805 Living March 2018 by 805 Living

M A RC H 2018

THE RESTAURANT ISSUE

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You are going to need a valid pilot’s license. For the plane, too. The nation’s first and only standalone AMG® showroom has landed at Mercedes-Benz of Thousand Oaks. With over 3,000 square feet of iconic, modern design, the AMG Elite Performance Center is the latest manifestation of 50 years of fanatical dedication to the pinnacle of automotive performance. Come experience the soul-stirring rumble of hand-built V8 motor, or configure your dream machine in life size on a video screen that’s bigger than most garage doors. The world’s fastest family finally has its own home, and it’s right here in Thousand Oaks. Fly on in any time.

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I N T ERIOR D ESIG N | R EM AR KAB LE R ESO URC ES

Left to right: Kristen Love, Genaro Lagdameo, Karen Shoener, Marcella McCracken, Carla Padour

960 South Westlake Blvd., Suite #6, Westlake Village (805) 418-1890 www.InteriorDesignWestlake.com

Contents M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • T H E R E S TAU R A N T I S S U E

THE RESTAURANT ISSUE SPECIAL REPORT

Where to Eat Now

What’s happening on the ever-changing Central Coast restaurant scene. By Victoria Woodard Har vey

Breakout Breakfasts Try these trendsetting takes on the morning meal. Chef Maili Halme helms the recently reopened Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos (see page 104).

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

By Nancy Ransohof f Photographs by Gar y Moss

Recipe for Success

Santa Barbara City College whets students’ appetites for a culinary career. By Joan Tapper Photographs by Gar y Moss

GARY MOSS

FEATURES 86

Contents

M A R C H 2 0 1 8 • T H E R E S TAU R A N T I S S U E

80 76

104 Upgrades

82 A Show of Strands

104 DINING OUT:

By Frances Ryan

Good Deeds

Past Meets Present The rebirth of Mattei’s Tavern brings together comforting historic classics and modern culinary sensibility.

Association and Paw Works

By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

Text and photographs by Mark Langton

107 Dining Guide

Cutting-edge home décor comes with fringe benefits.

DEPARTMENTS Pulse

35 Tracking the Beat of the 805

Finds

41 Fizz Factory

Black cow, brown cow, egg cream, orange cream—serve up your favorites in classic soda-shop style.

Insider By Heidi Dvorak

58 60 63 65 65

Local Events & Family Fun Hot Ticket Show Your Support Worth a Drive Give Back

Taste

98 FOOD: A Rare Find

Central Coast chefs dish on how to prepare restaurantcaliber steaks at home.

By Jennie Nunn

74 Mind Body Soul

By Jaime Lewis

44 Go Indigo Spring denims have gone over to the dark side.

By Linda Kossoff

102 WINE: Restaurant’s Choice

By Frances Ryan

46 Travel By Erin Rottman

50 Solvang By Heidi Dvorak

Local Voices

Arts & Culture

76 Crystal Creativity Carol Roullard finds and refines brilliant images under a microscope’s lens.

Faces in the Crowd 80 JJ Resnick

Where do the pros dine when they want to go out for a meal? We polled some local chefs. Interviews by Heidi Dvorak

By Nancy Ransohoff Photograph by Gary Moss

On the Cover Pork & Shrimp Dumplings are among the choices of the house specialty at eLoong Dumplings in Westlake Village, one of a host of new local dining options. Photograph by Gary Moss

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

P.S. Sketchpad

120 Local Beastly Chefs By Greg Clarke

In Every Issue

20 Editor’s Note 24 Masthead 30 Behind the Scenes

Wine directors from area eateries share their favorite local bottle and select a dish from their dinner menus to complement it. By David Gadd

By Joan Tapper

This Santa Barbara County resident gives new life to his family’s old-world company, which supplies restaurants with classic Moscow Mule mugs.

54 Expert Eats

84 American Heart

Visit Us Online!

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46: PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA KRAFT; 76: PLUME BY CAROL ROULLARD; 80: COURTESY OF MOSCOW COPPER CO.; 104: GARY MOSS

40 46

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Try over 25 eateries at The Collection and The Annex. Visit thecollectionrp.com for menus and details. 805-988-7527 Located off HWY 101 at Oxnard BLVD.

Barry Garapedian

Seth Haye

Top 400 Advisors in America

Forbes Top Next-Gen Advisor

—Financial Times

(#2 in CA and #16 in USA)

FRONT, LEFT: Seth Haye: Executive Director, Financial Advisor; Barry Garapedian:

Top 40 Under 40

Managing Director–Wealth Management, Financial Advisor; Gregory Givvin: Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor; BACK, LEFT: Anna Quirino-Miranda: Client Service Associate; Carlos Garcia, Financial Advisor; Elisa Decker: Assistant Vice President, Relationship Manager; Stephanie Hartmire: Senior Registered Service Associate; Clint Spivey: Relationship Manager; Lanelle Morin: Client Service Associate

—On Wall Street

The Oaks Group at Morgan Stanley | 805-494-0215

The Financial Times Top 400 Financial Advisors is an independent listing produced annually by the Financial Times (March, 2017). The FT 400 is based on data gathered from advisors, broker-dealer home offices, regulatory disclosures and the FT's research. The listing reflects each advisor's status in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, experience and online accessibility. The award does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients. The rating may not be representative of any one client's experience and is not indicative of the Financial Advisor's future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pays a fee to The Financial Times in exchange for the rating. Source: Forbes Magazine (July, 2017). Data provided by SHOOK TM Research, LLC. Data as of 3/31/17. SHOOK considered Financial Advisors born in 1980 or later with a minimum 4 years relevant experience, who have: built their own practices and lead their teams; joined teams and are viewed as future leadership; or a combination of both. Ranking algorithm is based on qualitative measures: telephone and in-person interviews, client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research, LLC, which does not receive compensation from the advisors or their firms in exchange for placement on a ranking. The rating may not be representative of any one client’s experience and is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors pays a fee to Forbes or SHOOK Research in exchange for the ranking. For more information see www.SHOOKresearch.com. On Wall Street's Top 40 Under 40 asks brokerage firms to nominate their top young brokers. Of those nominated, On Wall Street bases its rankings on quantitative and qualitative criteria. Financial Advisors are ranked by their annual trailing-12 month production (as of Sept 30, 2014). The rating is not indicative of the advisor's future performance. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its financial advisors pay a fee to On Wall Street in exchange for the rating.

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AmaWaterways Presents

A MOVABLE FEAST Along Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Rivers

irginia Woolf said it best, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” This phrase epitomizes AmaWaterways’ dining philosophy. While sailing Europe’s legendary rivers, you’ll be tempted by a veritable smorgasbord of exquisite cuisine. AmaWaterways’ menus balance mouthwatering regional dishes and timehonored gastronomic favorites served with fine local wines, so you can enjoy Austrian Grüner Veltliner with Wiener schnitzel as you cruise the Danube and drink full-bodied reds with hearty pot-au-feu while visiting Bordeaux, France.

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Regionally inspired cuisine

La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs

The Chef’s Table

One of the most delicious aspects of traveling is indulging in the incredible cuisine and flavors of new destinations. As a member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a prestigious international culinary society, AmaWaterways excels in offering sumptuous, locally inspired cuisine, ensuring a pleasantly authentic epicurean journey.

Join a few of your fellow guests at The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant, where the kitchen—usually hidden—becomes part of the entertainment. Watch as your chef prepares a true tasting menu with three appetizers, a champagne sorbet intermezzo, three main courses and three decadent desserts—all paired with carefully handselected wines reflective of the destinations you visit.

Diverse and Delectable Dining

AmaWaterways' Executive Vice President & Co-Owner, Kristin Karst

Kristin’s Corner Indulge in what Kristin Karst considers one of the world’s most perfect trifectas—travel, cuisine and wine—as you sail along the Danube, Douro, Dordogne, Garonne, Main, Moselle, Rhine, Rhône or Seine rivers. For many of AmaWaterways’ guests, food and wine have the ability to shape the journey and conjure extraordinary memories, especially when dining experiences are shared with family and kindred cruisers. That’s why AmaWaterways won’t settle for anything but the best.

Executive Chef Primus Perchtold, winner of three gold medals at the European Championship of Culinary Art, along with his talented team of expert chefs, crafts menus using the finest and freshest local ingredients. Bountiful breakfasts and lunches tempt with a tantalizing array of choices to satisfy even the most discerning palates, with omelets made-to-order using seasonal produce, as well as freshly baked breads, sizzling bacon, yogurt and fruit; crisp salads, hearty soups and sandwiches. Evenings offer a range of delightful entrees, including filets of salmon, beef tenderloin, and peppers and eggplant expertly sautéed and grilled. Appetizers and handmade desserts are artfully presented—and paired with distinctive wines—while flavorful vegetarian and gluten-free options are equally enticing.

Dining On Board the Highest-Rated Ships No matter which ship or itinerary you choose, you’ll set sail on board Europe’s highest-rated ships as honored by the premier travel authority, Berlitz, and the “Overall Best River Cruise Line” chosen by the esteemed Editors of Cruise Critic. From start to finish, an AmaWaterways cruise is an all-around amazing experience that will linger in your memory—and on your taste buds—for many more moons to come! For more information, contact your Travel Agent, call our river cruise specialists at (888) 626-1439 or visit www.AmaWaterways.com

LEADING THE WAY IN RIVER CRUISING

Pictured left: Cruising through the Iron Gates, Danube River

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Editor’s Note

805 Pride WELCOME TO OUR ANNUAL RESTAURANT ISSUE. IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITES TO PUBLISH EVERY YEAR, AND OUR TEAM LOVES TO PUT TOGETHER NEWS AND FEATURES ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON the local dining scene. I hope you get to relax with this issue and also enjoy for yourself some of the wonderful culinary attractions of the Central Coast. However, it’s important to acknowledge what’s been going on in our area. In my last note to you, in our January/February issue, penned in December when full containment of the Thomas Fire was in sight, I wrote with deep admiration about the heroic efforts of those battling the blaze, the giving spirit of our 805 communities, and the power of “us.” With our “New Year/Fresh Start” cover line, I was anticipating a chapter of renewal and hoping that the road to recovery for those impacted by the fire would be smooth. Little did I know what would happen in Montecito in the early morning hours of January 9. The catastrophic flood, resulting in the heartbreaking loss of life and more unimaginable destruction, was surreal. The ripple effect ensued in the wake of these disasters, spreading the hardships further. What happened in the aftermath, however, fills my heart with pride. Out of tragedy came strength and an exhibit of human nature at its very best. Witnessing people stepping up and joining together as a powerful force to help those in need is impressive beyond words. Fundraisers, cash-mobs, benefit concerts, donations of food, clothing, and time, creative collaborations, and a huge rallying cry to “support local” to help boost our economy will make important inroads to recovery. I call it 805 Pride. In the months and years ahead, let’s remember to stick together—just like we have during this time—in honor of those whose lives were lost. Until next month, stay safe and look out for one another.

Lynne Andujar Editor in Chief & Publisher

GARY MOSS

edit@805living.com

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Luxury Motion

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EDITOR IN CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Lynne Andujar

edit@805living.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Bernard Scharf MANAGING EDITOR

Kathy Tomlinson DESIGNER

Sophie Patenaude PHOTO EDITOR

Gary Moss

photo@805living.com SENIOR EDITOR

Heidi Dvorak CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Mark Langton (Philanthropic Events), Jennie Nunn (Shopping), Erin Rottman (Travel), Frances Ryan (Fashion, Interior Design) CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST

Jaime Lewis CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ryan Brown, David Gadd, Victoria Woodard Harvey, Hilary Dole Klein, Linda Kossoff, Nancy Ransohoff, Joan Tapper CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Greg Clarke RESEARCH EDITORS

Gaylen Ducker Grody, Tajinder Rehal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Moss CONSULTING EDITOR

interior design

home furnishings

online w w w.c a b a n a h o m e .c o m

i n - s t o re santa barbara

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805 LIVING, MARCH 2018

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805 LIVING, MARCH 2018

Behind the Scenes

Anchovies? Frog legs? Spam? Some of our contributors reveal the foods they hated as kids that they now love— and where they go to eat them. Victoria Woodard Harvey “Oysters! Chef John Cox serves up a great platter at The Bear and Star in Los Olivos. Kanaloa Seafood in Santa Barbara has the freshest assortment whenever I’m up for the shucking,” says contributing writer Victoria Woodard Harvey (Pulse, page 35, “Where to Eat Now,” page 66, and Dining Out, page 104).

Nancy Ransohoff

Kathy Tomlinson “As child, I wouldn’t eat avocado because it was green, turned pasty in the mouth, and seemed to be covered in alligator (or frog!) skin,” says managing editor Kathy Tomlinson. “Now my restaurant menu selections are often based on which ones have avocado as an ingredient. My current go-to favorite: The avocado toast at The Stonehaus in Westlake Village. A sprinkling of cumin makes it especially tasty.”

HARVEY: JRS IMAGES; RANSOHOFF: STEPHANIE BAKER PHOTOGRAPHY

Contributing writer Nancy Ransohoff (Pulse, page 35, Faces in the Crowd, page 80, and “Breakout Breakfasts,” page 86) admits to disliking coconut in her early years. “Now I devour the coconut chiffon cake with sauce anglaise at Jane in Santa Barbara and Goleta every chance I get.” Ransohoff is the co-author of Hometown Santa Barbara; her work appears in Frommer’s, Westways, Santa Barbara Seasons, Montecito Magazine, and Los Angeles Official Visitors Guide.

Financial Planning & Investment Management

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Palm Capital Management, LLC is a d/b/a of Dynamic Wealth Advisors. All investment advisory services are offered through Dynamic Wealth Advisors. The material contained in this ad is not a solicitation to purchase or sell any security or offer of investment advice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only. A copy of Dynamic Wealth Advisorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ADV Part 2A Firm Brochure is available upon written request and can also be found on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD by searching under CRD#151367.

Behind the Scenes Our featured experts also favor foods now that they loathed when they were children. Here’s where they indulge in them. “I hated liver as a kid but love the liver and onions at Lucky’s Steakhouse in Montecito.” —Maili Halme

(Dining Out, page 104) chef-proprietor Mattei’s Tavern Los Olivos

“Kale and tofu. But now I love the Protein Buddha Bowl at Bliss Cafe in SLO.” —Jill Stollmeyer

(Mind, Body, Soul, page 74) owner East Wellbeing & Tea Spa San Luis Obispo

“Growing up, I wasn’t a big fan of Italian food. My favorite restaurant to enjoy Italian food is Buona Tavola in Paso Robles.” —Ryan Swarthout

“I didn’t like spicy foods, but now I like the salsa at Sharky’s in Westlake Village.” —Mia Liu

(“Where to Eat Now,” page 66) owner eLoong Dumplings Westlake Village

HALME: BLUE GABOR; SWARTHOUT: KATE SWARTHOUT; LIU: GARY MOSS

(Taste/Food, page 98) chef The Steakhouse at Paso Robles Inn

Stillwater

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sherwoodrealestate.com 805.373.5992 Obtain the Property Report required by Federal law and read it before signing anything. No Federal agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy in any state where prior registration is required. Availability of certain amenities is not assured, and may require a separate agreement and payment of additional fees. In the constant endeavor to maintain the quality of the Sherwood community, the developer reserves the right to modify maps, floor plans, exteriors, specifications, features, and product types without notice or obligation. Any models shown do not reflect a racial preference. If you have any questions regarding the Sherwood community, please contact the sales office of Castle & Cooke California, Inc, License #01254164 at (805) 373-5992.

Pulse

T R AC K I N G T H E B E AT O F T H E 8 0 5

COURTESY OF OJAI VALLEY INN

A FUTURE FOODIE HAVEN

The Ojai Valley Inn (ojairesort.com) is poised to add a stunning new gem to its culinary crown. The Farmhouse at Ojai Valley Inn, set for completion in the fall, will be a one-of-a-kind 20,000-square-foot epicurean and event center designed by renowned architect Howard J. Backen, whose international projects have received awards from Architectural Digest, AIA/Housing Magazine, and the National Endowment for the Arts, among others. The cluster of wood and glass barn-inspired structures will include a kitchen for demonstration cooking classes, a multiuse

ballroom, and a library and garden courtyard for private dining and meetings. wA lawn area will incorporate outdoor seating and an organic vegetable and herb garden. “We wanted to create additional event space for groups to gather, something unique to Ojai,” says Chris Kandziora, vice president of sales and marketing for Ojai Valley Inn. “We’re excited about offering cooking classes, wine tastings, and dinners by noted local, regional, national, and international chefs.” —Nancy Ransohoff MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Pulse

FASHION FORWARD Renaissance Fine Consignment

(renaissancesb.com) has been reborn. After 20 years of ownership, Joann Younger passed the baton to her daughter-in-law, Kendra Younger. The downtown Santa Barbara store, which celebrated a grand reopening in January after a complete remodel, focuses on pre-owned luxury brands including Chanel and Louis Vuitton. “We’ve headed in a bit more of a designer direction,” says Kendra. “We have everything from 1920s pieces to the latest Fendi.” The fresh, youthful look of the store includes fashion icon–inspired dressing rooms: Look for the Prince design, with a purple velvet couch. A sponsor of the Kick Ash Bash, a benefit for the Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance last February, Renaissance also supports local schools and nonprofits such as the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Wounded Warrior Project, and Salvation Army through financial or clothing donations. —N.R.

WHEELS FOR MEALS

Ordering restaurant fare for delivery just got easier in Ventura County. In January, Uber Eats (ubereats.com) launched in the area, bringing residents menu items from more than 30 prominent eateries, including Tony’s Pizzaria and Kyoto Sushi in Ventura and EMC Seafood & Raw Bar in Oxnard. When participating restaurants are open and accepting orders, locals can use the Uber Eats website or the free mobile app to place orders from up to approximately four miles away for a $4.99 booking fee. “Ventura offers an eclectic dining scene with something for everyone,” says Ben Story, Uber Eats general manager in Southern California. “Our customers have been asking for Uber Eats to expand north, and we’re so thrilled to now be operating in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura County.” For both businesses and patrons, the service is a welcome innovation. —Ryan Brown

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

A BEAUTIFUL FIND As if anyone needed another reason to visit the Los Olivos haven of tasting rooms, saddleries, and white picket fences, the recently opened R&D Los Olivos (randdlosolivos.com), a boutique love child from owners Diane Dorsey and Ron Helman, is well worth a peek. “Yes it’s a store,” says Helman, a jazz musician and former Juilliard School movement teacher, “but it’s the people who make it a life.” The 350-square-foot space is filled with curated goods befitting the couple’s guiding motto of “beauty everyday”—luscious scarves of hand-loomed cashmere, Japanese batik linen totes, and an exclusive line of FL Parfums crafted by Metropolitan Opera conductor Fabio Luisi (a courtship gift from Helman to Dorsey that they wanted to share). Featured jewelry includes Dorsey’s own hand-cast 18-karat gold and sterling pieces, inspired by lucky symbols and the rose gardens of their nearby farmhouse, New York designer Anthony Lent’s diamond-eyed moon faces

and gold-tooth skulls, Santa Monica-based jeweler Amyn Rahimtoola’s delicate work in gold and raw precious stones, Santa Fe artisan Holly Masterson’s antique turquoise and handcrafted metal bead necklaces, and coming in April, new sculpture-influenced adornments by Santa Ynez Valley goldsmith Johnny Ninos. On the walls are works by Robert Stivers, whose black-and-white photographs are collected by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. “We believe in the value of special pieces in our lives,” says Dorsey, a dedicated member of Ethical Metalsmiths, “with an aesthetic and personal meaning that speak to you every day.”

—Victoria Woodard Harvey

Don’t miss the opening of the store’s exhibition of Stivers photographs on March 24; Stivers will be in attendance.

8.05 For The 805!

Help Us Support The Thomas Fire Communities. For more than 60 years Wilshire has supported the communities it serves by making donations to charitable organizations, fundraisers, schools, and youth sports. Now it’s time to help our neighbors in Ventura and Santa Barbara recover after the Thomas fire and mudslides. Purchase a system in March, April, or May and we will donate 8.05% of your purchase right back into the 805 communities affected.

If you or your business would like to join us, please visit WilshireHE.com/805 to learn more + sign up.

2649 Townsgate Road, Suite 500 • Westlake Village, CA 91361

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Pulse

For the second year, the 805 Living Dishing It Out for Charity Challenge celebrated the spirit of giving in ways that were gratifying, bighearted, and delicious. Adding good taste to generosity, 27 restaurants came forward and accepted the challenge, either creating a new dish or selecting an iconic one from their menus and donating a percentage of revenues from that dish to support a favorite charity of their choice. Thanks to these restaurants and the enthusiastic diners who purchased 7,558 dishes, more than $15,400 was raised for 18 worthy nonprofits.

2017 DISHING IT OUT FOR CHARITY CHALLENGE PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AROHA RESTAURANT, Westlake Village, for Cancer Support Community THE BEAR AND STAR, Los Olivos, for Direct Relief

LOS OLIVOS WINE MERCHANT & CAFÉ, Los Olivos, for The Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre

CONVIVO, Santa Barbara, for North Bay Fire Relief

LUCKY PENNY, Santa Barbara, for Direct Relief

FINCH & FORK, Santa Barbara, for No Kid Hungry Share Our Strength

MESA BURGER, Santa Barbara, for Chefs for Humanity

FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN, Westlake Village, for Support for the Kids

MOUTHFUL EATERY, Thousand Oaks, for the Bumblebee Foundation

FISH GAUCHO CALIFORNIA MEXICAN & TEQUILA BAR, Paso Robles, for Almond Acres Charter Academy

OLIO CRUDO BAR, Santa Barbara, for the Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation

LA COSECHA MODERN COCINA, Ventura, for Food Share, Ventura County’s Food Bank LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE, Agoura Hills, for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy/Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

LOQUITA, Santa Barbara, for Direct Relief

BELLA VISTA RESTAURANT AT FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA, for the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara

THE HITCHING POST II, Buellton, for Direct Relief

LOBBY LOUNGE AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE, for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley

OUTPOST AT THE GOODLAND, Goleta, for No Kid Hungry Share Our Strength Q SUSHI, Westlake Village, for Hope’s Haven ROBIN’S RESTAURANT, Cambria, for Family Care Network RUMFISH Y VINO, Ventura, for Food Share, Ventura County’s Food Bank

THE LANDSBY, Solvang, for People Helping People

SABOR COCINA MEXICANA, Thousand Oaks, for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley

THE LARK, Santa Barbara, for Direct Relief

S.Y. KITCHEN, Santa Ynez, for People Helping People

LES MARCHANDS WINE BAR & MERCHANT, Santa Barbara, for Direct Relief

THOMAS HILL ORGANIC KITCHEN, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, for Big Brothers Big Sisters  —Hilary Dole Klein

Megan and Mason Photography

Lindsey Gomes Photography

Rochele Wilhelms Photography

T H E P L A C E Y O U â&#x20AC;&#x2122; L L A LWAY S R E M E M B E R

O N T H E DAY Y O U â&#x20AC;&#x2122; L L N E V E R F O RG E T Celebrate everlasting love in the heart of Paso Robles Wine Country. With gorgeous spaces that open to lush gardens, picturesque vineyards and endless beauty, discover the romance of Europe perfectly captured in each and every detail. From intimate ceremonies in our French-style Abbey to extravagant celebrations in our Veneto Ballroom, prepare to be swept into pure matrimonial bliss.

AllegrettoResort.com |

805-369-2508

2700 Buena Vista Drive, Paso Robles, California 93446

Finds S H O P P I N G / S T Y L E / T R AV EL

Fizz Factory Black cow, brown cow, egg cream, orange cream— serve up your favorites in classic soda-shop style. By Jennie Nunn “Milkshakes” dish towels ($17 for a set of two); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Westfield Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com. MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Finds

1 2 3

4 5 6

1. Negranti Creamery vanilla bean sheep milk ice cream ($8 for 1 pint); Rainbow Bridge, Ojai, rainbowbridgeojai.com; Lazy Acres Market, Santa Barbara, lazyacres.com; California Fresh Market, San Luis Obispo, californiafreshmarket. com; and negranticreamery.com. 2. Hamilton Beach DrinkMaster chrome mixer ($45); Bed Bath & Beyond, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Ventura, Goleta, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, and Canoga Park; bedbathandbeyond.com. 3. La Porcellana Bianca cake stand with glass dome ($54); Williams-Sonoma at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, The San Luis Obispo Collection, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; williams-sonoma.com.

4. Anchor Hocking Oneida 16-ounce soda glasses ($54 for a set of 12); webstaurantstore.com. 5. “Netta” apron ($38); anthropologie.com. 6. Glass dispenser with straws ($20); Crate and Barrel at The Village at Westfield Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com. 7. RSVP International vintage ice-cream spade ($15); General Store Paso Robles, generalstorepr.com. 8. Mini textured stoneware bowls ($20 for a set of four); Cost Plus World Market at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo; worldmarket.com.

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9. Mesh soda siphon ($100); WilliamsSonoma at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, The San Luis Obispo Collection, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; williams-sonoma.com. 

Finds Style By Frances Ryan

Go Indigo

Spring denims have gone over to the dark side. 2

1. Bluma Project “Talitha” earrings in ikat ($88); Bonita, Summerland and Carpinteria; bonitasummerland.com. 2. Robert Rodriguez “Contrast Stitch” denim skirt ($295); Nordstrom at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Santa Barbara, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; nordstrom.com.

3. Marlies Dekkers “Calamity Jane” push-up bra ($169); Les Boudoirs Boutique, Westlake Village, lesboudoirs.com.

4. Helmut Lang Re-Edition zip denim jacket ($360); Neiman Marcus at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, neimanmarcus.com. 5. “Fleming” shoulder bag ($478); Tory Burch at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, toryburch.com. 6. Ray-Ban “Original Wayfarer Denim” ($215); ray-ban.com. 7. “Frayed Denim” pumps ($1,290); Tom Ford, Beverly Hills, tomford.com. 8. Ralph Lauren “RRL Denim Rucksack” ($345); RRL at Malibu Country Mart; ralphlauren.com.

7 8

9. Mother Denim “Hustler Ankle Fray” cropped jeans in Bake Sale Brawl wash ($238); Sharon Segal Nina Segal at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, facebook.com/ sharonsegalninasegalthecloset. 

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

GREAT TIMES , AWARD WINNING WINE S ! Tastings | Tours | Lunch | Weddings | Distillery | Inn With nearly 300 acres of grapes on both the east and west sides of Paso Robles, Opolo Vineyards enjoys a wide range in climate, soil and growing potential which allows Opolo to produce 20 different critically acclaimed varietals.

