805 Living September 2018 by 805 Living

SE P T E M BE R 2018

FOOD &WINE Santa Barbara chef Cat Cora shares insider intel on the local culinary scene.

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Contents SEPTEMBER 2018 • FOOD & WINE

CULINARY INTELLIGENCE

Epicurean experts dish about what’s hot on the 805 food-andwine scene, revealing their favorite local chefs, ingredients, eateries, and more. Find out what makes the area special for these famed foodies. By Ryan Brown Photographs by Gar y Moss

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

OF BOOKS & BOTTLES

Serving up literary history’s famous drinkers and their drinks. By Greg Clarke and Monte Beauchamp Illustrations by Greg Clarke Introduction by Anthony Head

102

GRAINIACS REJOICE! When it comes to bread, Roan Mills takes the field-to-table concept very seriously. By Joan Tapper Photographs by Gar y Moss

A baker flours loaves for the proofing stage, the next-to-the last step in the growing-milling-baking process at Roan Mills in Fillmore.

GARY MOSS

FEATURES 86

Contents SEPTEMBER 2018 • FOOD & WINE

DEPARTMENTS Pulse

39 Tracking the Beat of the 805

Finds

47 Italian Night

Up your pizza and pasta game with fresh recipes, tools, and ingredients. By Jennie Nunn

50 Do the White Thing

This fall, fashion breaks the rule. Rebel in the hue usually reserved for summer. By Frances Ryan

52 Travel By Erin Rottman

58 SANTA MONICA: Savoring SaMo Good times aren’t limited to this city’s famous beach and Ferris

wheel. Its robust dining scene provides plenty of flavorful adventures, as well. By Heidi Dvorak

Insider By Heidi Dvorak

62 Local Events & Family Fun 64 Hot Ticket 66 Show Your Support 68 Worth a Drive 69 Give Back

70 Mind Body Soul By Linda Kossoff

Faces in the Crowd 72 Stephanie Mutz

A Santa Barbara sea urchin fisher delivers fresh-from-the-sea gold. By Nancy Ransohoff Photograph by Gary Moss

On the Cover Celebrity chef, author, and restaurateur Cat Cora reveals her favorite local hole-in-the-wall eatery, the 805-area ingredient she has just tried for the first time, and more. Find out where and what she and other pros are eating and drinking on page 86.

Arts & Culture

Photograph by Gary Moss Hair and Makeup: Rachel Herrera Styling: Diani, dianiboutique.com Shot on location at Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

By Joan Tapper Photographs by Gary Moss

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

74 Abstract Expressions

A Santa Ynez Valley vineyard provides more than just a beautiful backdrop for Seyburn Zorthian’s artistic journey.

Upgrades 79 Gray Area

Cook up a storm among kitchen finishes in the colors of dappled clouds.

112 WINE: Vine Crossroads

Finding the world’s great grape varieties right here at home. By David Gadd

By Frances Ryan

114 DINING OUT:

Good Deeds

Mollie’s on the Move An Italian favorite gets a new venue in Santa Barbara.

82 Alzheimer’s Association, Oaks Christian School, and Laguna Blanca School

By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

By Mark Langton Photographs by Brad Elliott and Mark Langton

118 Dining Guide

Taste

136 Secret Menu Culinary

Three local chefs showcase these vibrant and versatile veggies in recipes that will wow your guests.

By Greg Clarke

108 FOOD: Rad Radishes

By Nancy Ransohoff

P.S. Sketchpad

Cocktails of the 805

In Every Issue

20 Editor’s Note 26 Masthead 32 Behind the Scenes

Visit Us Online! 805living.com Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest keyword: 805Living Check out the free digital version of 805 Living on our website and on issuu.com. It’s smartphone and tablet compatible. Become an 805 Living Insider! Sign up to receive “The Insider,” our free mid-month newsletter that provides additional suggestions for local events and activities, last-minute getaway ideas, and little extras—like food and wine tips—to help you get through the month. Insiders will also receive special offers, contest news, event invitations, and more. Subscribe at 805living.com.

114 AND 72 GARY MOSS; 52 JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU RESORT

114

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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. ©2018 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC

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Editor’s Note

“Eat Local” Has Never Sounded so Delicious IT SEEMS LIKE ALMOST EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY EMPHASIZES ITS OWN SPECIFIC LOCAL DISHES AND TRADITIONAL COOKING STYLES, AS WELL AS RECOGNIZES THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN. The 805 is no different. Long recognized for our vast bounty of fresh ingredients from the land and sea, with all our gastronomic experiences, now more than ever we’re a coveted destination for the food-and-wine-loving world. In creating this annual Food & Wine issue, we tapped some of the region’s brightest epicurean talents to help show off our unique culinary culture. For instance, I’m so proud to have Iron Chef Cat Cora representing our home turf as well as gracing our cover. She’s a powerhouse talent and a champion of the Central Coast’s culinary heritage. When we photographed her in Santa Barbara I was so impressed by how in-the-moment she was, never allowing the stress of juggling local and international enterprises to show through for one second. When we chatted after the shoot, she seemed focused on growing her brand with a conquer-the-world attitude. Of course, we do have to share her with the world, sometimes, but she always loves coming back home and we love having her. It’s the same with Rajat Parr, a winemaker of great acclaim and co-author of Secrets of the Sommeliers, which won a James Beard Award. He can’t spend all his time with us, but he chooses the pinot noir and chardonnay grapes from Lompoc, the Sta. Rita Hills, and elsewhere in Santa Barbara County when crafting his world-class wines. They’re in as much demand abroad as he is. You can find out what Parr, Cora, and other local epicurean innovators love right now about the Central Coast in our “Culinary Intelligence” feature on page 86. Also, check out an exclusive preview of A Sidecar Named Desire: Great Writers and the Booze That Stirred Them on page 96. Our contributing illustrator from Thousand Oaks, Greg Clarke, co-authored and illustrated this colorful, informative book filled with the kind of knowledge that dazzles at cocktail parties, and you can read some of it here first. Naturally, these stories represent a mere fraction of our influential and growing culinary arts scene. It’s for all the world to enjoy, and thankfully, it’s always here for us locals whenever we want.

Lynne Andujar edit@805living.com

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

GARY MOSS

Editor in Chief & Publisher

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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 WRITERS

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

Greg Clarke RESEARCH EDITORS

Gaylen Ducker Grody, Tajinder Rehal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Gary Moss CONSULTING EDITOR

Anthony Head

interior design

home furnishings

805 Living content may not be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopy, without the express written permission of the publisher. 805 Living is not responsible for loss of or damage to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork, or any other unsolicited material. Unsolicited material will not be returned. 3Digit Media, LLC, and its affiliates, contributors, writers, editors, and publisher accept no responsibility for errors or omissions with information and/or advertisements contained herein. 3Digit Media’s liability in the event of an error is limited to a printed correction. 3Digit Media does not assume liability for products or services advertised herein and assumes no responsibility for claims made by the advertisers.

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Santa Barbara County Real estate, home builders, architects, wineries diane@805living.com 818-879-3951

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805 LIVING, SEPTEMBER 2018

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Behind the Scenes

Whoa! Is that a pickle in that parfait? We asked our featured contributors about how their taste buds were surprisingly tantalized by an unexpected ingredient in their favorite local dish.

Victoria Woodard Harvey Contributing writer Victoria Woodard Harvey (Dining Out, page 114) is obsessed with a dish she tried in Santa Barbara. “I can’t stop thinking about Barbareño’s squid ink carbonara,” she says. “It’s topped with local uni and an unexpected sauce using fresh sorrel.”

Ryan Brown “In Agoura, Tifa’s strawberry balsamic gelato is a surprisingly delicious marriage of flavors,” says contributing writer Ryan Brown (Pulse, page 39, and “Culinary Intelligence,” page 86). “Though balsamic vinegar doesn’t find its way into many of my favorite desserts, it adds a richness and depth that complements the sweet berries in this little treat.”

Contributing illustrator Greg Clarke (“Of Books & Bottles,” page 96, and P.S. Sketchpad, page 136) loves the 3 Amigos Burrito at 3 Amigos. “It includes grilled poblano peppers,” he says. “In Mexican cuisine, the mild poblano pepper—often mistakenly called a pasilla—is not an unexpected ingredient, but finding it in a burrito in Thousand Oaks is unusual.”

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Behind the Scenes

Our experts reveal some unusual ingredients that have pleased their palates. “I make farfalle con radicchio with cherry tomatoes and a little cream. Radicchio is one of my favorite ingredients that I get from Tri-County Produce in Santa Barbara.” —Mollie Ahlstrand

(Dining Out, page 114) owner Mollie Santa Barbara tmollie.com

“Any dish using fresh za’atar from Robert ‘B.D.’ Dautch’s produce stand at the farmer’s market. It perfumes food.” —Pascale Beale

(Taste/Food, page 108) cookbook author, owner Pascale’s Kitchen Santa Barbara pascaleskitchen.com

“Shrimp & Grits from The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar in Paso Robles. Grits? When’s the last time you had grits?” —Dina Mande

(Pulse, page 39) filmmaker, photographer Juice Media Paso Robles hellojuice.com

“At Malibu Farm Restaurant, the Cauliflower Crust Pizza—thin crisp crust made from organic cauliflower.” MANDE: AARON JAY YOUNG

—Kerry Clasby

(“Culinary Intelligence,” page 86) aka The Intuitive Forager, farmer The Farm at Malibu intuitiveforager.com

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Pulse

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

Pizzarita? The Kapai Margarita is a toast to the flavors of pizza.

GARY MOSS

GET ’EM WHILE THEY LAST

Cheers to the culinary cocktail trend that has mixologists’ creative juices flowing as they borrow techniques, ingredients, and flavors from their colleagues in the kitchen. 805 Living challenged three area bartenders to come up with their spins on this sippable trend. Don’t miss out—these inspired tipples are September specials only.

What: The Kapai Margarita (kapai means “good job” in Maori) from Jillian Coalson and Gwithyen Thomas, a pizzareminiscent marriage of a Bloody Mary and a margarita made with a reposado tequila that has been infused with heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil and a smoked mozzarella garnish. Where: Aroha New Zealand Cuisine & Bar, Westlake Village, aroharestaurant.com When: September 1 to 30

What: Holy Mole, a mole negro– evocative dessert cocktail by Sean Sepulveda made with mezcal, half-and-half, a house-made syrup of roasted chiles, and tinctures of herbs, spices, and nuts. Where: Santo Mezcal, Santa Barbara, santomezcalsb.com When: September 1 to 30

What: The Coffee and Cardamom Manhattan from Alberto Battaglini, a twist on the classic revved up with house-made coffee-infused sweet vermouth, barrel-select bourbon, fresh coffee, and cardamom bitters. Where: S.Y. Kitchen, Santa Ynez, sykitchen.com When: September 1 to 30 —Nancy Ransohoff

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Pulse

KINDRED SPIRITS ON CAMERA THE LAST STRAW

In an effort to reduce plastic pollution, proposed California State Assembly Bill 1884 would make it illegal for dinein food establishments in California to provide single-use plastic straws to consumers unless specifically requested—legislation that some cities, like Malibu and San Luis Obispo, have already adopted. For an in-depth look at the environmental impact that inspired these initiatives, catch a screening of Linda Booker’s Straws (strawsfilm.com), a documentary featuring an animated history of straw pollution and paths to a solution, narrated by Oscar-winner Tim Robbins, at the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center on Thursday, September 13 at 6 p.m. Admission is free, and stainless-steel water bottles will be given to attendees while supplies last. For those interested in joining the fight against plastic straws, The Container Store (containerstore.com) offers the practical U Konserve stainless-steel straw; or for the ultimate in glamour, Tiffany & Co. provides a variety of straws made from precious metals including gold, rose gold, and silver (left, tiffany.com).

—Ryan Brown

A member of the Tin City film crew watches a scene unfold through the lens.

Filmmaker Dina Mande’s documentary Tin City (tincityfilm. com) distills the impassioned workmanship of the winemakers, brewers, and cider masters of the eponymous craft beverage market in Paso Robles. Though the film began as a brief, impromptu test for Mande’s new camera, the artisans’ zeal quickly captured her imagination. “They are just so passionate, such characters, and so unique from each other, and wine isn’t being made like this anywhere,” says Mande. “The more interviews I did, the more I realized that this is a longer story, so now it’s a feature-length film.” Mande’s film shows how her subjects breathe life into their crafts. “They’re getting inspiration from each other and challenging each other in ways that winemakers working miles apart don’t quite have, that kind of challenge and camaraderie,” says Mande. “My goal with the film is to allow the viewer to be immersed in the sights and sounds of making these delicious wines, ciders, and spirits, and all the fun [the beverage makers] have while they’re doing it.” Tin City is set to be completed before harvest this October. Mande plans to submit it to local film festivals. —R.B.

The ever-popular Pink’s (facebook.com/camarillopinks) hot dog, made famous 79 years ago in Hollywood, is now satisfying hungry shoppers at the Camarillo Premium Outlets. In a nod to the company’s history, the new eatery sports a Hollywood-themed mural on one wall and 40 celebrity photos on the other, but the menu is streamlined. Only the big stars—21 hot dog combos including Chili Cheese and Chicago Polish dogs, plus six burger varieties—made the cut. But apparently the inclusion rider clears the way for corn dogs, chicken fingers, onion rings, and fries. Delicious deal! —Heidi Dvorak

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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Los Angeles retailer The Wine House (winehouse.com), an approved provider of programs from the prestigious Londonbased Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), has launched the first approved resident WSET program in Paso Robles, offering courses and certifications for wine connoisseurs and service professionals as well as curious beginners. Courses in Paso Robles are taught by The Wine House education program head Monica Marin, a master of wine candidate, French-accredited Bordeaux educator, and accredited sherry educator, and Melanie Webber, who holds a diploma in wines and spirits certification. “We are very excited to bring the WSET program on-site to Paso Robles,” says Marin, “beginning with our level 1 award, a great and fun start to wine education for anyone who wants to expand their understanding of wine and achieve a wine certification.” The next WSET level 1 course is scheduled for October 22 and 23 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Broken Earth Winery. For 2019, The Wine House plans level 1 and level 2 courses quarterly in Paso Robles. Classes are also available in Santa Barbara.  —David Gadd

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

Italian Night Up your pizza and pasta game with fresh recipes, tools, and ingredients. By Jennie Nunn

Learn to make variations including (from left) egg pasta, herbed pasta, beet pasta, buckwheat pasta, and spinach pasta in The Fresh Pasta Cookbook by Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen (turn the page for details). SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Finds 1

4 5

1. Alessi “Cheese Please” grater ($65); Alessi, Los Angeles, alessi.com. 2. Casarecce pasta ($8 for a 17.6ounce box); Etto Pastificio, Paso Robles, ettopastificio.com. 3. Alessi “Taio” pizza wheel ($60); Honor Market, Santa Barbara, honormarket.com; and alessi.com.

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4. Large black-and-white checked napkins ($48 for a set of four); Fold, Santa Barbara, foldsantabarbara.com. 5. Kalamazoo “Artisan Fire” pizza oven ($7,995); Thousand Oaks Fireside and Design, thousandoaksfiresideanddesign.com. 6. White enamel stainless-steel colander ($13); Cost Plus World Market at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, Simi Valley, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo; worldmarket.com. 7. Walnut pasta fork ($18); WilliamsSonoma at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara, The San Luis Obispo Collection, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; williams-sonoma.com.

8. Rectangular pizza stone ($30); Sur La Table at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, Santa Barbara, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; surlatable.com.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

9. The Fresh Pasta Cookbook by Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen ($15); Tecolote Book Shop, Santa Barbara, tecolotebookshop.com. 10. Stainless-steel oil container ($32); Williams-Sonoma at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara, The San Luis Obispo Collection, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; williams-sonoma.com. 

Finds Style By Frances Ryan

Do the White Thing

1 2

This fall, fashion breaks the rule. Rebel in the hue usually reserved for summer.

3 1. White agate earrings with diamonds and rose gold ($7,200); Silverhorn at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara, silverhorn.com.

2. “Terry” tie-neck ruffle blouse ($285); Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet at Malibu Lumber Yard, aliceandolivia.com. 3. Once Was “Lita” sweater ($220); Sharon Segal, Nina Segal at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village; facebook.com/ sharonsegalninasegal. 4. Kristin Cavallari “Satine” booties ($175); nordstrom.com. 5. Quilted-leather crossbody bag ($90); Zara at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, and Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park; zara.com.

6. Dita Mann sunglasses ($525); Advanced Optometrics, Westlake Village, advancedoptometrics. com; and Solstice Sunglasses at Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, and The San Luis Obispo Collection; solsticesunglasses.com.

8 9

10 11

7. Roberto Coin mother-of-pearl and diamond necklace (price on request); Polacheck’s Jewelers at The Commons at Calabasas, polachecks.com. 8. Moussy “MV Kelley” tapered pants ($300); Sharon Segal, Nina Segal at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, facebook.com/sharonsegalninasegal. 9. 3.1 Phillip Lim gathered-sleeve smocked bomber jacket ($795); Intermix at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village, and Malibu Lumber Yard; intermixonline.com. 10. “The Shopping Tote” ($995); Stuart Weitzman at Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, stuartweitzman.com. 11. Alexander McQueen faceted white stone ring ($300); Intermix at The Promenade at Westlake, Westlake Village and Malibu Lumber Yard; intermixonline.com. 

