Village Rd in Montecito which is currently under construction. I snapped a picture of the progress and it appears to be coming along nicely. Burger Place is brought to you by the husband-wife team Alberto & Michelle Mastrangelo, owners of Epiphany Restaurant & Bar downtown and Sesto Senso in Montecito. Thursday, May 22, 2008 New In The Guide: Today I added another El Rincon Bohemio restaurant to the guide. This restaurant isn't new; it just somehow slipped under my radar all this time. It's located in Old Town Goleta at 298 Pine Ave. Thank you to reader Cara for finding this restaurant for me! Playing In The Kitchen: I recently heard about a series of culinary workshops for kids called "Playing in the Kitchen." The workshops are "hands-on" with cooking demonstrations including summary of kitchen ABC'S, kitchen tools, measurements, kitchen rules, food safety tips and clean up. Workshops are co-ed and limited to 10-12 children. Staff for each workshop includes chef/instructor and up to three teenage camp counselors. All children receive a notebook of recipes, participate and prepare most recipes. Each day kids work in small groups to prepare the day's recipes and healthy meals. Workshops include The Beginner Chef (ages 7-8), The Apprentice Chef (ages 8-9), The Sous Chef (ages 10-11) and The Master Chef (ages 11-12). For more information call 637-6123 or visit playinginthekitchen.com. Dinner In The Sky:
No, I am not talking about eating honey
roasted peanuts on Southwest Airlines. There is a service (not available
in Santa Barbara) where they hang your dining table from a crane 165 feet in
the air, including 22 guests and serving staff. They will even hang a grand piano in the sky, next to your
table, for musical entertainment. For pictures, movies and information visit
dinnerinthesky.com.
Thank you to reader Primetime for passing me this story. Wednesday, May 21, 2008 Photos Updated: I have taken new exterior pictures of Jack's Bistro & Bagels - Carpinteria, Holdren's Steaks & Seafood, Mama's Bakery and Rose Cafe - Mesa. Jack's, Mama's and Rose had exterior changes and their photos needed to be updated. The older photo of Holdren's just sucked, quite frankly. Excellent Meal Of The Day: The next time you are near "Noleta" stop by El Rincon Bohemio (in El Mercado Plaza) and try their amazing ground beef. For the full experience you should order the #18 (chicken taco with cheese enchilada) and request they make it a ground beef taco with a ground beef enchilada. You won't be disappointed. Parking Lots From Hell: This is the first column in a series. I love The Habit at 216 S. Milpas St. I eat there several times a year. You probably do too because the place is always packed. I don't hold quite the same affection for their parking lot during the lunch hour, however. The parking lot (and the area in general) was so jammed recently I ended up walking a quarter of a mile for the right to feast on their tasty burger combo. The popular Habit on Milpas is bestowed the much-coveted "Parking Lot From Hell" award for its many unfortunate features, including:
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Raspberry Shortage: If you like to order raspberry smoothies at Blenders in the Grass you might need to pick a different flavor for awhile. Smoothie stores such as Blenders typically use frozen raspberries and there is a shortage of the popular fruit right now. The U.S. only grows about 55% of the processed raspberries it eats and the rest come from Serbia in the summer and Chile in the winter. Serbia had a disastrous crop last summer and U.S. farmers had only a modest harvest. Nearly all U.S. frozen raspberries (typically used in smoothies) come from the Pacific Northwest. That region experienced an extended rain followed by 100 degree temperatures during the raspberry production season. The berry shortage is expected to last until early summer. Giannfranco's In Westways Magazine: The Autoclub Association of America (AAA) has a monthly national magazine called Westways and the current issue has a very favorable review of Giannfranco's Trattoria in Carpinteria. And The Winner Is...: One of the interesting things about running a web site is that you have access to statistics that lets you know which web pages people are looking at, and how often. In my gallery of 42 pictures from Nights in Friday's blog, this picture of two ladies was most popular, while this group of four ladies were a close second. In April 28th's blog I displayed a photo gallery of 66 pictures of the Taste of the Nation event and this lady won by a landslide. I think I am starting to see a pattern here. Are only guys reading this blog??
Monday, May 19, 2008 Fresco Museum Cafe Closes: Yesterday was the last day of business for Fresco Museum Cafe at 1130 State St, inside the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Here is a message from co-owner Jill Brouillard:
Irvine Robbins Dies: Irvine Robbins, co-founder of Baskin-Robbins (represented locally at 3611 State St) whose talent for creating unusual ice cream flavors helped push America past its chocolate-vanilla-strawberry tastes, has died. He was 90. Robbins, with his brother-in-law Burton Baskin, opened his first ice cream shop in 1945 in Glendale, CA. They decided the order of their names with a coin toss. By the time he retired in 1978, the company was selling 20 million gallons of ice cream a year in more than 2,000 stores around the world. Baskin died of a heart attack at age 54 in 1967. Memorial Day Weekend: Don't miss great food & fun at this weekend's I Madonnari Festival at the Mission. The plaza of the Old Mission will be transformed with 200 colorful, large-scale street paintings created by 400 artists and young people. For 25,000 annual visitors, the festival also features live music on the Mission lawn, authentic Italian cuisine, and a special street painting area for children. Friday, May 16, 2008 Thank You Roger!: Glenn Fichera, General Manager of the Treehouse Restaurant at 3860 State St asked me to send a big thank you to their busboy Roger Bernal who has worked there for 38 years. He is truly part of Santa Barbara history. Clean Creeks: The Sojourner Cafe at 134 E. Canon Perdido St and Natural Cafe at 361 Hitchcock Way have been newly certified as “Clean Creeks” businesses. The City of Santa Barbara congratulates restaurants for taking important steps to protect creek and ocean water quality with their Certified Clean Water Business program. It's Not Just Santa Barbara: Read this week's article on CNN.com about L.A.'s cupcake boom. Nights: I
attended Nights at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art last night.