2015 Mountain Zinfandel, 92 pts Wine Enthusiast 2014 Reserve Rhapsody, 90 pts Wine Advocate 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, 91+ pts Wine Advocate 92 pts Wine Enthusiast

Finds Travel By Erin Rottman

MONTEREY BAY SANCTUARY

hirty-one miles of sand stretch along Monterey Bay between Santa Cruz and Monterey. At the southern end, by Marina Dunes Preserve, sits Sanctuary Beach Resort Hotel (thesanctuarybeachresort. com; from $245), whose pet-friendly bungalows overlook the Pacific. Bonfires on the beach at sunset, retro-style beach cruisers, and group mixology lessons with competitions to create the best cocktail are all part of the program at Sanctuary Beach. New to the resort is Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette, a seafood restaurant helmed by executive chef David Baron, who prides himself on sourcing locally. “We have all of these farmlands and cheese makers and wineries and beer,” Baron says, namedropping local finds such as Paso melons, Castroville artichokes, and Monterey Bay abalone. “We’re just really blessed

to have that all in our backyard.” Once produce lands in his kitchen, Baron creates dishes that balance sweetness, acidity, salt, and texture. One of his favorites is wood fire– roasted rainbow carrots with yogurt from Salinas Valley’s Schoch Dairy. He finishes the yogurt with citrus zest and honey then tops it with shaved raw carrots and pistachio brittle for some crunch, some softness, and some sweetness. “When you come and eat our food at Salt Wood, you’re going to have a good representation of what our area is all about,” Baron says.

In Monterey, the new Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette (above) at Sanctuary Beach Resort Hotel is dishing out seafood specialties like grilled oysters three ways (left): with kimchi butter and scallions, béarnaise and tarragon pesto, and spicy sausage and herbed bread crumbs.

In the Rock Star room at Malibu’s Nobu Ryokan a wall of doors slides away to let the ocean air in.

A five-year, $40 million renovation has turned a 1950s motel into an exclusive retreat on Malibu’s Carbon Beach—aka Billionaires’ Beach. Nobu Ryokan (noburyokan malibu.com; from $1,500) has 16 guest rooms, no published phone number, and a suite that tops out at $3,500 a night.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

“We’re very under the radar,” says general manager Janelle Eng, adding that people come because they don’t want to be seen and leave saying that they’ve never been so relaxed. The hotel, which has two stairways leading to the sand, was designed with minimalism in mind

to evoke serenity. Japanese art and antiques, Zen gardens, and teak flooring grace the interiors. The second-floor Rock Star room has stacking sliding doors that open up to a deck with a Japanese soaking tub and sweeping views that extend to Catalina. >

DISH AND DINING ROOM: SALT WOOD KITCHEN & OYSTERETTE; GUEST ROOM: PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA KRAFT

PRIVATE MALIBU PARADISE

Experience the best of SoCal in 0 brake lights, 10 breaching dolphins, and 1 breathtaking journey.

Sink back in your seat and take in the coastline as you travel to popular destinations between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. Unwind while staying connected with free Wi-Fi®. Satisfy your cravings with a delicious treat from our Café car. When you take the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner®, your getaway begins before you arrive.

©2017 LOSSAN. Fares, schedules and services are subject to change without notice. Wi-Fi® is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.® Amtrak, Surfliner and Pacific Surfliner are registered marks of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation and used with permission.

Finds Travel

DRIFTING TO MANHATTAN BEACH

hef Octavio Sabado was schooled in French cooking, honed his Spanish cuisine cooking skills while working with Michelinstar chef José Andrés, and incorporated southeast Asian flavors into his repertoire after traveling through the region with his Thai wife. But as head of Jute Coastal Bar & Kitchen at the new Westdrift Manhattan Beach hotel

Passengers on the sundeck during an AmaWaterways cruise through the Rhine Gorge train their camera lenses on Katz Castle, perched above the German town of St. Goarshausen.

RHINE AND WINE Graveyard Vineyards is taking its tasting room from Paso Robles to Europe. In their second cruise with luxury line AmaWaterways (amawaterways.com), vineyard owners Paula and Rob Campbell-Taylor are hosting a seven-night itinerary, starting on November 5 from Basel to Amsterdam on the Rhine River (from $2,649). The Calabasas-based cruise line, which is owned by a Westlake Village family, features spa services and staterooms with private balconies. The Campbell-Taylors have plans for three onboard wine

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

activities: an anthropology seminar focusing on the development of wine and human civilization, a sensory workshop on differentiating aromas as specific as currant and raspberry, and a taste comparison of Old World and New World wines. At a wine-paired dinner with the chef and daily “wine downs” voyagers can gather to recap the day’s excursions, like a bike tour of Strasbourg, France, or a Jewish heritage tour in Amsterdam. “You laugh and you drink wine and you laugh and you eat and you go explore new things,” Paula says. “It’s heaven.”

(westdrift.com; from $219), expected to open at the end of this month, Sabado refuses to limit his menu to a particular cuisine. “It’s California,” says the chef, who grew up in Durango, Mexico. “It’s who we are. We’re a melting pot.” Sabado says his menu includes “small plates to share or not,” like jamon Serrano with compressed cantaloupe and burrata, as well as entrées such as kimchi ravioli and drunken chicken sous vide with IPA, basted in brown butter. Located a mile from the shore, the hotel has a fitness center stocked with CrossFit equipment, a pool overlooking a nine-hole golf course, and complimentary beach cruiser bikes with woven baskets that are perfect for transporting purchases from boutique shops at The Point a few blocks away. 

HOT TIP

Casa Ojai, the Capri, and Ojai Valley Inn are among the hotels in the art-centric enclave offering 10 percent off their best available rates through the end of the month as part of Ojai Love (ojailove.com), a package designed to support the community in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire. Ten dollars for each night booked will be donated to benefit area residents who were affected. The package also includes 10 percent discounts at participating shops, galleries, restaurants, and experiences like Ojai Rock Climbing and Cloud Climbers Jeep Tour.

CRUISE: AMA WATERWAYS; HOTEL LOBBY: COURTESY OF WESTDRIFT MANHATTAN BEACH

Westdrift’s chic lobby décor takes cues from the nearby pier.

Protecting your wealth. It all starts with one meeting. Life is filled with one meeting after another, but this one is important. It’s about your future, and what you can do to prepare for it. My name is Jeff Antoniotti, and I’m a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor with more than 23 years of experience. Meet with me, and I’ll sort out your financial goals to create a wealth plan that helps you manage your assets. Call today to schedule an appointment, and let’s get your future started.

JOB INFORMATION

Jeff D. Antoniotti Financial Planning Specialist Senior Investment Management Consultant Senior Vice President Financial Advisor 100 N. Westlake Blvd., Suite 200 Westlake Village, CA 91362 805-494-0200 jeff.d.antoniotti@morganstanley.com www.morganstanleyfa.com/antoniotti

CRC1853724

SPECIFICATIONS

NOTES

FAS010

CS 9086515 11/17

Go Solvang By Heidi Dvorak

Little Denmark

Modern meets traditional in Solvang (clockwise from top, left): New split-level suites at The Landsby open to a cordial courtyard. Wandering Dog Wine Bar spikes glasses with fruity shrubs. Rasmussen’s fuels the crafting craze with a rainbow of trendy cotton prints. First & Oak serves chic fare like Sweet Kauai Shrimp with baby leeks and white truffle, Meyer lemon aioli, and caviar. High Roller Tiki Lounge pours island-inspired Winetails. The Copenhagen House showcases sleek designs from brands like Pantone Universe.

uaint shops and butterygood bakeries still line the streets, but new foodie finds, modern accommodations, and unique shopping ops are bringing a bit of pizzazz to Solvang while maintaining its homespun charm.

STAY For a fresh take on Danish design in the center of town, bed down at The Landsby (thelandsby.com), a boutique hotel sporting a simple yet elegant décor emphasizing blond woods and whites. The new addition of nine roomy suites includes split-level options with ample master bedrooms overlooking comfy 50

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

living rooms. Seemingly worlds away is The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort (alisal.com), set in 10,000 acres of gorgeous rolling hills. It’s a western dude ranch and more with a lake for fishing, horseback riding, hiking trails, cowpoke activities for kids such as Boot Branding, as well as tennis courts, two championship golf courses, a pool and spa. Recently hired executive chef Anthony Endy rustles up hearty American ranch–style specialties. Sign up for his BBQ Bootcamp from May 16 to 18, co-led by Frank Ostini, owner of Buellton’s Hitching Post II. SHOP The goods at The Copenhagen House (thecopenhagenhouse. com) are Danish-made, contemporary, and timeless. >

FABRIC: SOLVANGUSA.COM; SHRIMP: THERESA GINGRAS

It’s not just about pastries and windmills anymore.

aroha

New Zealand Cuisine & Bar Fresh New Zealand Seafood & Organic Game Allergy-Friendly

Named after the Maori word for love and compassion, Aroha, New Zealand Cuisine and Bar was founded in September 2014 by Award-winning Kiwi Chef Gwithyen Thomas and his wife, Justine. Specializing in New Zealand Seafood and Organic Game, Arohaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu features Local and Organic Produce (our passion fruit and feijoa are grown on our back patio!), Free-Range and Grass-Fed Organic Meats from New Zealand, and Fresh New Zealand Seafood thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on your plate less than 48 hours out of the water.

By creating dishes in-house, Chef Thomas is able to create an allergy-friendly environment and proudly accommodates any allergies or dietary restrictions.

NO CORKAGE TUESDAY

Our dinner, bar, and brunch menus are 100% gluten-free or gluten-free optional.

100% Gluten-Free Optional

HOURS

4:30-9:30pm Tue-Sun 10am-2:30pm Sunday Brunch (805) 405-5054 ArohaRestaurant.com

30990 Russell Ranch Rd Unit C Westlake Village

SUNDAY BRUNCH 10am-2:30pm

@ArohaRestaurant #ArohaRestaurant

Go Solvang

It is the first and only U.S. location to sell Dark Blonde cosmetics (not just for dark blonds), Denmark’s greenlabel certified line. While there, scoop up diminutive yet functional Pantone Color of the Year tabletop pieces created by the authority on color. Kitchen lovers may delight over the cooking tools and décor on the ground floor of Rasmussen’s (rasmussenssolvang. com)—in business since 1946—but upstairs realizes a seamstress’ dream with a huge inventory of top-of-theline yarns and cotton fabrics in ultra-cute patterns. TASTE Beer and wine unite for Hop On, an infusion of hops and white wine concocted at Buttonwood Farm Winery & Vineyard (buttonwoodwinery.

com). It’s one of the first wines of its kind in the U.S., so swirl and sip at the new cantina-style tasting room, then see how hops are grown. For wine with a bite, add a shrub—a fruitbased vinegar mixer in flavors like lemon-mint and kiwi—at the Wandering Dog Wine Bar (wanderingdogwinebar. com). Go Polynesian with a Winetail—wine-based cocktail—at High Roller Tiki Lounge (highrollertiki.com), hidden in the back of Sort This Out Cellars (sortthisoutcellars. com). Develop a keen appreciation for ultra-premium olive oils and balsamic vinegars at Solvang Olive Press (solvangolivepress.com), under the guidance of the supremely knowledgeable staff. Follow it up at the new tasting room of D. Volk Wines (dvolkwines. com), where cool white-andblue décor and Central Coast 52

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

varietals make it feel like a day at the beach. And with five authentic Danish bakeries in town, why not be daring? Try the jalapeño-onion-cheese bread at The Solvang Bakery (solvangbakerycom). EAT Foodies are flocking to First & Oak (firstandoak.com), where each dish prepared by Gordon Ramsay protégé Steven Snook is an intense tasting adventure only equaled by the wine selections of sommelier Jonathan Rosenson, from his own Coquelicot Estate Vineyard. Make a rezzie for a pop-up dinner at ranchstyle event center K’Syrah (kscateringandevents.com) to experience executive chef Brooke Stockwell’s themed evenings such as the Paul Bocuse Dinner, Ode to Ducks, or The Whole Beast. Casual yet sophisticated fare can be found at Haven Hill Provisions (havenhillprovisions.com), a smart-looking modern gastropub providing flavorful bites such as bresaola carpaccio and duck confit. Coming soon: gourmet picnic lunches. FEED THE DOG (AND ITS OWNER) Succulent Café (succulentcafe. com) is the hip spot for dog birthday parties, capitalizing on its Pups on the Patio menu, while owners feast on creative charcuterie plates. House Pomeranian Rascal puts his paw of approval on two new menus, Beastly Bits (for un-fussy eaters) and Sophisti Bits (for foodie Fidos) at Fresco Valley Café (frescovalleycafe.com), which now offers breakfast, specializing in farm-fresh dishes like avocado toast. 

Private, Mediterranean Home in 24 Hr, Guard Gated Country Club Estates 5053 Royal Vista Court, Westlake Village

Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac on grounds that offer approx. 1.5+ acres of privacy and views, this beautiful Mediterranean home is the perfect setting for family gatherings and entertaining. The interior has an open floorplan with spacious living areas which include a handsome library with fireplace, a media room with pub, a custom wine room and a wonderful formal dining room with French doors and windows opening to views of the rear gardens. The private rear yard boasts a pool, spa, water features, extensive grassy play areas for outdoor entertaining. Improve your game with your own putting green! Relax and entertain at this exceptional North Ranch Estate.

Offered at $3,995,000 - www.5053RoyalVista.com

Sigi & Pam

| 818.879.2999

Luxury CollectionSM Specialists sigiandpam@sigiandpam.com www.sigiandpam.com Sigi CalBRE # 00589771 / Pam CalBRE # 00669728

Associate Brokers. ÂŠ2018 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC.

Local Voices Interviews by Heidi Dvorak

Expert Eats

Where do the pros dine when they want to go out for a meal? We polled some local chefs.

executive chef Blonde Restaurant and Bar at Inn at the Pier Pismo Beach theinnatthepier.com/blonderestaurant-and-bar-in-pismo

The Umbra pizza at Olio Pizzeria is my favorite. Crimini mushrooms, Robiola cheese, and black truffle top this old-world pizza, light, however super-rich and decadent. I can easily finish an entire pie. It’s great to have Olio as a neighbor. —Greg Murphy

executive chef Bouchon Santa Barbara bouchonsantabarbara.com

The Crispy Spanish Octopus from The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach. It’s light, smoky, and rich. The ingredients change seasonally and although I’ll be sad to see it go in the spring, I’m always eager to taste the newest creation, as they continuously amaze me. —Hector Ibarra

chef Lido at Dolphin Bay Pismo Beach thedolphinbay.com/lido

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

owner The Nest Ojai thenestojai.com

Seafood is definitely my first choice when it comes to restaurants, and I always look for the perfect crab cake. The best I’ve ever had in the 805 would have to be at Lure Fish House in Ventura. —Andrea Rodella

chef de cuisine Olivella at Ojai Valley Inn ojairesort.com

FERN: BURGUNDY BLUE; GOODLOE: COURTESY OF PACIFICA HOTELS; RODELLA: OJAI VALLEY INN; IBARRA: RUSSELL GARNER

I’m new to the area and enjoy exploring the dining scene. So far, my favorite dish at a local restaurant has been the Tri-Tip Tartar at The Spoon Trade in Grover Beach. The dish was well balanced, seasoned correctly, and the flavors came together while I was still able to taste the flavor of the raw meat. —Michael Goodloe

The meatball sandwich at Industrial Eats in Buellton has to be one of my all-time favorite dishes. It’s a simple menu item that they have creatively mastered from the depth of flavor to innovative plating. It’s the sort of meal you’ll dream about. —Kiona Fern

NEW HOMES NOW SELLING

Idyllic Living the Enchanted Way... Lonestar Estates, Thousand Oaks

• Seven, semi-custom homes • Ready to occupy by February 2018 • All homes boast 270° views • 5 bedroom, 4.5 - 5.5 bath

3,889 sq. ft. to 5,828 sq. ft. • Single and two-story floor plans

from $1,570,000

For more information contact: Anat Yifrah 818-266-9195 or hydam786@yahoo.com HYDAM REALTY INC., BRE LIC. #02018247 Mohammed B Esa, AIA, Broker 805-498-7786

311 HAIGH ROAD, SUITE 201, THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91320 | www.hydamhomes.com | 805-498-7786

Local Voices

Mandarin Lotus in Agoura Hills is my favorite, because I can trust the qualities and the flavors that chef Dan Chang creates. —Gwithyen Thomas

owner, CEO, and head chef Aroha Restaurant Thousand Oaks aroharestaurant.com

chef-owner Heat Culinary Carpinteria and Newport Beach/ Costa Mesa heatculinary.com

The Lark in Santa Barbara is one of my favorite spots to enjoy a meal with friends and family. It’s one of the more exceptional dining experiences in town. I love the castiron roasted chicken. It’s the perfect comfort-food fix. —Carlos Luna Café Ficelle in Ventura has the best croissant I’ve ever tasted. At first sight these croissants look like they belong in Paris. At first bite, they are brilliantly flaky and crispy on the outside with soft, buttery dough on the inside. Every bite ends in a delicate crunch. It’s the perfect pillowy pastry and a decadent treat. Trust me, they’re that good! —Luis Martinez

executive chef La Cosecha Modern Cocina Ventura lacosecharestaurant.com

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

head chef Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars Oxnard tierrasuratherzog.com

owner Los Agaves, Westlake Village, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and Goleta and Santo Mezcal, Santa Barbara los-agaves.com, santomezcalsb.com

My go-to comfort food is always Thai, either green curry chicken or pad Thai, with extra peanuts and extra herbs, from Basil in Paso Robles. Thai food reminds me of the time I spent traveling throughout Asia, and it provides a different feel and taste structure from what I cook on a daily basis. —Justin Picard executive chef Cello Ristorante & Bar Allegretto Vineyard Resort Paso Robles cellopasorobles.com

I often crave the taco combo trio from Taqueria El Bajio in Santa Barbara: carne asada with pico de gallo and avocado, carnitas, and adobada. And when I’m feeling super-adventurous, the lengua (cow tongue). —Alberto Morello

executive chef and co-proprietor Olio e Limone Ristorante, Olio Crudo Bar, and Olio Pizzeria Santa Barbara olioelimone.com 

DAILEY: COURTESY OF HEAT CULINARY; THOMAS: JUSTINE THOMAS; PICARD: ALLEGRETTO VINEYARD RESORT; MARTINEZ: ERIC PARSONS PHOTOGRAPHY

Raised in an Italian home, I’m a sucker for a bowl of risotto. During the winter season my nonna would slow-braise a pot of osso buco in her cast-iron Dutch oven to serve alongside baked ziti in her eight-hour marinara sauce. It brought me back to my childhood when I tasted Ca’ Dario’s [in Santa Barbara] secondi course Ossobuco con Risotto—true home-cooking with a hint of saffron to up the flavor. Loved it. —Nikki Dailey

Sakura Cha Ya in Oxnard. The food here is real; nothing pretentious. The flavors are rich, salty, and sweet, and the dishes are beautiful. My favorite is the okonomiyaki [savory pancake]—the colors are incredible, like graffiti on a pancake. You get a sense of warmth and family at this place. It feels like dining at someone’s home. —Gabe Garcia

THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATON PRESENTS THE 28TH ANNUAL

Cattlemen’s Western Art Show and Sale APRIL 6-8, 2018

PASO ROBLES EVENT CENTER IN PASO ROBLES, CA

Featured Artist

Susan Von Borstel

Time Passages by Susan Von Borstel

Valeriy mile by S a d n a ds Soft wor

kin Kagoun

Saddle Mates by Keith Batcheller

Vision of the Past by Susan Von Borstel

Sweet Ta lkin’

by Richa rd Myer

Originals for Sale

from more than 40 nationally and locally known artists. SHOW OPENS FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 5-9 P.M. ARTISTS’ WINE & HORS D’OEUVRES RECEPTION & PREVIEW SALE 5-9 P.M. Tickets for the reception available at the door for $20. The show continues Saturday 10–5 and Sunday 10–3, no admission charge, open to the public. Cattlemen’s BBQ lunch for $10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No-host bar all weekend. For more information visit cattlemenswesternartshow.com or contact Dee Pellandini 805-423-1319 or Jo Ann Switzer 805-462-2810. Laila Asgari • Rod Aszman • Cliff Barnes • Keith Batcheller • Lorrie Beck • Kimberly Bowen • Vicki Catapano • Gloria Chadwick • Claudia Chapman • Bob Coronato • Susan Eyer-Anderson Ivanie Finsvik • Caly Garris • Sheri Greves-Neilson • Daniel Hachard • Kathy Harder • Dan Hare • Tim Harmon • Donna Heer • Valeriy Kagounkin • Claudia Lima • Stephanie Rose Long Tamara Magdalina • Vel Miller • Gary Moore • Ron Moore • Jill Mueller • Richard Myer • Denise Newell • L. Tracy Paz • Margo Petterson • Jordan Pope • Barron Postmus • Sharlene Rayl Rebecca Riel • Denise Rich • Pat Roberts • Shirley Rudolf • Marilyn Salomon • Rosanne Seitz • Millie Shaw • Rusty Smith • Jim Stuckenberg • Ann White • Don Woodard

Insider EVENTS IN & AROUND THE 805 By Heidi Dvorak MARCH 13–18

BOTKE BIRDS AND BLOSSOMS

SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Santa Paula Art Museum. Prepare for the beauties of spring at this exhibit of Jessie Arms Botke’s early 20th-century decorative paintings paired with arrangements of flowers by the Ventura County Orchid Society; santapaulaartmuseum.org.

San Luis Obispo County locations. See the works of filmmakers from all over the world and rub elbows with them at screenings, parties, workshops, and wine tastings; slofilmfest.org. March 16–18

March 10, 11 PINCHAS ZUKERMAN RETURNS

3/3—ongoing

Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Violinist Zukerman and cellist Amanda Forsyth are spotlighted in this New West Symphony program with works by Vivaldi, Couperin, Haydn, Mozart, and Schubert; newwestsymphony.org.

VINTAGE PASO: ZINFANDEL WEEKEND

Paso Robles locations. This Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance bash to honor the region’s heritage grape is nothing short of zinsational, so join 100 area winemakers for tasting ops, a Zinposium, and Z After Party; pasowine.com. March 24 CENTRAL COAST CRAFT BEER FEST

Sunken Gardens, Atascadero. This kickoff to Central Coast Beer Week (March 23 through

3/13

Here’s an Idea:

Rustle up some remarkable dishes under the guidance of cookbook author Brigit Binns in her teaching kitchen at REFUGIO PASO ROBLES. The March schedule includes Pizza and Beyond: Wood-Fired Oven Weekend Master Class on March 9 through 11, Elegant Nibbles, Rustic Bites: Make and Take (or Stay at Home) Appetizers for the Over-Committed Cook on March 21, and The Art of Artisan Pizza: Hands-On on March 28; refugiopasorobles.com.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

April 1) features unlimited pours from 40-plus breweries, five wineries, and two cideries, as well as food pairings and music from Bear Market Riot and Five Parts Devil; centralcoastcraftbeerfest.com. March 25 AN EVENING WITH THE AVETT BROTHERS

Santa Barbara Bowl. Brothers Scott and Seth bring on novel American folk rock with their group’s mix of pop, country, honky-tonk, punk, folk, rock and roll, ragtime, and bluegrass; sbbowl.com. March 29 TODRICK HALL AMERICAN: THE FORBIDDEN TOUR

Majestic Ventura Theater. The American Idol semi-finalist pulls out the stops as rapper, actor, comedian, and dancer, showcasing his original songs, moves, and messages; venturatheater.net.

Family Fun March 13

March 14–18

March 23–24

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

TASTE OF SOLVANG

ROMEO AND JULIET

Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo. Ja, those hills of Austria are alive with the musical escapades of the Von Trapp family. The play is an entertaining way to introduce the kids to iconic songs and a bit of pre–World War II history; pacslo.org.

Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara. State Street Ballet presents Prokofiev’s dramatic ballet based on Shakespeare’s story of two star-crossed lovers; lobero.org.

March 14

Solvang locations. Two new events—a Wednesday night farmers’ market dinner and a Sunday brunch—add to this annual culinary, cultural extravaganza, in which creations of local chefs, bakers, farmers, artisans, winemakers, and brewers are ready to sip and savor; solvangusa.com.

DISNEY JUNIOR DANCE PARTY ON TOUR

March 16

Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Sing and dance with Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Sofia the First, Puppy Dog Pals, Vampirina, Elena of Avalor, Doc McStuffins, Lion Guard, and other Disney swells in this interactive show; civicartsplaza.com.

GOLD HUNT

Malibu Bluffs Park. Bring a lounge chair and gaze at the ocean while the kiddos search for gold with Lucky the Leprechaun at this St. Paddy’s Day party with two hunts, storytelling, an art activity, and snacks; malibucity.org.

March 31 MARGARITA TACO FESTIVAL

Madera Street, north, Simi Valley. Tons of tacos, plus margaritas for adults, are shelled out at this familyfriendly Welcome Home Soldier Foundation fundraiser to help provide transitional housing and sleeping bags to homeless vets; margaritatacofestival.com. >

FROM TOP: MAGNOLIA BY JESSIE ARMS BOTKE, 1945, OIL AND GOLD LEAF ON MASONITE, 18 X 16, COLLECTION OF SANTA PAULA ART MUSEUM; MATTHEW MURPHY

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Hot Ticket

Book your seats now for these hot upcoming events. MARCH Through March 11: Witness the antics of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, as they try to make a flop in THE PRODUCERS. With music composed by Mel Brooks and a number depicting little old ladies tap-dancing with their walkers, the results are comedy magic; San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre, slorep.org. Through May 13: Examine the museum’s photography holdings at BROUGHT TO LIGHT: REVELATORY PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF ART COLLECTION. Artists

include Berenice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Dawoud Bey, Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Mike Disfarmer, Harold Edgerton, Barbara Kasten, Yevgeny Khaldei, Inge Morath, Gordon Parks, and Masao Yamamoto; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, sbma.net. March 1–31: Ariel would be in heaven every day at this harbor-wide, monthlong extravaganza known as MERMAID MONTH . Visit with “real” mermaids and peruse crafts, fashions, toys, and accessories inspired by them. It’s also a chance to ponder how they march with tails at the Mermaid Parade; Ventura Harbor Village, venturaharborvillage.com.

Los Agaves is a family owned Mexican restaurant serving traditional handcrafted recipes from the finest ingredients… Always.