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Finds Travel By Erin Rottman

Executive chef Matthew Kammerer (right) picks ingredients for use in dishes he serves at the Harbor House Inn (above) restaurant, like his aged cypress-smoked duck entrée (below).

fter combing the coast from the San Juan Islands to Santa Barbara looking for an untouched sort of place not overrun by tourists, chef Matthew Kammerer settled on the community of Elk in Mendocino County, where he could enjoy ocean views and plenty of space to grow his own food. Kammerer now runs the restaurant at the Harbor House Inn (theharborhouseinn. com; from $460), which recently reopened after eight years of renovation. Dinner is a 10-course tasting menu that changes frequently based on what Kammerer and his three chefs pick that day. Vegetables and fruits start from seed in the greenhouse

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

before being moved to raised beds, while seaweed, like wakame and nori, is harvested from a cove on the property. Crab and rockfish come from the ocean waters near Fort Bragg and Albion. The restaurant is known for its sea lettuce–sourdough bread, and Kammerer attributes its popularity to freshness. “It’s just the advantage we have of picking every single day before dinner service,” he says. Set on a bluff, the inn has nine guest rooms designed in a traditional style with redwood paneling, leather club chairs, and fireplaces. Guests can also enjoy in-room massages and private cookouts on the beach below.

HOT TIP

For wine-country lovers ready to move beyond grapes, Savor Healdsburg Food Tours has introduced the Taste of Healdsburg Happy Hour Tour (savorhealdsburgfoodtours.com; $79) on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The tour includes new spots off the main square, such as Young & Yonder Spirits, an artisan distillery that produces vodka, gin, bourbon, and absinthe, and The Taste of Tea, where sips focus on sake. Along with libation tastings and small bites, the tour spotlights business owners who grew up in the area, moved away, then returned to their roots, says Savor Healdsburg owner Tammy Gass.

ROUNDUP IN ARIZONA

Wrangle cows, whip up blue-ribbon salsa, and stain a leather belt at Tanque Verde Ranch (tanqueverderanch.com; from $409 per night, all-inclusive), next to Tucson’s cactus-dotted Saguaro National Park. The ranch also offers hiking, fishing, mountain biking, swimming, and tennis, and activities involving its 150 horses. General manager Terry Hanley has a penchant for penning, a sport in which three to five players on horseback have three minutes to herd calves into pens worth various point values. “You can get on a horse and go for a ride anywhere,” Hanley says, adding that strategy and teamwork make team penning fun. The ranch is offering an expanded activity schedule and spa discounts during its wellness month in October.

A young guest practices roping skills at Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson.

HOTEL: COURTESY OF HARBOR HOUSE INN; KAMMERER AND DISH: JOHN STOREY PHOTOGRAPHY; ROPER: COURTESY OF TANQUE VERDE RANCH

FLAVORS OF MENDOCINO

Finds Travel

UP AND AWAY IN SANTA FE

Focused on sustainability, the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort

(fijiresort.com; six-nights all-inclusive from $4,250) is the only resort in Fiji with a full-time resident biologist. Johnny Singh guides snorkeling excursions and rainforest hikes, helping guests see the environment through his eyes. “We focus on interactions and things they don’t usually notice,” Singh says. The resort’s 25 luxury bures are set in tropical gardens on Savusavu Bay and feature wood floors, oversize bathrooms, and private decks with hammocks. In front of the resort lies a

one-to-two-square-mile marine protected area. Singh offers rare opportunities for direct involvement in conservation through the mangrove and coral planting programs. The latter begins with snorkeling to collect coral fragments that have broken naturally due to waves and wind. Participants glue them onto small concrete mounds the size of a baseball and set them back in the water so the coral can grow, creating new habitats for fish. The staff monitors the coral and emails pictures to keep guests updated once they’re back home.

Guests of the eco-friendly Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort stay in luxurious bures (below), the exteriors of which resemble homes in a traditional Fijian village. A glimpse of what’s below the surface (top, center) inspires a visit to the on-site dive center to book a seat on a boat (top, left) for an underwater excursion.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Attendees of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta can retreat to a casita-style guest room at Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado, where a private terrace showcases the setting sun and a fireplace keeps things cozy.

to 14, now sports almost 600 colorful hot air balloons and is purported to be one of the world’s most photographed events. Balloon Glows, evening events in which balloons are illuminated from the inside by the burners that inflate them, are among the most popular occasions of the festival, according to Four Seasons adventure coordinator Forest Fene. “It’s really beautiful seeing it after sunset with all the balloons lit up,” he says. “People are celebratory.” The hotel can set up a private hot air balloon ride in Santa Fe, where passengers can help fill the balloon with hot air and assist with takeoff. Once in the quiet sky, they are surrounded with panoramas spanning the Jemez Mountains, Sangre de Cristos, and Rio Grande River. Balloon packages include transportation to the festival and in-room treats: Santa Fe Brewing Co. beer, spiced nuts, and chocolate-dipped jalapeños. 

BOAT, REEF, AND BURE: JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU RESORT, FIJI; HOTEL: CHRISTIAN HORAN/FOUR SEASONS RESORT RANCHO ENCANTADO

ECORESTORATION IN FIJI

our Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado

(fourseasons.com/santafe; packages from $1,500) in New Mexico offers customizable hot-air balloon packages, and this fall they’re in conjunction with the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (balloonfiesta.com). Originally held in a mall parking lot with just 13 of the aircraft in 1972, the gathering, which runs from October 6

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Go Santa Monica By Heidi Dvorak

Savoring SaMo

eptember may be the best month of all to visit Santa Monica. School’s back in session, a hoard of tourists have returned home, and the temperature is a tad cooler, in other words, perfect. Two diversely different hotels with new offerings make the cut here, but new restaurants take center stage, since there are a whopping 500 eateries packed in the city’s 8.3 square miles. STAY Just four blocks from frenzied beach traffic, the regal Le

Méridien Delfina Santa Monica

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

(lemeridiendelfina.com) serves as an intimate retreat. Many rooms have ocean views, and the interior is peppered with works by noted local artists like Laddie John Dill. September spotlights Au Soleil: A Summer Soirée, a celebration of amusements, such as evening tours of the Santa Monica History Museum and Rosé & Illustrate, which are instructor-led painting sessions enhanced by glasses of rosé. The ultra-mod LEED Gold–certified Shore Hotel (shorehotel.com) honors its seven-year anniversary of sustainability this fall with special packages for guests as well as perks on eco product sampling and green transportation throughout September. Request the

official Green Tour to see how the hotel embraces the city’s eco-conscious conservation efforts, such as with a gym floor made of recycled tires. EAT A visit to the Santa Monica Pier is de rigueur. There, diners at the rooftop lounge of Seaside on the Pier (seasideonthepier. com) can claim bragging rights to an expansive ocean view as well as elevated Cali beach fare, like succulent coconut shrimp, perfectly fried crab cakes, hefty burgers, and twice-cooked buffalo wings. The Pacific is also visible from the outdoor patio of Tūmbi Craft Indian Kitchen (tumbibar. com). Chef Imran Ali Mookhi is more like a curator of Indian, Pakistani, and Afghani street >

Green-minded and deliciously diverse (clockwise from top, right): The pool at Shore Hotel is solar-heated; farmers’ market finds and a host of culinary traditions drive Native menu items like Fig Vanilla Custard; Tūmbi chef Imran Ali Mookhi turns out South Asian cuisine; guest rooms at Le Méridien Delfina Santa Monica, a winner of the city’s Sustainable Quality Award, come with a green incentive: Declining daily housekeeping earns vouchers for local eateries; Seaside on the Pier serves creative casual food beside the Pacific Wheel.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP, RIGHT: COURTESY OF SHORE HOTEL; JAKE AHLES PHOTOGRAPHY; CARL LARSEN; DAVID PHELPS; COURTESY OF SEASIDE ON THE PIER

Good times aren’t limited to this city’s famous beach and Ferris wheel. Its robust dining scene provides plenty of flavorful adventures, as well.

2018 Award of Excellence Wine Spectator and

2018 Favorite Seafood and Romantic Dining

Ventura County Star Readers’ Choice Awards Aroha specializes in New Zealand free-range, grass-fed organic meats, fresh New Zealand seafood that’s on your plate less than 48 hours out of the water, and local, organic produce. Dinner highlights include Cervena Venison with cherry compote and vanilla parsnip purée, Elk Rack with blackberry and smoked chocolate, and fresh fish including Ora King salmon, gurnard, and hapuka. A children’s menu is available. Brunch highlights include bottomless mimosas, venison sausage, Ora King Salmon eggs benedict, and blueberry ricotta pancakes. Chef Thomas proudly accommodates any allergies or dietary restrictions and our menus are 100% gluten-free optional.

Tues-Sun 4:30-9:30pm Dinner | Sat-Sun 9am-2:30pm Brunch | Happy Hour 4:30-6:30pm (805) 405-5054 | ArohaRestaurant.com 30990 Russell Ranch rd, Unit C | Westlake Village

Go Santa Monica

food with standouts like pani puri, a chickpea-filled puff pastry set atop a glass of kickass tamarind-mint water, as well as rich, creamy Butter Chicken. Del Frisco’s Grille (delfriscosgrille.com) is the seaside scene for comfort food brunch dishes on steroids. Crack Coffee is a wildly pleasant eye-opener of cold brew infused with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum. Beyond

indulgent are Nonna’s Pan Cinnamon Rolls swimming in bourbon-espresso caramel sauce and Croque Madame oozing with garlic crème. Powerhouse restaurateurs Jeremy Fox, Josh Loeb, and Zoe Nathan bring their culinary spins to Mexican cuisine at Tallula’s (tallulasrestaurant.com), a beach-close hang featuring organic fare, such as Albondigas With Cranberry Beans, Squash Blossom Quesadilla, Chicken With Peach-Almond Mole, and margaritas.

The lure of the Pacific is strong, but venturing inland has its rewards, too. If only the communal table is available at Native Restaurant (eatnative.la), Top Chef contestant Nyesha Arrington’s showplace of creative eats, grab a seat for dishes like Charred Eggplant Mousse, Korean Fried Chicken, and Foraged Mushroom Spaghetti. If the Anthony Bourdain mural outside of Gramercy (gramercysm.com) indicates anything, it’s that this dressed-down neighborhood bar and eatery is far from ordinary. Flat-screens may dominate the décor, but stellar dishes such as the Slider Trio (with pork belly), Maine Lobster Roll, and the Burrata Salad deliver top-notch taste. Curious about where the next great chef might be learning the culinary ropes? Check out the new location of The Gourmandise School (thegourmandiseschool.com) at Santa Monica Place. That’s where working chefs like Evan Kleiman or Rose Lawrence might be guest instructors in either of two commercial kitchens. And to take some of Santa Monica home, stop by the Third Street Promenade for artistic sugary treats from Carlo’s Bake Shop (bakeshop. carlosbakery.com), made famous on Cake Boss. 

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF THE GOURMADISE SCHOOL OF SWEETS & SAVORIES; CHRISTOPHER HOUSTON

The Gourmandise School (above) teaches pros and novices how to make the most of locally sourced ingredients. The brunch menu at Del Frisco’s Grille offers Nonna’s Pan Cinnamon Rolls (below), topped with bourbon-espresso caramel sauce and toasted pecans.

Insider EVENTS IN & AROUND THE 805 By Heidi Dvorak

Wynton Marsalis

9/27

Through November 4

September 15

September 23

LOCAL CLAY

TASTE OF DOWNTOWN

Santa Paula Art Museum. Coiled columns that resemble fabric and porcelain leaves are just two of the distinctly different works of Ventura County ceramic artists Marianne McGrath and Cheryl Ann Thomas. Their pieces are so lifelike, it’s tempting to want to touch them. The dual exhibit is a testament to the versatility of clay; santapaulaartmuseum.org.

Downtown Paso Robles. Take a stroll and stop in more than 25 participating local restaurants and wineries to try their featured dishes and wines. Check out the sidewalks, too, for chalk creations from the Arte de Tiza art show; pasoroblesdowntown.org.

BOY GEORGE AND CULTURE CLUB

September 14–October 6

Alex Madonna Expo Center. General contractors, landscapers, closet organizers, painters, and experts on tile, granite, appliances, solar energy, and more are ready to provide guidance on repairs, renovations, and general improvements. See the newest products and attend DIY seminars; inspiredexpos.com.

IS HE DEAD?

Conejo Players Theatre, Thousand Oaks. With a faked death, a tooclever disguise, and more twists and turns than a Rubik’s Cube, this adaptation of Mark Twain’s play seems part Shakespearean, part melodrama. See what tangled webs are woven when a gifted young painter owes a debt to an evil art dealer; conejoplayers.org.

Santa Barbara Bowl. The chameleon of karmic proportions is set to perform his hits as part of the Life Tour. The B-52s and the Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey are also on the bill; sbbowl.com. September 27

September 15–16 HOME & GARDEN EXPO OF SAN LUIS OBISPO

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA

Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis leads his ensemble in a very different type of jazz concert. Featured is Spaces, his wildly interpretive suite about the animal kingdom, incorporating street dance, tap, and Big Band jazz; pacslo.org.

Family Fun SIMI VALLEY DAYS

9/29—30

Here’s an Idea: Learn a bit of California history and see a splendid example of Victorian Queen Anne–style architecture by taking the FERNALD MANSION TOUR. The two-story residence, built by community leader Charles Fernald in the late 1860s as a present to his bride, was saved from demolition by the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Now the public can tour the property by reservation. The house has undergone restoration but still has many of its original furnishings and artifacts; sbhistorical.org.

Simi Valley Town Center. The theme of this year’s extravaganza is Simi in the Movies, and, indeed, the region is featured in many films due to its western ambience. Activities include a parade, music festival, and carnival. The 14th is devoted to special-needs kids; svdays.com. September 15 VENTURA COUNTY TOY CON

Ventura Majestic Theater. Cosplay is encouraged at this toy land on steroids. Meet and talk to the creators of playthings for all ages at this showcase of games, comics, dinosaurs, stuffed animals, dolls, trucks, and more; vctoycon.com.

Downtown Los Alamos. The SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

September 29–30

Farm, (dedicated to first responders), Farm Country Weekend, Antique Tractor Weekend, Wild West Weekend, and All About Pumpkins—offer activities such as a pumpkin drop, animal shows, singing cowboys, tractor parades, a cornstalk labyrinth, and pig races; underwoodfamilyfarms.com.

LEMON FESTIVAL

Girsh Park, Goleta. It’s a fest with zest, so come out and enjoy everything this lovely yellow fruit inspires: pie-eating contests, a Lemon Run, a classic car show, carnival rides, games, mini golf, bounce houses, slot cars, and live entertainment; lemonfestival.com. September 29–October 31 FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL

September 28–30 LOS ALAMOS VALLEY OLD DAYS

Valley of the Cottonwoods recalls its western history with kick-ass community fun, such as a chili party, the Greatest Little Small-Town Parade, a Peddler’s Mart, a dance, a pancake breakfast, a barbecue and a beer garden; facebook.com/losalamos-valley-mens-club.

Underwood Family Farms, Moorpark. Five themed weekends—Friends of the

October 6 MOM EXPO 2018

The Oaks, Thousand Oaks. It’s the ultimate playdate: Both moms and children can get in on the action at this kid-centric tradeshow, where the latest on health, wellness, education, party-giving, sports, fitness, recreation, and products is showcased, along with kiddie activities and speaker panels; lamomexpo.com. >

FROM TOP: JOE MARTINEZ; JAY FARBMAN

September 13–16

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Through September 23: Inspired by several large drawings in the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s permanent collection, SUMMER NOCTURNE: WORKS ON PAPER FROM THE 1970s represents stylistic practices and the culture of that era. Included are works by Robert Beauchamp, Huguette Caland, Richard Dunlap, Dane Goodman, Luchita Hurtado, Tom Marioni, Marie Schoeff, Michelle Stuart, Joan Tanner, and John M. White; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, sbma.net. Through October 14: Chaos and detail provide an unusual balance at BARRY McGEE, an eponymous exhibition of the San Francisco–based artist’s work. McGee incorporates improvisation in many of his paintings, drawings, and sculptural objects, which are juxtaposed against found objects, ephemera, and other artists’ creations; Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, mcasantabarbara.org. Through October 14: Within a darkened space, 24 color televisions mounted on pedestals are arranged on an arc in late artist Nam June Paik’s exhibit TV CLOCK. This work, created by a trailblazer of video art, is on view for the first time in nearly a decade. Each electronic image was created by manipulating televisions to compress its red, green, and blue color into a single line against a black background. Rather than using a videotape, disc, or computer chip, Paik created an image by manipulating electronic elements in a way that resembles measuring time; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, sbma.net. Through April 2019: Elegant design and handcrafting are the hallmarks of the French builders of cars such as Bugatti, Citroen, De Villars, Vanvooren, and others. In L’ÉPOQUE DES CARROSIERS: THE ART AND TIMES OF THE FRENCH COACHBUILDERS Concours-winning vehicles

are on view including the famed 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic; Mullin Automobile Museum, Oxnard, mullinautomotivemuseum.com.

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September 14–16: For those who can’t make it to Denmark—or for those who can’t get enough of Denmark—attending the 82nd annual SOLVANG DANISH DAYS is the next best thing. Take in three parades, living history exhibits, traditional music and dance, arts and crafts, regional foods, and readings of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales; Solvang locations, solvangdanishdays.org. September 19: Brothers Bear Rinehart (vocals and guitar) and Bo Rinehart (vocals and guitar) along with Seth Bolt (vocals and bass) and Josh Lovelace (vocals and keyboard) make up the gasp-worthy South Carolina alt-rock band NEEDTOBREATHE. This performance is one leg of the band’s Forever

on Your Side Tour. The Johnnyswim folk duo also perform; Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles, vinaroblesamphitheatre.com. September 27: Twenty-three years ago, the album Jagged Little Pill debuted. Back then, its pertinent lyrics about addiction, feminism, gender identity, and gun control hit home. Seems that the words of ALANIS MORISSETTE are more pertinent than ever as her album is now a stage musical, turning on a whole new generation to her songs. The seven-time Grammy Award–winner and activist performs her hits in this concert spotlighting her emotionally charged vocals, multi-instrumental chops, and biting words; Santa Barbara Bowl, sbbowl.com. September 28–October 14: What is the meaning and purpose of art? A solid white painting stands at the center of a debate on this question as SLO Rep presents ART, a Tony Award–winning French-language play written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton. As three comrades hash out the answers, their friendship is tested in this comedy that brings serious issues to the forefront; San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre, slorep.org.