Here is a photo album (42 pictures). Thursday, May 15, 2008 Fun And Chaos For A Cause:
I am in recovery today from waiting tables in the comedy theatre/war
zone that was
Pascucci
restaurant last night. Laura Knight, owner of Pascucci, donated ALL of the proceeds of the night to
the Summer Solstice Celebration, including food, beverages and tips. Customers had a blast and so did the "celebrity"
wait staff, busboys & bartenders. I can't remember a time when I have
ever been so pushed to my mental multitasking limits as I was last
night.
The "war zone" aspect kicked in when I
realized I was on my own when things would go wrong. For example, if the
"celebrity" assistant forgot to deliver a knife, fork & spoon, I had
to assume things would never arrive and had to get them myself.
Unfortunately I didn't have a clue where the restaurant kept the
utensils. As I turned to hunt for utensils, a second table asked for a
small plate for their bread, a third asked for a bottle of vinegar and
a fourth table said there was something strange looking in their salad
dressing cup. Unfortunately I also didn't have a clue where the
restaurant kept the small plates & vinegar or what the proper procedure
was for identifying strange objects in a salad dressing cup (DNA
analysis???).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 May I Take Your Order?: For the first time since I was a teenager I'll be waiting tables at a restaurant. Tonight from 5-10pm I'll be serving diners at Pascucci restaurant at 729 State St to help out a fundraiser for the Summer Solstice Celebration. In Monday's blog I incorrectly reported that 10% of your dining bill goes to help support Summer Solstice. Laura Knight, owner of Pascucci, is donating ALL of the proceeds of the night to Solstice, including food, beverages and tips. That's huge - and very generous. Burgers For A Buck: There was an article in yesterday's News-Press that mentioned that Ruby's Diner in Paseo Nuevo is celebrating the chain's 25th anniversary by selling burgers for a $1 all day today (noon-8pm). They have prepared more than 700 lbs of beef for today's event. Usually local patrons of the restaurant consume about 100 lbs of beef per day. Speaking Of Burgers: Last August I reported in this blog that Carl's Jr. will be taking over the old Coco's Restaurant location on Carpinteria Ave in Carpinteria. The Coastal View newspaper reports that the Carpinteria Architectural Review Board has approved plans for the new eatery that is scheduled to open in late October or early November. Like many Carl's Jr.s locations, it will also house a Green Burrito. Keeping in accordance with city code, the restaurant will not have a drive-through. Because Carl's Jr. corporate headquarters is also in Carpinteria, new menus items will be tried out at and special events will be held at the new restaurant. Off Topic: For
the first time I have seen gas being sold for $5 per gallon. I took the
photo below at The Village Service Station in Montecito. On a related
note, the price of gas may be affecting travel to Santa Barbara. A
friend of mine has traveled to Santa Barbara by bus every Thursday for
the last four years. Each time, at about 12:30pm, he passes by all
the hotels on Cabrillo Blvd and always sees people lounging around by the
pools. He tells me that on a recent Thursday, for the first time in over
four years, not a single person was outside by any pool on Cabrillo
Blvd. And there was great weather that day. Tuesday, May 13, 2008 More False Than Brilliant?: Last month the Rumor Machine popped out a message that said the deal for Whole Foods to come to upper State Street had fallen through. Noozhawk.com reports today that Santa Barbara City officials say that Whole Foods is still on track to take over the current location of Circuit City. However, Noozhawk.com also added a similar rumor that says Whole Foods is considering an alternate location on lower State Street, near Gutierrez Street. Reaching For Stars: Help hundreds of runaway, homeless, abused and at-risk kids by participating in the 9th annual “Reaching For Stars” event this Wednesday, May 14 6pm-9:30pm at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion. Enjoy an extraordinary dining experience created by five of Santa Barbara’s top chefs with exclusive wine tasting by Cottonwood Canyon Winery. Proceeds benefit Youth and Family Services YMCA, Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter, Isla Vista Teen Center and Youth Development Outreach. For information and tickets call 569-1103 x32 or visit ciymca.org Restoration Project: No, I'm not talking about an endangered creek or meadow. I am referring to the dining database, that lost all its reviews from April due to the exploits of a talented hacker in China. I have found ways to restore some of the data. If you see a burst of reviews for a restaurant (for example, four reviews of Matador appeared yesterday) that's likely just me working behind the scenes. Lucky #13: Today is my birthday and I have decided that my "favorite meal" this year (a.k.a. "dinner tonight") will be Pot Roast. A Cookies & Cream ice cream cake will be my dessert. Just Add People:
It appears Saffron restaurant at 113 W. De la Guerra St is very close to
opening. |
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