March 8–25: Siri would love this story. Aside from Sherlock Holmes’ doctor buddy, there are three other Watsons: an engineer who built Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone, a super computer who became a Jeopardy! champ, and a technology nerd looking for love. All four are integral plot points of THE (CURIOUS CASE OF THE) WATSON INTELLIGENCE, a play by Madeleine George about technology, mathematics, and emotions or the lack of them; Severson Theatre, Santa Maria, pcpa.org. March 9–11: Got a sick orchid? Take it to orchid doctor Bruce Kidd, who is just one of the many experts on hand to answer questions at the SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL ORCHID SHOW. Discover growing secrets, view rare and

common varieties at a juried exhibition, learn how to repot, and participate in workshops led by experts and members of the University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener program; Earl Warren Showgrounds, sborchidshow.com.

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March 11: St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching so get in the mood early at the last show of THE IRISH SERIES, presented by Kerry Irish Productions. The Kerry Traditional Orchestra, the Kerry Voice Squad, and dancer Connor Reider recreate an authentic Irish celebration in

St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland; Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, civicartsplaza.com. March 21: Join ERICK ERICKSON for a lecture and signing of his book Before You Wake: Life Lessons From a Father to His Children. His talk centers around a spiritual philosophy of living life with purpose and joy, prompted by his family’s medical concerns; Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley, reaganfoundation.org.

APRIL April 25: Vocalist and Country Music Awards nominee KELSEA BALLERINI makes no excuses for her no-holds-barred Unapologetically Tour. Special guest Walker Hayes supports the show; The Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara, thearlingtontheatre.com. April 25–29: This year, the “Out of this world” theme of the SANTA BARBARA FAIR & EXPO promises tons of interplanetary fun, music on two stages, magic shows, a petting zoo, the AllAlaskan Racing Pigs, dancing, cooking contests, arts and crafts, local beers and wines, a carnival midway, and exhibits of livestock, art, photography, horticulture, and pottery; Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, earlwarren.com. April 26–May 13, June 14–July 8: Little did novelist Victor Hugo know that back in 1831 when he wrote a story about a deformed church bell ringer, it would one day be the impetus for a musical. Yet that’s exactly what happened on the big screen and then onstage when songwriters Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz teamed up to deliver a dramatic and beautiful score for Disney’s THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. The classic tale maintains its integrity as it unfolds the story of Quasimodo, the archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, and the beguiling gypsy Esmeralda; Marian Theatre and Solvang Festival Theater, pcpa.org.

Photos courtesy of Olio e Limone and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

Photos courtesy of Olio Crudo Bar and Gary Moss /garymossphotography.com

April 27–28: The SOLVANG DATSUN ROADSTER CLASSIC is in its 31st year, so get revved up to see this enduring and popular street showcase of discontinued Japanese exports that took the world by storm from 1958 through 1986. On view are more than 100 vehicles, including 510s, 1200s, 1600s, 240Zs, 280Zs, 280ZXs, and other models in cherry condition as well as some with extraordinary bells and whistles. It’s a great opportunity to see these rare beauties and socialize with fellow car lovers at a preshow gettogether, a barbecue, and a memorabilia display; downtown Solvang, solvangroadstershow.com.

MAY May 6: Chamber on the Mountain concludes its season with ZORÁ STRING QUARTET, featuring violinist Dechopol Kowintaweewat, violinist Seula Lee, violist Pablo Muñoz Salido, and cellist Zizai Ning. The musicians won the Grand Prize >

Photos courtesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Kevin Steele / kevsteele.com

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Insider and Gold Medal of the 2015 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the 2015 Coleman National Chamber Music Competition in California, and the 2015 Young Concert Artists International Auditions; Logan House, Ojai, chamberonthemountain.com. May 12: Simi’s takin’ it to the streets with all that’s great about the city at the SIMI VALLEY STREET FAIR, a gathering of food artisans, crafters, business owners, and service providers from all over the valley. Listen to music, and meet up with a few neighbors and Chamber of Commerce members; Simi Valley Town Square, simivalleychamber.org.

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May 25: As a father of five, this three-time Grammy-nominated comedian knows the pitfalls and pratfalls of family life, so JIM GAFFIGAN: THE FIXER UPPER TOUR is right on the nose when it comes finding the humor in life’s everyday minor problems and major fiascos; Santa Barbara Bowl, sbbowl.com. May 26: What’s new pussycat? TOM JONES is probably still posing that same question and women are probably still responding with girllike glee. Get nostalgic and let the panty tossing begin; Santa Barbara Bowl, sbbowl.com.

Show Your Support

Fun and fundraising go hand-inhand at these local events. MARCH March 10: Choose a course, 50 miles, 70 miles or 100 miles, and have some wheel fun at the SOLVANG CENTURY, METRIC & HALF CENTURY,

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MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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which is not a race but rather a ride sponsored by SCOR, also known as Specialized Coronary Outpatient Rehabilitation. The nonprofit recreational biking club espouses cycling as a form of rehabilitative therapy after heart attack, coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty, stent placement, valve replacement, congestive heart failure, and other forms of heart disease. A festival goes on all day, featuring massage therapists, a barbecue lunch, vendors, a DJ, live music, and raffles. Money raised benefits three children’s congenital heart disease summer camps; Hotel Corque, bikescor.com. March 18: Don a pretty chapeau and join Amy Commons, the vice president of community and employer relations at Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center, as she emcees the eighth annual HATS & HIGH TEA fundraiser, sponsored by the Cal Lutheran University Community Leaders Association. All money raised goes toward student scholarships and faculty grants; Cal Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, callutheran.edu.

March 22: Water quality is the subject of exploration in the WATER: TAKE 1 FILM FESTIVAL. A mixer with appetizers and cocktails is followed by screenings of water-themed short films that encompass the efforts of Ventura’s local residents, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and advocates; Ventura Beach Club, watertake1.com. March 24: Rolling hills, canyon trails, iconic film locations, and Chumash sites make up the scenic route for the DOLE GREAT RACE OF AGOURA HILLS presented by Sports Academy. The courses consist of the road-based Pacific Half Marathon and the trail-based Chesebro Half Marathon. Thrown in for good measure are the Old Agoura 10K, the Deena Kastor 5K, a one-miler for kids, and the one-mile Camp Kinneret Family Fun Run. Proceeds benefit school programs in Agoura Hills and Oak Park that are not funded by the state of California, as well as runner-sponsored charities such as The V Foundation, Train 4 Autism, Team in Training, the American Heart Association, Remedy Run for the Red, and other organizations; Agoura locations, greatrace.run. March 24: Walk three miles at MARCH FOR BABIES to help meet the goal of $80,000 to benefit the March of Dimes. The money assists with funding research for prenatal and postnatal care; Kingsmen Park, Cal Lutheran University, marchforbabies.org. March 26: Golfers can get into the swing of things to help kids with hearing loss at the NO LIMITS GOLF CLASSIC. Proceeds from the daylong tournament benefit No Limits, a nationwide program that teaches educational and social skills to hearing-impaired children through its educational centers and national theater program; Spanish Hills Country Club, Camarillo, nolimitsfordeafchildren.org.

APRIL April 21: Board a private vessel for the BOAT PARTY BASH, a fundraiser for Senior Concerns, a private nonprofit organization providing seniors with support in the areas of wellness, finances, activities, advocacy, and caregiving in eastern Ventura County and western Los Angeles County. The fun starts as soon as the boat departs, with wine, light appetizers, and socializing, while guests are taken for a cruise of Westlake Lake. Afterward, the party continues on land, with dinner, dessert, music, dancing, 50/50, and a raffle; Westlake Yacht Club, seniorconcerns.org.

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April 21: Who knew that playing poker, roulette, craps, and other games of chance could help youngsters stay active in local sports organizations? Well, that’s the deal at the WILD, WILD WEST CASINO NIGHT, which benefits the Paso Robles Youth Sports Council and funds special construction projects and field maintenance. > 982 S Westlake Blvd #2, Westlake Village 805.230.9950 www.FinneysCrafthouse.com

Insider Activities include a silent auction, live music, a down-home barbecue, and chances to win prizes; Paso Robles Centennial Park, prysc.com. April 27: Here’s to stylish women! It’s an appropriate toast to make with the complimentary champagne provided at FASHIONS ON PARADE, the Westlake Women’s Club fashion show and luncheon. A runway show, boutique shopping, door prizes, and a silent auction are slated to help raise money for scholarships to seniors at area high schools, the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, and other local, regional, and international organizations; Hyatt Regency Westlake, westlakewomensclub.org. April 28: The SEASONS OF HOPE GALA is Cancer Support Community Valley/Ventura/ Santa Barbara’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The black-tie optional event includes a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, dinner, and live entertainment. Proceeds support the organization’s groups, classes, and educational and social events; Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, cancersupportvvsb.org. April 29: It may sound redundant but everyone ought to run in the AUT2RUN CHARITY RACE, since it offers courses for all ages and ability levels: a 10K trail run, a 5K run-walk, a 15K Hero Run (10K and 5K combined), and a Fun-K, just for fun! Proceeds benefit the Autism Society of Ventura County; CSU Channel Islands, Camarillo, aut2run.org.

MAY May 6: It’s always a good time with members of the Thousand Oaks Rotary at the CHILI COOKOFF & CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL. There’s musical entertainment on two stages, a children’s play area, and gourmet food trucks. Proceeds benefit local charities, including the Westminster Free Clinic, Conejo Valley Reading Is Fundamental, Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank, DreamCatcher Playground Project, K9s for Warriors, and MakeA-Wish Foundation; Conejo Creek North Park, Thousand Oaks, chili-cook-off.com. May 12: Hats, gloves, and frilly frocks are suitable fashion fare for LOVE IS BREWING, a very proper tea and champagne luncheon to Support Interface Children & Family Services’ programs for domestic violence prevention, intervention, and awareness; Camarillo Ranch, icfs.org. May 17: Not only has the United Way of Ventura County helped raise money for victims of the Thomas fire, it also assists the underserved all year long in the areas of education, health, and income. The needs of single mothers are addressed at WOMEN UNITED, a luncheon

from Camarillo’s leading medical spa... geared toward helping them create a successful and secure future; Cal Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, vcunitedway.org. May 21: Tee off at the 31st annual GOLF TOURNAMENT for the Hospice of the Conejo. The non-medical volunteer hospice, grief support center, and education center provides services free of charge, so every dollar raised counts; Sunset Hills Country Club, Thousand Oaks, hospiceoftheconejo.org.

- featuring -

Worth a Drive

Venture just outside the 805 for this choice event. March 18: From Dodger Stadium to the sea, the SKECHERS PERFORMANCE LOS ANGELES MARATHON is one of the best 26.2-milers to watch from the sidelines or to participate in. The excitement is palpable as more than 24,000 athletes from all 50 states and more than 63 countries compete to cross the finish line. And there’s a charitable aspect, too: The Stadium vs. Sea Charity Challenge takes place concurrently and enables participants to raise money and awareness for their favorite charities. Think of it as a race within a race with two options: The Stadium option, which is a run from Dodger Stadium to Hollywood, and The Sea Option, from Hollywood to Santa Monica. Either way, it’s money well spent; lamarathon.com.

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Give Back

Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you. Be a part of the new, all-volunteer committee for SENIOR CONCERNS, an adult day-care facility that’s been serving the Thousand Oaks community since 1975. Volunteers attend biweekly meetings to plan a series of creative and entertaining fundraisers (see “Show Your Support,” April 21) for community participation. There are also other ways to help out, such as leading discussions or sharing skills in the center for adult day care, working in the thrift store or bargain boutique, delivering meals, and assisting at the Love Run and Ultimate Dining Experience events; seniorconcerns.org.  If you would like to submit your event or organization for possible inclusion in Insider, please email the information and a contact number/email address to insider@805living.com. Please submit your request no later than 14 weeks prior to the issue in which you’d like the information to appear.

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The Restaurant Issue Special Report By Victoria Woodard Harvey

Where to EAT NOW

There’s plenty to keep track of lately on the everchanging Central Coast restaurant scene: ethnic and international deliciousness no longer require a drive to the Southland or a flight to Paris, new foods are getting play in established bastions from trusted chefs, and radical reinventions keep up with diners’ penchants for small plates to share with friends over killer cocktails after work. From Paso Robles to Westlake Village, here are a few of the inspired, chef-driven standouts that keep the draw local. Chef Kurt Metzger of Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen

The chef-manager partnership of John and Nancy McDevitt at Farmstead Kitchen and Catering (farmstead kitchenandcatering.com) has earned a solid reputation for catering special events and winemaker dinners with inventive menus focused on local ingredients. Now visitors to Paso Robles can drop in for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch in the McDevitts’ new restaurant and wine and craft beer bar. Regional highlights on the menu include oysters on the half shell; steamed Saltsprings Island mussels with beer or wine broth, ginger, sriracha, and cilantro; Maple Leaf Farms duck prepared three ways with kale couscous and a cardamom-cinnamon demi-glace; and Windrose Farm mixed greens with whole spiced pecans, sweet sundried cherries, and housesmoked Big Rock Blue cheese from Central Coast Creamery. Expect to find nightly specials featuring elk, venison, bison, and quail, prepared by chef de cuisine Ben Rebhan, a San Luis Obispo native returning to the area from San Francisco’s iconic Cliff House. Down the street in Paso Robles another hot spot has added an exciting new feature. After 5 p.m., Thomas Hill Organic Kitchen (thomashillorganics. com) is serving up a daily made-to-order 66

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

chef’s ceviche at its new crudo bar, a first for the area. “I’m originally from San Diego,” says chef Kurt Metzger, “and wanted to highlight as simply as possible the natural flavors of great fish.” His crudo sampler is a selection of four sustainably caught fish varieties that may feature arctic char, scallop, tombo tuna, or butterfish. Raw oysters are served with a mignonette of uni and tadashi spice powder, and fresh uni is also served on toast with avocado and a chicory salad in a light yuzu dressing. The San Sebastian plate is a festive, flavorful mix of tuna confit, soft-boiled egg, green Romano beans, Castelvetrano olives, caper berries, roasted tomatoes, and Manchego.

Fans of the restaurant can still find a pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing on the lunch menu, and the in-demand Thai chili salmon or bulgogi-style braised short ribs for dinner, plus weekend brunch, all of which can be enjoyed indoors or on a comfortable courtyard patio. When Somerset hit the scene in Santa Barbara in 2016 with an ambitious build-out and top chef Lauren Herman, formerly of Suzanne Goin’s Lucques and A.O.C. in Los Angeles, anticipation was high. Less than a year later, the goldmirrored walls and deep banquettes were replaced with a more casual paintedwood vibe at the newly reimagined Smithy Kitchen + Bar (smithysb.com). >

Taleggio flatbread at Smithy Kitchen + Bar

TOP: COURTESY OF THOMAS HILL ORGANIC KITCHEN; BOTTOM, LEFT AND RIGHT: STUDIO ARNA

Innovative Renovations and Redos

The Restaurant Issue Special Report

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

eLoong Dumplings

World Imports

Dumpling fans are enjoying the real deal in a modern Westlake Village strip mall at eLoong Dumplings (818‑532-7668), where owner Mia Liu offers the flour-based specialties of her native Shandong province. “This is not dim sum,” she says, “and it’s not Cantonese.” One noteworthy dish is the Szechuan soup with braised beef shank and fresh fat noodles in a mildly spicy and hauntingly delicious

broth with hints of star anise. Come early for a fix of the classic, steamed Xiao Long Bao pork dumplings, broth-filled and served with the traditional grated fresh ginger and black vinegar, made daily. For Francophiles, the go-to spot for flaky pastries like brioche feuilletée and croissants is Café Ficelle (cafeficelle.com) in Ventura. In addition to its popular breakfast and bakery items, the café serves a host >

A croissant at Café Ficelle TOP, RIGHT: COURTESY OF ELOONG DUMPLINGS; BOTTOM: LYNDY WOODRUFF

Chef Herman’s marketfocused shared plates include imaginative pastas, such as squid ink casarecce with lobster bisque and nori breadcrumbs, as well as crisp, puffy-edged flatbreads with toppings like mixed mushrooms, Gruyère, and gremolata or broccolini, coal roasted leeks, Calabrian chili bagna cotta, and ricotta. The Proteins section of the menu—with no item more than $20—offers braised brisket with roasted squash, chicories, and horseradish sauce as well as fried sand dabs with prosciutto breadcrumbs and remoulade. There’s a long list of sophisticated cocktails, like Baby I’m a Star (house-made pear and fennel cordial, vodka, fino sherry, absinthe, fresh lemon juice, and Peychaud bitters). The wine list offers glasses for less than $6 during happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. In downtown Los Olivos the casual Corner House Cafe (cornerhouselosolivos.com) is the place for morning coffee and breakfast as well as lunch favorites like a great chili by chef Effron Campos. But from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. owners Ron and Deborah Alex have begun offering something new from sushi chef Shin Kuboyama, formerly of Kabuki in Solvang and Santa Barbara’s near-legendary Arigato Sushi. A one-page regularly changing menu features a dozen or so items, plus miso soup, edamame, seaweed salad, beer, and saki. Sushi fans in the valley need not venture far for sashimi sourced fresh daily from an L.A. fish market or for inventive rolls like the Autumn with spicy tempura chicken and aioli.

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The Restaurant Issue Special Report

of hearty dishes from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., including French country chicken soup topped with sliced truffle, a layer of crisp puff pastry, and melted Gruyère cheese and poulet rôti on ficelle (the namesake thin baguette) of pulled roasted chicken, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and remoulade dressing. A steaming bowl of moules (mussels) with white wine and cognac cream sauce and a cheese and charcuterie plate comprised of the chef’s daily selection are standouts on the 4 p.m.to-6 p.m. happy hour menu. French comfort food also shows up in Agoura Hills, at Café Bizou (cafebizou.com), where the menu takes cues from the one at the original Sherman Oaks location, offering classics such as traditional bouillabaisse, lobster bisque, escargots persillade, classic steak au poivre, double truffle pommes frites, as well as the plats du jour. The food may be fancy but the prices are not. It’s rare to see an add-on salad to dinner entrées for $2 and $3 as well as a $2 corkage fee per bottle for diners who prefer to bring their own.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Satellite

Following the urban dine-where-youwork trend, Satellite (satellitesb.com) is a small, hip food bar located at the Impact Hub work space on the main corridor of State Street in Santa Barbara. Chef Emma West brings experience from the beloved but shuttered Julienne. Intensely focused on farmers’ market finds, her menu changes daily. On one day, the Yoga Pants salad is a mélange of ribboned kale, radicchio, and butter lettuce, a fine dice of steamed beets and butternut squash, julienned sugar snap peas, dried cranberries, toasted

sunflower seeds, pea shoots, and Ojai micro sprouts, all with a roasted garlic and Marcona almond dressing. The menu is meatless and displays West’s knowledge of flavor. The Grits Cake, an original riff on lasagna, is presented in a mini cast-iron pan layered with creamy, ParmigianoReggiano grits, a succulent blend of broccolini, leeks, blanched almonds, and red chili flakes, followed by another layer of grits topped with spicy pepper jam and a soft pat of oregano butter. Enjoy premium local beers on tap, cider, international beers by the bottle, choices from an extensive wine list, or the sophisticated and refreshing Sunshine Spritz, a personal favorite of proprietor Drew Cuddy made with aperitifs Cappelletti and Cocchi Rosa Americano. Wine-tasting events such as Brown Bag Blind Tasting Tuesday and Flight Night Monday are a plus, and DJs Andrew Elias and Chris Benedict take turns spinning vinyl on Wednesday nights. Also in Santa Barbara, Aaron Olson and Kim Anderson’s Handlebar Coffee Roasters (handlebarcoffee.com) >

Chef Sandry Adu-Zelli of Handlebar Coffee Roasters and guest chef James Siao (above, left); the Handlebowl (left) at Handlebar Coffee Roasters with a soft-boiled egg, bacon, and avocado.

INTERIOR: STEPHANNI LARSEN; CHEFS, EXTERIOR, AND DISH: KIABAD MEZA

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The Restaurant Issue Special Report

More Debut Reviews

An overview of what’s new and good in the area would not be complete without a nod to these recent openings already reported on the pages of 805 Living. (Search previous issues at 805living.com/archive.) Among the eateries found under one roof at The Annex at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, Ventura County’s first public market: Gasolina (gasolinatapas.com; see “Breakout Breakfasts,” page 86) for home-style Spanish tapas, Seoul Sausage (seoulsausage. com) for California-style

Blackbird (blackbirdsb. com) in Santa Barbara’s Hotel Californian for a Mediterranean-influenced menu by chef Alexander

Spiny lobster at Blackbird

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

La Motte, who brings an arsenal of experience from Boulud and French Laundry. (See 805 Living, December 2017) Mattei’s Tavern (matteistavern1886.com) for updated classics by local chef-proprietor Maili Halme in Los Olivos. (See Dining Out, page 104) Moody Rooster (moodyroosterwlv.com) for authentic, bistro-style cuisine in Westlake Village. (See 805 Living, October 2017)

Chef Craig Riker, Oliver’s of Montecito

Oliver’s of Montecito (oliversofmontecito. com) for a neighborhood hangout with a plant-based menu dished out by chef Craig Riker. (See 805 Living, November 2017)

Blackbird

Korean street food, and Love Pho Café (805-4851881) for casual, fresh Vietnamese dishes with a modern, healthy twist. (See 805 Living, January/ February 2018)

Editor’s note: Read about Santa Barbara’s new Indian restaurant, Bibi Ji (bibijisb. com), in the April issue.

GARY MOSS

began as a simple roasting company in the Presidio District but is fast becoming a whole lot more. The original downtown location now has a sister enterprise in midtown, where locals working in a sea of laptops can find a great version of avocado toast (optional add-ons are smoked salmon from Santa Barbara Smokehouse or Snake River Farms’ Kurobuta bacon). The menu is small but satisfying and available until 2 p.m. with housemade savory pastries, apple and peanut-salted caramel doughnuts (until they sell out), and Huevos de la Vina on chargrilled sourdough toast with a lightly dressed wild arugula salad. Chef Sandry Adu-Zelli, whose previous stints include Ottolenghi in London and, locally, Cielito and Jeannine’s Restaurant & Bakery, oversees the offerings, which also include fresh flatbreads (24-hour fermented dough made with organic flour). “We like to play with our food,” says Adu-Zelli, “and not be stuck in a box.” Pop-up dinners are also part of the playbook, which calls for bringing in other local chefs to turn out gourmet street tacos for Taco Night and award-winning chef James Siao from Outpost at The Goodland and Finch & Fork at Kimpton Canary Hotel for an ongoing Ramen Night. 

Vicki and Collin Crannell, co-owners of Moody Rooster

CRESS CRAZE

STEEPED IN BLISS

Jill Stollmeyer was once a caffeinerevved manager and masseuse, but her life changed when she discovered the powers of herbal tea. “I realized adopting tea into my normal daily routine was like taking herbal supplements and that this simple change could be really effective for me,” Stollmeyer says. In 2015, to share her enthusiasm for tea with others, she opened East Wellbeing & Tea (eastwellbeing.com)

Making Scents

in San Luis Obispo, where she couples traditional skin and body spa treatments with tea, aiming to soothe, calm, or stimulate customers, depending on their needs. “We ask guests how they feel prior to their treatment and make recommendations on tea,” Stollmeyer says. Spa members receive complimentary, customized tea service, and 30-minute steep treatments— tea soaks in luxurious bathtubs—are available. Meanwhile, a full-service tea room is open all day to the public and teas are available for purchase.

pacemaker, and the most common treatment is the implantation of a pacemaking device. The good news is that pacemakers have come a long way. One-tenth the size of older models, the Micra Transcatheter While a slowed heart rate Pacing System is the most advanced of its is a common physical kind and is now available fitness goal, for some at local Dignity Health people, a sustained rate (dignityhealth.org) of less than 60 beats medical centers, including per minute while alert French Hospital Medical is a symptom of a heart Center in San Luis Obispo condition known as and St. John’s Regional bradycardia. The most Medical Center in Oxnard. common cause is a It has been approved for malfunction of the sinus node, the heart’s natural Medicare reimbursement.

In a Heartbeat

There’s a reason that perfume has stood the test the time as a go-to gift. According to a 2017 study published in the journal Science, humans possess nearly as many olfactory bulb (one of the primary smell centers in the brain) neurons as 24 other mammal species and can even outperform rodents and dogs in detecting certain scents. Still, Anna Adams was surprised when in 2010, her perfume-making hobby garnered enough sales on Etsy.com for her to launch The Parlor Company (parlorco. com), an exclusively online store based in Lompoc that specializes in its own line of Victorian-inspired gifts and branded perfumes packaged in charming, gift-friendly Victorian bottles. “Over time our perfume line has expanded to over 30 scents for men and women,” says Adams. “Now my husband, Ben, and I run the business together full-time.” 

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

FROM TOP: © BHOFACK2/ISTOCK.COM; © UNIZYNE/ISTOCK.COM; COURTESY OF EAST WELLBEING & TEA; THE PARLOR COMPANY

By Linda Kossoff

Enjoying a resurgence in popularity since it achieved the top ranking on the 41 powerhouse fruits and vegetables list published by the Centers for Disease Control in 2014, watercress is giving the kale trend a bit of healthy competition. “Kale is good,” says Paulette Lambert, nutrition director at California Health & Longevity Institute (chli.com) in Westlake Village, “but its high fiber content means less bioavailability, less absorption in the gut, of nutrients. So, kale was not number one, watercress was.” In fact, all members of the cress family, including upland cress, garden cress, and the bestknown, watercress, provide a treasure trove of disease-fighting antioxidants. Looking for some local cress to up your nutrition game? Try upland cress from Pete’s Living Greens (peteslivinggreens.com), whose fresh leafy vegetables are grown hydroponically (to protect plants and save water) in Carpinteria. The company’s cress varieties are available at major grocery chains and served in dishes at local restaurants such as The Cheesecake Factory. While you’re getting your greens, however, be sure not to neglect other foods, warns Lambert. “The powerful 41 list is available online, but remember that balance is a very important concept,” she says. “One needs to look at diet as a whole entity and not just consume superfoods.”

KEEP YOUR PETS

HAPPY

WE COME TO YOU!

Arts & Culture By Joan Tapper

Crystal Creativity

Carol Roullard finds and refines brilliant images under a microscope’s lens.