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

OCTOBER October 5–7: It’s not too early to start shopping for the holidays, and the HARVEST FESTIVAL ORIGINAL ART & CRAFT SHOW makes it a snap with more than 24,000 handmade works from hundreds of exhibitors nationwide. Jewelry, cold-pressed flavored olive oils, knitted caps, and all kinds of unique, oneof-a-kind creations fill the aisles. Making it all the more fun is live entertainment, strolling performers, a Kidzone, demonstrations, and contests; Ventura County Fairgrounds, harvestfestival.com. October 16: It’s a circus the likes of which audiences have never seen when steel structures, wheels, pedals, and assorted crazy contraptions comprise the apparatuses employed for the spectacular stunts performed in 42FT–A MENAGERIE OF MECHANICAL MARVELS. Machines are the stars of this theatrical production, along with a performing ensemble known as Cirque Mechanics. The 42FT reference is derived from the traditional diameter of a circus ring; Pepperdine University, Malibu, arts. pepperdine.edu.

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

October 19–21: Everything wonderful about autumn is cause for repeated toasts at the HARVEST WINE WEEKEND, when more than 100 wineries participate in this extravaganza devoted to vino. Sip and socialize at a grape stomping, barbecues, winemaker dinners, winery tours, barrel samplings, live music performances, and primo parties, all taking place throughout Paso wine country; Paso Robles locations, pasowine.com. October 20: Have A NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH THE CITY OF ANGELS SAXOPHONE QUARTET, a Los Angeles–based wind ensemble that has graced concert stages for more than 25 years. The group’s performances present a unique angle by focusing on the human stories behind their music selections. Recent appearances include the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles and a shared bill with >

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

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Insider Itzhak Perlman at the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival in Florida; Santa Paula Theater Center, santapaulatheatercenter.org. October 25–28: Sit under an oak tree and get chilled to the bone by listening to a harrowing story about Halloween. Or discover the secrets of how the words of poets can romance the cynical and scorned. Readers, listeners, and writers can benefit from the educational and entertaining programs at the 18th OJAI STORYTELLING FESTIVAL. The art of storytelling serves as inspiration for a variety of performances, lectures, and workshops for all ages. Featured storytellers include Clare Murphy, Kevin Kling, Willy Claflin, the Chameleons, Scott Ainslie, Glenis Redmond, and Diane Ferlatte. Special storytelling evenings include Laughing Night, Tales of Mystery and Suspense, Naughty Tales Under the Stars, and Raw Tales; Libbey Bowl and Ojai Art Center, ojaistoryfest.org.

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SEPTEMBER September 15: It’s high time to shed light on a serious problem. Take part in OUT OF THE DARKNESS VENTURA COUNTY WALK to raise funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This celebration of life is a family-friendly event with face painting, temporary tattoos, an appearance by Olaf, and heart string–making to remember those whose lives were lost. The organization’s goal is to reduce the annual suicide rate by 20 percent by the year 2025; Constitution Park, Camarillo, afsp.org/vc. September 15–16: In the name of raising money for the Templeton Instrumental Music Boosters Association, the Udsen Family of Castoro Cellars goes all out with the WHALE ROCK MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL. Two stages feature continuous band performances starting with headliner Aloe Blacc, followed by Orgōne, Fruition, Con Brio, Rayland Baxter, Mipso, Coffis Brothers & The Mountain Men, Joey Dosik, Jade Jackson, Lake Street Dive, Nicole Stromsoe, B and the Hive, Mannequins by Day, Samba Loca, Mama Tumba, Arthur Watership, and Miss Leo & Her Bluegrass Boys. Food trucks are on site, as well as activities such as yoga, crafts, and games; Castoro Cellars Whale Rock Vineyard, Templeton, whalerockmusicfestival.com.

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September 20: It’s Food Share’s 40th anniversary, so don some denim for the organization’s signature fundraiser, the BLUE JEAN BALL. More than 400 guests are expected to turn out for downhome delicious dishes, suds, and sips from local restaurants, breweries, and wineries; Walnut Grove, Moorpark, foodshare.com. September 20: Savory appetizers and sweet desserts made with ingredients from Girl Scout cookies by noted chefs from restaurants, caterers, and food trucks from all over the state are the delicious stars

of the adults-only FORK IT OVER benefit. A panel of judges selects the best appetizer and best dessert, and attendees vote on the People’s Choice award for the best appetizer and best dessert. Local purveyors of spirits, wines, and beers provide the libations to complement the tastings, and all proceeds benefit the Girl Scout Leadership Experience of Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast; Palm Garden Hotel, Thousand Oaks, forkitovergsccc.com.

OCTOBER October 20: President of CSU Channel Islands Erika Beck is the emcee for the STAND UP FOR KIDS GALA DINNER & AUCTION, which benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley. Dinner, silent and live auctions, live music, and dancing fill the entertainment bill. Honored are Tom and Shelley Schlender, and Joe Seetoo is presented with the Cal Johnson Award; Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, bgcconejo.org. October 21: Shop, eat, and dance to the beat at the ROTARY CLUB OF THOUSAND OAKS STREET FAIR. With approximately 370 vendors, there are housewares, toys, clothing, jewelry, and arts and crafts. Food trucks and vendors dish out an array of foods, and two stages spotlight live entertainment. Kids can hang out in a fun zone, and everyone can shake the hands of local politicians, firefighters, police officers, and community service providers; Moorpark Street between Wilbur Road and Hillcrest Drive, thousandoaksrotary.org. October 26–28: Watch the top 54 PGA Tour champion players in the Charles Schwab Cup standings compete at the INVESCO QQQ CHAMPIONSHIP. This is the second of three events that conclude the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs. This event supports the Sherwood Cares Foundation, which benefits more than 30 local charitable organizations in the Conejo Valley, including Food Share, Boys and Girls Clubs, The First Tee, Many Mansions, and others; Sherwood Country Club, Thousand Oaks, goinvescoqqq.com. October 29: Doors’ guitarist Robby Krieger and sports artist Scott Medlock join forces to put on the MEDLOCK-KRIEGER ROCK & ROLL GOLF CLASSIC,

a fab fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Player participation includes continental breakfast, golf carts, gift bags, driving range balls, an on-course luncheon, and prize giveaways, as well as the opportunity to compete in hole contests throughout the course. After the tournament the fun continues with live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres provided by top local restaurants, and the presentation of golf awards; Moorpark Country Club, themedlockkrieger.com.

NOVEMBER November 3: When veteran, Amgen employee, and Newbury Park resident Mike Nosco died in a car accident, his brother Jack, an avid cyclist, jumped on his bike and traced his brother’s final journey to the Camarillo crash site. The annual MIKE NOSCO MEMORIAL BIKE RIDE retraces that 80-mile path. Along with pro cyclists and athletes, hundreds of participants are expected to ride in this event that supports the Michael P. Nosco Foundation, which >

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Insider provides financial relief to those caring for loved ones with life-threatening illnesses. A celebratory meal follows the ride; Borchard Community Center, Newbury Park, mikenosco.com. November 5: Kudos to whoever thought of this idea for a fundraiser: BAGS, BLING, & BUBBLY combines the pleasures of looking at stylish handbags and jewelry (with the incentive to buy them) with the joys of drinking champagne, all in the name of raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County. A Big Sister and Little Sister of 2018 share stories of their unique relationship and special recognition is given to what the organization’s members call “A Wise, Wonderful Woman of 2018”; Las Posas Country Club, Camarillo, bbsvc.org/bubbly. November 9–11: It’s a shopping opportunity on steroids: Yard art, tapestries, china, porcelain, Bakelite pieces, jewelry, accessories, period furniture, silver, glassware, clothing, and more are all on offer at the

Stop on By and Stay Awhile... or Maybe Forever

ANTIQUES, DECORATIVE ARTS & VINTAGE SHOW AND SALE. The show benefits CALM, the Child Abuse

Listening & Mediation program, a nonprofit agency that helps prevent, assess, and treat child abuse in Santa Barbara County; Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, calmantiqueshows.com.

Worth a Drive

Venture just outside the 805 for these choice events. Through October 21: Fashion reflects and often is a driving force for social, economic, and political change. If there’s any doubt about that, witness ICONS OF STYLE: A CENTURY OF FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY, 1911– 2011, an exhibit of more than 160 fashion photographs

as well as costumes, illustrations, magazine covers, videos, and advertisements collectively representing the artistic contributions of more than 80 photographers. On view is the work of Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Arthur Elgort, Bruce Weber, William Klein, Neal Barr, and others, who captured the likes of Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Tatjana Patitz, Stephanie Seymour, and Christy Turlington wearing fashions that turned heads and often turned the world upside-down; J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Center, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

Call the Kaufman team to help you find your dream home. Kaufman Real Estate Group Jill Kaufman Kristy Christensen Rusty Spragg 805.870.5710 team@kaufmanregroup.com DRE 01855802

Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01991628. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal without notice.

Through January 27: As the most comprehensive Porsche exhibit outside of Stuttgart, THE PORSCHE EFFECT showcases a historically significant collection of the German brand’s street and race cars as well as artifacts, historical documents tracing the marque’s history in engineering, kinetic art, branding, and the new underground Porsche Vault Tour, which presents some of the marque’s rarest automobiles. Vehicular eye candy includes the 1938 Berlin-Rome Type 64 race car, a 906 race car, the 919 Endurance racer, the Petersen Collection’s 901 and Continental, a rare model X83 Turbo S Flachbau 964, a rally-spec Type 953 911, the Gulf 917K, the Jägermeister 962, and the legendary 935 K3 Le Mans winner; Petersen Automobile Museum, Los Angeles, petersen.org.

September 14–16, September 21–23: Bow-wowwow! Creativity is unleashed (although leashes are required) at DOGUMENTA, an art exhibition expressly for dogs. Think that’s kooky? Think again. Dogs don’t kowtow to the whims of pop culture. They don’t read art reviews. They are unimpressed if a piece is reminiscent of Basquiat. They wouldn’t dream of buying for long-term investment. Instead, their artistic preferences are free of human agendas. To wit: Does it have a delicious aroma? Does it conjure images of the mailman? Does it inspire marking of the territory? Sniff out eight commissioned works that address color, sound, scent, and touch. Entrance permits one person per canine; Figat7th, Los Angeles, artsbrookfield.com.

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September 22–29: The ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION’S 2018 CALIFORNIA COAST CLASSIC BIKE TOUR PRESENTED BY AMGEN can be regarded as a whirlwind tour of the state’s most beautiful regions as well as an eight-day ride to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation. The 533-mile eight-day course passes through scenic locales, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Santa Cruz, Carmel, the newly cleared Highway 1 through Big Sur, Santa Ynez Valley wine country, the spectacular coast of Cambria, and Big Rock in Malibu, to name a few. Cyclists stay overnight in tents or hotels along the way. The tour is open to beginner and experienced riders who commit to this fundraising goal; San Francisco to Los Angeles, californiacoastclassic.org.

Give Back

Whatever your interests, there’s a volunteer opportunity just right for you. In Ventura County, approximately 1,000 children are the victims of abuse and neglect in the foster care system at any given time. Each one needs someone to speak for their needs and look out for their best interests. Volunteering for COURTAPPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) OF VENTURA COUNTY is a challenge, but a worthy

one. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age, pass an extensive background check and screening process, and complete a 40-hour training program. Informational sessions further explaining the process take place on September 27 in Camarillo, October 18 in Simi Valley, and November 14, again in Camarillo. Specific locations are disclosed upon registration; casaofventuracounty.org. It’s important to take care of the environment every day, but make a point of showing up at beaches, creeks, rivers, and lakes all around the state on September 15 for the 34th annual CALIFORNIA COASTAL CLEANUP DAY. Removing debris, such as straws, cigarette butts, plastic bottles and lids, and bottle caps protects wildlife and enhances the environment. Visit the website for cleanup locations; vccoastcleanup.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 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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EARTHGROWN SKIN CARE

Child’s Pose

Kids need inner peace too, thought Elana Fox, when she founded LITTLE FOX YOGA (littlefoxyoga.com) for children and families. Located in the family-friendly First Neighborhood Village Center in Westlake Village and featuring classes such as Sing-Music-Play, Mama’s SelfCare, and Lil Foxes, the studio opened its doors in July to a grateful community. “We are so lucky to have this unique space for mothers and families to come together and bond with their little ones and each other,” says Katie Cottier, a local parent and patron. “The teachers are so kind and caring and make you feel welcome.” The studio is staffed by yogacertified instructors who also specialize in childhood education, pre- and postnatal exercise, meditation, and psychology. For Fox, it is a passion project. “My intent is to have Little Fox Yoga help our children take time to bring joy and calm to their hearts and souls,” she says.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Inspired by the history and environs of its of Ojai headquarters, Rowsie Vain (rowsievain.com) products for face and body harness the natural beautifying properties of indigenous botanicals, such as lavender, neroli, and matilija poppy, to address skin-care needs from infancy to advanced age. The brand was founded by Ojai native Whitney Smith-Morales who, having experienced rosacea on her own skin, learned to embrace natural alternatives to personal care. “The key is to be more confident with yourself

while using a minimal skin-care routine,” says Smith-Morales. The line includes body oils, facial toner, serums, exfoliants, masks, moisturizers, bath soaks, soaps, and fragrances. The items are available via the company’s website and at select outlets including Burt’s Pharmacy and Compounding Lab (burtsrx.com) locations in Westlake Village and Newbury Park, Tiki Girl (shoptikigirl. com) in Ventura, and deKor & Co. (dekorandco.com) and Ojai Baby (ojaibaby.com), both in Ojai.

SPA LIFT

In response to guest feedback, The Cliffs Hotel and Spa (cliffshotelandspa.com) in Pismo Beach has expanded the size and services of its in-house Dia Feliz Spa. The facility now offers a luxurious couples’ treatment room that features a fireplace and private en-suite steam room. New manicure and pedicure stations are also part of a 30 percent increase in square footage. The expansion, along with extras such as a complimentary foot soak for all waiting guests, promises to deliver an elevated experience to clientele. Dia Feliz Spa continues to offer complimentary valet parking, access to the hotel’s oceanfront pool and Jacuzzi, and a membership program. 

SPA: COURTESY OF THE CLIFFS HOTEL & SPA/MARK BOISCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY; YOGA PARTICIPANTS: ISTOCK.COM/ALEKSANDAR NAKIC

By Linda Kossoff

Faces in the Crowd By Nancy Ransohoff Photograph by Gary Moss

Equipped with an air hose, Mutz dives with her rake, bag, and measuring gauge, usually about 30 to 40 feet down, and handpicks the sea urchin, looking for the best.

Stephanie Mutz

A Santa Barbara sea urchin fisher delivers fresh-from-the-sea gold.

ea urchin is riding a wave of popularity, rising from an overlooked oddity to a soughtafter foodie darling. Helping to meet that wave is Stephanie Mutz, co-owner of Santa Barbara’s Sea Stephanie Fish (seastephaniefish.com) and one of only six women who currently have permits to dive for sea urchins in California. Uni is the prized edible portion of the

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

spiky sea urchin, and Mutz says, “It’s definitely an acquired taste. Uni tastes like a sweet ocean. It’s a bit sweet, a bit salty, with a creamy texture.” Uni collected along the state coastline is often referred to as “California gold” for its bright golden color. Harvesting sea urchins is an acquired skill and a passion for the ocean-loving Mutz. Growing up in Newport Beach, Mutz says, “We were always in the ocean. If we wanted fish, we went and caught it.” She graduated

with a degree in aquatic biology from UC Santa Barbara, where she wrote her senior thesis on the food preferences of sea urchin. After earning a master’s degree in marine ecology at James Cook University in Australia she came back to Santa Barbara, learned the ropes as a deckhand on a commercial sea urchin boat, and started fishing. Now in her 11th year as a commercial fisher, Mutz says, “I’m still new at this. Some of these guys have been going for 30 to 60 years.” On fishing days, Mutz heads out early on her boat with business partner Harry Liquornik and a deckhand, most often to the Channel Islands. Equipped with an air hose, she dives with her rake, bag, and measuring gauge, usually about 30 to 40 feet down, and handpicks the sea urchin, looking for the best. “I look at the feed lines [clusters of urchins that have gathered along the edges of kelp beds to catch passing kelp],” she says. “Kelp is the preferred food source for urchin. They are what they eat. Some algae make the urchin sweet, some bitter. I’ll crack open a few to check for color and consistency.” She also measures to make sure the urchins are within regulation size, noting that the industry is well managed to ensure sustainability. Mutz and Liquornik sell their sea urchins directly to consumers and restaurants in Santa Barbara, in cities from Orange County to San Luis Obispo, and occasionally in San Francisco. On her way home to Los Alamos in the evening, she sometimes makes deliveries to Full of Life Flatbread, Industrial Eats, The Bear and Star, and The Gathering Table at the Ballard Inn. Mutz also shares her knowledge as a parttime adjunct biology and environmental science professor at Ventura College and Cuesta College. Outside the classroom, she performs demonstrations of seafood preparation and dishes out tips while selling seafood. She gets the word out by sharing the uni love on social media. “Connecting with community is really important to me,” says Mutz, with a smile. “Get to know your farmer and fisherman!” 

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Arts & Culture By Joan Tapper Photographs by Gary Moss

Abstract Expressions

A Santa Ynez Valley vineyard provides more than just a beautiful backdrop for Seyburn Zorthian’s artistic journey.

n wine terminology, “terroir” refers to the environment in which grapevines grow, a combination of factors including soil, topography, climate, and other elements that also impart a wine’s characteristics. Similarly, creative works are shaped by the people and places that have surrounded an artist. Seyburn Zorthian, for example, remembers how, as a girl, she would sit in the Altadena studio of her father, classically trained, Armenian-born painter Jirayr Zorthian, and look through his art magazines. “Willem de Kooning, Robert Motherwell, Franz Kline, and Joan Miró, those were among my favorites,” she says. Their images set her on the career path that led to the bold and colorful pieces she paints in her studio in the Santa Ynez Valley. The location of that studio—a renovated hayloft of a barn on

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

the grounds of Buttonwood Winery & Vineyard—reveals another aspect of Seyburn’s story. Her mother, Betty Williams, bought the then-equestrian property in 1968. At that time, Seyburn was an art student at California Institute of the Arts in Valencia and visited frequently, pitching in with ranch duties like caring for the quarter horses in residence. After Seyburn graduated, she gravitated to the valley and stayed on, working as an artist. Meanwhile, Buttonwood was evolving under Williams’ forward-looking approach: She conditioned and trained > Artist Seyburn Zorthian (bottom, left) stands among the tools of her trade in her studio at Buttonwood Winery & Vineyard. To create her works, such as (clockwise from top, left) Cycles of Innocence, Protected Place, and Fabric of Light, she integrates Asian calligraphy techniques with her American sensibilities.

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Arts & Culture

It’s her watercolors that distinguish the Buttonwood labels, offering tantalizing hints at the qualities of the wine inside the bottles. Behind the labels (from top): A color palette in Zorthian’s studio names shades of blue. In Enclosed Heart, shodo-style brushstrokes in contrasting colors convey the elements of energy and movement that are characteristic of the artist’s unique style. Her assortment of Japanese calligraphy brushes are poised to capture an ephemeral moment.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Thoroughbreds, bred mares, eschewed herbicides, started an organic farm, planted 19 varieties of peaches, and eventually put in Bordeaux-type grapes that continue to thrive in the warmth of the region and make up the majority of Buttonwood’s wines today. In 1974, Seyburn went to Japan to study shodo, an art form in which the artist uses brushes and ink in an abstract form of traditional calligraphy. As she progressed from small compositions to bigger ones and began to grapple with larger, heavier brushes—some of them enormous—she marveled at the way shodo masters wielded those implements in public demonstrations of their art. “There was so much emotion, energy, and intelligence there, all at once and in front of everyone. When I left [Japan] I wanted to explore that kind of power and expression with the brush,” she says. Back at Buttonwood, she began incorporating new figures into her art by using human models moving slowly to music. “I put the energy I felt from them into the work,” she says, adding that the paintings were “about the beauty of the human body and design.” Later, she concentrated on smaller watercolor compositions using brushstrokes as a playful rhythmic element. Most recently, she has returned to large canvases, creating exciting images with vibrantly expressive swathes of color. For a group show in June at the Modern Art Museum of Yerevan, the capital of her father’s homeland, she painted on a huge canvas on the floor of her studio and, invoking his spirit in the process, produced My Father, My Grandfather and Armenia. Eventually she cut it into four pieces for transport. Now a freehanging quadriptych, it is a reflection on her family and the historical events connected to the Armenian genocide that brought them to this country. As for her mother’s spirit, it still hovers over Buttonwood, not just in the peaches and the wines but also in the naturalistic gardens that Williams helped create and maintain. Seyburn is a co-owner of the vineyard with her sister and brother-in-law, and though she says she’s not intimately involved with running the business, the location of her studio means that she’s on call when the unexpected pops up. A sudden gusher in the orchard’s irrigation system, for example, has her out among the trees fixing the leak until reinforcements arrive. Most of the time, though, her involvement is more relaxed. She might help represent the winery at special events, and it’s her watercolors that distinguish the Buttonwood labels, offering tantalizing hints at the qualities of the wine inside the bottles. She also had a hand in renovating the sophisticated tasting room with neutral tones, sleek marble counters, and her artwork on the walls. It’s there that she might bump into winemaker Karen Steinwachs and have a quick conversation about the chenin blanc vines that were planted last year and their anticipated harvest in 2019. Then she might be back in the studio, contemplating the next project. “I usually put on music to put the ego in the background,” she says. “Music is an important piece [of the art]. I feel it in my body. I’m a physical worker; I respond to the here and now. Sometimes I have an idea about relationships, life, a person. I may start with the color of the background. I think about size. One thing leads to another. It’s like someone you’re dancing with.” 

ART

in Santa Barbara’s Historic Theatre District

Santa Barbara Museum of Art

10 West Gallery

Tues - Sun 11am - 5 pm, Thurs evenings 5 - 8 pm sbma.net

Wed - Sat 11 am - 5:30 pm Sun 12 - 5 pm 10westgallery.com

10 West Anapamu Street 805-770-7711

1130 State Street 805-963-4364

Claude Monet, Villas in Bordighera (detail), 1884. Oil on canvas. SBMA Bequest of Katharine Dexter McCormick in memory SBMA, of her husband, Stanley McCormick.

Karin Aggeler, The Answer to Your Question. Acrylic on canvas.

Sullivan Goss

Indigo Interiors

An American Gallery 11 East Anapamu Street 805-730-1460

1321 State Street 805-962-6909

Mon - Fri 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 11 am - 5 pm indigointeriors.com

Sun - Wed 10 am - 5:30 pm Thurs - Sat 10 am - 8 pm sullivangoss.com

Anthony Askew, Keep On Keeping On. Viscosity monotype on paper.

Patricia Chidlaw, China Town II, Full Moon. Oil on canvas.

Santa Barbara Fine Art

Waterhouse Gallery

Thurs - Mon, 11 am - 6 pm santabarbaraﬁneart.com santabarba

11 am - 5 pm daily waterhousegallery.com

La Arcada Court 1114 State Street, Suite 9 805-962-8885

Arlington Plaza 1324 State Street, Suite J 805-845-4270

Ralph Waterhouse, Morning Light, Bird Refuge. Oil on canvas.

Richard Schloss, Last Light. Oil on canvas.

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

farmers’ market DIRECTORY

Arroyo Grande*

Malibu

Paso Robles

Solvang*

1464 East Grand Ave. slocountyfarmers.org

23555 Civic Center Way malibufarmersmarket.net

Spring and 12th streets northcountyfarmersmarkets.com

Copenhagen Drive and 1st St. sbfarmersmarket.org

Montecito*

San Luis Obispo*

Thousand Oaks*

1100–1200 Coast Village Road sbfarmersmarket.org

325 Madonna Road slocountyfarmers.org

Wilbur Road & Thousand Oaks Blvd. vccfarmersmarkets.com/ thousand-oaks

WEDNESDAYS 8:30 A.M. TO 11 A.M.

SATURDAYS 12 P.M. TO 2:30 P.M. Olohan Alley in the Village slocountyfarmers.org

Atascadero WEDNESDAYS 3 P.M. TO 6 P.M.

6505 El Camino Real northcountyfarmersmarkets.com

Calabasas SATURDAYS 8 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

23504 Calabasas Road rawinspiration.org

Camarillo* SATURDAYS 8 A.M. TO 12 P.M.

2220 Ventura Blvd. camarillofarmersmarket.com

Carpinteria*

SUNDAYS 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M.

TUESDAYS 3 P.M. TO 6 P.M.

FRIDAYS 8 A.M. TO 11:15 A.M.

SATURDAYS 8 A.M. TO 10:45 A.M.

THURSDAYS 6:10 P.M. TO 9 P.M.

Morro Bay*

Higuera St. between Nipomo and Osos streets slocountyfarmers.org

THURSDAYS 2:30 P.M. TO 5 P.M.

2650 Main St. slocountyfarmers.org

Santa Barbara*

Ojai*

SUNDAYS 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. 300 E. Matilija St. ojaicertifiedfarmersmarket.com

Oxnard

SUNDAYS 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

THURSDAYS * 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

800 block of Linden Ave. sbfarmersmarket.org

5th and B streets coastalpacific.info/oxnard.php

WEDNESDAYS 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

3301 N. Main St. vccfarmersmarkets.com/ventura

Santa Barbara and Cota streets sbfarmersmarket.org

300 block of Santa Clara St. vccfarmersmarkets.com/ventura

TUESDAYS 4 P.M. TO 7:30 P.M.

THURSDAYS 3 P.M. TO 7 P.M.

500–600 State St. sbfarmersmarket.org

Kimball and Telephone roads facebook.com/ eastandwestventurafarmersmarket

2757 Tapo Canyon Road coastalpacific.info/simi_valley.php

Westlake Village SUNDAYS 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. 2797 Agoura Road rawinspiration.org *A certified farmers’ market regulated by State of California law.

Goleta*

SUNDAYS 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. Storke Road and Hollister Ave. sbfarmersmarket.org

Ventura*

SATURDAYS 8:30 A.M TO 12 P.M.

FRIDAYS 11 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M.

THURSDAYS 3 P.M. TO 6:30 P.M.

THURSDAYS 1:30 P.M. TO 6 P.M.

SATURDAYS 8:30 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

Simi Valley*

3350 Harbor Blvd. rawinspiration.org

WEDNESDAYS 2:30 P.M. TO 6:30 P.M.

PRESENTED BY

DRE# 01040071

Upgrades

JONATHAN LEGATE INTERIOR CONSULTATION

Brizo “Solna” articulating kitchen faucet in matte black ($952); Ferguson, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and Woodland Hills; ferguson.com.

Gray Area

Cook up a storm among kitchen finishes in the colors of dappled clouds. By Frances Ryan

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Upgrades

3 2

6 5

1. Lightsculptures “Diamond Light” chandelier ($4,000); A Beautiful Mess Home, Agoura Hills, abeautifulmesshome.com. 2. MIR Mosaic “Envogue Morengo” 12.6-inch-by-24.6inch porcelain tile ($5.40 per square foot); Tileco, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo; tilecodist.com. 3. Dacor “Modernist 36 Pro Dual-Fuel” convection range with steam-assist ($10,905– $11,480); WDC Kitchen and Bath Center, Agoura Hills, Moorpark, Oxnard, and Santa Barbara; wdcappliances.com. 4. Palecek “Fritz” rope side chair ($1,683); The Sofa Guy, Thousand Oaks, thesofaguy.com.

5. Brizo “Litze” articulating kitchen faucet in matte black with luxe-gold knurled handle ($1,008); Ferguson, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, and Woodland Hills; ferguson.com. 6. Etu Home “Barcelona” glass cloche and round “Mod” block ($199 and $129); Agoura Antique Mart, Agoura Hills, agouraantiquemart.com. 7. Etu Home “Blac Mod” charcuterie board ($99); Agoura Antique Mart, Agoura Hills, agouraantiquemart.com. 8. Bernhardt Interiors “Gervaise” dining table ($3,878); Cabana Home, Santa Barbara, cabanahome.com. 

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

NO. 3: COURTESY OF DACOR

CALIFORNIA

ASSOCIATED CONSTRUCTION CONTACT US TODAY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE. 805-882-2228 910 Saint Vincent Ave., Suite #4, Santa Barbara, 93101 | www.associatedsb.com | acsbsocial@gmail.com

Good Deeds

805 LIVING–SPONSORED EVENT

By Mark Langton

Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter

In mid-May, the Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter (alz. org/cacentralcoast) held its inaugural Your Brain Matters High Tea at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. Guest speakers included Kathleen Hayden, Ph.D., associate professor in public health sciences at Wake Forest University in North Carolina; younger-onset Alzheimer’s expert and advocate Pam Montana; and keynote speaker and Alzheimer’s Leadership Award recipient Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who is an actor, a caregiver, and the author of Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again, a memoir of her experience navigating her late mother’s battle with dementia. Caregiver awards were presented to Loren Shields of Santa Paula and Lilly Duarte of Cypress Place in Ventura. Lynne Andujar, editor in chief and publisher of 805 Living, served as the honorary chair of the Alzheimer’s Women’s Initiative Committee, which sponsored the event. The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest nonprofit contributor to Alzheimer’s disease research.

1. Rhonda Spiegel, Robert Wallace 2. Steve Andujar, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Lynne Andujar, Nancy Ryan 3. Mitch Sloan, Katelyn Reeves 4. Teresa Valko, Cindy Morrison 5. Michelle Rosen, Lisa Kitchin, Susan Mattoon 6. Leigh Cashman, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Katina Etsell 7. Mike and McCall James 8. Bob Linscheid and Pam Montana 9. Amra Neal, Joan Tapper 10. Andrea and Dana Newquist 11. Dorella and Loren Shields, Lilly Duarte 12. Kathleen Hayden, Amy Commans Photographs by Mark Langton

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Adam Michael Sacks AT TOR N EY AT L AW

 Family Law Done Right 818-253-6795 Call for a complimentary consultation I am a sole practitioner. When you hire me, you get me and my 24 years of experience. We will work as a team fighting together to protect your interests and your rights. To the end. DIVORCE • SEPARATION • CUSTODY • VISITATION DIVISION OF PROPERTY • SUPPORT • RESTRAINING ORDERS & MORE

Good Deeds By Mark Langton

Oaks Christian School

Oaks Christian School (oakschristian.org) in Westlake Village held its annual Legacy Gala fundraiser at the Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley in late April. The event featured several musical performances by current vocal and instrumental students. The highlight was guest speaker Colin Powell, retired United States Army four-star general and former secretary of state. Proceeds from this event benefit the school’s scholarship program as well as various scholastic, artistic, and athletic programs.

1. Colin Powell 2. Rob Riggle, Michelle and Mark Hiepler 3. Jason and Jenny McMaster, Sandra and Rob Black 4. Bill and Bev Dallas 5. Kari Michaelsen, David Waldock, Brigitte Johnston 6. Ray Parker Jr. and Elaine Parker 7. Matt and Rachel Northrop 8. Royce Clayton, Steve Prudholme 9. Bernadette and Sugar Ray Leonard 10. Rosa and Michael Van Parys, McKenna Friedman Photographs by Mark Langton 9

Laguna Blanca School

In late April, Laguna Blanca (lagunablanca.org) school of Montecito and Hope Ranch held its annual spring benefit gala at The RitzCarlton Bacara in Santa Barbara. This year’s theme was the roaring twenties, which encouraged guests to don 1920s attire. The event raised funds for the school’s programs and scholarships and commemorated the first responders and volunteers involved with the Thomas fire and ensuing mudslides, which killed 21 people. Additionally, organizers encouraged ongoing support of local businesses affected by the mudslides. Laguna Blanca was founded in 1933 and offers curricula for grades K through 12, as well as art and athletic programs.

1. Rob Hereford and Amanda Whalen 2. Tiffany Pelletier, John Palminteri, Valerie Rice 3. Brian McClintock, Jeff Pryor, Ryan Fell 4. Jamie and Shane Lopes, Mieke and John Delwiche, Dewey and Stephanie Nicks, Amy Pryor, Stacey Fell 5. Lacey Sorensen, Joel Benjamin, Robert and Tamarisk Hope 6. Jane Bartholomew, Michele White, Sue Bickett, Barbi Zimmerman 7. Amal Zeini, Gary Paulder, Russell Young 8. Tracy and Michael Bollag, Adrian and Kristin Sedlin, Dawn O’Donnell 9. Alixe Mattingly, Mason Farrell Photographs by Brad Elliott

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Culinary Intelligence Epicurean experts dish about whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot on the 805 food-andwine scene, revealing their favorite local chefs, ingredients, eateries, and more. Find out what makes the area special for these famed foodies.

BY RYAN BROWN PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

Cat Cora

Now a renowned chef, restaurateur, author, and television host, Cat Cora became the Food Network’s first female Iron Chef in 2005. Over the course of her career, Cora has opened more than 18 restaurants across the world, including Mesa Burger (mesaburger.com) in Santa Barbara, Cat Cora’s Kitchen chain with locations in Houston, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Detroit, and Ocean by Cat Cora in Singapore.

Among local food pros, who inspires you? Buck Chin and his wife, Nui, are two of the most inspirational people in the 805. They are self-made by way of Thailand and are acting as chefs and part owners at Empty Bowl in Santa Barbara, one of my favorite spots. I am obsessed with their Larb Lettuce Tacos. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Seafood from Harbor Market & Deli, Vegan Banana Bread from Green Table, and organic produce from Mesa Produce, all in Santa Barbara. What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? I love Liquid Chi Kombucha. The owner, Peter Donovan, started his small privately owned company in Ojai and moved to Santa Barbara about two years ago. Now you can find his kombucha sold all over town at different venues, but I like to catch it fresh from him at the Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market. What piece of gear can you not live without? As long as I have my chef’s knife and my hands, I can cook anywhere. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? We love taking the kids for a great frozen yogurt at The Lovin’ Spoonful in Santa Barbara. I always top mine with my guilty pleasure, which is crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Who is your favorite local chef? Aimee DiMase is my chef de cuisine

at Mesa Burger. She is my protégé and an inspiration to me every day. I love supporting our local talent, and I am blessed to have such a strong and talented woman and chef helping me run my kitchen here at home. What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? My wife, Nicole, and I were walking along the dock at the Santa Barbara Harbor and bought a local sea cucumber off one of the fishermen. It looks like a large live slimy cucumber. It’s a superfood with zero carbohydrates and high protein and is considered a delicacy in many regions. It’s best raw, pickled, or fried. I tried it lightly tempura-fried with a little ponzu dipping sauce and thought it was delicious. It was definitely new and exciting. Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Sushi Go Go on Harbor Way. Santa Barbara has the best seafood in the world, and this little hole-in-the-wall spot is my go-to for sushi. The Oishi Roll is one of my favorites—I love the combination of cucumber, crab, and spicy tuna.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora brandishes her must-have tool. (Opposite:) Cora loves the Oishi Roll—a cucumber ring filled with crab and spicy tuna—at Santa Barbara’s Sushi Go Go.

Kerry Clasby

Fresh fare (below) makes Moody Rooster in Westlake Village a favorite of Malibu farmerforager Kerry Clasby. She says pastry chef Patrick Fahy (below, right) of Four Seasons Westlake Village inspires her with his attention to the quality of his ingredients.

To everyday foodies and celebrity chefs alike, Kerry Clasby is known as the Intuitive Forager (intuitiveforager.com), a moniker she has earned during more than a decade of sourcing the finest, freshest, and most unique produce for world-class chefs in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. She also grows biodynamic fruits and vegetables at The Malibu Fig Ranch, where she operates a farm stand.