Photomicrographer Carol Roullard combined mirror images of hydroquinone crystals to create Conversation.

rtist Carol Roullard (carolroullardart.com) is a kind of modern alchemist, though, unlike her ancient counterparts, she doesn’t claim to turn base metals into gold. Her very real achievement is to use the science of photomicrography— taking pictures through a microscope—to transform chemical substances into vivid works of art. The walls of her Moorpark home are enlivened by her brilliantly colored abstracts, some reminiscent of glacial or desert landscapes, others like iridescent bursts of energy. It’s hard to imagine that they originated as images of the structure of elements such as caffeine or citric acid. These strands of science and art have intertwined throughout Roullard’s life. Growing up in Marin County, she yearned to be a

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

plant geneticist, studied botany at UC Davis, then pursued computer science at San Francisco State, but she also took art and photography classes, focusing on patterns in the natural world and in architecture. Later her professional life centered on computers, management, and IT project compliance and quality control, and for a time she gave up photography after moving to Southern California with her first husband in 1981 and raising two daughters. But periodically she would start some art-related business, such as repping artists or finding art for a client. She met Brian Matsumoto, a scientist and director of microscopy at UC Santa Barbara, in 2004; a year later, they married, and Roullard’s interest in photography had been rekindled. Together they have written numerous books about using cameras with microscopes. But in 2009 when she saw a presentation about >

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Arts & Culture taking photos of crystals, Roullard’s creative spirit took a new direction. She immediately realized, “That’s what I want to do!” she says. The process is not as simple as brushing paint on canvas. Roullard begins by choosing a chemical in powdered form for a project. The criterion is that chosen chemical must crystalize and the crystals must display color under polarized light. She has tiny bags and vials of possible substances such as caffeine, vanillin, urea, lidocaine, tartaric acid, and hydroquinone. Using a thin metal spatula, she places a minuscule amount on a glass slide, adds a thin cover, and places the slide on a hot cooking surface. When the powder melts, usually in a few minutes, she’ll remove the slide and watch for crystals to form as the chemical cools.

Chemistry as art (from top): On a computer screen attached to a microscope-camera set up with polarizing lenses, Roullard views slides of chemicals she has crystallized. She created Psychedelic from hydroquinone. Plume is lidocaine. For each image she begins with a powdered chemical.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

The next steps take place at the microscope, in this case a tall research-grade binocular Olympus with a trinocular (third) head that holds a mirrorless Sony a7 Mark 2 camera. The microscope is equipped with polarizing lenses and adjustable magnification. There’s a remote shutter release to cut down on vibration, and rather than standing to peer into the eyepieces, Roullard has connected the microscope to a computer screen. When she slips a slide beneath the lens, an enlarged image appears in unbelievable color. To an outsider, vanillin looks a little like a mosaic of Tiffany glass flowers, hydroquinone seems like tectonic plates, and urea resembles feathers. “I think urea looks like it’s flowing,” says Roullard. “It makes gorgeous colors and reminds me of landscapes. Caffeine looks like an urban grid—kind of jittery.” Roullard hardly stops with that first look, however. She adjusts the magnification or polarization and moves the slide around, homing in on details. “I’m waiting for a surprise,” she says, “an image I have to have and that I’ll enjoy spending time on.” When she finds a section that interests her, perhaps because of the color or pattern, she’ll take a series of photos with gradations of focus. Later working on her computer, she can stack these images and further manipulate them, playing with color or creating a digital collage. Sometimes she mixes her substances, combining lidocaine and vanillin, for example, for an interesting effect. She has also explored a series of elements in wine: tartaric acid, mallic acid, citric acid, and potassium sorbate, among others. Though each individual chemical’s structure remains the same, the images she creates are invariably new and striking. Roullard’s fine art is on display at her website and on exhibit through April 23 at the Judith Kaufman Gallery at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. She has also created patterns for textiles, and after friends suggested that one work would make a great scarf, she found a printer who could reproduce her works on quality clothing. Roullard now has a line of brilliantly hued tops, skirts, swimsuits, and yoga pants. Is there a favorite aspect of her work? “I like creating,” she says. “I like it all.” 

TOP AND BOTTOM: GARY MOSS

To an outsider, vanillin looks a little like a mosaic of Tiffany glass flowers, hydroquinone seems like tectonic plates, and urea resembles feathers.

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Cami can tell you the names of all of Mary’s grandchildren — in order, from youngest to oldest. As a Belmont Village caregiver, she’s passionate about enriching the lives of our residents through personal, skillful and thoughtful attention to every detail. From daily care to choosing the perfect birthday gift for the littlest grandchild, we’re there for our residents whenever — and however — they need us.

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Faces in the Crowd By Nancy Ransohoff Photograph by Gary Moss

Smirnoff vodka distillery. “They all had these things that nobody wanted,” says Resnick. The trio combined their products and, after some trial and error, the now-famous Moscow Mule was born. Resnick learned about his family history while growing up in the San Diego area and in Portland, Oregon, and inherited the last one of his great-grandmother’s original mugs. A professional golfer on mini tours, he first studied golf management at College of the Desert in Palm Desert and then graduated from Portland State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. “I was planning on playing professional golf,” he says. An accident resulting in a knee injury brought his potential golf career to an end. After college, Resnick started a company that provided gear for service dogs. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial The Original desire,” he says. While on Moscow Mule a buying trip to Asia, he Recipe courtesy of saw displays of painted moscowmule.com. tin and copper-plated Makes 1 cocktail Moscow Mule mugs. “I Ice thought, ‘I need to take 2 ounces vodka Grandma Sophie’s mug ¼ ounce fresh- and show the world what squeezed lime juice the original one was 6 ounces ginger beer really like,’ ” he says. Lime wedge, for In 2016, he relaunched garnish the Moscow Copper Co., Place ice in a Moscow sourcing high-quality Copper Co. mug and copper from India, where pour in vodka. Squeeze the mugs are formed in in lime juice and top with ginger beer. Garnish a modernized version with lime wedge. of the original design This Santa Barbara County resident gives new life Berezinski brought over. to his family’s old-world company, which supplies He brings them to Santa Barbara for finishing, engraving, and packaging. restaurants with classic Moscow Mule mugs. To celebrate the Moscow Mule’s 75th he story of JJ Resnick’s anniversary, Resnick released Mulehead Berezinski, immigrated to the United company is a mix of (True Story Publishing, 2017), a book of States from Russia bringing along 2,000 creativity, continuity, and cocktail recipes from bartenders around solid copper mugs manufactured by her a classic cocktail. Resnick the world. He has also opened The father’s Moscow Copper Co. Berezinski is president and CEO Muleseum, a luxury penthouse suite on peddled the mugs door-to-door without of Moscow Copper Co. the 50th floor of the Palms Place Hotel success until she teamed up with Jack (moscowcopper.com), a and Spa in Las Vegas, where his greatMorgan, then owner of the Cock’n Bull Santa Barbara–based firm that sells solid grandmother’s original mug is on display pub in Hollywood, who was trying to copper Moscow Mule mugs, ice buckets, along with other Moscow Mule–related introduce America to his own brand pitchers, and shot glasses worldwide. artifacts. Stays in The Muleseum require of ginger beer, and John Martin, then The tale goes back to 1941, when a two-night minimum, and it’s also president of Heublein Inc., which had Resnick’s great-grandmother, Sophie available for special events.  recently acquired the floundering

JJ Resnick

T 80

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Upgrades

A Show of Strands

Cutting-edge home décor comes with fringe benefits. By Frances Ryan

5 4 6

7. “Baxter T-Arm” sofa with bullion fringe 1. Laura Kirar for Arteriors “Tassel” lamp ($795); 4. Roberta Schilling “Capim” mirror ($1,565); The Sofa Guy, Thousand Oaks, thesofaguy.com. Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com. ($3,895); Jonathan Adler, Santa Monica, jonathanadler.com. 5. M2C Studio “Dawn 23” linen tassel and 2. “Fringed Triangle Basket” ($68); 8. Alpaca “Pom-Pom” oversize bed throw antique nickel chandelier ($4,995 as shown; Anthropologie at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, (starting at $299); RH at The Promenade Santa Barbara, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga custom options available); A Beautiful Mess Home, Agoura Hills, abeautifulmesshome.com. at Westlake, Westlake Village, and Santa Park; anthropologie.com. Barbara; rh.com.  6. “Burrel” tassel pillow ($70); Crate & Barrel 3. Laura Kirar for McGuire “Guernica” lounge chair (price upon request); Baker, Los Angeles, at The Village at Topanga, Woodland Hills, crateandbarrel.com. mcguirefurniture.com.

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Good Deeds By Mark Langton Photographs by Mark Langton

Paw Works

1. Keri Wilson, Kaitlin Sandeno Hogan 2. Joe Rivera, Anna Griffin 3. Calleen Cordero, Juan Diego Vernal 4. Theresa Loss, Wendy Block-Weiss and Kevin Weiss 5. Sharlene Matney, Heather Imre, Kelly Akers, Linda Hampson 6. Ron Polanski, Betsy Bourne, Mary and Will Dobbins 7. Eric Freeman, Angie Hewitt, Julie Steiert 8. Terry Hearst, Scott Troop, Taryn Hearst, Denise Hearst, Tikaani

Paw Works (pawworks.org) animal rescue of Camarillo held the Woof & Wine fundraiser in early December 2017 to benefit its no-kill facility. However, when fires began ravaging Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that month, organizers decided that a portion of the proceeds should be reallocated to benefit those affected by what turned out to be the largest recorded wildfire in California history. The event, held at Los Robles Greens in Thousand Oaks, featured local purveyors with wine and beer tastings and food samplings, arts and crafts, and live music. Paw Works’ goal is to assist in ending animal overpopulation by educating the community about resources for pet sterilization and veterinary care. In addition to housing abandoned animals, the facility offers free spaying, neutering, vaccines, and preadoption pet micro-chipping.

American Heart Association The Westlake Village office of international premium real estate broker Engel & Völkers hosted its first gala and fundraiser benefitting the American Heart Association Ventura County Division (heart.org) and the Go Red for Women (goredforwomen.org) campaign. Held in early December at the Sun Air Jets facility in Camarillo, the roaring twenties–themed event was attended by many guests wearing period attire and featured live entertainment such as a burlesque artist, the Honey Taps dancers, and a big band group. The American Heart Association’s mission is to educate the community about cardiovascular disease and stroke, which together continue to be the leading cause of death in both men and women. Go Red for Women raises awareness and money for research to help end heart disease and stroke in women.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

1. Gary Nesen and Nicole Van Parys 2. Richard Burke, Melissa Milner, Scott Stanley 3. Alexa Foss, Katie Beck, Bernadette Straatsma, Stefanie Abbott, Dina Mabry, Lisa Dosch 4. Michael and Rosa Van Parys 5. Lav, Christine Elwess, Mark Nardi-Dei 6. Rachel Owens, Estelle Elliott, Heather Van Scoyk 7. Shana and Gary Collett 8. Katherine Kousi, Mathias Bode, Judy Hoffman, Ron Barron 9. Siv Cotton, Tracy Simerly 10. Lisa and Kraig Kitchin

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Breakout

TRY THESE TRENDSETTING TAKES ON THE MORNING MEAL.

BREAKFASTS The first meal of the day is garnering new respect in the culinary world. Chefs are combining fresh local ingredients, creating new takes on old standbys, and inventing dishes that even ardent breakfast–skippers won’t want to miss. Here are five prenoon meal trends from some of the trailblazing eateries helping to spearhead them. Good morning, Sunshine. BY NANCY RANSOHOFF PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

NEXT-LEVEL TOAST

When it comes to toast-toppers, innovative chefs are looking beyond the darling of recent years—avocado—and lavishing the crusty morning mainstay with a wide variety of creative ingredients. Bob Oswaks, bread whisperer and owner of Bob’s Well Bread Bakery (bobswellbread.com) in Los Alamos, uses pain de mie as a canvas for his mushroom toast. “Pain de mie is great for toasts,” Oswaks says. “It’s a fine-grained white sandwich bread that includes milk in the dough.” He tops a slice of the grilled bread with a mix of seasonal mushrooms sautéed in sherry vinegar, along with crème fraîche, lardons, shallots, and a poached farm egg. The Stonehaus (the-stonehaus.com) at Westlake Village Inn makes an old-school staple new, spreading natural peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon on whole-grain toast laced with honey. At Gasolina Cafe (gasolinacafe.com) in Woodland Hills and Gasolina (gasolinatapas.com) in The Annex at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, owner and executive chef Sandra Cordero’s Spanishinfluenced toast options are decorated with quince paste and Manchego cheese; heirloom tomato and garlic; smoked salmon, herbed crema, poached egg, and arugula salad; and avocado, sliced radish, and micro greens. Satellite Santa Barbara (satellitesb.com), located inside the Impact Hub building, serves levain bread from The Baker’s Table in Santa Ynez, toasted and laden with farmers’ market produce. Chickpea-Beet Toast, made with house-made chickpea and beet spread, is piled with pickled red onion, dates, market greens, radish, and roasted pepitas. In Los Olivos, The Bear and Star (thebearandstar.com) tops toast with smoked salmon, pickled veggies, and scallion crème fraîche.

Gasolina in Oxnard takes toast to new heights in dishes such as (from top) Pan Aguacate with avocado, microgreens, radish, olive oil, and sea salt, Pan con Tomate with garlic, heirloom tomato, olive oil, and sea salt, and Pan con Salmon with smoked salmon, herbed crema, poached egg, and arugula. MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

PANCAKE REMAKE

Nothing says “good morning” like a stack of golden pancakes. New spins on the favorites use non-wheat flour alternatives to make the batter or spike it with sweet or savory ingredients. Goat Tree, the new gourmet café at Hotel Californian (thehotelcalifornian.com) in Santa Barbara, turns out stacks of cornmeal ’cakes served with or without huckleberries on top. Taking from scratch to the extreme, The Bear and Star uses acorns from the owners’ nearby ranch to make the flour for its Los Olivos Acorn Pancakes. In The Annex at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, Pancake (ilovepancake.us) restaurant goes big with Dutch pancakes that are 12 inches in diameter. Variations include the savory Paradiso with mushrooms, onion, baby spinach, and Gouda cheese and the Best of Both Worlds with bacon and thinly sliced apples cooked into the batter, topped with Dutch syrup. For some culinary fun, choose three or more ingredients from the list on the menu to create your own version. In Agoura Hills, the all-day breakfast menu at Hatch Cafe & Market (hatcheatery. com) offers GFGT pancakes, a gluten-free variety flavored with green tea and topped with matcha syrup, as well as Wylie’s glutenfree pancakes, with or without blueberries or chocolate chips mixed into the batter, served with either bourbon-banana compote and crushed macadamia nuts or mixed berry compote.

Pancakes take a new turn at Hatch Cafe & Market in Agoura Hills, where GFGT stands for gluten-free, flavored with green tea, and served with matcha syrup.

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Revolutionizing the dish’s namesake staple, Santa Barbara’s Scarlett Begonia includes no oats in its Quinoa “Oatmeal.”

POWER-PACKED PORRIDGE

Oatmeal goes gourmet as chefs dress it up with imaginative toppings and combine or replace it with other healthful grains and seeds on the scene like quinoa, chia, and flaxseeds. Start the day off energized with a warm, satisfying, nutrient-rich bowlful. Pedaler’s Porridge from The Stonehaus kicks Irish oats up a notch with chia seeds and flaxseeds, then tops it all with maple syrup, banana slices, ground cinnamon, and sweettart goji berries. At Kitchenette (kitchenettetempleton.com) in Templeton,

steel-cut oatmeal gets ramped up with buckwheat groats, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, sweetened with ground cinnamon and brown sugar, and topped with a dab of date butter and a sprinkling of chopped dates. In Calabasas, Pedalers Fork (pedalersfork.com) tops its raw chia seed porridge with sliced bananas, oats, dried fruits, and nuts. There are no oats in the “oatmeal” at Scarlett Begonia (scarlettbegonia.net) in Santa Barbara, but you won’t miss them. Organic quinoa is cooked up oatmeal-style, topped with dried, chopped Mission figs, seasonal fruit, pistachios, a dollop of ricotta, and house-made maple syrup, and served with steamed milk on the side. MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

The Stonehaus in Westlake Village reverses the breakfast-for-dinner concept with a hearty breakfast salad called The Quinoa Bowl.

BREAKFAST SALAD

While not a traditional breakfast choice, salads are a fresh, healthy way to jump-start the day. Case in point: The Quinoa Bowl at The Stonehaus, a combination of quinoa, kale, green beans, tomatoes, and avocado, topped with a poached egg and crunchy hemp seeds. While you could sleep in—it’s available until 2 p.m.—this is a bowlful that’s worth waking up for. In Santa Barbara, D’Angelo Pastry & Bread (dangelobread. com) puts a twist on morning tradition by serving hot

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

smoked salmon atop a simple arugula salad, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a spritz of lemon, alongside toast made from fresh house-baked loaves. San Luis Obispo’s newly opened Nourish (nourishslo. com) at the Granada Hotel & Bistro focuses on nutritious, locally sourced options. The morning menu’s Green Eggs & Grain Bowl is a power-packed blend of kale, arugula, farm-fresh eggs, “super seed mix” (sunflower, flaxseeds, chia, and sesame seeds), avocado, and farro, with misosumac dressing.

BODACIOUS BAGELS AND BISCUITS

The fresh-baked goods alone would be worth setting an alarm for, but filled and stacked with tasty fixings, these innovations on the breakfast sandwich theme could render the snooze button obsolete. The Green Eggs & Ham Sandwich at Santa Barbara’s Helena Avenue Bakery (helenaavenuebakery.com) nestles a fried egg, Black Forest ham, Jack cheese, and spicy green harissa sauce in a house-made buttermilk biscuit. At Jack’s Bistro (bagelnet.com) in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara, freshly baked bagels are the foundation for hearty breakfasts, and they’re available all day. The Protein B-Eggl complements two scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese with a choice of ham, sausage, chicken breast, corned beef, turkey breast, or turkey bacon. For the Bagels Benedict, poached eggs and sliced ham are stacked on a bagel and slathered with hollandaise sauce. It’s served with home fries. For its Bagel Sandwich, the Scarlett Begonia fills a sliced house-made onion bagel with a Beeler’s Pure Pork sausage patty, white cheddar cheese, heirloom tomato, an over-easy egg, and jalapeño aioli—a combination that’s sure to give fasting taste buds a wake-up call.  In Santa Barbara, Helena Avenue Bakery turns up the heat on a breakfast classic with its harissa-doused Green Eggs & Ham Sandwich.

Recipe FOR Success Santa Barbara City College whets studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appetites for a culinary career. BY JOAN TAPPER PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

Lights lend a festive air to an evening around a campfire at the Blue Sky Center in New Cuyama, where an innovative nonprofit group is tackling economic development, tourism, housing, and food in a remote rural area.

Eager to embark on a food-oriented career, first-semester students gather for chef Charles Fredericksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; culinary fundamentals course.

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Ask chef Randy Bublitz to talk about the School of Culinary Arts program

Fredericks (above) gets hands-on at the stove, demonstrating a kitchen technique in the introductory class, which covers basic cooking methods, ingredients, and equipment, such as the array of skillets below, right.

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he heads at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), and he’ll smile and ask, “You mean, from soup to nuts?” The two-year program, which has trained thousands of would-be chefs and other restaurant professionals over the course of more than 40 years, however, is certainly no joke. With a wealth of dining venues in the 805 area, students have been able to put their education to use, find local jobs, and launch their careers. Expectations of professionalism in the college kitchen are in place from the first day of classes, when students must be dressed in their chef’s uniforms—doublebreasted white jackets and checkered trousers—and have their knife sets ready. Students have four semesters to master basic culinary techniques, knife skills, pantry skills, cooking to order, preparing French bistro-style lunches, baking principles, and wine knowledge. There are also electives in subjects such as meat cutting, advanced pastry arts, artisan baking, and garde manger (preparation and presentation of cold dishes such as appetizers, canapés, and pâtés). Bublitz says the most popular class is Advanced Restaurant, taught by chef Charles Fredericks, in which graduating students create and serve gourmet lunches and four-course dinners, paired with wines. The meals are available to the public in the college dining room. “It’s where students can exercise the most creativity,” says Bublitz. “They pick the menu, which changes every semester. It’s a showcase for the college.” Other program highlights have included summer study tours abroad in Paris and Rome, and Spain and Paris again may be on the horizon. The program began around 1970 as interest in all things foodie was taking off, and it has evolved over the decades. Classes are updated to reflect what’s going on in the culinary world, changes in education, and what students are looking for. There are plans two create two class tracks this fall, one geared to basic restaurant training and aimed at those who may be looking for a job, the other oriented to more advanced cooking, for those who are already in the restaurant industry but want to develop more skills.

Perfect dressing (left) requires a deft hand. Dressing for success, as student Martin Garcia (below) knows, calls for donning chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s whites.

Chef Randy Bublitz (left) has headed the culinary arts program since the 1990s. Students begin with basic knife skills (far left) and after four semesters take an advanced course in which they prepare gourmet dinners (bottom left). Alexandra Devries (below) carries a fine-dining presentation.

Campus farm to table: Fredericks and his students (left) are all smiles after picking vegetables in the SBCC garden for their culinary fundamentals class. Inside (below), a diagram and chart offer guidelines for budding beef butchers. Opposite: A dish is ready for delivery to the dining room.

The class ratio of men to women is now about 50-50, Bublitz notes. “There are more women in the [restaurant] kitchen these days,” he points out. “And there are more opportunities for them.” Age range varies tremendously. “As a community college, we have a few students who are still in high school, and we’ve had students in their 50s and 60s, including those who have had no restaurant experience and people who’ve had careers in other fields,” says Bublitz. One retired pharmacist went through the program to exercise a long-held wish to work in a sushi bar. Graduates have gone on to top positions in some of the Central Coast’s most elite restaurants: The kitchens at Bouchon, San Ysidro Ranch, the Wine Cask, the Santa Barbara Yacht Club, and the Coral Casino either currently or in the past have been helmed by Santa Barbara City College– trained chefs. Graduates can follow other related career paths as well. One Italian student became a food stylist for a magazine in Italy; another transferred to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to major in food technology. Sometimes there’s even a celebrity connection. “Personal cheffing is big here,” says Bublitz. “One graduate became a personal chef to Cher.” 

Under a chef’s watchful eyes, Michelle Lugo (above) prepares a plate for the JSB Café, a restaurant run by the culinary students. Chopped vegetables (right) are ready to become a mirepoix.

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SAMPLE THE FARE OF NEXT-GEN CHEFS Savor the results of the culinary studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; training at the John Dunn Gourmet Dining Room at Santa Barbara City College. Lunch is served from Monday to Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., with menu items from $6 to $9. A four-course dinner with wine pairings is served on Thursday and Friday, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., for $40, plus tax and tip. Reservations are recommended for all meals: Call 805-965â&#x20AC;&#x2018;0581, extension 2773.

Taste FOOD / WINE / DINING OUT

A Rare Find Central Coast chefs dish on how to prepare restaurant-caliber steaks at home.

By Jaime Lewis

PAN-SEARED NEW YORK STRIP STEAK The Chase Restaurant and Lounge offers three popular cuts—an eight-ounce filet mignon, a 12-ounce New York strip steak, and a massive 24-ounce bone-in rib eye called The Chase Tomahawk. Here, Mathis provides his easy-to-follow recipe for New York strip steak. Note: The cooking time for this recipe produces a medium-rare steak. Serves 3 to 4 1½ teaspoons kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt (Mathis recommends Morton Season All, available in the spice section of most grocery stores) 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 12– to 14-ounce New York strip steaks, cut ¾–1 inch thick 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

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Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, and seasoned salt. Coat steaks evenly with mixture, pressing to adhere. Place a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in oil, swirling to coat. Carefully place steaks in skillet and sear for 1 minute without disturbing. Using tongs, lift underside of steaks to ensure they are slightly charred, not just golden brown. Continue checking every 30 seconds until desired charring is achieved, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn steaks over and repeat, searing second side until slightly charred. Remove steaks to a rimmed baking sheet and insert an oven-safe digital meat thermometer into the center of one of the steaks, horizontally through the side. Transfer to the preheated oven. With the oven light on, watch the thermometer as the steaks cook. Once the internal temperature of the steak reaches >

©STUDIO SIX/STOCKSY UNITED

or many of us, a juicy steak, cooked to perfection, remains the holy grail of dining out. There’s something luxurious and satisfying about ordering and then digging into a classic cut of beef, seared on the outside and tender pink on the inside, maybe with a melting pat of butter or sumptuous sauce spilling over the edge. Can home cooks prepare a restaurant-worthy steak? “Yes, absolutely they can,” says chef Ryan Swarthout of the The Steakhouse at Paso Robles Inn (pasoroblesinn.com/steakhouse), which has been serving up the beefy delicacy for more than 60 years. “I do it on my own gas grill at home all the time.” “It just takes a few tricks of the trade,” says Jack Mathis, owner of The Chase Bar Restaurant and Lounge (chasebarandgrill.com) in Santa Barbara, a State Street fixture for nearly four decades known for its classic Italian and American cuisine, juicy steaks, and cocktails. “That’s the way the really good steak houses do it well: uncomplicated.” Read on for Mathis’ tutorial on perfecting New York strip steak in a pan and Swarthout’s how-to for grilling a juicy rib eye, along with tips on purchasing the right cut and monitoring doneness.

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Taste Food

PUT A FORK IN ME

STEAK BASICS

Buy the best you can afford. If you’re able, pick USDA Prime beef over USDA Choice, as Prime steaks are generally more tender, flavorful, and juicy due to their high marbling content. Chill out. There’s no need to bring a piece of meat to room temperature before cooking it, according to both Mathis and Swarthout. Just pull it directly from the fridge and start seasoning. Keep it kosher. Both Mathis and Swarthout prefer kosher salt for its big flakes, which aid in searing a crust on the steak to keep juices inside. Let it rest. Resting a piece of beef after it cooks allows the juices to be drawn back into the fiber of the meat. Let the steak rest for 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll know you’ve been patient enough when slicing into the steak doesn’t bring on a gush of juices. Skip the tent. Some recipes recommend tenting a steak in foil while it rests, but Swarthout says it’s unnecessary. “The important part is that the steak rests.” 125°F to 130°F (after approximately 2 to 3 minutes), remove from oven and allow steaks to rest on a wooden cutting board, about 5 to 10 minutes. Steaks will continue to cook while resting. The internal temperature of the steaks should reach 130°F to 135°F for medium-rare. Divide butter into two pats, place one on each steak, and serve.

GRILLED RIB EYE WITH AVOCADO CHIMICHURRI “The rib eye is one of the more fatty cuts of beef,” says chef Ryan Swarthout. “And to chefs, fat equals flavor. All that fat is going to melt around the rib eye and add flavor to it.” Swarthout believes in straightforward salt and pepper for seasoning, but when he’s pulling out all the stops at home, he prepares a fresh avocado chimichurri to kick the taste up a notch. “It’s also really delicious on salmon,” he says. Note: The cooking time for this recipe produces a medium-rare steak. Swarthout suggests asking your butcher to trim some of the fat cap but not too much “or else the steak will dry out,” he says.

Serves 3 to 4 AVOCADO CHIMICHURRI 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stems intact 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems intact 1 jalapeño, seeds included, chopped 3 garlic cloves 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar ¾ cup olive oil 1 avocado, pit removed, diced Kosher salt to taste Pepper to taste STEAKS ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 2 14-ounce rib eye steaks Prepare a gas grill on high heat, bringing the internal temperature to between 450°F and 500°F, about 10 minutes. To make chimichurri: Place parsley, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, and vinegar into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. With blender running, slowly add the olive oil, until mixture emulsifies. Transfer to a bowl and fold in diced avocado. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. To cook steaks: Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat steaks evenly with mixture, pressing to adhere. Insert an oven-safe digital meat thermometer into the center of one steak, horizontally through the side. Place the steaks on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid until dark char marks appear on the meat, approximately 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn steaks over and repeat, cooking another 3 minutes with the lid closed. Open the grill and check meat thermometer. Steaks are done when they reach an internal temperature of 130°F for medium-rare. If steaks are not done, close lid and continue cooking, checking meat thermometer every 30 seconds until desired doneness is reached. Remove steaks from grill and transfer to a wooden cutting board, allowing them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve either whole or sliced on the bias, with chimichurri. 

GRASS OR GRAIN? “Grass-fed beef has less fat content, so typically you’ll want to cook that under what you normally do [temperature-wise], to keep it from drying out,” says Swarthout, who purchases both grass- and grain-fed beef from J&R Natural Meat & Sausage (jrmeats.com) in Paso Robles and Templeton. For leaner beef, buy grass-fed; for a fattier, more marbled cut, go with grain-fed. Or, Swarthout says, do both. “A good combination is beef that’s started on grass and finished on grain. That gives the flavor profile of grass but allows for marbling to keep it tender.”

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To steak eaters, the degree of doneness is everything. “When it’s cooking, never stop paying attention to a steak for more than 15 to 30 seconds,” says Mathis, especially at the end of its cooking time. The difference between rare and well done is only about two minutes. “The only way to ensure that it’s right is to monitor closely,” he says. The cooks in the kitchens at both The Steakhouse at Paso Robles Inn and The Chase Bar Restaurant and Lounge prepare enough steak to know how done a piece of meat is just by the way it feels. “My guys know their grill so well and are working with the same cuts all the time, they know by touching a steak if it’s medium-rare within a couple degrees,” says Swarthout. But, for the home cook, he and Mathis both recommend using an oven-safe digital meat thermometer. “In the kitchen, we prefer not to pierce a steak’s exterior and let some of the juice run out, but for the home cook, it’s better to check the internal temperature with a thermometer than having the steak not cooked properly,” says Mathis. Rare Cool red center 120°F to 130°F Medium-Rare Warm red center 130°F to 140°F Medium Warm pink center 140°F to 150°F Medium-Well Slightly pink center 150°F to 160°F Well Little or no pink center 160°F to 170°F Note: For health and safety purposes, the USDA recommends steaks be cooked to 145°F (medium) and then rested for at least 3 minutes. Be sure to check with a thermometer, as color alone is not a foolproof indicator.

win e count r y cuis ine in the heart of the Historic Arts District Fresh, local ingredients, prepared with care. Excellent wines that reflect the quality and character of our region and work in concert with the cuisine. Warm, inviting ambience with engaging service at a relaxed, leisurely pace. This is bouchon.

dinner nightly Sun-Thurs 5-9pm | Fri-Sat 5-10pm

AMERICAN RIVIERA CUISINE EUROPEAN COURTYARD EXTENSIVE WINE LIST WineCask.com 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara 805.966.9463

bouchon 9 west victoria street | 805.730.1160 | bouchonsantabarbara.com

Taste Wine By David Gadd

Wine directors from area eateries share their favorite local bottle and select a dish from their dinner menus to complement it.

KIRSTEN GEORGE 2016 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino The Cass House Grill, Cayucos

WILL HENRY 2015 Lumen Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir Pico, Los Alamos BINGO WATHEN 2014 Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay S.Y. Kitchen, Santa Ynez

MAC FIALIP 2015 Sanford Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir Belmond El Encanto restaurants, Santa Barbara

RANDY HARRINGTON 2012 Hirsh Malibu Estate Cielo Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Saddle Peak Lodge, Calabasas

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THE CASS HOUSE GRILL, CAYUCOS The seaside town of Cayucos is home to Cass House (casshousecayucos.com), an intimate five-room inn, a bakery, and its farm-to-table restaurant, The Cass House Grill. Director of beverages Kirsten George, a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, fell in love with Mediterranean wines and cuisine while studying in Italy and channels her passion for Italian varietals through her wine list with local selections such as the 2016 Tablas Creek Vineyard Vermentino from the Adelaida District of Paso Robles. “Bright aromas of citrus leaf, white grapefruit, and fresh herbs complement the briny minerality and creamy mouthfeel,” says George of this expression of the vermentino grape, which is also grown in France’s Rhône Valley under the name rolle. She pairs the crisp white with executive chef Cory Bidwell’s oakgrilled prawns in espelette marinade with arugula, fresh lime juice, and chili oil. PICO, LOS ALAMOS The historic town of Los Alamos is home to Pico, a recently renovated wine country restaurant ensconced in the erstwhile Los Alamos General Store (losalamosgeneralstore.com). Co-owner Will Henry is not only a restaurateur but also a winemaker, having started as a cellar rat (and avid surfer) in Australia’s

HENRY: PAUL WELLMAN; HARRINGTON: COURTESY OF SADDLE PEAK LODGE

Restaurant’s Choice

or oenophiles, choosing a restaurant can be as much about the wine program as it is about the cuisine. Some may even make their wine selection first and then choose complementary dishes from the menu. Wine lovers in the 805 are blessed with a plethora of outstanding restaurants featuring wine lists designed to bring out the best in the cuisine while showcasing the extraordinary wealth of the Central Coast wine country. Here, five wine directors from top area restaurants select a favorite local wine from their respective cellars and pair it with a signature dish from the chef. The results are as varied as they are enticing.

Margaret River region. It’s no surprise that he selects the 2015 Lumen Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. It’s his own label, made in conjunction with legendary vintner Lane Tanner. Henry describes the wine as “wonderfully vibrant and energetic, with penetrating raspberry and rose petal on the nose, followed by undulating flavors of strawberry, thyme, and sandalwood on the palate—all wrapped in a firm yet velvety texture.” He matches the pinot noir with co-owner and executive chef Drew Terp’s pork cannelloni with béchamel and Manchego, which works well with the wine’s “lingering fruit and minerality, accented by cardamom and anise notes,” he says. S.Y. KITCHEN, SANTA YNEZ Not far away, the wine cellar of S.Y. Kitchen (sykitchen.com) is the domain of wine director Bingo Wathen, also a certified sommelier. Wathen grew up around wine; his father, Bill, is founder and winemaker at Foxen Vineyard & Winery. While living in Spain for several years, Bingo (he’s named after a character in a Tom Robbins novel) interned at a small but highly regarded winery in Burgundy before returning to the Central Coast to pursue a wine-related career. Wathen selects the 2014 Sandhi Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay from the whisper-worthy cult label launched in 2010 by Indian-born sommelier and vintner Rajat Parr. “This is a more austere style of chardonnay,” says Wathen. “It shies away from the opulence that characterizes many California chardonnays and focuses more on acidity and minerality, with just a touch of oak.” For a compatible choice from the menu, he cites a dish created by executive chef Luca Crestanelli: “It pairs deliciously with the mushrooms, herbs, and Parmigiano in our wild mushroom pappardelle.” BELMOND EL ENCANTO RESTAURANTS, SANTA BARBARA Executive assistant manager Mac Fialip arrived at the luxurious Belmond El Encanto (belmond.com/elencanto) in

Santa Barbara only a year ago, but he has already put his stamp on the resort’s food and beverage program, which he calls “his passion.” The world traveler’s previous gig was at the Belmond Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg, Russia, and he has also worked in hotels in London, Gstaad, St. Tropez, and Paris. Fialip’s wine selection is the 2015 Sanford Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, from one of Santa Barbara’s oldest and most distinguished wineries. “It is a blend of fruit from Sanford’s two estate vineyards,” he says, “the historic Sanford & Benedict vineyard and La Rinconada. The bright ruby red pinot is bursting with earthy raspberry and orange peel, along with savory notes of anise and white pepper,” Fialip says. “The palate delivers dense dusty, berry flavors with lively acid and tannin structure, which carries on with a long and lovely finish.” He thinks it is the perfect wine to enjoy with the duck breast served with gnocchi, Brussels sprouts, eggplant, hazelnut, and sherry jus prepared by executive chef Johan Denizot. SADDLE PEAK LODGE, CALABASAS Having worked his way up to general manager and wine director over a fouryear stint at the venerable Saddle Peak Lodge (saddlepeaklodge.com), Randy Harrington now handles the wine program for the well-known destination retreat nestled in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. For his local favorite, Harrington chooses the 2012 Hirsh Malibu Estate Cielo Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saddlerock-Malibu appellation, one of Southern California’s hidden gem winegrowing areas. The kitchen, helmed by executive chef Adam Horton, continues its longstanding tradition of game cuisine, making Harrington’s menu selection easy. “This cabernet pairs beautifully with our wild game trio,” he says, “due to its good tannin structure, moderate acidity, aromas of black currant, dark spices, and cedarwood.” 

1110 Faraday Street

Santa Ynez, Ca 805.691.9794 MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM 103 www.sykitchen.com

Taste Dining Out By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

Past Meets Present The rebirth of Mattei’s Tavern brings together comforting historic classics and modern culinary sensibility.

Maili Halme (above) chose menu items and design elements based on artifacts from the former stagecoach stop’s past, such as a photo and guest book register (far left), circa 1910, documenting a visit from the group that would found Solvang. A window (left) recalls the name of the once-detached barroom, “Mattei’s Bodega.”

t’s almost opening time and Maili Halme, chef-proprietor of the historic Mattei’s Tavern (matteistavern1886.com) in Los Olivos, is fielding questions from her kitchen staff about beef deliveries and redirecting calls for cottage keys from guests due to check in the next day. It’s a Tuesday night, quiet for most restaurants, but there hasn’t been a slow night here since its December reopening. The fire in the stone hearth is roaring, the bar area is abuzz, and Halme’s daughter, assistant manager Katherine Brocke, is escorting diners to linen-covered tables, past leather sofas and cases of artifacts. Locals are swapping tales in the cozy bar room, a woman is reading a book by candlelight. There’s a comfortable, homey vibe to this place that many people have already regarded as their lifelong, go-to spot in the Santa Ynez Valley. Outside, visible through the tall windows, stands a cypress, taller than the nearby palms and sycamores. It was here, that an 11-year-old Halme decided she wanted to own Mattei’s Tavern one day. Since then, she has raised her own girls in the Santa Ynez Valley, while keeping a hand in the food service business with a robust catering career. Recently, however, she got an

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opportunity to realize her dream when tavern owners Brian and Shamra Strange offered her a lease on the iconic property, designating her as chef-proprietor of the restaurant. Halme seized her chance. Fiercely dedicated to preserving the rich history of the original Mattei’s Tavern that dates back to 1886, she began renovating the beloved institution. “The community started giving me the puzzle pieces, from old matchbooks to menus,” she says, “and I love that it’s all here to share.” She pored through historic treasure troves: recipes from the 1920s used by Mattei’s beloved chef Gin Lung Gin (an adaptation of his corn fritters are featured on the current menu); old photographs, newspaper clippings, signed guest books (one from 1910 shows signatures of the visiting Danish delegation who found the acreage that would be known as Solvang), as well as archived items bequeathed to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum by the Felix Mattei estate.

Elevating home-style (clockwise from far left): The chef (on the right) comes from a family of culinary pros, including her mother Susan Halme (left), co-owner of The Solvang Bakery, and daughter, Mattei’s Tavern assistant manager Katherine Brocke (center). Split chicken is grilled over oak. Grilled salmon with lemon caper sauce is another example of the grilled entrées, which come with a choice of toppings. An airy dining room is set for service.

Rodney Williams, a local contractor from a previous renovation, hoping for just this kind of resurrection, had safely stored the original wood bar and antique glass fixtures, which were immediately reinstalled. Halme and Williams worked to tear open a hidden, Prohibition-era room to create a more spacious dining area. Chris Johnson of Fine Wood Interiors in Santa Ynez restored the solid wood floors, and Mary Wood of Mary Wood Design in Solvang found white wicker chairs for the Wicker Room and wood seating for the dining rooms that were both similar to the originals. Halme received gifts of antique blue and white china, similar to a 117-year-old ceramic shard they unearthed in the root cellar, to adorn the walls of the Blue Room. In three short months, a miraculous rate for any redo, Mattei’s Tavern was back in business. The welcoming charm of the two-story tavern laden with history (Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, and Herbert Hoover loved the place) is reflected in the menu Halme developed. Traditional, straight-up classics like chilled prawns, a wedge salad with Roquefort, and roast turkey with mashed potatoes seem to stop the march of time, but items like the tuna tartare starter, with ahi flown in daily from Hawaii, are clearly modern. The piping

hot Melissa’s Jalapeño Artichoke Dip (named after Halme’s sister, co-owner of the family’s Solvang Bakery) is a popular starter, with a crusty layer of Parmesan, served with thick-cut, house-made tortilla chips that are ideal for scooping. On the list of bar snacks is a basket of mini grilled-cheese sandwiches, made crisp with no shortage of Kerrygold Irish butter and Havarti (Halme tried nine different cheeses and chose this for its melty creaminess). The cream of tomato soup is the ultimate comfort food, in fact, it’s the same recipe 19-year-old Halme loved enough to sneak into the kitchen and write down, back in the days when she waited tables here. Oak-grilled entrées always seem to taste better in this valley, and offerings at Mattei’s Tavern include lobster tail, split chicken, or the perfectly seared rack of lamb, with a selection of chimichurri, cabernet and mushroom demi-glace, peppercorn cream, or fresh chopped mint sauces, among others. But the top contender is the moist and smoky Duroc Berkshire pork chop, a thick rib cut served with a compote of apples, plump, golden raisins, crystalized ginger, and a hint of red chili flakes. Featured oven entrées are a 12-ounce cut of Mattei’s famous prime rib and a 28-ounce version named the Wesley Williams cut after Rodney’s son, served with classic fresh horseradish > MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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Melding history with the here and now (from top): Creative specials enhance the offerings at the bar. Production chef Coreen Padilla prepares ingredients in the kitchen. Gin’s Corn Fritters With Remoulade are a modified version of a recipe served at the tavern in the 1920s.

cream sauce, as well as the retro-style Merrill Darling’s spaghetti with meat sauce, a recipe from Halme’s grandfather. Darling managed Du-par’s Restaurant at The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles and later co-owned Bray’s 101 with his wife, Jean, in Goleta. Among the family archives is his 1944 book of recipes he used as a navy cook during World War II. Family bonds are evident throughout these meals: Halme’s other daughter, Melissa Madeline Brocke, is a line cook and makes the nightly batches of house biscuits and Auntie Colleen’s Cornbread. Though listed on the menu in the V & V or vegetarian and vegan offerings, the Shepherd’s Pie featuring lentils, peas, carrots, and potatoes tossed in olive oil sells out on some nights. Hearts of palm and artichoke cakes are warm and crisp, hefty with the addition of shredded jackfruit and garbanzo beans and spiced with Old Bay Seasoning and fresh herbs. All the entrées from the grill section of the menu come with sides that could appeal to lighter eaters as main courses, such as roasted cauliflower florets with whole Marcona almonds and golden raisins, sweet potatoes stuffed with sautéed kale, forbidden rice (also great with lamb or the grilled rib eye), or Japanese Nishiki rice, a favorite of Halme’s carried over from her years living in Hawaii. The dessert items made by consulting chef Stephanie Valentine are also no-nonsense and satisfying. Among them are rice pudding with whipped cream and mud pie made with McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams’ coffee flavor and swirls of house-

The welcoming charm of the two-story tavern laden with history is reflected in the menu. made caramel sauce. The lemon tart is bright and fresh with a delicious pâte brisée crust that would make Grandfather Merrill proud (he also baked pies at the original Du-par’s). Choosing between the chocolate and the butterscotch puddings won’t be easy, but one of each will quickly disappear. In the full bar, The Rancheros cocktail list pays homage to the legendary Los Rancheros Visitadores, a group of gentlemen horse riders who have been gathering annually in May since 1930 at the Old Mission Santa Inés in Solvang for a historic weeklong ride through the Santa Ynez Valley. Drinks are named after each of their 17 camps, such as Los Mozos (Tequila Herradura, fresh grapefruit juice, and soda) and Los Paisanos (Pendleton Whisky, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, and Angostura bitters). Several Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. beers are available on draft, and the list of wines represents the best of the region, including the sparkling Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir from the Strange Family Vineyards in Santa Rita Hills. This is the kind of dining experience that is so enjoyable that one meal may not be enough. For those who’d like to linger for the offerings of another day, six charming historic cottages have been preserved on the adjacent property. Stay the night. Enjoy the outdoor lawns and event gardens, and catch the sun setting behind the landmark wooden water tower. You may find yourself in conversation with the couple Halme met recently celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. They may tell you the story about their first date at Mattei’s Tavern, where he later proposed. They may want to show you the table where she said yes. Mattei’s Tavern was, and is, that kind of place. 

The Guide W H E R E TO E AT N OW

Our aim is to inform you of restaurants with great food that you might not have experienced yet. The guide is arranged not by cuisine type, but by style of restaurant. “Fine Dining” choices have an elegant atmosphere and very professional service. Restaurants included under the “Foodie” heading are heralded for their wonderful chefdriven cuisine, regardless of atmosphere. “A Good Bet” listings are just that—solid, casual, and delicious. The “Fun, Fun, Fun” category brings you spots geared toward a good time. New listings will appear in The Guide in every issue. Please send any comments and suggestions to edit@805living.com. ON THE WEB: Visit 805living.com for more listings and to make quick and easy reservations

at many of the restaurants listed here through Open Table.

Fine Dining

These restaurants have a skilled kitchen team, a lovely dining room, and great service. ANGEL OAK 8301 Hollister Ave. Santa Barbara, 805-968-0100 ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/ santa-barbara/dining/angel-oak Steaks & Seafood; Entrées $31 to Market Price

Great Views, Romantic Located on the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Angel Oak takes full advantage of its perch above the Santa Barbara County coastline and of the talents of chef Alexander Bollinger. The menu is modern steakhouse with a seafood twist—and guests can choose from among 12,000-bottles in the restaurant’s wine cellar.

ARTISAN 843 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-237-8084 artisanpasorobles.com New American; Entrées $14–$31

Vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm, sustainably raised meats, and an award-winning chef combine to form a temple of gastronomy in the heart of 805 wine country. Chef and co-owner Chris Kobayashi prepares seasonal food for daily dinners, and weekend brunches. An afternoon menu of small plates, woodfired pizzas, and drink specials is available daily at the bar. Chris’ wife, Shandi, matches excellent wines to her husband’s cuisine.

BELMOND EL ENCANTO 800 Alvarado Place Santa Barbara, 805-845-5800 belmond.com/el-encanto-santa-barbara Entrées $28–$48

Great Views, Romantic The luxe Belmond El Encanto hotel perches atop its seven-acre hilltop property with sweeping city and ocean views. Settle in on the spacious terrace or in the elegant dining room and linger over artfully presented California coastal cuisine crafted by executive chef Johan Denizot. Local ingredients shine, including herbs from the chef’s garden and cheese made from the milk of Ellie, the resort’s cow. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as halibut sashimi and mains like king crab leg in lobster-chili

broth and classic New York steak with a choice of sides. The wine list includes Santa Barbara County gems and globetrotting labels. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily, although Sunday lunch is replaced with a bottomless Bellini brunch. Afternoon tea (reservations highly recommended) is served Monday through Saturday. In-the-know locals and hotel guests take in the sunset, cocktail in hand, on the terrace.

CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadario.net Italian; Entrées $15–$32

At the corner of Victoria and Anacapa streets, Ca’ Dario is somewhat off the Santa Barbara tourist path. That doesn’t mean it isn’t jammed with people twirling forks laden with al dente pastas sauced in Bolognese, or tomatoes with olives and capers, or smoked salmon with peas and tomato and cream. The Ravioli al Burro e Salvia is a fine example of a spinach-ricotta ravioli sauced in browned butter and crispy sage leaves. Steaks, lamb chops, and breaded chicken breast are quite filling. There’s a fresh fish special daily and sometimes a wonderful seafood risotto. Wines from Italy and the Central Coast line the walls.

CELLO RISTORANTE & BAR 2700 Buena Vista Drive Paso Robles, 805-369-2503 allegrettovineyardresort.com/dining.aspx Mediterranean; Entrées $14–$38

Romantic Located at the luxurious Allegretto Vineyard Resort, Cello showcases the cuisine of executive chef Justin Picard, a veteran of kitchens in San Francisco and Aspen who has made two guest appearances at the James Beard House in New York. Look for local, seasonal ingredients (some grown on site) in his pastas, salads, flatbreads, steaks, and seafood. A serene covered patio near the substantial kitchen garden is a fine place for enjoying breakfast, lunch, small plates, or dinner outdoors. Cello also offers an extensive farm-tobar cocktail menu and a wine list that includes several otherwise impossible-to-get bottles.

THE CHASE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE 1012 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-4351 chasebarandgrill.com Italian; Entrées $16–$44 Romantic

With the cozy upscale ambience of an old-fashioned supper club, The Chase Restaurant and Lounge has offered enduring Italian favorites along with American steaks, chops, and seafood, since 1979, proving that the classics never lose their appeal. Sparkling garlands of tiny white lights, white tablecloths, a marble-inlaid bar, tip-top service, and Frank Sinatra in the background set the scene for traditional, satisfying meals.

Take an acclaimed chef known for his self-described “inauthentic” Indian cooking at restaurants in San Francisco, New York, and Melbourne, add a James Beard Award–winning sommelier with roots in California, blend with a location on Santa Barbara’s State Street, and the result is Bibi Ji (bibijisb.com), a combination restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop from chef Jessi Singh and winemaker Rajat Parr. Singh’s menu showcases local seafood (don’t miss the Santa Barbara uni biryani) while Parr’s wine list offers such happy-hour specials as $6 glasses of Sandhi, his Sta. Rita Hills label with vintner Sashi Moorman.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE 2 Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 fourseasons.com/westlakevillage/dining Californian and Japanese; Entrées and Sunday Brunch $15–$72

Trained at Michelin-starred restaurants in his native Spain, executive chef Jose Fernandez brings a refined farm-and-ocean-to-table approach to the resort’s elegant dining rooms. At Hampton’s, posh furnishings and waterfall views are backdrops for a Champagne brunch buffet with live jazz on Sundays. The more casual Lobby Lounge features waterfall views with breakfast, lunch, and dinner and a Sustainable Living Menu. Located near the lobby, Stir is open daily from 6 a.m. with a grab-and-go menu of baked-on-site pastries and savory options to go with cold-brewed coffee, gelato, and other treats. With its fire pits and urban vibe, The Lookout is a sophisticated outdoor spot to start the evening with a cocktail and a small plate or two. Open Fridays through Sundays, The Tasting Room features California labels and a menu of wine-friendly nibbles. Sushi fans will want to visit Onyx, which gets its own write-up in the Foodie section of this guide. Valet parking is $7 with validation; self-parking is free for up to four hours with validation.

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The Dining Guide THE GRILL ON THE ALLEY 120 E. Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-418-1760 thegrill.com American; Entrées $11–$59

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Steaks and chops are legendary here and at the original Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills, the ultimate power-lunch spot. At this location, whether out on the patio or in the dining room and bar, diners enjoy American comfort food with international flair. Sushi is available at lunch and dinner, and the menu’s friendly reminder that “any turf can surf” is an invitation to order jumbo prawns and other seafood with your filet mignon or dry-aged New York strip. Weekend brunch offers avocado toast, Niman Ranch slab bacon and eggs, and $15 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. Happy hour is daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., when you can make a meal of the specially priced lollipop chicken wings, spicy tuna rolls, and woodfired cheeseburger bites offered with cocktails, draft beers, and wines by the glass.

Want za’atar fries with that? The Mediterranean blend of toasted sesame seeds, cumin, sumac, and other spices is one of three flavors used to accent fresh-cut French fries at The 2686 Kitchen (facebook. com/the2686kitchen), newly opened in midtown Ventura by the owners of Ojai Beverage Co. and Barrelhouse 101. Also available: Parmesan-garlic and chimichurri, the latter from a family recipe. It might be hard choosing which fries to get, much less sharing them.

UPDATE HOLDREN’S STEAKS & SEAFOOD 1714-A Newbury Road Newbury Park, 805-498-1314 and 512 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-965-3363 holdrens.com Steak House; Entrées $23–$52 (more for surf‑and-turf combos)

Romantic The décor is sophisticated enough for business; the lighting is low enough for romance. Comfy seating and friendly servers encourage lingering. Appetizers, like the bacon-wrapped prawns stuffed with feta cheese and jalapeño, are hearty enough to be main courses. Steaks are marbled, tender, and seasoned right. The signature Cowboy Cut is huge and sits atop a pile of spicy onion strings. All steaks come with sauce, a side dish, and a choice of soup or salad. Both locations are open for lunch Mondays through Fridays; happy hour runs daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

IL CORTILE RISTORANTE 608 12th St. Paso Robles, 805-226-0300 ilcortileristorante.com Italian; Entrées $18–$34

Il cortile is Italian for “the courtyard.” At this upscale restaurant at the edge of downtown Paso, the courtyard invites diners to breathe in beautiful evenings. A more intimate experience awaits inside, where

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diners find what the owners call contemporary Old World styling. Northern and Southern Italian dishes are the heart of executive chef and co-owner Santos MacDonal’s seasonal menu. Along with caldi (hot) and freddi (cold) antipasti, there is a section of the menu dedicated to mozzarella. Pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi have fresh, inspired flavors, hallmarks of being housemade. Secondi (main courses) cover beef, lamb, and seafood; osso bucco is particularly nice. The restaurant has a small bar area and a wine list that raises a glass to California’s Central Coast and Italy.

THE RANCH HOUSE 102 Besant Road Ojai, 805-646-2360 theranchhouse.com Farm-to-table Prix fixe $45 for three courses, $55 for five

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Black-and-white portraits of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Warhol, and Julia Child adorn the walls of this upscale steak house in Montecito. The plates and napkins are monogrammed, the patio is tented and heated for year-round enjoyment, and the bar opens an hour before dinner service begins. Steaks can be dressed with seven different sauces, there are eight versions of potato side dishes, and the onion rings should have their own Facebook Fan Page.