Among local food pros, who inspires you? Patrick Fahy, the incredible pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village. He has turned the kitchen around, demanding only the finest organic produce for his signature pastry menu. He puts his heart and energy into assuring that their customers are eating the best quality ingredients available on the market. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Avocados, and escarole and baby broccoli from Robert “B.D.” Dautch’s Earthtrine Farm in Ojai. What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? WhaleBird Kombucha on tap with a shot of fresh ginger—local from San Luis Obispo—live and made in the small-batch artisan-style. If you could trade jobs with anyone in the 805 food and beverage world, who would it be? B.D. at Earthtrine Farm. As I restore The Malibu Fig Ranch to its original biodynamic state, the learning curve would be increased. I learn everything from this talented farmer and his thriving, beautiful, organic farm. What piece of gear can you not live without? My reefer [refrigerated] truck. It is the treasure chest of what I do, say, sell, and eat. Come to the farm and check it out. We sell to the public. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? A chocolate hemp brownie, made from scratch by the owners of Freedom Farm and offered at SunLife Organics [locations in Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, and Malibu]. Its essence is amazing, but also healthy! Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? The Moody Rooster in Westlake Village, which is not a hole in the wall exactly, but its location is. Here is how you find it: There is a waiting line out the door and on and on. Their Citrus Salad—just-picked greens and fresh—oh my gosh!

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

At Morro Bay Oyster Company, Neal Maloney’s quality control impresses Dustin Kral, head brewer at Firestone Walker Brewing Company.

Dustin Kral

For 16 years Dustin Kral has been head brewer at Firestone Walker Brewing Company (firestonebeer. com), bringing his expertise to the crafting of the brand’s trademark hoppy ales.

FROM TOP: ISTOCK.COM/LISOVSKAYA; COURTESY OF FIRESTONE WALKER

Among local food pros, who inspires you? Neal Maloney, aka Oyster Neal, owner and operator of Morro Bay Oyster Company. Neal is passionate about providing the highest quality Pacific Gold Oysters, raised in beds in the back bay of Morro Bay. What inspires me the most is his office. He enjoys sunrises and sunsets on the bay surrounded by life, water, and nature. It is a pretty special place to work and live. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Organic produce, ripe avocados, and fresh fish harvested from the waters of the Central Coast.

What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? Among my guilty pleasures are the al pastor tacos at Los Robles Cafe in Paso Robles. The meat is prepared on a spit, giving the pork a nice grizzled edge on a salty meat base. The tacos are served with grilled onions, cilantro, and a nice soft and sweet pineapple chunk to balance the crispy saltiness of the meat. Two of these make a wonderful snack, and four will suffice as a comforting meal. You can find me in there for lunch at least once a week. Who is your favorite local chef? Currently, my favorite chef is Jeff Wiesinger. He opened a new place in Paso called Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ. His menu consists of great BBQ like tri tip sandwiches, Cuban pork loins, and amazing mac and cheese. His sandwiches are served with house-made potato chips or a blue cheese potato salad, both of which are delicious.

What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? On occasion I enjoy Paso Robles and Edna Valley wines. Also, San Luis Obispo has an increased beer scene in the last few years. I have been enjoying stopping in at taprooms and tasting the beers coming out of the Central Coast.

What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Recently, due to the heat, I have tried some ice cream from Negranti Creamery in Paso Robles. They are crafting up some exceptional sheep’s milk ice cream that tastes richer and creamier than traditional cow’s milk ice cream. Their ice cream left me satisfied but not heavy.

What piece of gear can you not live without? There is no chance that I can live without my Traeger grill. I roast at least one whole chicken a week and really look forward to the weekend when I have the time to smoke salmon, brisket, and pork shoulders and make 3-2-1 ribs.

Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Whiskey & June in Atascadero has everything a hole-in-the-wall should have. Dim lighting, nontransparent windows, a slightly sloped shuffleboard, pool tables, jukebox, excellent bartenders, and an endless selection of whiskeys. SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Matt Kettmann

As contributing editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine (winemag.com), Matt Kettmann reveals the veritas behind the vino on a daily basis, reporting on the vineyards, wines, and winemakers of the Central Coast and Southern California. He is also a senior editor for the Santa Barbara Independent.

Among local food pros, who inspires you? I often bring visiting winemakers to Convivo in Santa Barbara, where Peter McNee makes delicious, shareable food that is upscale yet casual. John Cox at The Bear and Star in Los Olivos is pushing ranch-totable cuisine like no one else in the country. For cocktails, I go wherever George Piperis is pouring, currently at Finch & Fork in the Kimpton Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara. His creations are mind-blowing. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Meyer lemons, Rancho San Julian beef, and hot serrano peppers that I grow. What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? We drink a lot of Tin City Cider at my house. A nice antidote to tasting so much wine constantly.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

If you could trade jobs with anyone in the 805 food and beverage world, who would it be? No one. I think I have the best gig around. Although Peter Stolpman [of Stolpman Vineyards in Los Olivos] seems to live a pretty cool life, zip line and waterslide into his reservoir and all, surrounded by great syrah and roussanne vines. What piece of gear can you not live without? I use my wine bags daily. They fit six bottles each plus an ice pack or three. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? Renaud’s [in Santa Barbara] croissants make my morning. Who is your favorite local chef? My buddy Mark Dela Cruz at Live Oak Cafe near Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is quietly and modestly killing it every day. What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? The squid ink tagliatelle with uni at Barbareño Restaurant in Santa Barbara might be the richest dish I’ve ever had in my life. Excellent, though heavy.

Wine Enthusiast contributing editor and Santa Barbara Independent senior editor Matt Kettmann is a fan of George Piperis’ “mind-blowing” mixology at Finch & Fork in Santa Barbara.

Do you have a favorite 805 hole-inthe-wall? Pozo Saloon in Santa Margarita is pretty great, with olives floating in your pale ale.

Kettmann appreciates the culinary style of chef John Cox (left) at The Bear and Star in Los Olivos, whose ranchto-table menu includes dishes like blackened catfish.

Elizabeth Poett

Since 2007, Elizabeth Poett has sold her ranch-raised beef through Rancho San Julian Beef, the farm-to-table restaurant supplier she owns on the 14,000-acre Santa Barbara cattle ranch that has been in her family since 1837. In addition to looking after the business and her livestock, Poett enjoys cooking her farm-fresh beef, which she also sells at farmer’s markets. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Rancho San Julian grass-fed beef, avocados from Hilltop and Canyon Farms in Carpinteria, and fresh mozzarella cheese from C’est Cheese in Santa Barbara. Among local food pros, who inspires you? The customers who go to the farmers’ markets inspire me. I love that they are constantly thinking about food, ready to try something new at all times, and always asking questions. They push themselves when it comes to food and, in turn, it has always inspired me to go to the market and buy something that I have never tried before. What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? Coffee from The French Press or Handlebar Coffee Roasters both in Santa Barbara, because I get a lot done after one cup.

POETT: KYLE ALEXANDER; OPPOSITE: KETTMANN: BRIAN HALL/BPHPHOTOGRAPHY.COM; PIPERIS (STIRRING): KEVIN CLAIBORNE

Cattle rancher Elizabeth Poett tried Cider and Jun at The Apiary in Carpinteria for the first time recently and says, “They’re a new favorite for sure.”

If you could trade jobs with anyone in the 805 food and beverage world, who would it be? Sometimes I think it would be fun to catch fish for a day. My work is so land-based working with cattle and horses that it would be fun to switch it up completely and learn a trade that I don’t know that much about. I also love to eat fish, so that helps. What piece of gear can you not live without? A good sharp chef’s knife. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? McConnell’s Ice Cream on State Street in Santa Barbara. The Turkish Coffee is unreal! What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Cider and Jun from The Apiary out of Carpinteria. A perfect drink at the end of a hot day. Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Brasil Arts Café in Santa Barbara is not a hole-in-the-wall, but the atmosphere is very casual and makes everyone feel at home. The food is so fresh, and it is always fun to try something new. They also have really great bone broth.

For a treat, sommelier, winemaker, and restaurateur Rajat Parr indulges in sea urchin caught by Stephanie Mutz in Santa Barbara Harbor (left; for more on Mutz, see Faces in the Crowd, page 72). Parr concurs on wine journalist Matt Kettmann’s chef of choice: Convivo restaurant’s Patrick McNee (below).

Rajat Parr

Three-time James Beard Award–winner Rajat Parr is an author, a sommelier, a restaurateur, and a winemaker. In 2009, he co-founded Sandhi Wines (sandhiwines.com), focusing on Sta. Rita Hills wines. He is also a winemaker and partner at Domaine de la Côte wines in Lompoc and co-owner of Bibi Ji restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop in Santa Barbara. Among local food pros, who inspires you? Sashi Moorman, my business partner and close friend, who is one of the most amazing hosts I know. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Local yellow corn, heirloom tomatoes, and summer squash.

What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? Pét-Nat [naturally sparkling wine] from Scar of the Sea wines in Santa Maria, made by Mikey Giugni. What piece of gear can you not live without? My cleaver. I need it to prepare every meal. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? Sea urchin off of Stephanie Mutz’s boat in the harbor. Who is your favorite chef? Peter McNee, executive chef and co-owner of Convivo restaurant in Santa Barbara. What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Drake Whitcraft’s 2017 Gamay from Whitcraft Winery in Santa Barbara. Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Lilly’s Taqueria in Goleta and Santa Barbara for Lengua Tacos.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Lisa McKinnnon

A staff writer for the Ventura County Star (vcstar.com) since 1992, Lisa McKinnon is the newspaper’s resident expert on the culinary industry, covering noteworthy chefs, restaurants, and food events in Ventura County. Among local food pros, who inspires you? Chefs Jason Collis of the Ventura County– based catering company Plated Events and Tim Kilcoyne of Scratch Sandwich Counter inside The Annex at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard, for their work with World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit disasterresponse program launched by worldrenowned chef José Andrés. Jason and Tim coordinated hundreds of local volunteers to create hot, healthy meals for victims and first responders after the Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flows in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Then they did it all over again when volcanos erupted in Hawaii and Guatemala. They are the embodiment of #805strong on a global scale. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Lemons, Garlic Gold [from a company started by

Ojai Valley eighth graders as an economics class project], and Ventura Limoncello Originale. What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? I can always go for a glass of sparkling tea at Beacon Coffee in Ojai. The beautiful, deeppink color of the hibiscus flavor in particular really shows off the tiny bubbles rising from the bottom. If you could trade jobs with anyone in the 805 food and beverage world, who would it be? Kerry Clasby, in a heartbeat! Her company, Intuitive Forager, connects farmers who grow interesting and delicious produce with chefs who are in search of inspiration and the best ingredients. Check out her Instagram feed filled with pictures of farm visits and highend restaurant kitchens and you tell me if she isn’t living her best life. What piece of gear can you not live without? I am now the proud owner of a complete set of salad and dinner plates by Nate Pidduck, a ceramicist whose studio is in an orchard on the Santa Paula side of the Ojai–Santa Paula Road (aka Highway 150). The plates are rustic, with an earthy glaze of browns and reds dotted here and there with subtle bits

of gold metallic. They are inspiring me to ramp up my cooking as summer turns to fall. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? When I’m driving between Camarillo and Moorpark, I just might make an unscheduled stop at Somis Café & Market for a chile relleno burrito. It’s not a huge burrito, just a very good one, made with a soft, floury tortilla and a chile relleno that is more chile than coating. I like to add a bit of Somis Market house-made hot sauce as I go. What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Vegan croissants at Ambrosia by Caffrodite in midtown Ventura. They’re light, they’re flaky, and I can’t believe they’re not made with butter. Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Tom’s, Home of the Educated Hamburger, in Lompoc might be hard for first-timers to find (the door is hidden in the elbow of an L-shaped strip mall), but I’ve been going there since high school. The menu is built around the concept of a different burger for each letter of the alphabet. I’ve tried several but am stuck on my first love, the F, made with bacon, a roasted Ortega chile, and melted Swiss cheese.

Ventura County Star foodie Lisa McKinnon admires the career choice of Kerry Clasby, a farmer-forager who supplies ingredients to professional chefs. (Right:) In McKinnon’s kitchen, lemons are always on hand to enhance the flavor of drinking water, pasta sauce, and baked goods.

805LIVING.COM / SEPTEMBER 2018

Rémi Lauvand

Born and raised in southwestern France, Rémi Lauvand built his culinary prowess working as a chef at such esteemed restaurants as New York City’s La Grenouille and Le Cirque and as executive chef at Montrachet (now closed) before developing dining concepts at Universal Studios Hollywood. Most recently, Lauvand has brought his skills to bear as the new culinary director of Vintage Grocers (vintagegrocers. com) in Malibu, Westlake Village, and (opening this fall) Pacific Palisades.

Among local food pros, who inspires you? Julia Child—she was my neighbor in Montecito. I knew her for years and actually cooked for many of her birthdays. While she was one of the most influential chefs worldwide, to me she was just my neighbor who appreciated my cooking. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Wine (Kunin Wines of Santa Barbara and Palmina Wines of Lompoc are two favorites), seafood (prawns, rockfish, abalone), and produce (from Harry’s Berries in Oxnard and Coleman Family Farm in Carpinteria). What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? Stopping in Santa Barbara’s Telegraph Brewing Company on a hot day is the best! What piece of gear can you not live without? My butcher block—a Boos— is always out and being used. You can see it on my Instagram feed. What is your guilty pleasure that can be found in the 805? The original McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams shop. Turkish Coffee is my go-to favorite flavor. Who is your favorite local chef? Anyone willing to cook for me! What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Bread from the [Knead Baking Company] lady at the Sunday market in Ojai who makes her own.

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Rémi Lauvand, culinary director of Vintage Grocers, and rancher Elizabeth Poett cite the same guilty pleasure: McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams’ Turkish Coffee flavor.

HUMPHREY: ALLEGRETTO VINEYARD RESORT; JEFFRY’S: STEVE BAKER; OPPOSITE, LAUVAND: COURTESY OF VINTAGE GROCERS: CONE: COURTESY OF M c CONNELL’S FINE ICE CREAMS

Thomas P. Humphrey

After leading the culinary programs of some of the nation’s most illustrious resorts and hotels for more than 30 years, in June 2016 Thomas P. Humphrey accepted the position of director of food and beverage at Allegretto Vineyard Resort (allegrettowines.com) in Paso Robles. He also heads efforts to revive the Central Coast chapter of the renowned gastronomic society Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. Among local food pros, who inspires you? Chef Masa [Shimakawa] at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village because of his creative, fresh, forward-thinking fare. What three local products are always in your kitchen these days? Heirloom Tomatoes from Loo Loo Farms, Re:Find Limoncello Liqueur, and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil from Grove Provisions.

Thomas P. Humphrey, food and beverage director at Paso Robles’ Allegretto Vineyard Resort, gleans inspiration from the creativity of Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village chef Masa Shimakawa (above, left). Lately, Humphrey says, his cupboard is always stocked with limoncello from Re:Find Distillery in Paso Robles (left). Like Firestone Walker Brewing Company head brewer Dustin Kral, Humphrey enjoys Jeff Wiesinger’s menu at Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ (below).

What’s your go-to local beverage at the moment? Love Me Two Times cocktail by Andrew Brune from Cello Ristorante & Bar, made with Krobar Rye Whiskey, honey tea, passion fruit puree, and Vanilla Caviar. What piece of gear can you not live without? My wine opener. Who is your favorite local chef? Antonio Varia at Buona Tavola in San Luis Obispo. What dish or beverage have you most recently tried for the first time in the 805? Burrata at Il Cortile Ristorante in Paso Robles. Do you have a favorite 805 hole-in-the-wall? Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ in Paso Robles, a favorite hole-in-the-alley.  SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

Serving up literary historyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous drinkers and their drinks. BY GREG CLARKE AND MONTE BEAUCHAMP ILLUSTRATIONS BY GREG CLARKE

SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

GARY MOSS

OF BOOKS & BOTTLES

The Novelist as Wine Writer

THIS OCTOBER , FANS of the written word and the

poured drink can celebrate with a new book about both. A Sidecar Named Desire: Great Writers and the Booze That Stirred Them (Dey Street Books, 2018) is a visually entertaining history of alcohol and art’s intersection. Greg Clarke and Monte Beauchamp, who met nearly 20 years ago and have collaborated on previous projects, shared the research and writing duties for the book while Clarke did the illustrations. An award-winning illustrator, Clarke lives in Thousand Oaks (Beauchamp lives in Chicago) and has been creating 805 Living’s closing page, “P.S. Sketchpad,” for six years. His work has also appeared in other publications such as Real Simple, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. He admits this new work stretched both his writing and illustrative skills. “Stylistically, the big difference here is that, because of the scope of the book, I was able to stretch outside my wheelhouse a bit with straight representations of people and objects,” Clarke says. “The caricatures were a challenge, but thankfully most readers have no idea what Raymond Carver, Phillip Larkin, or Edna St. Vincent Millay really looked like anyway!” The following are exclusive excerpts from A Sidecar Named Desire. —Anthony Head

ay McInerney, best known for Bright Lights, Big City (1984), has parlayed his passion for the grape into a sideline as a respected, if unorthodox, wine writer. Injecting new life into an increasingly stilted body of wine criticism, he has written monthly wine columns for House & Garden and Town & Country magazines. In his collection of essays, A Hedonist in the Cellar: Adventures in Wine (2006), he writes that “fermented grape juice is a far more potent catalyst for contemplation and meditation than a highball ... It is a sacramental beverage, a sacred and symbolic liquid.” He often eschews the usual floral descriptors in favor of cultural references. He’s more apt to equate wine with authors and thespians than with sandalwood and pencil lead: “Bordeaux was my first love. … But increasingly I’m drawn to its rival Burgundy, the Turgenev to Bordeaux’s Tolstoy, and when I’m looking for sheer power and exuberance and less finesse, to the Dostoyevskian southern Rhône.”