Romantic The Ranch House is much changed from the early 1950s, when it was founded as a pay-what-you-can vegetarian restaurant by Alan and Helen Hooker. But its sense of magic remains: A stream runs through the property, spilling into a koi pond with a bridge that leads to the gardens. Tables draped in white linens are tucked behind stands of bamboo throughout the garden and arranged on a sheltered patio strung with twinkle lights. (The table nearest the pond is a prime spot for marriage proposals.) The current menu channels the Hookers (who added meat to the menu in the 1960s) with prix-fixe dinners that continue to showcase local produce, some of it from the on-site herb garden. Don’t miss the braised pork belly appetizer, which might come with a sweet pineapple poppy sauce one season and other accompaniments the next. The wine list offers 600 imported and domestic labels. A note about the address: The Ranch House is located where South Lomita Avenue meets Besant Road, prompting Yelp and other online sources to place it at 500 S. Lomita Ave.

MEDITERRANEO 32037 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-9105 med-rest.com Mediterranean; Entrées $11–$105 (to share)

SABOR COCINA MEXICANA 2200 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-497-2457 saborcocinamexicana.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$24

LUCKY’S 1279 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-565-7540 luckys-steakhouse.com Steak House; Entrées $16–$69

Great View, Kid-Friendly (breakfast and lunch), Sunday Brunch Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Mediterraneo provides plenty of dining options for locals and guests of the Westlake Village Inn, where it is located. Executive chef Lisa Biondi showcases local, seasonal ingredients in starters such as Kurobuta pork belly with crispy white polenta and apple agrodolce, Italy’s answer to sweet-and-sour sauce. Entrées include an array of flatbreads, swordfish with sautéed rapini, Niman Ranch double-cut pork chops and oven-roasted carrots with rosemary garlic potatoes, and an 18-ounce free-range veal chop Milanese. The à la carte Sunday brunch choices range from light to decadent. Happy hour, on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., features live music, a $5 menu, and thematic food-and-drink specials (think Mozzarella Mondays and Truffle Tuesdays). Worth a splurge: classic and craft cocktails filtered through the imagination of mixologist and food and beverage manager Jacopo Falleni. Patios offer views of the lake or vineyard; a private room is available for special events.

MR. CHOW 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 18A Malibu, 310-456-7600 mrchow.com Chinese; Family-style service $60–$80 per person; à la carte service available

Romantic Located in the Malibu Country Mart, this Mr. Chow location shares a menu and sense of showmanship with its famous older brother in Beverly Hills. (Both offer hand-pulled noodle demonstrations.) Décor is minimalist, putting the cuisine in sharp focus. Favorite dishes include honey-glazed prawns with walnuts, enlivened with dabs of spicy chili sauce from the small pots found on each table. A threecourse Beijing Duck dinner ($78 per person) is among the prix-fixe, family-style dining options, which tend to be less spendy than going à la carte. A small-bites menu is available in the bar, where the cocktails change with the seasons.

Romantic, Sunday Brunch It’s flashy and fancy—not your usual Mexican cocina. Eat in the bar area where huge margaritas are being blended, or on the front patio while people watching, or in the main dining room with the massive chandeliers strung with red glass hearts. Chef-owner Leticia Hansen turns out beautifully plated entrées like chicken enchiladas with Oaxacan cheese and cochinita pibil, which is pork in achiote sauce. Her partner and husband, Mark Hansen, makes sure the dining areas are running smoothly.

TIERRA SUR RESTAURANT AT HERZOG WINE CELLARS 3201 Camino del Sol Oxnard, 805-983-1560 tierrasuratherzog.com New American; Entrées $16–$58 Wine-Tasting Menu $70

Tucked inside Herzog’s winery and tasting room, Tierra Sur specializes in wine-friendly meals made with careful attention to detail. Executive chef Gabe Garcia, who’s also a fan of local, seasonal fare, maintains the Mediterranean vibe of the menu. Marinated olives, lamb bacon, and corn tortillas are made in-house. Tapas feature beet salad as well as pastrami and corned beef tongue. Watch carefully, and you may see your bone-in rib eye for two prepared on the patio’s wood-burning grill before it is served with kale and sous vide oyster mushrooms. Desserts are elegantly plated variations on sorbets and flourless chocolate cake. Surrounded by the coppery glow of the walls and the burnished-wood wine rack that frames the kitchen pass-through, diners may need to pinch themselves as a reminder that they’re at a kosher restaurant in an Oxnard industrial park. On Fridays, only lunch is served. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays in observance of the Sabbath.

TRA DI NOI RISTORANTE 3835 Cross Creek Road, Suite 8A Malibu, 310-456-0169 tradinoimalibu.com

Italian Entrées $18–$36; market price for some seafood Sunday Brunch Even though locals know what they want without opening a menu, the kitchen at this restaurant in the Malibu Country Mart can still impress the rest of us with its handmade pastas, shaved truffles, grass-fed beef, local olive oil, and salads made with produce from Malibu’s Thorn Family Farm. The spaghetti carbonara manages to be both low fat and delicious, and the seasonal specials are a treat. The well-curated wine list matches the food and offers prime selections for sipping on the patio.

TUSCANY IL RISTORANTE 968 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-495-2768 Italian; Entrées $18–$32

Romantic Village dwellers pack this beautiful space for its warm, friendly service and top-notch food. The menu is small, but the nightly specials are worth investigating. High rollers and celebs consider this their neighborhood boîte. Others come just for special occasions. The lobster and shrimp martini salad has hearts of palm, avocado, and pink grapefruit segments; the baby greens salad has shaved fennel and toasted pine nuts; the whole Dover sole is topped with a lemon-chervil sauce; and the chicken breast comes under a sun-dried tomato pesto.

Foodie

Cuisine that shines regardless of décor, service, ambience, or even views. AZU 457 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-640-7987 azuojai.com Mediterranean-Californian, Gastropub Tapas and bar snacks $5–$16, Entrées $9–$32

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WHERE TO DINE & IMBIBE IN THE FUNK ZONE Santa Barbara’s dynamic arts and entertainment district

Weekend Brunch A long, dark-wood bar dominates the front room at this popular lunch, dinner, and tapas spot, creating the perfect setting for the Ojai Valley Brewery taproom. Small-batch ales and lagers made with local botanicals by Jeremy Haffner, the son-in-law of owner and chef Laurel Moore, are available by the pint, tasting flight, and take-home growler. Pair them with gastropub fare such as tacos, flatbreads, and poutine topped with braised beef and salsa roja. Lunch and dinner options include falafel chiles rellenos, and a vegan paella of white beans, peas, cauliflower, broccolini, and artichoke hearts. Blueberry-lemon pancakes and croquette eggs Benedict with preserved lemon hollandaise are on the weekend brunch menu served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Additional seating is available on the sidewalk, in the brick-lined dining room, and—in warmer months—on a sheltered, ivy-covered back patio.

BARBAREÑO 205 W. Canon Perdido St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-9591 barbareno.com Californian; Entrées $18–$29

This restaurant highlights ingredients from the Central Coast in menus that feature a few changes monthly. Head chef Justin Snyder focused on pastry in his previous culinary lives, evident from the carefully composed salads, tartares, and desserts that emerge from the kitchen. Recurring favorites include starters like avocado roulade made with hamachi crudo and coconut-oolong milk, and cheeky Eggamuffins featuring buttermilk blini stacked with Seascape cheese, speck, and shavings of salt-cured egg yolk.

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The Dining Guide Hope Ranch Mussels with fennel and mustard broth and slow-cooked Wagyu tri tip are also available, along with an extensive inventory of local beers and a wine list that recently garnered a Wine Spectator award of excellence.

THE BEAR AND STAR 2860 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-686-1359 thebearandstar.com American; Entrées $15–$49

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the motifs on the California and Texas state flags, this restaurant, located at the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, sources much of its beef, poultry, and produce from the nearby 714-acre Parker family ranch. The wood-smoked traditions of both states are represented on what is referred to as a “refined ranch cuisine” menu by chef and partner John Cox. Dishes have included cured Wagyu carpaccio topped with shavings of cured egg yolk, stuffed local quail with molasses gastrique, grilled catfish with charred onion dressing, and, for dessert, a chess pie to make Cox’s Lone Star–state brethren proud. Brunch features an à la carte menu with specialty cocktails.

BOB’S WELL BREAD BAKERY 550 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-3000 bobswellbread.com European; Pastries and Breads $1.50–$20, Entrées $7–$13

Located in a refurbished 1920s-era service station with its original Douglas fir floors intact, this artisanal bakery is well worth a visit. For the best selection, arrive at 7 a.m. on Thursdays through Mondays, when the doors open and aromatic scones, bagels, kouignamann, pain au chocolat, and other pastries come out of the ovens. Loaves of naturally leavened, burnishedcrust breads follow soon after. Special daily breads include pain aux lardons (Saturdays and Sundays), and gluten-free Centennial Loaf (Mondays). The on-site café serves breakfast and lunch (think avocado toast tartine, croque monsieur sandwiches, and grilled bread with pâté and onion-bacon marmalade) until 3 p.m. Graband-go items for DIY picnics include ficelle sandwiches made with French ham, Emmentaler cheese, and house-made butter. Check the Facebook page for details about monthly meet-the-winemakers gatherings that include food-and-wine pairings.

BOUCHON 9 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-730-1160 bouchonsantabarbara.com Wine Country Cuisine; Entrées $26–$38

Romantic Bouchon celebrates the local, from its carefully curated wine list to the craftspeople overseeing the successful remodeling of the garden patio at the front entrance. Executive chef Greg Murphy follows suit, using farmers’ market ingredients in dishes like panroasted local white fish with wilted dandelion greens or a soup featuring white carrots from Tutti Frutti Farms. (Murphy’s Foodie Stroll menu includes a tour of the Tuesday farmers’ market followed by a threecourse meal with wine for $95 per person.) Add the gracious presence of proprietor Mitchell Sjerven and you have the ingredients for the first Santa Barbaraarea restaurant in a decade to earn the AAA Four Diamond award for excellence.

UPDATE CAFÉ FICELLE 390 S. Mills Road Ventura, 805-941-3444 cafeficelle.com French; Baked goods, $2–$9; Entrées $10–$15 Saturday & Sunday Brunch

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Already known for its selection of local wines, gourmet cheeses, and $10 barbecue-plate specials on select Saturdays, Central Coast Specialty Foods (centralcoastspecialtyfoods.com) in Lompoc is venturing into new territory: breakfast. The menu for the most important meal of the day—served daily from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.—includes creative toasts and sandwiches. We’re partial to The Pigster, a combination of smashed pork links, scrambled eggs, cheese, hash browns, and maple glaze on an English muffin. Pair it with a cup of freshly brewed Stumptown Coffee, and you’re ready for a day of wine tasting.

With rustic loaves of bread and flaky pain au chocolat, Café Ficelle is Ventura’s answer to the charming boulangerie-patisseries of Paris. Baked goods change with the seasons and artisanal whims of co-owner Bryan Scofield and son-in-law and executive baker Jarrett Chambers. Breakfast items include crepes, avocado toast, and house-made granola. Lunch features soups, salads, and sandwiches made on titular ficelles (thin loaves of French bread). Craft beers and local and imported wines are available for DIY pairings. Brunch from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays is à la carte, with mimosas and Ficelle Royales.

EMBER RESTAURANT 1200 E. Grand Ave. Arroyo Grande, 805-474-7700 emberwoodfire.com California-Mediterranean Small Plates $10–$17, Pizzas $18–$20, Entrées $23–$32

Named for the wood fires used to cook the restaurant’s seasonal and farm-fresh dishes, Ember is the project of executive chef Brian Collins, an Arroyo Grande native who shares skills he honed at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and Full of Life Flatbread in Los Alamos with his hometown. The menu, like the beer and wine list, is locally focused, changes monthly, and includes rustic specialties such as crispy kale and house-made fennel sausage pizza, Jidori chicken alongside a wedge of grilled polenta and farmers’ market veggies, and grilled rib eye served over roasted potatoes and topped with a decadent garlic confit and avocado chimichurri.

FARMER AND THE COOK 339 W. El Roblar Drive Ojai, 805-640-9608 farmerandcook.com Vegetarian; Entrées $6–$14

Kid-Friendly Steve Sprinkel is the farmer and wife Olivia Chase is the cook at this combination café, bakery, market, and community center in the Meiners Oaks area of the Ojai Valley. A soup-and-salad bar offers fresh, organic fare for those on the go. The daily menu of vegetarian Mexican dishes like Swiss chard enchiladas and huaraches topped with grilled veggies, Feta, and Jack cheeses, and salsa roja can be made vegan with the substitution of a house-made cashew “cheese.” Gluten-free and raw foods are also available. On Friday and Saturday nights, the weekend farm café menu features dishes inspired by what Chase has harvested from the couple’s farm less than 3 miles away.

FINCH & FORK 31 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, 805-879-9100 finchandforkrestaurant.com American; Entrées $10–$35

Weekend Brunch Located in the Kimpton Canary Hotel, the restaurant has its own entrance at Chapala and Carrillo streets. The vibe in the dining room is sophisticated but

comfortable, words that also describe the locally sourced menu by executive chef James Siao. Creative starters, flatbreads, salads, and entreés change with the seasons for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. The latter, served from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, even has its own cocktail menu. The daily specials menu offers Siao’s famous buttermilk fried chicken on Tuesdays and a new pork dish every Thursday. The happy hour menu is so good they offer it twice a day on Mondays through Fridays: Early Bird is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Night Flight is from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Both feature drinks and snacks starting at $3. Go ahead and splurge on the $8 S&P wings, tossed in a sweet chili glaze and served with pickled celery.

FIRST & OAK 409 First St. Solvang, 805-688-1703 firstandoak.com California French Small Plates $8–$19, Entrées $34–$38

Named for its address, this restaurant inside the newly renovated Mirabelle Inn is a showcase for the talents of British-born executive chef Steven Snook, a veteran of the Michelin Star–rated kitchens of Gordon Ramsay. Snook marries classic and molecular gastronomy techniques with local ingredients, creating a small plates–focused menu that changes with the seasons. Artful platings of butternut squash soup poured over brown-butter sage tortellini as well as sous vide carrots with a 63-degree (Celsius) egg echo the drama of the Belle Époque–inspired dining room. For spring, heirloom tomato consommé is ramped up with vegetables and preserved lemon and a spring wedge salad showcases baby gem lettuce, topping it with green goddess dressing, fresh herbs, and pistachios. (Outdoor patio seating is also available.) Co-owner, sommelier, and general manager Jonathan Rosenson oversees the wine list, which includes selections from his family’s Coquelicot Estate Vineyard, also in Solvang, along with other Santa Barbara County labels. France, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand are represented, too. Call for news about winemaker dinners.

FOREMOST WINE CO. 570 Higuera St., Suite 105 San Luis Obispo, 805-439-3410 foremostslo.com American, Eclectic Small plates $9–Market Price; Entrées $22–$31

In the heart of San Luis Obispo, this combination restaurant, wine bar and lounge, and burrata bar offers a metro-rustic vibe and globe-trotting wine list. The menu by the culinary team of chefs Andrew Cross and Drew Vaughan pairs worldly flavors with ingredients sourced closed to home. Dishes include farro risotto with roasted vegetables, a crudo of the day featuring local fish or beef, and grilled petite tenderloin with mushroom–blue cheese bread pudding. The burrata bar serves several combos: The Bee Keeper marries the creamy cheese with shards of chewy honeycomb

and a seasonal fruit or vegetable. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. includes $5 by-the-glass wine specials, a $4 to $10 happy hour menu, and draft beers.

GRANADA BISTRO 1126 Morro St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-9110 granadahotelandbistro.com Californian, French-Asian; Entrées $14–$29

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Connected to the 17-room Granada Hotel, the bistro is both intimate and big-city urban, combining exposed brick walls with velvet upholstery and an eclectic art collection. (Check out the sculptural “tree” on the patio.) Executive chef Kenny Bigwood’s seasonal menus start with creative small plates, sides, and cheese and charcuterie selections. Don’t-miss entrées include cherry cola–braised ribs at dinner, Cuban panini, and a chef’s selection bento box at lunch, and eggs Benedict made with corn bread, bacon, and chipotle hollandaise during Sunday brunch. The wine list focuses on smallproduction labels from around the world. Cocktails often include locally foraged ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.

TUNA POKE CRAB CAKES SWORD FISH SCAMPI

INDUSTRIAL EATS 181 Industrial Way Buellton, 805-688-8807 industrialeats.com New American; Entrées $6–$20

To find this destination restaurant on Buellton’s aptly named Industrial Way, drive past the Central Coast Water Authority office and look for a building painted with floating sausages, carrots, and wine glasses. At night, a neon “Eats” sign points to the front door. Inside, you’ll find imported cheeses, house-cured meats, and locally sourced dishes by New West Catering owner and executive chef Jeff Olsson, making his debut as restaurateur. Frequent changes to the menu are noted by pull-down rolls of butcher paper behind the deli counter. Wood-fire pizzas can be simple (rosemary with Parmesan) or adventurous (crispy pig’s ear salad with sriracha and an egg cracked on top). “Not Pizza” selections include veal sweetbreads with arugula and a beef tongue pastrami Reuben. Press Gang Cellars is among the local labels with wines on tap.

LA COSECHA MODERN COCINA 450 E. Harbor Blvd. Ventura, 805-652-5151 lacosecharestaurant.com Mexican; Entrées $13–$23

Located inside the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach hotel, this casually upscale restaurant is named for “the harvest” in Spanish. The menu by executive chef Luis Martinez, a native of Jalisco, marries authentic Mexican flavors with contemporary cooking

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HOTEL CALIFORNIAN 36 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-882-0100 thehotelcalifornian.com/santa_barbara_ restaurants/ Eclectic; Entrées $31–$50

Built on the grounds of the original Hotel Californian less than a block from Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara’s newest resort pays careful attention to all the luxurious details while retaining a casual yet elegant vibe. Its dining options are equally skilled. At Blackbird, dinner menus by executive chef Alexander La Motte showcase local ingredients in dishes inspired by the Mediterranean with some North African influences; the bar serves signature cocktails in addition to local brews on tap. (Fans of Alfred Hitchcock will get a kick out of his photo in the dining room.) Located in a separate building from Blackbird, Goat Tree is an order-at-the-counter café with its own patio and, in the dining room, windows with a view of the kitchen. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with grab-and-go options for impromptu picnics.

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The Dining Guide Enjoy Expansive Views, Picnic Areas, Bocce Ball and Award-Winning Wines

In the heart of the Edna Valley

techniques and locally grown produce. Shareable plates include shrimp and octopus ceviche as well as barbacoa beef taquitos with avocado-tomatillo salsa. House specialties include chicken tinga enchiladas and grilled salmon marinated in orange and achiote and served with tequila butter. Thematic specials are available throughout the week: On Margarita Mondays, the featured drink is $6.

THE LARK 131 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0370 thelarksb.com New American; Entrées $18–$42

OPEN DAILY 10:00am - 5:00pm 805.269.8200 ¬ 5828 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo, CA nivenfamilywines.com/taste Reservations required for 8 or more

Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone takes flight with The Lark, named for the Pullman train that once made overnight runs between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The past is present in the restaurant’s setting, a former fish market remodeled to include exposed brick walls, subway tile, a communal table atop vintage radiators, and private booths fashioned from church pews. As culinary conductor, executive chef Jason Paluska oversees a thoroughly modern menu that highlights local ingredients. Deviled eggs with jalapeño and crispy pancetta are popular starters to shared plates of roasted chicken served with black-pepper grits and black garlic-glazed lamb shank, depending on the season. Craft brews and wines by the glass extend the artisanal spirit into the bar. Desserts by pastry chef Jeff Haines include honey cremeux with spice-roasted strawberries, pistachio crumble, lemon curd, and smoked vanilla ice cream.

LES MARCHANDS WINE BAR & MERCHANT 131 Anacapa St., Suite B Santa Barbara, 805-284-0380 lesmarchandswine.com European; Small Plates $8–$16; Entrées $18–$30

Weekend Brunch The vibe is Parisian bistro, but selections at this combination wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone give equal opportunity to the United States and other countries. The by-the-glass wine selection is well-rounded, craft beer is available on draft and in bottles, and the cocktails showcase vintage and contemporary recipes. The menu by executive chef Weston Richards includes charcuterie, cheese platters, and artisanal toasts made with bread from the neighboring Helena Avenue Bakery (you’re also welcome to bring in a pizza from the nearby Lucky Penny). Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m. Monday Night Chicken & Waffles features Richards’ lemonbrined fried chicken and sourdough waffles with house-made butter and hot sauce. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. offers dishes such as shakshuka (a Middle Eastern poached-egg dish) and tres leches French toast.

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LIDO AT DOLPHIN BAY 2727 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, 805-773-8900 thedolphinbay.com/lido Californian; Entrées $16–$46

Great View, Saturday & Sunday Brunch Executive chef Kurt Steeber brings his eye for seasonal ingredients to a menu that echoes the creativity of the art glass displayed in Lido’s dining room. A baby beet salad is served with white bean puree and walnut chutney, while an appetizer of local octopus appears with linguica, fingerling potatoes confit, and black olive aioli. The casual portion of the menu offers fennel sausage pizza and Teixeira Cattle Co. beef burgers; plates range from slow-cooked chicken breast and roasted chanterelle mushroom ragout to a decadent filet of beef tenderloin with smoked blue cheese. Saturday and Sunday brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. features a threecourse plated brunch with bottomless mimosas as well as à la carte dishes.

LOQUITA 202 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-880-3380 loquitasb.com Modern Spanish; Entrées $19–$42 Great Patio

Loquita is Spanish slang for a wild, fun-loving girl, but this eatery’s menu and food are seriously irreproachable. Executive chef Peter Lee sources the finest meat, fish, cheese, and produce to create festive, communal, à la carte meals, including tapas, pintxos (small bites typically pierced with a toothpick), and signature paella dishes. Drinks autentico include sangria and Spanish-style gin and tonics. Enjoy the spacious patio with two inviting fireplaces, or try the smallbites bar named, naturally, Poquita.

MAD & VIN 1576 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-688-3121 thelandsby.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$34

This restaurant located inside one of Solvang’s newest hotels is named for the Danish words for “food” and “wine.” You won’t find a single aebleskiver in the sleek but comfy dining room, but Mad & Vin still pays homage to Solvang’s heritage with a cheese fondue starter of melted Gruyère and fontina touched with brandy and the Nordic Caesar salad of local greens, white shrimp, and warm cheese croutons. At dinner, the lamb porterhouse with mint chimichurri and seafood hot pot, paired with selections from the primarily Santa Barbara County wine list, are not to be missed. Open from 4 p.m. on weekdays and from noon on Saturdays and Sundays, the bar is a Scandinavian-chic spot to meet friends for cocktails, like The Countess (think vodka, blood-orange shrub, and rhubarb bitters) and for bites that range from small, such as herbed olives, to large, like a rib-eye burger that also appears on the dinner menu.

New chef, new specials. That’s the spirit at the Santa Ynez Valley’s Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort (alisal.com), where valley native and executive chef Anthony Endy routinely takes to Instagram to remind followers about the after-hours, opento-the-public menus he serves twice a week at the Alisal Ranch Course Grill. Available Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., they include $2.50 tacos, $5 cheeseburgers, and an ever-changing Blue Plate Special. Deals on draft beer, cocktails, and pitchers of margaritas add to the fun.

NEW MATTEI’S TAVERN 2350 Railway Ave. Los Olivos, 805-729-2857 matteistavern1886.com California Classics Entrées $18–$68

THE NEST 401 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-798-9035 Californian; Entrées $8–$15

MOUTHFUL EATERY 2626 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-777-9222 mouthfuleatery.com Peruvian, Californian Entrées $9–$14

OJAI VALLEY INN & SPA 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojairesort.com Various cuisines Entrées $11–$60; Saturday Buffet Brunch $29; Sunday Bluegrass Brunch $49

Since 1886, Mattei’s Tavern has dished up American favorites to stagecoach travelers, Danish dignitaries, the gentleman’s horseback-riding group Los Rancheros Visitadores (including Clark Gable and Joe Kennedy), plus generations of Santa Ynez Valley folks. Newest proprietor and chef Maili Halme continues a beloved tradition with historic classics made modern: Mattei’s famous prime rib, oak-grilled rack of lamb and thick-cut pork chop with apple chutney, vegan Shepherd’s Pie, and vegan chili. The original wood bar beside one of the historic tavern’s three fireplaces serves up irresistible cocktails, local wine favorites, and several regional beers on tap.

Kid-Friendly Don’t let the multicolored chalkboard menu or the solar-powered toy pigs decorating the dining room fool you: This order-at-the-counter café may specialize in salads, sandwiches, and what are called “powerbowls” in a fun, casual atmosphere, but chef and co-owner Luis Sanchez is serious about the food—witness Mouthful’s inclusion on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2015. La Sarita, a sandwich of house-roasted pork shoulder served with fried sweet potatoes and pickled red onions, gets its heat from an aioli made with aji amarillo, a pepper from Sanchez’s native Peru. Additions at dinner might include malbec-braised short ribs on polenta one night and savory chicken stew called aji de gallina the next. Desserts include alfajores, delicate shortbread cookies filled with salted caramel. The Foodies in Training children’s menu includes a turkey slider with fruit, yucca fries, and a drink, all for $6.

Don’t let the order-at-the-window casualness fool you: The Nest serves high-quality fare with options for vegans and carnivores, plus craft cocktails that change with the seasons. Chef and co-owner Kiona Wachter is an Ojai native, a fact that turns up in such dishes as The Tireman, a brisket sandwich named for her uncle’s tire business in nearby Oak View, and in the Tico Salad, sprinkled with Fritos corn chips just as it was when her father and godmother served it at their Nest of Ojai restaurant more than 20 years ago. Pizzas, rice bowls, cauliflower tacos, shave ice, and desserts round out the menu. Indoor seating is limited; the most popular spot for dining is the semi-sheltered patio, which offers views of the Topa Topa mountain range.

The resort’s beautiful setting can be enjoyed by hotel guests and others who simply want to patronize the restaurants. As the fine-dining flagship, Olivella and Vine features California cuisine with a Northern Italian twist that comes courtesy of chef de cuisine Andrea Rodella. Beautifully plated dishes are served in dining spaces that include a private wine room as well as a veranda overlooking the first and final holes of the property’s world-class golf course. Olivella also offers a four-course prix fixe menu, available with or without paired wines, and hosts monthly winemaker dinners. Start the evening with small bites and craft cocktails, both made with local ingredients as often as possible, in the Wallace Neff Heritage Bar, located in the resort’s original golf clubhouse and named for the architect who set the inn’s Spanish Revival tone. Other dining options include the tranquil Spa Café in Spa Ojai, where light breakfast and spa lunch are served inside or on the spa’s poolside terrace.

The Dining Guide The Oak is famous for its casual but attentive lunch service on a shaded patio overlooking the 10th hole. It also serves breakfast and dinner and two styles of brunch: buffet on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and bottomless champagne with live bluegrass music on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indigo Pool & Bar offers salads, sandwiches, and adult libations served poolside and in cabanas. The Pixie Café is located at the family-friendly Pixie Pool. Jimmy’s Pub offers a menu of pizzas, burgers, microbrews, and barrel-aged cocktails. Next door, Libbey’s Market + Boutique is the place to go for a quick sandwich and a scoop of McConnell’s ice cream.

Culinary imagination catches an early flight at The Flying Yolk (facebook.com/theflyingyolk), a new breakfast-almost-all-day spot in Simi Valley’s El Paseo Simi shopping center. Available daily from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the array of bowls, burritos, toasts, and egg sandwiches includes the crowd-pleasing Cali Fried, which pairs a fried egg with bacon, avocado, cheese, and potato “tots” on a brioche bun. The restaurant is the newest project from the husband-and-wife team of Dimitri and Daniela Koulakis, who also operate Rou-Meli Café in Oxnard.

OLIO E LIMONE RISTORANTE AND OLIO CRUDO BAR 11 W. Victoria St., Suites 17-18 Santa Barbara,805-899-2699, Ext. 1 olicucina.com Italian; Entrées $18–$41; Crudo Bar $12–$25

Husband-and-wife owners Alberto Morello and Elaine Andersen Morello treat their restaurants in downtown Santa Barbara like the gems they are: No ingredient is too good to employ. The organic extra-virgin olive oil from a grove near Alberto’s home village in Italy is so popular, patrons buy bottles of it for their own use. At the Ristorante, salads are fresh and the pastas and sauces are house-made. Standouts include gnocchi alla Riviera, which combines spinach-and-ricotta dumplings with fresh tomato sauce. With its glass shelves and glowing marble walls, the crudo bar is a jewel-box showcase for carefully executed dishes. Thinly sliced pieces of raw fish are accented with simple but excellent olio e limone (olive oil and lemon) and sometimes a bit more: Try the Atlantic Bluefin tuna belly with ginger vinaigrette and wasabi shoots for a meaningful experience. Selected appetizers, beers, cocktails, proseccos, and wines by the glass are halfprice during happy hour service available Sundays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

ONYX AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE Two Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 onyxrestaurant.com Japanese; Entrées $15–$45 Romantic, Great View

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A master at sushi, chef Masa Shimakawa also serves modern Japanese fare inspired by his training in Japan and influences from Thailand, China, and beyond. Cocktails and sake flights are available to pair with artfully prepared crab-and-smoked salmon rolls and with such dishes as roasted black cod and beef sirloin grilled in hoba leaves. Dinner is served Mondays through Saturdays at the sushi bar on the patio overlooking the resort’s waterfall and in the stylish dining room decorated with saltwater aquariums and the restaurant’s titular stone.

UPDATE OUTPOST AT THE GOODLAND 5650 Calle Real Goleta, 805-964-1288 outpostsb.com Cal-Eclectic; Shareable plates $7–$29

Weekend Brunch The mint-condition Airstream trailer parked out front is one sign that The Goodland hotel is not the Holiday Inn it once was. Another is the menu at Outpost, the on-site restaurant guided by executive chef James Siao, who also holds that title at sister restaurant Finch & Fork in Santa Barbara. At Outpost, Siao offers playful takes on classics like guacamole (served with toasted pumpkin seed gremolata) and pork ribs (in a chipotle-pomegranate glaze with popcorn polenta on the side). Local wines, beers, and craft cocktails are great for sipping poolside, in the dining room, and at the hotel’s The Good Bar, which offers mealworthy snacks. Happy hour specials are available on Mondays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Ramen is a Sunday-night thing from 5 p.m. until while supplies last. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

PARADISE PANTRY 218 and 222 E. Main St. Ventura, 805-641-9440 paradisepantry.com Rustic; Entrées $9–$22

Sunday Brunch This combination café, wine shop, and cheese store occupies adjoining storefronts in Ventura’s historic downtown. Both spaces feature original brick walls and delightfully creaky wood floors. While 218 E. Main St. is devoted to wine sales and cheese and charcuterie displays, 222 offers wine tasting and soups, salads, cheese plates, and pâté samplers. Panini-style sandwiches include the Italiano, packed with arugula and truffle cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. (That’s right: The meat is on the outside.) Named for chef and co-owner Kelly Briglio, Kel’s Killer Mac is made with a new over-the-top combination of ingredients each week. (Gluten-free options are available.) Typically scheduled once a month, Sunday brunch features such dishes as Kel’s crab cakes with Meyer lemon crème fraîche, and French toast made with cinnamon brioche. Join the email list for news of upcoming popup appearances by visiting chefs and winemakers.

Q SUSHI & KIEU HOANG WINE LOUNGE 30770 Russell Ranch Road, Unit A Westlake Village, 818-540-3231 qsushi.com Japanese; Sushi and Sashimi $5–$24; Shared Plates $5–$24; Entrées $11–$20

This restaurant at the Shoppes at Westlake Village feels worlds away, thanks to its blend of traditional techniques, modern comforts, and one showstopper of a chandelier fashioned from found tree branches. Surrounded by a sushi counter of Carrara marble, the open kitchen equipped with a robata grill also produces sushi, sashimi, and special rolls showcasing delectable cuts of Scottish salmon, Hawaiian amberjack, and more. (Don’t miss the sashimi pizza, dotted with flower petals and miso beet cream.) The lunch menu served Tuesdays through

Fridays from noon to 3 p.m. offers salads, bowls, and quick-order assortments of sushi or sashimi. The beverage list includes wines from Europe, the Central Coast, and, as promised, Napa Valley’s Kieu Hoang Winery. Beer, hot and cold sake, and craft cocktails are also featured. Happy hour on Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. offers specially priced drinks and appetizers.

SADDLE PEAK LODGE 419 Cold Canyon Road Calabasas, 818-222-3888 saddlepeaklodge.com New American Small plates $15–$23; Entrées $36–$58; Chef’s Tasting Menu $145 for nine courses

Romantic, Sunday Brunch Chairs woven from willow branches and game trophies hanging high on walls made of stone and wood speak to the rustic nature of this multistory restaurant nestled in the hills of Malibu. Executive chef Adam Horton is back and over-seeing menus that are both elegant and stick-to-your-ribs: Small-plate options include Peruvian marinated quail, while composed entrées include seabass with house-made pasta and New Zealand lamb rack with smoked miso potatoes. The Chef’s Game Trio offers a diner’s choice of emu, elk, or buffalo with sides. On Mondays through Wednesdays, the three-course Supper Menu is $39 per person. The outdoor patio is a spectacular place for brunch.

SIDES HARDWARE AND SHOES, A BROTHERS RESTAURANT 2375 Alamo Pintado Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-4820 sidesrestaurant.com American; Entrées $14–$35

Brothers Jeff and Matt Nichols named their restaurant after a business that occupied the building in the early 1900s. The country-store vibe appears in the decorative tin ceiling and menu items like the Hammered Pig, a lunch dish of pork tenderloin that has been pounded thin, breaded, deep-fried, then served in a salad of arugula, pecans, and Parmesan or as part of a sandwich with apple-mustard seed slaw. Lunch options also include fish tacos, sandwiches, and an array of burgers. You can’t go wrong with the ever-changing chef’s burger by chef de cuisine Michael Cherney, who also lets loose with a new Taco Tuesday menu available at lunch and dinner each week. Dinner fare takes on an international flair: A banh mi-inspired appetizer pairs miso-cured bacon with steamed buns, mussels are served in coconut broth and red curry, and lamb sirloin comes with goat cheese gnocchi and maitake mushrooms. Desserts by pastry chef Stephanie Jackson are homey yet elegantly plated. Local wines are available by the glass and in carafes, supplementing the full bar.

THE SPOON TRADE 295 West Grand Ave. Grover Beach, 805-904-6773 thespoontrade.com American; Entrées $15–$32

Great Patio, Sunday Brunch The Spoon Trade serves what chef Jacob Town calls “elevated comfort food” in a bright and comfortable neighborhood hangout. Classic dishes (think: fried chicken, pasta, and upside-down cakes) are reimagined with of-the-moment flavors and local ingredients alongside a progressive beer and wine list.

S.Y. KITCHEN 1110 Faraday St. Santa Ynez, 805-691-9794 sykitchen.com Italian; Entrées $17–$37

Located on a quiet side street in Santa Ynez, this cozy spot is an oasis of craft cocktails and rustic Italian fare

in wine and tri-tip country. Executive chef Luca Crestanelli lets his native Italian roots show in house-made pastas such as wild mushroom pappardelle and a warm octopus salad with olives, potatoes, and cherry tomatoes. A lunch menu of salads, pastas, and oak-grilled meats and seafood is served daily. Also originally from Italy, mixologist and bar manager Alberto Battaglini makes his own bitters and stashes away dried fruits and herbs in glass jars that double as décor. The wine list features local and Italian labels. Available Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Aperitivo menu offers special pricing on beer, wine, cocktails, and light bites.

UPDATE THOMAS HILL ORGANICS 1313 Park St. Paso Robles, 805-226-5888 thomashillorganics.com Wine Country Cuisine Entrées $15–$41 Sunday Brunch

At this chic but casual restaurant in downtown Paso Robles, executive corporate chef Kurt Metzger builds on the vision of owner and founding chef Debbie Thomas by turning ingredients from local purveyors into elegant, satisfying fare at lunch, brunch, and dinner. (Why, yes, those are Windrose Farm apples in the burrata salad.) Wine, beer, and ciders from the region are also featured, adding to the restaurant’s farm-to-table bona fides.

TRE LUNE 1151 Coast Village Road Montecito, 805-969-2646 trelunesb.com Italian; Entrées $18–$37

Tre Lune, or “three moons,” is part of the Montesano Group, which owns Lucky’s in Montecito and Joe’s and Bucatini in Santa Barbara—and it shows. The walls are dressed in blackand-white photos of celebrities from yesteryear, the floors are Old World wood, and the tables are covered in white linen. Teeny tiny chairs mounted high on the wall bear brass plates engraved with the names of regular patrons. A ring-shaped, rolled pizzabread appetizer is stuffed with smoked mozzarella and braised radicchio. It’s crispy outside and delicious inside. Pizzas from the stone oven can be topped with roasted eggplant, spicy sausage, or mushrooms and truffle oil. The wide selection of pastas are available in half or full portions. Veal scaloppine, rack of lamb, chicken Marsala, and even a cheeseburger round out the menu and support the extensive Italian wine list.

UPDATE WINE CASK 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-966-9463 winecask.com Wine Country Cuisine Entrées $24–$38; Chef’s tasting menu $75 for five courses, $95 for eight courses

Romantic Founded in 1981, the Wine Cask reinvents itself every time executive chef Brandon Cogan goes to the farmers’ market in Santa Barbara. Local ingredients

inform dishes at every turn, especially in the tasting menus that change weekly and sometimes nightly but almost always feature Santa Barbara County labels in the optional wine pairings. The regular dinner menu is a mix of seasonal mains and classical mains, the latter a collection of longtime favorites like wild mushroom risotto and pan-roasted local white sea bass. Desserts echo the elegant simplicity of the restaurant itself (bread pudding with bourbon–salted caramel sauce is a standout). California wines are the focus of the international wine list. Co-owner and vintner Doug Margerum also has one tasting room adjoining the restaurant, and a second, devoted to reserve wines, located elsewhere in the same complex.

A Good Bet

Not too fancy, not too expensive, and a good experience all around. BAZILLE AT NORDSTROM AT THE OAKS 346 W. Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, 805-418-4010 restaurants.nordstrom.com New American; Shared Plates $6–$11; Entrées $15–$24

Nordstrom’s second floor restaurant is a fine and semi-private place to dine between shopping forays. Previously known as Blue Stove, the space now features more natural light, a full bar, and greater emphasis on entrées over tapas. Shared plates include crisp calamari with lemongrass-sweet chili dipping sauce and maple srirachaglazed bacon deviled eggs. Main dishes are organized under the headings of “meat” (selections include French dip on toasted Parmesan baguette), “poultry” (house-made chicken sausage with burrata), and “seafood” (crab, mango, and avocado salad).

BLUE TABLE 28912 Roadside Drive Agoura Hills, 818-597-2583 bluetable.net International; Entrées $8–$15

Live Music A few blue tables provide seating for outside dining at this charming deli with high-quality Italian eats for lunch and dinner. The indigo theme continues inside, where blue-wash wooden tables are topped with bouquets of fresh flowers. Different salads rotate through the deli case, and the list of sandwiches is written on a blackboard. (The proscuitto and burrata panini is not to be missed.) Pizzas, soups, cookies, and all other items here are made fresh daily. A small freezer carries pastas and sauces for home use, but anything on the menu can be taken to go. You’ll want to stay for dinner, available daily from around 6 p.m. The menu of comfort-food classics includes eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti with organic ground turkey meatballs. Local musicians are featured on Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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The Dining Guide BOLLYWOOD INDIAN RESTAURANT #3 860 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-777-7100 bollywood3.net Indian; Entrées $10–$15

Fresh vegetables are used in the curries, masalas, and kormas at this casual Indian restaurant. Chicken, lamb, fish, and shrimp are prepared a variety of ways: in the tandoori oven, with coconut-milk sauces, and in spicy vindaloos. Naan comes topped with garlic, basil, cilantro, and onions, or stuffed with cheese or potatoes. Beer and wine are on offer, along with excellent yogurt drinks like mango lassi and Indian spiced tea.

BRENT’S DELI 2799 Townsgate Road Westlake Village, 805-557-1882 brentsdeli.com Deli; Entrées $6–$20

Kid-Friendly For amazingly good Reuben sandwiches on rye bread piled high with pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, you can’t beat this slick deli. The booths are cushy and roomy, leaving space for your tummy to expand as you down a four-layer slice of chocolate cake or a plate full of stuffed cabbage rolls. A separate bar also offers the full menu. The patio out back allows for even more seating. A counter up front expedites take-out orders. Brent’s Deli is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

At Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa (sycamoresprings.com) in San Luis Obispo, dipping into one of the mineral hot tubs is as easy as booking a visit anytime between 8 a.m. and midnight daily. Sipping one of the resort’s bottomless mimosas requires a little more planning. The libations are available during Sunday brunch at the onsite Gardens of Avila restaurant, which from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. includes à la carte service of treats like lemon poppy seed pancakes and the Forest Garden Burger (a house-made patty of quinoa, black beans, roasted corn, and pecans). What a civilized way to toast the impending arrival of a new week.

ELADIO’S RESTAURANT & BAR 1 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-963-4466 harborviewinnsb.com American; Entrées $12–$25

Great View, Saturday & Sunday Brunch It’s tough to beat the view of the wharf and the ocean from the open, spacious patio with a fountain in the middle. Eladio’s whips up breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily for guests of the Harbor View Inn and anyone else who stops in. Morning staples include vanilladipped brioche French toast, crab cake Benedict, and

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smoked salmon scramble made with locally smoked fish. New England clam chowder, cheeseburgers, ahi salad with mango salsa, and fish-and-chips in a Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Double Barrel Ale batter show up at lunchtime. Pasta, steaks, and fresh fish round out the dinner menu. Happy hour specials are available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 2 Westlake Village, 805-230-9950 finneyscrafthouse.com American; Entrées $10–$25

Kid-Friendly The “craft beer spoken here” neon sign at the back of the dining room doesn’t quite say it all at this casual but polished gastropub owned by Greg Finefrock, a local whose childhood nickname inspired the restaurant’s moniker. In addition to the 30 brews on tap, you’ll find craft cocktails, California wines by the glass and bottle, and a fun atmosphere and menu that has something for everyone. Shareable appetizers include gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tossed in yuzu sauce and chicken-andwaffle bites that come with a tangy surprise: Tabascobraised kale. The house burger is made with a chuck, brisket, and hanger steak patty on a brioche bun. Other options include tacos, salads, and flatbread pizzas (don’t miss the prosciutto and grilled pineapple combo). Families and other groups will gravitate to the communal tables available inside and on the patio. Seating is firstcome, first-served at the copper bar.

FOOD HARMONICS 254 E. Ojai Ave. Ojai, 805-798-9253 foodharmonicsojai.com Gluten-Free; Entrées $7–$16

Ojai’s historic Arcade is the setting for this light-filled café specializing in gluten-free fare. There’s something for almost every diet, including vegan and paleo. Highlights include a raw vegan pizza that tends to sell out early in the day, the vegetarian sundara dosa with egg and sliced avocado tucked into a crepelike wrapper, and the bison burger accompanied by greens and sweet potatoes. Bison bone broth is available with optional add-ons like ghee and seaweed. Beverages include beer, wine, and turmeric matcha lattes.

HARVEST KITCHEN & BAR AT HYATT REGENCY WESTLAKE 880 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-557-4710 westlake.regency.hyatt.com Californian; Entrées $11–$29

Kid-Friendly Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, Harvest welcomes hotel guests and the public alike. The dining rooms are sleek and comfortable with natural light, and patio and garden views. Executive chef Steve Johnson, a Hyatt Regency veteran, turns up the flavor in offerings such as the grass-fed burger and Alaskan Halibut in Rosemary Butter Sauce served with summer squash and jubilee rice. The For Kids by Kids children’s menu features dishes created by Haile Thomas, host of the YouTube series Plant-Powered Haile. Furnished with fire pits and lounges, the outdoor patio is the perfect place to sample $5 cocktails and food specials during happy hours from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

HIMALAYA 35 W. Main St. Ventura, 805-643-0795 and 720 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, 805-409-1041 himalayacuisine.com Nepalese, Indian, Tibetan Entrées $8–$32 Live Entertainment

Adventurous eaters will delight in dishes such as the Sherpa curry goat and chef specials featuring yak meat. Even the pizzas and burritos on the fusion-food portion of the menu are on the exotic side, since they’re made with naan and chapati from the tandoori oven. Vegetarian selections include bhindi masala, which is okra cooked with tomatoes and Indian spices. Feeling nimble? Try sitting cross-legged at one of the low tables set on a raised platform. The Ventura location serves beer and wine; the Thousand Oaks site has a full bar. Both offer a belly dance show about once a month.

JANE 1311 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-1311 and 6940 Marketplace Dr. Goleta, 805-770-5388 janeatthemarketplace.com; janerestaurantsb.com Eclectic; Entrées $9–$25

Lots of interesting salads, sandwiches, and burgers are set down at lunchtime on small wooden and marble tables in this cute spot on State Street from the family that owns the Montecito Cafe. Jane is the name of the owner (Jane Chapman) and her grandmother (Jane Moody), whose pictures adorn the high walls. The loft seating and upstairs patio are cool and a bit secluded compared to the downstairs tables, which are always packed in the afternoon. The eclectic dinner menu offers pastas, steaks, and grilled duck breast. For dessert, the soft-serve ice cream is a fun choice, as is the coconut cake.

LINN’S RESTAURANT 2277 Main St. Cambria, 805-927-0371 linnsfruitbin.com American; Entrées $10–$34

Kid-Friendly What started as a farm stand is now a family-owned business that includes a restaurant, a gift shop, a café that specializes in freshly baked fruit pies, and the original farm stand, for those on a sentimental journey. No visit to Cambria is complete without at least one breakfast, lunch, or dinner spent at the combination bakery and restaurant, located in the seaside town’s historic East Village. Berries are a recurring theme on the menu, appearing in fruit-filled scones, glasses of olallieberry lemonade, and the raspberry-orangecranberry sauce served with roasted Shelton Farm chicken. Executive chef Matt Beckett is as skilled at whipping up comfort food classics (think beef Stroganoff and chicken potpie) as he is with gluten-free options and dishes featuring grass-fed beef from Hearst Ranch.

LOS AGAVES RESTAURANT 600 N. Milpas St. Santa Barbara, 805-564-2626 and 2911 De la Vina St. Santa Barbara, 805-682-2600 and 7024 Market Place Drive Goleta, 805-968-4000 and 2810 Portico Way, Suite 1105 Oxnard, 805-278-9101 and 30750 Russell Ranch Road, Suite G Westlake Village, 818-874-0779 los-agaves.com Mexican; Entrées $9–$17

Launched in Santa Barbara in 2008, this familyowned and operated group of restaurants has clearly struck a chord: Its original location was number 16 on Yelp’s list of Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2016. The mix of authentic Mexican cuisine with casual but attentive order-at-the-counter service can now be found at five sites in and around the 805. Each offers the same menu of house-made tortillas, ceviche, salads, and burritos filled with all manner of seafood, poultry, or beef. Signature dishes include the show-stopping Land and Sea

molcajete, a bubbling-hot mixture of meat and seafood with house-made salsa, avocado, chorizo, grilled onion, and nopal, served in a three-legged bowl carved from volcanic rock. Los Agaves restaurants in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Oxnard serve beer and wine as well as agave margaritas and micheladas. The Shoppes at Westlake Village location has a full bar that offers top-shelf tequilas and drink specials. Diners who sit at the bar can order food there, too.

MERSEA’S 3985 Avila Beach Drive Avila Beach, 805-548-2290 merseas.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$15

Great View, Kid-Friendly Located on the Harford Pier, this modern take on a casual seafood restaurant offers a lot of sightseeing bang for the buck. Indoor tables are placed near tall windows, and outdoor seating includes a row of colorful barstools at a counter that doubles as the pier’s railing for a stretch. (Look down: You just might spy an otter frolicking in the kelp.) The menu includes burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burritos, but seafood is the star at this spot operated by members of the family behind Dorn’s Original Breakers Café in Morro Bay and Duckie’s Chowder House in Cayucos. Highlights include a crab melt sandwich with avocado, chowders of both the Manhattan and New England variety, and daily specials like garlic fries topped with blackened shrimp, blue cheese, and avocado. Decorated with whimsical octopus pendant lamps, the bar serves beer, wine, and cocktails.

POOKIE’S THAI CUISINE 900 Hampshire Road Westlake Village, 805-381-0094 Thai; Entrées $7–$13

Kid-Friendly Downstairs in the Water Court Plaza office complex, owner Pookie creates delicious Thai dishes for lunch and dinner daily. Lunch specials are a steal at $7 to $8 each. She also has a wide selection of interesting salads like the Outrageous Beef Salad with a spicy lime dressing and the protein-rich Yam Yai salad with shrimp, chicken, egg, and peanuts in a sweet-andsour dressing. Noodle dishes are generously sized and include the classic pad Thai and the interesting Hi Yo Silver with fried noodles, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Curries, vegetarian options, and fish dishes (such as the crispy sole with tamarind and chili sauce) give diners lots of great choices not found elsewhere.

PUBLIC SCHOOL 805 120 Promenade Way, Suite A Westlake Village, 805-379-3909 psontap.com American; Entrées $8–$28

Saturday & Sunday Brunch Named for the area code and the goal of offering guests “an education in the art of food and beer,” this gastropub makes the most of its schoolyard theme. Baseball mitts decorate one

wall and happy hour is known as “recess.” (It’s also known as a bargain: Meal-worthy bites are just $4 to $6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays). More than 40 craft beers, most on rotating taps, are available to pair with executive chef Phil Kastel’s inventive fare. He earns extra credit for adding crispy fried capers to an appetizer of salmon “pastrami” carpaccio. Burgers, salads, and wood-fired flatbreads are lunch and dinner options; fried Jidori chicken and waffles are on the breakfast menu, available from 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Organize your own field trips to Public School 612 in downtown Los Angeles and Public School 310 in Culver City.

THE STONEHAUS 32039 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-483-1152 the-stonehaus.com Mediterranean; Sandwiches & Platters $10–$17

Dog-Friendly, Great Views, Kid‑Friendly, Romantic Patterned after an Italian enoteca, the aptly named Stonehaus starts each day as a coffeehouse, serving kale-berry smoothies along with baked goods, wraps, and breakfast sandwiches from Lisa Biondi, executive chef at the adjacent Mediterraneo at the Westlake Village Inn. It switches to wine bar mode in the afternoons and evenings, when the menu includes charcuterie and crostini platters, salads, panini, and desserts. The outdoor pizza oven is fired up nightly (check website for hours). Wine flights are arranged by regions, varietals, and themes. Patios overlook the waterfall and the working vineyard, which is open for picnicking on Stonehaus fare (check website for information about seasonal tastings and festivals). The picnic tables and bocce ball court are family friendly, and visiting canines get a water fountain of their own near the courtyard fireplace.

TOSCANOVA 4799 Commons Way, Suite A Calabasas, 818-225-0499 calabasas.toscanova.com Italian; Entrées $15–$44

Garden View, Romantic Like its sister site at the Westfield Century City shopping mall, this restaurant at the Commons at Calabasas re-creates the feel of a Tuscan getaway without the airfare. In Calabasas, diners have the option of lounging around a patio fire pit or sitting at a table overlooking a garden that is a draw for barefoot children at play on the grass. On the menu set by owner and founding chef Agostino Sciandri is a section devoted just to mozzarella (burrata with sautéed eggplant, anyone?) as well as a pizza topped with seasonal truffles, house-made pappardelle with wild mushrooms, and grilled sliced filet mignon with baby arugula and shaved Parmesan. Lunch adds sandwiches and flatbread pizza to the mix. The bar is the place to be on Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., when your first order of the featured beverage is 5 cents.

652 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, 91360 Located in the Conejo Valley Plaza Shopping Center

805-497-2000

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The Dining Guide

Fun, Fun, Fun

Look to these eateries for festive food, an upbeat atmosphere, and a good time. ANDRIA’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET 1449 Spinnaker Drive Ventura, 805-654-0546 andriasseafood.com Seafood; Entrées $8–$24

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Kid-Friendly No visit to Ventura Harbor—or to Ventura, period—is complete without a stop at Andria’s, a locals’ favorite since 1982. On weekends, the fast-moving line to order can stretch out onto the restaurant’s front patio. Additional seating includes indoor dining rooms decorated with vintage photos and fishing gear, and a protected patio with a view of the docks. Charbroiled fresh catch of the day dinners come with rice pilaf, bread, and a choice of salads. Some items are available in stir-fry dishes. But deep-fried is the preferred method of preparation for everything from onion rings (served in a towering stack) to halibut and chips, oysters and chips, popcorn shrimp and chips, and, well, you get the idea. The atmosphere is beach casual: Orders are called out by number when ready, and it’s up to diners to gather utensils, tartar sauce, and other fixin’s from a counter near the kitchen. Beer and wine are available. An on-site fish market is open daily.