Greg Clarke (opposite) puts the finishing touches on an illustration for A Sidecar Named Desire: Great Writers and the Booze That Stirred Them. SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

I am falser than vows made in wine. —As You Like It, act 3, scene 5 Good company, good wine, good welcome can make good people... —Henry VIII, act 1, scene 4

Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used... —Othello, act 2, scene 3

...man cannot make him laugh— but that’s no marvel; he drinks no wine. —Henry IV, part 2, act 2, scene 4

O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil! —Othello, act 2, scene 3

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. —Macbeth, act 2, scene 3

Give me a bowl of wine. In this I bury all unkindness... —Julius Caesar, act 4, scene 3

And let my liver rather heat with wine, Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. —The Merchant of Venice, act 1, scene 1

Have we no wine here? —Coriolanus, act 1, scene 9

The Merry Bard of Avon

n William Shakespeare’s England (1564–1616), wine was very expensive—about 12 times more costly than ale, the drink of the masses—and typically enjoyed only by the upper classes. England’s climate was not suitable for growing grapes, so most of the country’s wine was imported from France, Spain, and Greece. Sack, a sweet wine fortified with brandy (akin to modern-day sherry) was also very popular during the Elizabethan era.

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Little is known of Shakespeare’s personal drinking habits, but as a man of means, he could undoubtedly afford to drink something other than ale. By all accounts, he was not the sodden party animal of his contemporary Christopher Marlowe, but the frequent wine cameos in his work suggest he probably enjoyed it. His characters cite many more wine varieties—muscatel, Rhine, Bordeaux, canary, and malmsey—than they do ale or beer.

The Brewmaster of Hampshire County

ane Austen was not only a beer drinker but a brewer as well. Brewing was regarded as a household duty for women in 18th-century England, and Austen likely learned the process as a teenager from her mother while growing up in the Hampshire village of Steventon. In a letter to her sister, Cassandra, in 1808, Austen writes: “It is you, however, in this instance, that have little children, and I that have the great cask, for we are brewing spruce beer again.” Translation: You bring the kids, I’ve got the refreshments. Spruce beer was akin to root beer

(traditionally made from the roots and bark of the sassafras tree) but flavored instead with the buds, needles, and roots of the spruce tree, and containing hops and molasses. The Austen family clearly enjoyed their alcoholic beverages—they also brewed mead, a beer variation made by fermenting honey with water, and made wine. Austen’s brew makes an appearance in her novel Emma (1815): “He wanted to make a memorandum in his pocket-book; it was about spruce-beer. Mr. Knightley had been telling him something about brewing spruce-beer.”

The Beer Milkshake

n John Steinbeck’s 1945 novel Cannery Row, the main character, Doc, loves beer so much that somebody comments, “Someday [he’ll] go in and order a beer milkshake.” Doc obsesses about the idea and eventually gets up the nerve to order one, making up a recipe for the server on the spot, “Put in some milk, add half a bottle of beer. Give me the other half in a glass— no sugar in the milkshake.” Steinbeck’s bit of tomfoolery proved prescient—70 years later, beer shakes could be found on chain-restaurant menus.

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Hemingway and Absinthe

rnest Hemingway is arguably the most iconic literary figure in booze lore. Hemingway was—to use a term that H.L. Mencken originally coined for himself— “ombibulous.” He drank everything and enjoyed it all. Absinthe makes an appearance in The Sun Also Rises—the smitten Jake Barnes drinks The Green Fairy to numb the pain following Lady Brett’s tryst with a Spanish bullfighter. Hemingway would enjoy absinthe while working as a journalist covering the Spanish

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Civil War in the late 1930s. And the spirit again finds its way into his novel inspired by the experience, For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940)—his character Robert Jordan sips absinthe from his canteen as a respite from war: “One cup of it took the place of the evening papers, of all the old evenings in cafés, of all chestnut trees that would be in bloom now in this month … of all the things he had enjoyed and forgotten and that came back to him when he tasted that opaque, bitter, tongue-numbing, brainwarming, stomach-warming, idea-changing liquid alchemy.”

A 1935 book entitled So Red the Nose: or—Breath in the Afternoon, a compilation of cocktail recipes by famous authors, included a recipe from Hemingway called “Death in the Afternoon.” The drink took its name from Hemingway’s 1932 book of the same name about Spanish bullfighting: “Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” An editor’s note at the end of the recipe states, “After six of these cocktails The Sun Also Rises.”

Shaken not Stirred

ovelist Ian Fleming would inadvertently boost vodka sales in the 1960s when his fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond transitioned to the silver screen. In the films Bond’s signature drink was the vodka martini, shaken not stirred. Prior to Bond, ordering a martini meant a gin martini. Shaking, so the theory went, would “bruise” the gin—but apparently vodka wasn’t so delicate. However, the Bond of Fleming’s books wasn’t quite so adamant about vodka—he often ordered gin martinis as well. In the first title of the series, Casino Royale (1953), Bond orders a vesper, containing both vodka and gin, with precise instructions to the bartender: “Three measures of Gordon’s [gin], one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?”  Excerpted with permission from Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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GRAINIACS

REJOICE! When it comes to bread, Roan Mills takes the field-to-table concept very seriously. BY JOAN TAPPER PHOTOGRAPHS BY GARY MOSS

Andrea Crawford (right) is the guiding spirit behind Roan Mills bakery, which grows wheat, mills it, and produces mouthwatering breads. (Clockwise from left:) The business opens on Fillmoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main street; a deft hand flours the product for proofing; and a lighthearted logo tells all. (Opposite:) Shelves hold an array of boules, sandwich loaves, focaccia, and baguettes, fresh from the oven.

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R ROAN MILLS bakery (roanmills.com) on Central Avenue in Fillmore looks like what an old-fashioned retail shop should be. Here, in an old Safeway building from 1925, a vintage cash register sits on a glass case that displays organic whole-wheat boules, bâtards, and baguettes—gorgeous round, oblong, and long twisty loaves with amazing crusts. In one corner of the room an old safe tempts young visitors to turn the handle and explore the contents, which turn out to be play money, stashed there as a joke. A huge Toledo scale bears a bowl of wheat berries so patrons can see and feel the raw grain. Enlarged colorful fruit-crate labels grace the walls, and a couple of tables hold containers of locally grown organic produce—luscious tomatoes, avocados, and an array of greens—as well as exotic varieties of garlic, jars of honey, and bags of milled flours. “This

A safe (right) lends period atmosphere to the shop, which housed a Safeway grocery store nearly a century ago. (Below:) Crawford and her head baker, Tyler Grodzicki, pour grain into one of the two mills in a room adjoining the retail space.

is almost a farmers’ market,” says Andrea Crawford, who owns the company and related Kenter Canyon Farms with husband Robert Dedlow. The front of the bakery nods to a sense of community and a commitment to promoting Ventura County’s agricultural varieties; what goes on behind the scenes pays tribute to the couple’s vision of a vertical agricultural enterprise. “We’re control freaks,” says Crawford. “We always want a high level of quality.” To that end, they grow the wheat and the herbs that add flavor to some of their baked goods, process the grains in two mills, and mix, leaven, and bake their breads and pastries in a production facility with a proofing room for the loaves to rise and two huge Polin ovens imported from Italy. “The Cadillac of ovens,” she calls them. Crawford didn’t always aim to be a baker. She started out growing different varieties of lettuce in her backyard in Berkeley and after giving some to Alice Waters for Chez Panisse, she eventually created a garden to produce greens for the pioneering restaurant. After offering to do the same for chef Wolfgang Puck and his restaurants in Los Angeles in 1985, she ended up staying in Southern California as her business took off. Kenter Canyon Farms still specializes in producing organic >

THEY GROW THE WHEAT AND THE HERBS THAT ADD FLAVOR TO SOME OF THEIR BAKED GOODS, PROCESS THE GRAINS IN TWO MILLS, AND MIX, LEAVEN, AND BAKE THEIR BREADS AND PASTRIES IN A PRODUCTION FACILITY. 104

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Heritage strains of wheat berries give Roan Mills breads their particular flavor; a container in the bakery affords customers the chance to see the unmilled grain.

ON ANY GIVEN DAY, IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS BREADS, OFFERINGS MIGHT INCLUDE FOCACCIA, PASTRIES, TOMATO PIZZETTAS, AND SCONES FILLED WITH CRAWFORD’S OWN MARMALADE. radicchio, frisée, and other greens, as well as rosemary, thyme, and other culinary herbs year-round on about 200 acres in Ventura County. As part of their winter rotation program, Dedlow and Crawford also maintain wheat fields in Hollister, where they take advantage of the desert climate to grow heritage wheat—Sonora, Red Fife, and farro spelt—that has proven to be particularly flavorful. New varieties are added each year. Along with milled products, bread seemed a natural extension, and after renting ovens for several years, they opened the bakery in Fillmore in autumn 2017, with Dedlow designing and building out the facility. On any given day, in addition to various breads, offerings might include focaccia, pastries, tomato pizzettas, and

A baker pulls bread from one of the capacious Polin ovens in the production facility (left), while Sonora baguettes (above, left) stand ready for sale. The community-oriented bakeshop also sells locally made honey (above, right) and other fresh produce. (Opposite:) Dessert is on hand, too—a tray of sweet pastries.

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scones filled with Crawford’s own marmalade. “I’m a hard-core doit-yourselfer,” she says. The retail shop has been open just two days a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and aficionados can also place an order by noon online the previous day and swing by to pick up their goods. There are plans to open the doors six days a week this fall. “Fillmore wants a place to hang out,” says Crawford, who’d like to hold fun community activities in the building, such as pizza nights or classes on how to make and maintain a bread starter and bake whole-grain breads. “We’ll show what you can do at home,” she says. “There’s nothing unusual about the recipes. Anyone can do it.” Or folks can simply savor what Roan Mills produces. “It’s real bread, whole grain,” Crawford says. “It tastes good, looks good, and is good for you.”  Roan Mills products are also available at farmers’ markets in Calabasas, Santa Monica, Atwater Village, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, and at Lazy Acres, Lassens, and Whole Foods stores.

Taste FOOD / WINE / DINING OUT

Rad Radishes

adishes, those colorful and crunchy root vegetables, are having a moment. Easter egg, icicle, Sno Ball, sparkler—each variety has its own shape, color, and flavor profile, some earthy and mild, and others delivering a spicy kick. “The Purple Ninja and watermelon are the craze right now,” says Ande Manos, marketing manager at the family-owned and -operated Babé Farms (babefarms. com) in Santa Maria, which alternately harvests 13 varieties year-round. You can’t beat pairing these stunners raw with a simple slather of high-quality butter or a sprinkle of salt on a crudité platter, but they’re also perfect for pickling, roasting, and adding colorful zip to salads. Here are recipes for three inspired radish-centric dishes: a striking salad from Santa Barbara–based cookbook author Pascale Beale (pascaleskitchen. com), a flavor-packed pairing of beef tenderloin with bacon-radish hash from chef Edward Ruiz at The Gardens of Avila at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa in San Luis Obispo (sycamoresprings. com), and a bright, fresh yellowtail crudo with radish-peach gazpacho from Olivella chef Andrea Rodella at the Ojai Valley Inn (ojaivalleyinn.com/dining).

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By Nancy Ransohoff and vinegar called a gastrique is laced with beets and lends a sweet-and-sour tang. Serves 4 BEET GASTRIQUE 5 medium red beets, peeled and chopped 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup balsamic vinegar CHIMICHURRI Two bunches fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped ¼ white onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped 4 limes, juiced Splash of red wine vinegar ½ cup olive oil BACON-RADISH HASH 6 slices bacon, diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced ½ shallot, peeled and diced 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 bunch Roxanne radishes, diced (reserve leafy tops and two radishes) 1 cup peas 1 small bunch parsley, chopped 10 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Salt and pepper to taste

smooth. Add a splash of water if needed to thin to a sauce consistency. Set aside. To make Chimichurri: Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until mixture forms a paste. Set aside. To make Bacon-Radish Hash: Heat sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté bacon until crisp. Drain fat, retaining about one tablespoon in pan. Add garlic, shallot, sweet potato, carrot, radishes, and peas to pan and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 13 minutes. Add parsley, thyme, butter, salt, and pepper and toss until butter has melted. Drop in a few radish tops, tossing until slightly wilted, reserving the remainder for garnish. To prepare beef: Heat grill to mediumhigh. Season both sides of fillet with salt and pepper. Brush both sides with olive oil and grill for 8 to 10 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to cutting board, and let beef rest for about 10 minutes; slice. To serve: Swipe gastrique on serving platter. Spoon on bacon-hash. Arrange beef slices over hash. Top with Chimichurri and garnish with reserved sliced radishes and radish tops.

PACIFIC YELLOWTAIL CRUDO WITH LOCAL RADISH AND PEACH GAZPACHO AND BASIL VINAIGRETTE

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN FILLET WITH CHIMICHURRI AND BACON-RADISH HASH

BEEF 8 ounces beef tenderloin fillet Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil

“Radishes remind me so much of my childhood when I used to hang out with my family in the garden to pick ingredients for our dinner salads,” says Andrea Rodella, chef at Olivella at the Ojai Valley Inn. “In this recipe, their primary use is to deliver a sharp flavor and crunchy texture that complements the delicate yellowtail.” Tip: For crispy and curled radishes, soak slices in an ice bath for at least one hour.

“The vibrant colors are definitely an eye catcher and mouth pleaser,” says Edward Ruiz, chef at The Gardens of Avila at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa of the radishes and other vegetables in this recipe. “The savory bacon complements the spiciness of the radishes and ties the dish together.” A reduction of sugar

To make Beet Gastrique: Lightly sauté beets in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer until beets are tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until

Serves 4 to 6 BASIL VINAIGRETTE 1 small shallot, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar ½ cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons crème fraîche >

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Three local chefs showcase these vibrant and versatile veggies in recipes that will wow your guests.

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Taste Food plate, alternating the three. Drizzle with basil vinaigrette and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Garnish with sliced radishes and nasturtium leaves. Pour peach gazpacho over each serving.

DAIKON, WATERMELON RADISH, AND BEET SALAD WITH NUT MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE In her cookbook, Les Légumes: Vegetable Recipes From the Market Table, Pascale Beale writes about the ingredients in this recipe: “Once peeled and sliced, the candy-cane stripes of Chioggia beets and vibrant pink interiors of watermelon radishes are revealed and to the cook are as extravagant and appealing as rose petals.” Tip: Toasting the pine nuts and pistachios adds an irresistible buttery nuttiness; don’t be tempted to skip that step.

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste RADISH AND PEACH GAZPACHO 1 pound fresh peaches, pitted, chopped 4 yellow bell peppers, seeds removed, chopped 8 ounces white or icicle radishes, chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped 1 small shallot, peeled, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt MARINATED CUCUMBERS 1 quart rice vinegar 1 quart water 1 shallot 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 ginger root, about 4 ounces, peeled, sliced 1 cup sugar 2 unpeeled cucumbers, sliced lengthwise PACIFIC YELLOWTAIL CRUDO 1 pound local yellowtail tuna, sliced 1 fresh peach, thinly sliced with

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3 3

a mandoline Sea salt flakes watermelon radishes, thinly sliced with a mandoline Purple Ninja radishes, thinly sliced with a mandoline Fresh nasturtium leaves

To make Basil Vinaigrette: Place shallot in medium bowl. Add vinegar and allow to macerate for about 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, crème fraîche, and basil and stir to blend. Whisk in olive oil; season with salt and pepper. To make Radish and Peach Gazpacho: In a blender or food processor combine peaches, bell peppers, radishes, garlic, and shallot. Add kosher salt and blend until nearly smooth. Gradually add vinegar and olive oil and blend until mixture is smooth. Add more salt to taste and strain. To make Marinated Cucumbers: To a small stockpot add rice vinegar, water, shallot, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer marinade to a clean, dry container, add cucumbers, and refrigerate for 4 hours. To prepare Pacific Yellowtail Crudo: Roll up yellowtail slices, marinated cucumber slices, and peach slices. Arrange them on side of each

NUT MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE 1 heaping tablespoon walnut or Dijon mustard ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 1 lemon Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives To assemble salad: On a large platter, arrange radish and beet slices and radicchio leaves in an attractive manner, interspersing the different varieties and colors. Dry roast the pistachios and pine nuts in a small pan over low heat, stirring frequently, until they release their aroma, no more than 3 minutes. Immediately scatter roasted nuts over vegetables. To make Nut Mustard Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, olive oil, and lemon juice to form an emulsion. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables, garnish with chives, and serve.  Recipe adapted from Les Légumes: Vegetable Recipes From the Market Table (M27 Editions, December 2017) with permission from M27 Editions.

MEDIA 27

Daikon, Watermelon Radish, and Beet Salad with Nut Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 8 SALAD 1 small daikon radish, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline 1 watermelon radish, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline 1 raw Chioggia beet, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline 1 raw yellow beet, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandoline 1 small head red radicchio, leaves separated ¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts ¼ cup pine nuts

Taste Wine By David Gadd

Vine Crossroads Finding the world’s great grape varieties right here at home.

ith its many centuries of viticulture history, Europe long ago found niches for certain grape varieties, and those junctions of place and plant have even been coded into law. Regulations in most European appellations authorize specific types of grapes to be planted within certain boundaries while shunning all others. This isn’t the case in freewheeling California, where the rules are much less restrictive. Although Napa stakes its reputation on cabernet sauvignon and cool-climate Sonoma is renowned for pinot noir and chardonnay, in the Wild West atmosphere of the Central Coast, vintners plant whatever they like, wherever they like—not that all plantings are equally successful. As growers and winemakers continue to discover which varieties work best in the various microclimates and soils of the several Central Coast appellations, varietal wines that have historically been

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associated with specific and widely varying European regions are now finding their home here, making the 805 a true wine crossroads. Nebbiolo, for instance, is a grape from Italy’s northern Piedmont region, and the only variety permitted in the famed wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. Not long ago, this finicky cool-climate grape (its name comes from the Italian word for “fog”) had little success outside its native land, but a handful of patient, dedicated vintners are now making it work wonders in California. One of them is Thousand Oaks–based Mike Giovinazzo of Lodi’s Sunland Vintage Winery (sunlandvintagewinery.com). His Giovinazzo 2011 Nebbiolo ($36), sourced from Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards in Santa Barbara County, possesses nebbiolo’s characteristic bricklike hue and has complex flavors of tar, violets, and prune—perfect with refined Northern Italian cuisine, such as risotto with truffles. The attractive retro labels for the Giovinazzo line, dedicated to Italian varietals, are reproductions of those used by Giovinazzo’s grandfather, founder of the original Sunland Vintage in the 1930s.

Sangiovese is an Italian variety associated with Tuscany, where it forms the backbone of chianti and brunello di montalcino. The name means “blood of Jove” (aka Jupiter, the Roman god), a reference to this grape’s power. On the sunny west side of Paso Robles, tech-savvy entrepreneurs Kunal and Neeta Mittal use this grape to create the LXV 2017 Heart Note Rosé of Sangiovese ($29, lxvwine.com). The winery’s name refers to the 64 arts of sensual pleasures in the Kama Sutra (the Mittals hope their wines will induce a 65th). This sexy, dusky pink rosé, with notes of stone fruit and exotic spice, is made by direct pressing of sangiovese rather than using juice bled off from red winemaking. It’s the ideal wine for late summer alfresco dining. Tannat was historically grown in Madiran, in southwestern France, but it’s found another home far away, in Uruguay, where it is now the signature red. California producers of tannat are few and far between, but the small-production Halter Ranch 2015 Estate Reserve Tannat ($60, halterranch.com) from Paso Robles’ Adelaida District is a stunning essay in the power of this oftenoverlooked variety. With heady black fruit tones and impressive tannin-acid balance, it’s superb with autumn roasts and grills. Although found elsewhere in Spain, tempranillo is closely associated with Ribera del Duero and Rioja, where it produces stately, long-lasting reds with extensive oak aging. Richard Longoria got the tempranillo bug when traveling to these two Spanish regions in the 1990s. He and his wife Diana’s small-lot Longoria 2015 Tempranillo ($36, longoriawine.com) comes from Clover Creek Vineyard in Santa Ynez and shows the grape’s characteristic cherry-and-cocoa tone. It will benefit from further bottle age—if its imbiber can resist drinking it right away. Tempranillo with leg of lamb (or goat, which is popular in Spain) is a pairing that shows off the best of the food and the wine. The white viognier grape shines in the Northern Rhône’s prestigious Condrieu appellation, where it is the only grape allowed, but it too claims a place here. Vintner Morgan Clendenen sources this aromatic grape from a vineyard near Buellton for her mouth-filling Cold Heaven Cellars 2016 Viognier ($36, coldheaven.com), with succulent white peach and a backbone of minerals. It’s a great match with roast chicken or pork loin. Obsessed with viognier, Clendenen also makes versions from several other California vineyards, including a late-harvest wine. The white albariño grape thrives in the lush, humid area of Green Spain, on the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, traditionally grown on trellises, as well as in neighboring Portugal (where it’s spelled alvarinho). Head winemaker Joe Hurliman of Oxnard’s Herzog Wine Cellars (herzogwine.com) always wanted to create an albariño to add to the winery’s reserve series and finally found an ideal source in scenic Edna Valley just last year. Recently released, the medium-bodied Herzog 2017 Special Reserve Albariño ($38) delivers gobs of lush, tropical fruit with zesty citrus overtones and a keenly focused finish. Albariño is a classic seafood and shellfish wine—what could be more perfect for the 805? 

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Taste Dining Out By Victoria Woodard Harvey Photographs by Gary Moss

Mollie’s on the Move An Italian favorite gets a new venue in Santa Barbara.

ishing up Italian comfort food in Santa Barbara since the 1990s, Montecito’s celebrated Trattoria Mollie closed in August, making way for a new State Street location in the Historic Theatre District. Called simply Mollie’s (tmollie.com), chef Mollie Ahlstrand’s latest eatery offers all the same favorites the Montecito location did, some of which have been popular with locals since Ahlstrand introduced them at her very first location on de La Vina Street. The menu of traditional and unadulterated classics from antipasti to dolci reflects Ahlstrand’s credo for life and for cooking: Keep it simple and always fresh. A native of northern Ethiopia, Mollie grew up under the influence of the country’s Italian immigrants (her father spoke Italian fluently). Culinary training took her to Ristorante Arturo in Rome, where she helped cater meals for the Pope; to the Michelin-rated Ristorante Vissani in the small Umbrian town of Baschi; and to Bologna and Padova, where she learned the preparation for the ciabatta she would later serve at her restaurants. As her notoriety grew, the slight, bright-eyed dynamo traveled as a featured guest chef in restaurants from Hong Kong to Dubai. Local and international fans over the years are captured on the restaurant’s photo wall, but it was none other than Oprah Winfrey (whose self-proclaimed addiction to Trattoria Mollie’s turkey meatballs led to regular, sometimes daily orders) who dubbed Ahlstrand’s her “favorite restaurant.” (The recipe for polpette alla Mollie, which includes a few tablespoons of raisins and a dash of sherry, has been posted at 805living.com since mention of the meatballs appeared in the March 2016 issue.) Key to the business of making comfort food is Ahlstrand’s >

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New venue, same menu (clockwise from opposite): Polpette alla Mollie, the chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous turkey meatballs, dot a dish of spaghetti. A plate of green vegetables is completed with a generous helping of grilled Atlantic striped sea bass. The dining room is simple and elegant. Two of the Carranza brothers, Juan Carlos (left) and Victor, man pans in the kitchen. Mollie Ahlstrand and her son Ali head up the enterprise.

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Taste Dining Out The menu lists the traditional fare of a nonna’s (grandma’s) table on a Sunday afternoon.

For linguini alle vongole (above), Mollie’s serves the pasta whose name means “little tongues” with authentic Neapolitan accompaniments: fresh Manila clams and tomato sauce. A long hand-finished brick wall (below) decorated with sconces and artwork is the focal point in the dining room.

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son, co-owner Ali Ahlstrand, who moved to Santa Barbara from his native Ethiopia at the age of 12. “We have a great name plus experience,” says Ali. “We needed to be in Santa Barbara among the other great restaurants here.” For the kitchen team, Ali called upon the Carranza brothers (four chefs): Victor, Juan Carlo, Julio, and Eduardo, who is in his 26th year of cooking with Mollie and also serves as manager. This is a family restaurant in more ways than one. Eduardo, under the guidance of Montecito decorator Eileen Dill, did most of the work to renovate the interior, replacing light fixtures, painting black wooden chairs, and hand-finishing a long brick wall in the space, which formerly housed the popular Tupelo Junction Cafe. The results are casually elegant, with taupe walls, crisp, white tablecloths, and a wood-burning pizza oven toward the rear. Except for the framed graphic images of Santa Barbara landmarks by local artist Jake Early, this could easily be a neighborhood trattoria off the Via del Corso in Rome. Then there’s the food. Mollie’s is not the place to find flavored foams or featured flown-in ingredients. Instead, the menu lists the traditional fare of a nonna’s (grandma’s) table on a Sunday afternoon, where it’s no exaggeration that food equals love. Start with a caprese salad with fresh buffalo mozzarella, or insalata di fungi e sedan (fresh mushrooms and sliced celery on arugula), crostini ai funghi (sautéed mushrooms on ciabatta, baked with mozzarella), or classic zuppa di minestrone. Everything is fresh and made to order, and several menu items are vegan or vegetarian. Other classics are linguine alle vongole with fresh Manila clams and a choice of white wine or tomato sauces; piccata di vitello (thin veal cutlet sautéed with white wine with lemon and capers); and a choice of risottos, the ultimate in Italian comfort food, which changes daily. Special entrées may include mare e monte, an assortment of clams and mussels sautéed with porcini mushrooms, or branzino baked in foil with mushrooms, spices, and white wine. Desserts are straight up: tiramisu, panna cotta topped with strawberry sauce, and a dense chocolate cake covered in ganache. The standout is the ricotta cheesecake, light and delicious with a hint of lemon. Ali looks forward to offering express lunches at reasonable prices for downtown businesses, and prix fixe, multicourse dinners for patrons of the nearby Arlington, Granada, and New Vic theaters. “It’s not just a restaurant,” says the amiable host, “it’s where family comes.” 

Aging together is a gift. Couples who call Belmont Village home celebrate every day in a luxurious setting alive with engaging activities, spirited friendships and award-winning wellness programs. Our licensure ensures that couples can continue to live together, even with differing care needs.

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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.

UPDATE BELLA VISTA RESTAURANT IN FOUR SEASONS RESORT THE BILTMORE SANTA BARBARA 1260 Channel Drive Santa Barbara, 805-969-2261 fourseasons.com/santabarbara/dining Californian and Italian; Entrées $19–45; Sunday Brunch $85 per person

Great Views Named for its sweeping views of lawn, ocean, and sky, Bella Vista has an Italian bent thanks to executive chef Marco Fossati. He uses local fish and organic farmers’ market produce, handmade pastas, and herbs from the chef’s garden at the resort to create such dishes as Tajarin Carbonara di Mare,

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and jidori chicken with farrotto and smoked corn. Specials include table-side service of spaghetti with caciocavallo cheese and Tellicherry pepper. At the adjacent Ty Lounge, an extensive menu of Spanish tapas echoes the Hacienda-style décor featuring a fireplace, an ocean-view terrace, and hand-painted walls and ceilings. The wine list offers local and international labels. Happy hour Mondays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. includes specials on featured tapas ($5 to $9), draught beer and wine on tap ($4 to $6), and select cocktails ($7).

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.

UPDATE CA’ DARIO 37 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadario.net and 29 E. Victoria St. Santa Barbara, 805-884-9419 cadariopizza.net and 38 W. Victoria St. Santa Barbara and 250 Storke Road, Unit B Goleta, 805-884-9419 cadario-cucina-italiana.business.site Italian; Entrées $11–$30

The flagship of Dario Furlati’s growing restaurant empire sits at the corner of Victoria and Anacapa

streets somewhat off the Santa Barbara tourist path but decidedly worth the walk. House-made pastas with Bolognese, or tomatoes with olives and capers, or with smoked salmon, peas, tomatoes, and cream are available here, along with terra-cotta baked chicken, roasted quails with porcini ragout sauce, and fish-of-the-day specials. Located just a few doors away, the cozy Ca’ Dario Pizzeria focuses on variations of the titular dish, plus salads, pastas and, at lunch, sandwiches. For faster fare, check out Ca’ Dario Pizzeria Veloce and Ca’ Dario Pasta Veloce, both found inside the Santa Barbara Public Market. And people of Goleta, take note: Ca’ Dario Cucina Italiana serves lunch and dinner in a Storke Plaza space decorated with dark woods and white tablecloths.

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-to-bar 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.

UPDATE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL WESTLAKE VILLAGE 2 Dole Drive Westlake Village, 818-575-3000 fourseasons.com/westlakevillage/dining Californian; Entrées $10–$24

Open during renovations to other dining spaces at the resort, The Art Gallery offers daily buffet-style breakfast and an à la carte menu of sushi, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and more for lunch and dinner. 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. The Tasting Room features California labels and

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

SWIRL SIP SAVOR A TASTE OF LOS OLIVOS' FINEST

REFUGIO RANCH

BREWER-CLIFTON

BECKMEN VINEYARDS

Celebrate 10 years of Refugio Ranch award-winning wines. Run by the Gleason family, our wines are estate-grown in Santa Ynez with a focus on rich Rhône-style reds and fresh, vibrant whites.

We are committed to a finite stretch of land within the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, where we focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Our wines come from a minimalist technique by Greg Brewer, our founder and winemaker.

2990 Grand Ave.

2367 Alamo Pintado Ave.

Visit our working vineyard and winery estate two miles south of Los Olivos. Enjoy a tasting flight of six wines, crafted from our certified biodynamic vineyard. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in September.

LARNER ESTATE WINES

DESTINATION VINE

@larnerwine

destinationvine.com

CRAWFORD FAMILY WINES

Since 1999, passion and tradition have guided the meticulous farming of our family run, organically certified vineyard in the Ballard Canyon AVA offering exclusive productions of handcrafted wines.

Creating exclusive wine country tours to the hidden gems of Santa Barbara County. Experience handcrafted wines, meet top winemakers, savor local cuisine, and truly get off the beaten path. Your amazing journey awaits!

refugioranch.com

brewerclifton.com

beckmenvineyards.com

2670 Ontiveros Road

refugio

r a n c h v i n e y a r d s

2900 Grand Ave., at the flagpole

crawfordfamilywines.com

Crawford Family Wines embraces the “garagiste” style of winemaking by producing tiny lots of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah that provide a glimpse into the unique Sta. Rita Hills vineyards they come from. 2477 Alamo Pintado Ave.

The Dining Guide a menu of wine-friendly nibbles. Valet parking is $10 with validation; self-parking is free for up to four hours with validation.

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.

Already one of the region’s most glamorous places, Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village (fourseasons. com/westlakevillage) is undergoing a face-lift that calls for the temporary closure of some of its restaurants and the immediate debut of one new one: The Art Gallery. It focuses on coastal California cuisine for buffet-style breakfasts and à la carte lunches and dinners. (There’s a full bar, too.) Keep your eyes peeled for the return of Onyx as a premier Japanese-American restaurant and of the Lobby Lounge as a new concept altogether.

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 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 house-made. 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.

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LUCERNE RESTAURANT 868 Arneill Road Camarillo, 805-383-5777 lucernerestaurant.com Italian; Entrées $14–$22 Romantic

This family-owned restaurant offers white-tablecloth service (for lunch and dinner) where you’d least expect it: a strip-mall space next to Kmart. Tables are decorated with fresh flowers, and warm, heartshaped focaccia bread is in the breadbasket that arrives while you peruse the menu. Options include salads, seafood, and veal; pastas are mix-and-match: Choose a shape and a sauce to go with it. (Fettuccini is especially good with the Lucerne, made with chicken, capers, mushrooms, feta cheese, and sundried tomatoes.) Several $10 traditional Italian specials are available Tuesdays through Fridays at lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Save room for the house-made ricotta and chocolate chip cannoli, dusted with powdered sugar. The wine list focuses on Italy and California with an emphasis on labels from the 805. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for news of monthly wine dinners.

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

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.

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

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.

NOBU 22706 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, 310-317-9140 noburestaurants.com Japanese with Peruvian Influences; Entrées $8–$46, Omakase Menu $100–$150

The stars love to come to Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurant for its sushi bar and Peruvian-influenced Japanese cuisine as well as the omakase (chef’s choice menus) and other high-budget treats. The rest of us might need to check our bank accounts before ordering the lobster shiitake salad with spicy lemon dressing (nearing the $50 mark at lunch and dinner). The ocean views available from nearly every seat are priceless—and a little easier to squeeze into the budget during breakfast and brunch service on Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when selections range from Jidori chicken and waffles ($24) to the caviar “hot pot” of steamed eggs topped with crème fraîche, crispy mushrooms, and caviar ($21).

NEW NONNA 951 S. Westlake Blvd. #102 Westlake Village, 805-497-8482 nonna.restaurant Italian; Entrées $18–$45

Romantic, Great Patio A casually elegant dining room of distressed wood lit with unique light sculptures by artist Timothy J. Ferrie is a beautiful fit for Florence-born and -trained restaurateur Jacopo Falleni. The menu avoids the faddish, instead cutting a culinary swath through the Italian peninsula and islands with tradition-rich dishes that reflect Falleni’s Tuscan upbringing (gnudi with pomodoro sauce), executive chef Gianluca Maita’s Sicilian heritage (arancini), and pasta chef Pamela Ganci’s influences from Bologna (passatelli with peas). Service is engaging and professional, while Falleni himself fills the role of sommelier and designed signature cocktails for the full bar.

UPDATE OJAI VALLEY INN 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojaivalleyinn.com Various cuisines Entrées $11–$60; Saturday Buffet Brunch $32; Sunday Bluegrass Brunch $55

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 features California-Italian cuisine (see separate listing). Start the evening with small bites and cocktails 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 venues include the tranquil Spa Café in Spa Ojai, where light breakfast, fresh-pressed juices, and spa lunch are served inside or on the poolside terrace. The Oak is famous for its casual but attentive lunch service on a shaded patio overlooking the 10th hole of the resort’s golf course. It also serves breakfast and dinner and two styles of brunch: buffet on

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

SWIRL SIP SAVOR

A TASTE OF DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA’S FINEST

SANFORD WINERY

MELVILLE WINERY

FREQUENCY WINES

melvillewinery.com

frequencywines.com

Offering a chic new lounge near Stearns Wharf. Escape the bustle of State Street and enjoy locally sourced bites, a glass of sparkling wine or tastings featuring estate grown Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah. 120 State St., Suite C

Enjoy Frequency Wines in our modernfurnished tasting room located in the Historic Presidio Neighborhood of Downtown Santa Barbara. Our family-produced wines focus on single vineyard selections, offering pure expressions of critically acclaimed Santa Barbara County terroir.

AUGUST RIDGE VINEYARDS

AU BON CLIMAT

GRASSINI FAMILY VINEYARDS

August Ridge combines the spirit of California with the classic elegance of wines from Italy. Family, food, and friends pair perfectly with our locally grown grapes from the Paso Robles and Santa Barbara AVAs.

A tasting room like no other! The entire family of Au Bon Climat wines (more than 100!) is offered, including older library selections. Renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since 1982, the wines continue to be cutting edge.

Our family-owned winery specializes in Bordeaux varietals grown on our estate vineyard in Santa Ynez. To experience our wines, visit our new tasting room in downtown Santa Barbara, just steps away from State Street.