BOGIES BAR & LOUNGE 32001 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 818-889-2394 bogies-bar.com Spanish-California; Small Plates & Entrées $4–$15

Great Views, Live Music Surrounded by greenery and water, this bar on the grounds of the Westlake Village Inn is a gorgeous place to get your groove on: Live music and/or club nights are scheduled nearly every night of the week. On the patio, wicker chaise lounges are arranged in semi-private groupings around fire pits and a bar counter looks onto the dance floor through roll-up doors. Inside, bronze curtains and silver wall sconces shimmer in the mood-setting darkness. (Some areas are available by reservation.) It all adds up to a great backdrop for a menu that includes happy hour specials like $3 draft beers, $5 glasses of wine, and dinner-and-drink duos ($10–$14) on Mondays through Fridays from 5 pm. to 7 p.m. Spanish influences are evident in dishes like paella and crispy patatas bravas with Fresno chilies and garlic aioli.

CAFÉ HABANA 3939 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-0300 cafehabana.com Pan-Latin; Entrées $9–$25

Sunday Brunch Café Habana isn’t limited to Cuban food or cocktails. Dishes represent all of Latin culture, from South American ceviches to Mexican grilled corn and huevos rancheros to Cuban pulled-pork sandwiches. Owner Sean Meenan is an eco-warrior while partner Rande Gerber brings in the celebs and keeps the nightlife hopping. The food is good, the cocktails are great, and the coconut flan is out of this world.

805-990-7524 bruceprotennis@yahoo.com Lindero Country Club 5719 Lake Lindero Dr., Agoura Hills

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THE CAVE AT VENTURA WINE COMPANY 4435 McGrath St., Suites 301-303 Ventura, 805-642-9449 venturawineco.com International; Small Plates $3–$18; Salads and Sandwiches $7–$11 Saturday Brunch

Patrons at The Cave conduct their own tastings via Enomatic machines, which dispense 1-, 3- and 5-ounce pours at the push of a button. Executive chef Alex Montoya’s creative, wine-friendly menu of shareable small plates changes on the first Tuesday of each month. Look for combinations like prosciutto-wrapped pork chops with apricot-cashew stuffing and Arctic char with sinigang broth and tomato concasse, plus an assortment of pizzas, burgers, and desserts. (Save room for one of Montoya’s award-winning frozen custards.) For the best acoustics, nab a table in the Barrel Room decorated with dozens of glass balls hanging from the ceiling. It’s also available for private events.

THE COPA CUBANA 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 103 Ventura, 805-642-9463 805copa.com Cuban; Entrées $12–$18

Great Views, Live Music This lively spot in Ventura Harbor Village may inspire you to book a flight to Cuba. Owner Andres Fernandez runs it and the neighboring 805 Bar & Grilled Cheese out of the same kitchen (the two eateries share a phone number), but the Copa Cubana maintains its identity with a separate menu that includes a classic Cubano sandwich, the hashlike picadillo topped with fried eggs, and lechón asado, which is roasted pork served with black beans and yucca marinated in garlic. The dog-friendly patio, with views of nearby boat docks, is an especially fine place to sip a piña colada on a lazy afternoon. Live entertainment is scheduled most days, with an emphasis on Latin jazz.

DUKE’S MALIBU 21150 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-0777 dukesmalibu.com Seafood; Entrées $14–$45

Great Views, Sunday Brunch Gorgeous ocean views are maximized in the dining rooms and bars of this large, Hawaiian-themed seafood and steak house, which in summer 2016 marked its 20th anniversary with updates to the décor and menu. Swinging chairs and a life-size bronze statue of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku greet diners before they step through the front doors and into an interior filled with wood screens, glass mosaic tiles, and chairs sporting surfboard stripes. New dishes presented by chef Eric BosRau showcase regional ingredients in beautiful platings. Fresh fish is available in a variety of preparations, including Parmesan-herb crusted with lemon, capers, and macadamia nuts. Longtime Duke’s fans, take note: Your favorite coconut shrimp dish is back as coconut shrimp croquettes. Kimo’s Original Hula Pie remains as advertised. A Sunday brunch buffet is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit the Barefoot Bar for breakfast items (think loco moco and banana and macadamia nut pancakes) from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays. Poké tacos, fish and chips, and pulled-pork sandwiches are served daily.

FLOUR HOUSE 690 Higuera St. San Luis Obispo, 805-544-5282 flourhouseslo.com Italian Starters $5–$21; Pizzas $15–$20; Pastas $19–$28

With a sleek interior, dynamic menu, and portrait of Sophia Loren, Flour House isn’t just a pizzeria: It’s a love song to Italy. Co-owner and Salerno native Alberto Russo works magic with imported flour and a Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, the gold standard for traditional pizza napolitana. During Meter Mondays, pizzas are available in different sizes depending on the number in your party: a half-meter for four people includes a

choice of three tastings ($28), while a full meter serves eight with a choice of six tastings ($50). Don’t miss Russo’s house-made pastas or the weekday-night aperitivo hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., featuring cocktails such as the classic Negroni and Aperol Spritz as well as beer and wine and appetizers from $4 to $6.

Based in downtown Ventura, Spencer Makenzie’s (spencer makenzies.com) joined Thomas Fire relief efforts by helping feed first responders with its famous fish tacos, shrimp burritos, and ahi pockets. But the restaurant’s contributions didn’t end there: Now through the end of the year, 50 cents from the sale of every bottle of its Sweet Chili Fire sauce will go to a fund for the family of firefighter Cory Iverson, who died in the blaze. The sauce can be purchased online and at the Ventura location. An additional Spencer Makenzie’s is set to open this spring in Camarillo.

LADYFACE ALEHOUSE & BRASSERIE 29281 Agoura Road Agoura Hills, 818-477-4566 ladyfaceale.com French, Belgian, and American; Entrées $8–$17

A brewpub with a Belgian accent, Ladyface delivers top-notch beers from brewmaster David Griffiths and an elegant menu that includes moules frites (mussels and fries), ale-brined chicken, and chocolate porter cake. Ale-pairing suggestions are printed on the menu. A communal table lends to the convivial atmosphere as do the beer floats made with local ice cream. Growlers (reusable half-gallon glass jugs) filled with Ladyface ales are available for takeout.

LOS OLIVOS WINE MERCHANT & CAFÉ 2879 Grand Ave. Los Olivos, 805-688-7265 losolivoscafe.com Wine Country; Entrées $12–$29

This retail wine shop adjoins an all-day café with seating indoors by the stone fireplace and outside on the wisteria-covered patio. Cheese plates and olives are small bites perfect for pairing with wines at the bar. Salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and pizza comprise the lunch menu. At night choices get a little fancier with pot roast, lamb shank, pasta, chicken, steak, and fresh fish. The wine selection from the shop (available to diners) has more than 400 labels and specializes in picks from California’s Central Coast. Now that’s fun.

OLIO PIZZERIA 11 W. Victoria St., Suite 21 Santa Barbara, 805-899-2699 oliocucina.com Italian Small and Shared Plates $5–$19; Entrées $15–$21 This combination Italian pizzeria and enoteca is brought to you by the owners of Olio e Limone Ristorante, the more formal eatery located next door. The Victoria Court setting includes a long bar

with a peekaboo view of the pizza oven, plus small tables. Menu offerings include chicken, fish, and beef entrées, as well as pasta, antipasti, salads, cured meats, cheeses, vegetables, and house-made dolci. The pizzas, with thin, chewy crusts, are individually sized and topped with excellent ingredients—sautéed rapini, spicy salami, cremini mushrooms, and black truffles among them. Lunch or brunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the dinner menu is available daily from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Wines from California and Italy are available by the glass, carafe, half liter, and bottle.

PLATA TAQUERIA & CANTINA 28914 Roadside Drive, Suite 10 Agoura Hills, 818-735-9982 plataagoura.com Mexican; Entrées $14–$26

Plata means “silver” in Spanish—and a good time in the Whizin Market Square. The menu at this taqueria is homey but elevated: House-made tortillas and mix-and-match trios of soft tacos are featured, the latter with a choice of veggies or eight types of protein, including ahi tuna and short ribs. Spa Nachos are made with roasted cauliflower and crispy kale; guacamole is available in three variations, including tradicional and ranchero, made with bacon and roasted pumpkin seeds. Other standouts include chamorro de cordero, a chile-marinated lamb shank served with spinach tamales, and pollo con Elvia’s mole, named for chef Elvia Saldivar, who is co-owner with her husband. Nearly a dozen specialty margaritas star on the cocktails list. Pull up a colorfully upholstered stool at the copper-topped bar to enjoy $7 margaritas and other drink and food specials during daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

TAVERNA TONY 23410 Civic Center Way Malibu, 310-317-9667 tavernatony.com Greek; Entrées $13–$37

This huge space at the northeast corner of the Malibu Country Mart is almost never closed and never empty. There’s always fun to be had: If the classical guitarists aren’t playing, the waiters might be singing, or the owner, Tony Koursaris, might be telling stories at one of the tables. Every meal starts with Greek-style country bread and house-made dip. The roast baby lamb is a specialty of the house for good reasons: The meat is garlicky and mostly tender with some crispy bites. The accompanying potatoes are roasted with lemon juice and the carrots are cooked with dill. Greek coffee is a perfect end here.

WICKED’S BREW 4561 Market St., Suite C Ventura, 805-275-2334 wickedsbrew.com Eclectic; Entrées $20–$38 Live Music; Saturday & Sunday Brunch

Jack’s Bistro

Famous Bagels & Catering www.bagelnet.com santa barbara 53 S Milpas St. (805) 564 – 4331 M – F 6am – 4pm | Sat – Sun 7am – 3pm

carpinteria 5050 Carpinteria Ave. (805) 566 – 1558 M – F 6:30am – 3pm | Sat – Sun 7am – 3pm Justen, Director of Catering justencater@cox.net (805) 319 – 0155 | (805) 566 – 1558 x4

Just say Cheese! Wedding cheese wheel cakes by Fromagerie Sophie fromageriesophie.com

A playful sense of theatricality adds spice to this combination café, coffeehouse, and gift shop located in a Ventura business park. Owner Gwendolyn Zero’s entertainment-industry background is especially evident during regularly scheduled Wicked Dinners, thematic affairs that feature live music, special menus, and servers who may or may not be who they say they are. Everyday meals served on Wednesdays through Sundays are pretty special, too: Sauces, condiments, and dressings are made in-house, and area farms and ranches get shout-outs on a menu that includes baked goods and egg dishes at breakfast and an array of soups, salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads at lunch. Steamed mussels with white wine and crostini and prosciutto-strawberry bruschetta are two of the appetizers on the Witching Hour menu, and coffeecrusted Watkins Cattle Co. short ribs are among the dinner menu options. Adding to the fun: Sparkling Potions, aka cocktails made with wine, hard cider, or champagne. Bottled beer is also available.  MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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P.S. Sketchpad By Greg Clarke

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MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

9th Annual

wine AND BEYOND MAY 4-6 • PISMO BEACH, CA

FRIDAY, MAY 4

SUNDAY, MAY 6

Surf Movie Night

Rabobank’s Barrel to Barrel

The historic Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo kicks off this 3-day event with our Featured Film. This epic movie night is filled with community, culture, and surfing. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. All proceeds from this epic movie event will go to benefit Still Frothy!

Held on the ocean front lawn at the Cliffs Resort in Pismo Beach, this event features live music, over 40 visiting wineries & breweries, local cuisines, and our Wine, Waves & Beyond themed auction! All proceeds beneﬁt GleanSLO. *This event sells out – purchase tickets early.

SATURDAY, MAY 5 805 Surf Classic Presented by Still Frothy The 805 Surf Classic at the Pismo Beach Pier will feature a competition with teams comprised of male and female surfers from the 805 and a local Winemakers & Brew Masters heat. Don’t forget to visit us at the SeaVenture Beach Hotel for our Vintage VW display.

For more information and to purchase your tickets please visit: www.WineWavesandBeyond.com

805 STRONG #SHOPLOCAL #DINELOCAL #STAYLOCAL #SUPPORTLOCAL

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Rebecca Riskin

Our hearts are profoundly broken over the loss of Rebecca Riskin during the devastating flooding and mudslides in Montecito. Rebecca was an extraordinary broker and friend who has been a cherished part of our family for over twenty years. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and partners at Village Properties and throughout the community. We are committed to supporting Riskin Partners as they honor Rebeccaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy in the days and years to come.

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We’re here to lend a helping hand. If you have been affected by either the Thomas Fire or mudslides, we are offering assistance to help the residents and businesses of our communities. Visit montecito.bank/DisasterAssistance or ask a banker for more information.

montecito.bank • (805) 963-7511 Solvang • Goleta • Santa Barbara • Montecito Carpinteria • Ventura • Camarillo • Westlake Village *Available to current clients only.

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i n - s t o re santa barbara

Editor’s Note

805 Strong ELLEN DEGENERES MADE A SURPRISE APPEARANCE AT THE ONE805 KICK ASH BASH, AN EVENT I ATTENDED ON FEBRUARY 24, WHICH TOOK PLACE AT BELLA VISTA RANCH AND POLO CLUB in Summerland. The day honored our first responders and raised money for emergency response equipment, counseling services, and survivor relief for victims of the Thomas fire and debris flow. When Ellen stood before the audience of 2,300 heroes, their families, and the 700 area residents who were there to pay gratitude to them, this is (in part) what she said: “We have to think about all of the workers who have lost their jobs, all of the waiters, waitresses, all the people who have lost income for the past few months. Those are the people we need to be helping. So when you go in [to a restaurant] just give a little extra money to a server. Spend a little more money in a shop if you can because they’re loosing foot traffic, because the [Montecito] hotels aren’t opened up. So, we just have to keep doing everything we can, because this town will come back better and stronger. And I think we’ve all become closer because of it. I think everybody smiles a little bit more to one another and is a little more patient with one another…and that’s the good that comes out of something like this.” Ellen’s words referred to Montecito but they apply to all of the communities most directly impacted by the disaster. put together this special 805 Strong advertising supplement. I encourage you to peruse the following pages, read the messages of gratitude and support, and patronize these companies—and all of our locally owned businesses— whenever possible. Follow Ellen’s wise and encouraging advice and together we will make a difference.

Lynne Andujar Editor in Chief & Publisher edit@805living.com

MARCH 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

COVER: LUMINA/STOCKSY UNITED; THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: GARY MOSS; LYNNE ANDUJAR

To help support these communities, the 805 Living team

Fashion Like Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Never Dreamed

1118 STATE STREET, SANTA BARBARA www.renaissancefineconsignment.com

(805) 963-7800

f i n e p ro p e rt i e s r e p r e s e n t e d b y

D aniel e ncell

• #2 Berkshire Hathaway Agent in the Nation • Wall Street Journal “Top 100” Agents Nationwide (out of over 1.3 million) • Graduate of UCLA School of Law and former attorney (with training in Real Estate law, contracts, estate planning, and tax law) • Dedicated and highly trained full-time support staff • An expert in the luxury home market remember, it Costs no more to Work With the best (but it Can Cost you plenty if you don’t)

Dan Encell “The Real Estate Guy” Visit: www.DanEncell.com for market information & to search the entire MLS Call: (805) 565-4896 WATCH ME ON CHANNEL 4, MONDAYS AT 8:30PM! Email: danencell@aol.com Download my new app! “Dan Encell The Real Estate Guy” BRE #00976141

E ach Y Ear D an SpEnDS O vEr $250,000 I n M arkEtIng a nD a DvErtISIng! W elcome

“c asita D e m ariposa ,” a charming 1920’ s 3 beDroom / 2.5 s ituateD in m ontecito ’ s l oWer V illage that is conVenient c oast V illage r oaD anD b utterfly b each - in mus ! $3,579,000

bathroom home to both

T his classic 1920’ s M onTeciTo 4 B ed /4.5 B aTh M ediTerranean e sTaTe feaTures TiMeless s anTa B arBara archiTecTure - in Mus ! c harM and characTer ThroughouT . $2,395,000

B eautifully designed M ontecito 4 Bed /5 Bath i talian M editerranean e state with expansive ocean , island , and coastline views ! t his special property is perched on top of a hillside which allows for privacy , all while Being convenient to upper and lower villages ! $4,650,000

NEW LISTING! T hIS

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baThrooM

ExTENSIvELy rEModELEd hoME IS LocaTEd oN ThE hIGhLy SouGhT afTEr corrIdor ”.

“a LSToN

$3,200,000

NEW LISTING! G orGEouS aNd auThENTIc hacIENda STyLE homE LocaTEd IN m oNTEcITo ’ S L oWEr V ILLaGE ! T hIS maGNIfIcENT 3 bEd / 4 baTh homE ExudES a rESorT - LIkE ambIaNcE WITh muLTIpLE fouNTaINS , a SpEcTacuLar cENTraL courTyard WITh coVErEd paTIo , aNd a bEauTIfuL frEE form pooL aNd Spa ! $3,650,000

NEW LISTING! L uxurIouS M EdITErraNEaN bEach coNdo , coNvENIENT To EaST S aNTa b arbara W aTErfroNT . 2 b Ed / 2.5 b aTh WITh aTTachEd 2 car GaraGE , LauNdry , aNd ac . $1,695,000

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©2018 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties (BHHSCP) is a member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates LLC. BHH Affiliates LLC and BHHSCP do not guarantee accuracy of all data including measurements, conditions, and features of property. Information is obtained from various sources and will not be verified by broker or MLS.CalBRE#: 00976141

For Ventura merchandise visit 101 S California St, Ventura, CA 93001

Explore more at VisitVenturaCA.com

101 S California St, Ventura, CA 93001

#VenturaStrong

i n t e r i o r d e s i gn • gi f t s • ar t • gar d en 1225 Coast Village Road OPEN EVERYDAY UNTIL 55 805 565 4700 I kathrynedesigns.com

e p d In A p a r T t h B g o i l ttle n W C Su

Santa Barbara

Santa Ynez

805-965-7985 11am - 9pm

805-688-5757 11am - 6pm

2016 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 14% Alc. by Vol.

CarrWinery.com Pinot Noir - Cabernet Franc - Pinot Gris - Syrah - Sauvignon Blanc - RosĂŠ - Sangiovese - Grenache

full page March special edition digital.indd 1

1/27/18 2:16 PM

wine country cuisine in the heart of the Historic Arts District Fresh, local ingredients, prepared with care. Excellent wines that reflect the quality and character of our region and work in concert with the cuisine. Warm, inviting ambience with engaging service at a relaxed, leisurely pace. This is bouchon.

dinner nightly Sunday-Thursday 5-9pm | Friday-Saturday 5-10pm

bouchon 9 west victoria street

805.730.1160

bouchonsantabarbara.com

AMERICAN RIVIERA CUISINE EUROPEAN COURTYARD EXTENSIVE WINE LIST WineCask.com 813 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara 805.966.9463

Celebrating 55 Years! (805) 962-5339 • Just off Cabrillo Blvd. at East Beach • sbzoo.org

Bonita summerland a

Mother Denim Frank & Eileen Figue Carolina K Star Mela Mes Demoiselles Matta Chan Luu Tee Lab Calleen Cordero

POUPETTE ST. BARTHS Bonita 2330 Lillie Ave 805.565.3848 www.bonitasummerland.com

125 State St. Santa Barbara 805.770.5000

嘀椀猀椀琀漀甀爀一䔀圀吀愀猀琀椀渀最刀漀漀洀椀渀搀漀眀渀琀漀眀渀匀愀渀琀愀䈀愀爀戀愀爀愀Ⰰ 氀漀挀愀琀攀搀樀甀猀琀猀琀攀瀀猀愀眀愀礀昀爀漀洀匀琀愀琀攀匀琀爀攀攀琀椀渀琀栀攀栀椀猀琀漀爀椀挀倀爀攀猀椀搀椀漀一攀椀最栀戀漀爀栀漀漀搀⸀

䜀刀䄀匀匀䤀一䤀䘀䄀䴀䤀䰀夀嘀䤀一䔀夀䄀刀䐀匀㈀㐀䔀氀倀愀猀攀漀匀愀渀琀愀䈀愀爀戀愀爀愀Ⰰ 䌀䄀 ⠀㠀㔀⤀ 㠀㤀㜀ⴀ㌀㌀㘀㘀伀瀀攀渀䐀愀椀氀礀㄀㈀ⴀ㘀瀀洀圀圀圀 ⸀䜀刀䄀匀匀䤀一䤀䘀䄀䴀䤀䰀夀嘀䤀一䔀夀䄀刀䐀匀⸀ 䌀伀䴀

Fully Organic & Gluten Free Food Made From Scratch In-House Vegan, Vegetarian, and Meat Op>on Dishes Recipes Designed to Promote Health and Healing Indoor/Outdoor Sea>ng

254 E. Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023

(805) 798-9253

FoodHarmonicsOjai.com

Come in and enjoy 15 wines by the glass, 3 tasting menus and Organic cider on tap! Fox Wine Co. is a label created by Santa Barbara natives Blair and Sarah Fox. Blair Fox, Winemaker of the Year, fashions small lot, limited quantity wines focusing on the diversity of Santa Barbara County. His eponymous label, Blair Fox Cellars, is featured alongside the winemaking duoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fox Wine Co. label in the Waterline. Fox Wine Co. is located along the Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail in The Waterline at 120 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Open 7 days a week from 12-9pm

805.699.6329 - FoxWineCo.com

Locally owned businesses make our communities unique and contribute more to the economic vitality of our region by circulating a greater share of their revenues locally than national chains. Local businesses have experienced devastating financial losses due to recent disasters and need your patronage more than ever.

Think Local First for: Professional services Personal services Financial services Catering Dining Unique gifts Your daily coffee fix

Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) - Supporting small businesses since 1991 For more information go to: www.wevonline.org #805Strong #loveyourlocalbusiness

architecture | interior design | urban planning

Consistently REDEFINING and expanding the PERCEPTION of what is possible for people and our COMMUNITIES through architecture and DESIGN.

ÂŠ jason rick photography

AB design studio creates world-class residential design concepts that often blur the ( 80 5)

9 63- 210 0

www.abdesignstudioinc.com

line between the indoor environment and the natural surroundings. We strive to create seamless transitions that transform the experience of living.

MAGNOLIA HOME FURNITURE B Y

J O A N N A

G A I N E S

14 Parker Way Santa Barbara 805-470-9776 www.homesantabarb.com

Jason & Lynsey Trueman, Local Owners

Urban Santa Barbara has long been known

for it’s casual walk up wine tasting scene, until now. NOT TO BE MISSED are three amazing behind the scenes Appointment Only Wine Experiences at Jamie Slone Wines. Each experience takes place in their Classic Santa Barbara Style private reserve room, located in the Historic Presidio Neighborhood, Downtown Santa Barbara.

Hosted by owner Kym Slone is a Wine and Chocolate Experience that’s perfectly paired! If learning about identifying and tasting wine is of interest to you, then their Wine Education Experience is excellent. Jamie and Kym also host an Owner Wine Tasting that will give you an behind the scenes look at their winemaking journey, the local AVA’s (microclimates) and you’ll enjoy current release and reserve wines as well. It’s an elevated and local wine tasting experience Not To Be Missed.

Jamie Slone Wines specializes in limited production hand crafted wines from the best vineyards in Santa Barbara County, featuring several Red Blends, Pinot Noir, Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc and more. Mon-Thurs: 12pm-6pm | Fri: 12pm-7pm Sat: 11am-7pm | Sun: 11am-6pm 23 E. De La Guerra St. Santa Barbara, CA 805-560-6555 | jamieslonewines.com

Antiques and so much more for your home. Our HEARTS are 805 STRONG

as our neighbors, North and South recover from the devastating Thomas Fire and the Montecito Mudslide.

Discounts on almost everything in the store through all of March!

2192 Ortega Hill Road, Summerland, CA (805) 565-3189 www.summerlandantiquecollective.com

Deviate from the Norm

CELLARS

Family owned, small production winery making ultra premium Rhone varietal wines sourced from top SB vineyards. Escape the crowds and enjoy a tasting, glass or bottle in our unique, relaxing tasting room either inside or outside on our Dog Friendly patio. Also pouring Sparkling Rose & Sparkling Viognier by the glass

Open 7 days a week on the Urban Wine Trail in The Funk Zone! 28 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA (between Kunin & Brass Bear)

@dv8cellars

www.DV8Cellars.com

805-966-6601

VELVET SPLENDID CITIZENS OF HUMANITY STILLWATER GOOD HUYOUMAN AUGUSTE THE LABEL KAI FRAGRANCE TOM FORD SUNGLASSES CHASER JAMES JEANS DOLCE VITA J BRAND SUNDRY FAITHFULL FLYNN SKYE LEVEL 99 NIGHTCAP

C L O T H I N G

A N D

A C C E S S O R I E S

3817 Santa Claus Lane Carpinteria, CA 93013 rowanboutique.com 805.684.6474

rowanpadarobeach

@rowanboutique

local. Loved by locals. Sought by tourists. Dedicated to

community. Supported and supplied by neighbor farmers, ranchers, cheese and winemakers. #VenturaStrong.

inspired. Always changing, always amazing Weekly Specials.

Salads. Soups. Sandwiches. Hand selected farm-to-fork ingredients. This is where Fresh Meets Feast.

vibrant. Savor the experience of kind staff, attentive service and

easy ambience. Weekly Wine Flights invite you to discover winemaker secret crushes and great ﬁnds. EAT WITH US. SHOP WITH US. Enjoy our restaurant, shop our artisan market with cheeses from all over the world and wines that transform your meal. MEET THE PROPRIETORS. Kelly Briglio Briglio, Chef & Tina Thayer, Wine Specialist CONNECT WITH US. WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS. Visit our Website. Get our Newsletter. Join our Wine Club.

805 641 9440 • ParadisePantry.com • 222 East Main Street • Ventura California 93001

Fine Wining and Exquisite Dining in Ventura.

WINE MARKET | AWARD-WINNING RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR | GIFTS

thecaveventura.com Call 805-642-9449 for reservations. 4435 McGrath Street, STE 301 Ventura, CA 93003

Tasting Room Open Daily 12 - 6pm | 30 El Paseo | Santa Barbara, CA | 805-232-3549 Private Vineyard Tours and Tastings by Appointment www.happycanyonvineyard.com

Passion

Gratitude

Courage

In a time when simply having a home to return to matters most, we wish to express our gratitude to the life-saving first responders and individuals who call Santa Barbara their home. As a local business, Engel & VĂślkers knows how proud and resilient our city is. Arm in arm, hand in hand - we will rebuild.

ENGEL&VĂ&#x2013;LKERS Santa Barbara 1323 State Street | 805.342.0227 | santabarbara.evusa.com | @evsantabarbara | calDRE 02047392