813 Anacapa St.

24 El Paseo

sanfordwinery.com

Enjoy a luxury tasting experience from the first pioneering Pinot Noir producer in Santa Barbara. Our tasting salon offers a distinctive selection of estate-grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wines. La Arcada Plaza 1114 State Street, Suite #26

augustridge.com

5 E. Figueroa St.

aubonclimat.com

831 Santa Barbara St.

grassinifamilyvineyards.com

The Dining Guide 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 salads, sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas, and entrées plus craft beers and cocktails. (It’s also one of the few restaurants in Ojai to stay open past 10 p.m. on weekends.) Next door, Libbey’s Market is the place to go for a quick sandwich and a scoop of McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams.

Known for its steaks, seafood, and vintage cocktail list, Sly’s (slysonline.com) in Carpinteria will soon be but a memory. Chef James Sly and his co-owner wife, Annie Sly, have announced plans to retire after they close the decadeold restaurant on September 23, leaving fans just a few more weeks to order from a menu that also features pastas, grilled artichokes, and, during weekend brunch through the 16th, sparkling wine from France by the glass. Be sure to purchase a keepsake Sly’s mug while paying your last respects.

NEW OLIVELLA 905 Country Club Road Ojai, 805-646-1111 ojaivalleyinn.com California-Italian Entrées $35–$120 (the latter for prime New York steak for two; a four-course experience is $95 or $165 with wine pairings) Romantic, Great Views Ojai Valley Inn’s fine-dining restaurant (the only site in the region to receive a AAA Four Diamond Award from the Automobile Club of Southern California) features California cuisine with a Northern Italian twist, courtesy of chef de cuisine Andrea Rodella. (His grandmother’s recipe for rigatoni Bolognese is on the menu, along with crudo of Pacific yellowtail and an Ojai farmers’ market salad.) 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 available with or without paired wines, and hosts winemaker dinners. Save room for lemon olive-oil cake or almondmilk panna cotta, just two of the creative dessert options by executive pastry chef Joel Gonzalez.

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

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

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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.

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

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. AROHA NEW ZEALAND CUISINE & BAR 30990 Russell Ranch Road, Unit C Westlake Village, 805-405-5054 aroharestaurant.com New Zealand fare; Entrées $26–$45

Kid-Friendly, Romantic, Sunday Brunch The spirit of aroha—a Maori word meaning “love”—is alive and well at this restaurant owned by husbandand-wife Gwithyen and Justine Thomas. She handles marketing and social media, and as executive chef and a native of Auckland, he oversees the menu of beautifully plated cuisine from New Zealand and the Pacific Rim. Some artisanal products are flown in thrice weekly. New Zealand Ora King salmon is served with burnt orange sauce; lamb is paired with smoked purple potatoes and grape-mint salsa. A cloudlike Pavlova is among the desserts. A separate children’s menu is available. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. features breakfast and lunch fare, such as ricotta pancakes and a venison short-rib sandwich with handcut potato chips. Drinks include nonalcoholic sparklers, and beer, wine, and spirits from New Zealand. The bar menu of small bites (lump crab cakes, crispy pork belly) and “main grub” (fish and chips, steak and cheese pie) is available Tuesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Happy hour runs Tuesdays through Fridays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; specials include $5 beers and wines by the glass and a $7 cocktail.

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. 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.

A shared dining experience featuring artisanal & seasonal ingredients, celebrating the central coast.

Serving authentic Spanish food including hot and cold tapas, wood-fire grilled seafood and meat, and seasonal paella.

Seasonally inspired dinner nightly; cheese & housemade charcuterie at 3pm; gourmet brunch Saturday & Sunday.

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The Dining Guide 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.

NEW BIBI JI 734 State Street Santa Barbara, 805-560-6845 bibijisb.com Indian, Australian, and American Street Food $10–$16, Grill $15–$25, Curries $10–$18, Chef’s Tasting $50 per person Chef and restaurateur Jessi Singh partners with star sommelier and winemaker Rajat Parr to offer vibrant Indian fare and local and international wines and beers in this casual downtown bistro. Don’t miss the gol gappa, surprising sweet-and-spicy flatbread balls flavored with mint, coriander, dates, and tamarind chutney or Singh’s signature dish, Mr. Tso’s Cauliflower, featuring the nutty florets tossed in a tangy chili sauce.

UPDATE THE BLUE OWL AT CANON PERDIDO

5 W. Canon Perdido Santa Barbara, 805-705-0991 theblueowlsb.com Asian-American; Entrées $9–$13

Late-Night Menu East meets West at this popular lunch-and-dinner spot, where a banh mi sandwich with oyster-chili mayo is on the menu along with a Thai basil cheeseburger infused with green curry and topped with an egg. The café also offers a fried-rice bar with kimchi, pork, and poached eggs among the optional add-ons (vegan and gluten-free versions are available). Beverages include housemade herbed lemonade and local beer and wines on tap. The Blue Owl really lives up to its name on Fridays and Saturdays, when an ever-changing latenight menu of munchies-slaying dishes greets diners from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

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

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Located in a refurbished 1920sera 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, kouign-amann, pain au chocolat, and other pastries come out of the ovens. Loaves of naturally leavened, burnished-crust 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. Grab-and-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-thewinemakers 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 three-course meal with wine for $95 per person.) Add the gracious presence of proprietor Mitchell Sjerven and you have the ingredients for the first Santa Barbara-area restaurant in a decade to earn the AAA Four Diamond award for excellence.

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 farmfresh 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.

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The Dining Guide 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.

UPDATE 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 Peter Cham, a Santa Barbara native. Creative starters, flatbreads, salads, and entrées 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 buttermilk fried chicken on Tuesdays and bouillabaisse every Thursday. Happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays includes 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 pPlates $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

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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’tmiss 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 small-production labels from around the world. Cocktails often include locally foraged ingredients like lavender, rosemary, and pink peppercorns.

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.

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 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.

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

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, communal tables, and private booths fashioned from church pews. As culinary conductor, executive chef Jason Paluska oversees a thoroughly modern menu that highlights local ingredients. West Coast oysters with Goleta caviar lime are popular starters to shared plates of roasted chicken with green peppercorn gastrique, depending on the season. Craft brews, wines by the glass, cocktails, and mocktails extend the artisanal spirit into the bar. Desserts by pastry chef Joey Vega include warm Meyer lemon fritters with slow-cooked blueberries and lemon thyme.

UPDATE LES MARCHANDS RESTAURANT & MERCHANT 131 Anacapa St., Suite B Santa Barbara, 805-284-0380 lesmarchandswine.com European; Small Plates $5–$15; Entrées $18–$30

Weekend Brunch The vibe is Parisian bistro, but selections at this combination 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. Dinner is served daily from 5 p.m., when selections include a local strawberry-arugula salad with house-made ricotta and mint pesto and lemon-brined chicken with crispy fingerling potatoes. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. offers dishes such as shakshuka (a Middle Eastern poached-egg dish) and fried chicken and waffles with rosemary honey.

UPDATE LIDO AT DOLPHIN BAY 2727 Shell Beach Road Pismo Beach, 805-773-8900 thedolphinbay.com/lido Californian; Entrées $16–$58

Great View, Daily Brunch Chef Hector Ibarra brings an eye for seasonal ingredients to a menu that echoes the creativity of the art glass displayed in Lido’s dining room. Appetizers include oysters with pink peppercorn mignonette and braised pork belly with fennel slaw. Entrées include house-made squid-ink pasta, quinoa veggie burgers, and a generous rib eye with curry compound butter. The Chef’s Tasting Menu offers five courses for $75 ($100 with wine pairings). A daily affair, brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., features a three-course plated option with bottomless mimosas as well as à la carte dishes.

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The Dining Guide 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 small-bites bar named, naturally, Poquita.

UPDATE MAD & VIN 1576 Mission Drive Solvang, 805-688-3121 thelandsby.com Eclectic; Entrées $16–$38

This restaurant located inside The Landsby hotel 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 Nordic Caesar salad of local greens, sautéed shrimp, fried sourdough croutons, and dill-caraway Caesar dressing. At dinner, the lamb porterhouse with mint-pesto yogurt and seafood hot pot, paired with selections from the primarily Santa Barbara County wine list, are not to be missed. The bar is a Scandinavian-chic spot to meet friends for lunch on the weekends or for cocktails and small bites daily from 4 p.m.

In Ojai, what started as a monthly pop-up called gargantua (gargantuarestaurant.com) is now a regular thing on the Beacon Coffee side of a former Carrows Restaurant building that also houses Cattywampus Crafts. Using the shared kitchen, owner and chef Nick Barainca pairs mad fine-dining skills with local produce to create picture-worthy breakfast, lunch, and brunch dishes so enticing you may forget to Instagram them before diving in. Dinner service is expected to launch this fall, when a beer-and-wine license takes effect. MOODY ROOSTER 2891 Agoura Road Westlake Village, 805-370-3131 moodyroosterwlv.com New American; Entrées $13–$30

Born in the Year of the Rooster, owner-chef Collin Crannell cooks whatever he feels like putting on the menu each day at this foodie version of a neighborhood café located in a Westlake Village shopping center. That’s what’s in the name. On the plate, Crannell—formerly the executive chef at The Lobster in Santa Monica—focuses on from-scratch fare showcasing local, seasonal produce, seafood, and proteins at lunch and dinner. Trademark dishes include crispy gnocchi with roasted cherry tomatoes,

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Parmesan fondue, and a swirl of aged balsamic, as well as a half chicken with roasted garlic and butternut squash. Wine and craft beers are available (ask co-owner Vicki Crannell for pairing suggestions).

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

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.

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

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.

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 half-price during happy hour service available Sundays through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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. Playful takes on classics like guacamole (served with toasted pumpkin seed gremolata) join pork belly bao buns and roasted sea bass lettuce wraps with crispy shallots. 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 meal-worthy snacks. Happy hour specials are available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Ramen is a Sunday-night thing from 5 p.m. (go early). Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

PAUL MARTIN’S AMERICAN GRILL 100 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, 805-373-9300 paulmartinsamericangrill.com American; Entrées $13–$36

Romantic, Saturday & Sunday Brunch The farm-to-table movement never looked as elegant as it does at this bistro-style restaurant, which also has locations in Irvine, Roseville, El Segundo, San Mateo, and Mountain View. Tortillas and infused vodkas are just two of the items made in-house to augment the menu showcasing organic produce and artisanal ingredients. The kale Caesar salad features wild white anchovies, mesquite-grilled salmon is served with a chilled salad of quinoa and bulgur wheat, and natural meats are used for burgers, steaks, chops, and “brick” chicken (flattened and cooked evenly under the weight of a brick). Weekend brunch service starts with freshly baked millet drop biscuits and honey butter before moving on to your choice of entrée. Three-course dinner specials include prime rib on Sundays and fried chicken on Tuesdays.Available daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Taste of Paul Martin’s menu offers small plates, burgers, and signature cocktails from $5 to $13.

NEW PICO AT THE LOS ALAMOS GENERAL STORE 458 Bell St. Los Alamos, 805-344-1122 picolosalamos.com New American; Share Plates and Entrées $12–31 Live Music

The spirit of a one-stop general store lives on in the historic town of Los Alamos, the northern gateway to the Santa Ynez Valley. Expect to find an extraordinary chef-driven, locally sourced menu by Drew Terp (formerly of Auberge du Soleil in Napa and Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in New York) offering heart of rib eye, duck confit risotto, smoked scallops, house-made pasta dishes, and charcuterie and cheese platters, along with signature cocktails, beer, and a world-class wine list. The spacious, refurbished building is also the tasting room of Lane Tanner and Will Henry’s Lumen Wines of Santa Maria. Sunday is Burger Night. Upscale but down home, Pico is keeping destination diners as well as the local cowboys coming back for more.

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: Smallplate 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 applemustard 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. SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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Pismo Beach. Literally.

Beach by Day. Hot Tub by Night. Put your toes in the sand at Pismo Beach’s only full service beachfront hotel. Enjoy nearby attractions, including the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterﬂy Grove, Edna Valley wineries, and historic downtown San Luis Obispo.

On the Beach

Ocean View Rooms

In Room Fireplaces

Private Balconies with Hot Tubs

Beach Weddings & Ocean View Special Event Space

Full Ocean View Restaurant

Walk to Downtown Pismo Beach 805.556.8090 | SeaVenture.com 100 Ocean View Ave. Pismo Beach, CA

World-class, independent craft beer, made right in your own backyard.

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 farmto-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 black-and-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 ringshaped, rolled pizza-bread 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.

Visit us in Westlake, Buellton, and beyond - FigMtnBrew.com Weekly live music • Happy Hour • We have wine too!

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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. 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.

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 takeout orders. Brent’s Deli is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.

CAFÉ FIRENZE 563 W. Los Angeles Ave. Moorpark, 805-532-0048 cafefirenze.net Italian; Entrées $13–$30

kale. The house burger is made with a chuck, brisket, and hanger steak patty on a brioche bun (options include gluten-free buns and plant-based Impossible Burger patties). Crispy tacos, salads, and flatbread pizzas are also available. Families and other groups gravitate to the communal tables inside and on the patio. Seating is first-come, 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 crepe-like 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

Sunday Brunch Moorpark’s movers and shakers go to Firenze for rustic but innovative Italian fare matched with a solid international wine list. (By-the-glass options change each month to include at least one 805-based label selected by a local wine blogger.) Chef and co-owner Fabio Viviani makes a splash in the dining room and in the adjoining space, where he often leads cooking classes. When Viviani is cooking at his many off-site projects, co-executive chef John Paolone keeps the kitchen going strong with imaginative flatbreads, fresh fish, and excellent, dry-aged beef. Check the daily specials menu for Paolone’s growing repertoire of house-made fresh pastas. Available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday brunch is an à la carte affair that includes Nutella sticky buns, Pecorino-flecked biscuits with fennel sausage gravy, and carafes of Bloody Marys.

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.

UPDATE FINNEY’S CRAFTHOUSE & KITCHEN 982 S. Westlake Blvd., Suite 2 Westlake Village, 805-230-9950 and 35 State St., Suite A Santa Barbara, 805-845-3100 finneyscrafthouse.com American; Entrées $10–$16

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

Kid-Friendly The “craft beer spoken here” neon sign in the dining room doesn’t quite say it all at this casual but polished gastropub owned by Greg Finefrock, an 805 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. With slight variations between the Santa Barbara and Westlake Village locations, shareable appetizers include gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tossed in yuzu sauce and chicken-and-waffle bites that come with a tangy surprise: Tabasco-braised

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. SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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The Dining Guide IL FORNAIO 6320 Topanga Canyon Blvd. Woodland Hills, 818-297-1700 ilfornaio.com Italian; Entrées $16–$39

Enjoy our spectacular new wine and food pairing menu, inspired by summer and part of our Perfect Pairing Tasting Experience. Offered Friday through Sunday. For reservations, please call 805-544-5855 ext. 3245 or email us at info@ednavalley.com. Edna Valley Vineyard 2585 Biddle Ranch Road • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 California Table Wine, ©2018 Edna Valley Vineyard, San Luis Obispo, CA. All rights reserved.

Part of a family of restaurants that includes Canaletto at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Il Fornaio brings authentic Italian cuisine to locations in five states. The newest site at The Village at Westfield Topanga may be the jewel in the crown, featuring brown leather booths, terra-cotta floor tiles, solid tables of reclaimed oak, and a refrigerated wine wall of steel and glass. Dishes are at once classic and modern, combining traditional techniques with ingredients that are organic, free-range, and, in some cases, gluten-free. At lunch, the Piatti Unici section of the menu offers one-dish meals (think mixed greens with rotisserie chicken or veal scaloppini with Tuscan salad) that will fortify you for more shopping. Free desserts and other perks are available for diners who access the passaporto on the Il Fornaio app.

JANE 1311 State St. Santa Barbara, 805-962-1311 and 6940 Marketplace Drive 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.

KING’S FISH HOUSE 4798 Commons Way Calabasas, 818-225-1979 Seafood; Entrées $10–$39 (and up to $72 for a 3-pound lobster)

ANNUAL TOUR OCTOBER 13-15

One of California’s premier art events. Over 70 open studios. 3 days of open studios, Friday night preview, Saturday night reception and Sunday afternoon wine social. SAVE $5 PER TICKET ONLINE ONLY. USE CODE: 805OSA INFORMATION, MAPS AND TICKETS VISIT:

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Kid-Friendly With three ample dining areas, a large menu, and well-executed dishes, this Calabasas fave is part of the King’s Seafood Company (Water Grill, I Cugini), so the fish is always fresh. The menu is printed daily; expect the best picks to be sold out by the end of the evening. The fried oysters and the clam chowder are reliable favorites. This place is big enough to handle energetic kids and good enough to satisfy adult tastes.

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 family-owned 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.

LOVI’S DELICATESSEN 24005 Calabasas Road Calabasas, 818-223-8777 lovisdeli.com Deli; Entrées $11–$30

Kid-Friendly “Delicatessen” seems like a misnomer for this sharp and sleekly designed modern restaurant and bar. A comprehensive menu offers standard deli fare like triple-deckers, house-made soups, and smoked fish platters but also features contemporary dishes such as Alaskan salmon, Mexican, pasta, and vegetarian specialties, and build-your-own salads with 65-plus ingredients. The restaurant consists of four spacious areas. A bright main dining room is designed with clean lines, earth tones, and stylish riveted steel tables. Another dining room has a full bar, and the beautiful shaded outdoor patio is a perfect place for Sunday brunch. Most impressive is a private glassed-in dining room that seats 30 and has an equally impressive wine cellar. Fifteen flatscreens are judiciously placed, so they don’t detract from the upscale vibe. Lovi’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and serves breakfast all day. Daily happy hour is from 3 p.m. until closing. Catering and delivery are available.

MARMALADE CAFE 4783 Commons Way Calabasas, 818-225-9092 and 3894 Cross Creek Road Malibu, 310-317-4242 and 140 Promenade Way Westlake Village, 805-370-1331 marmaladecafe.com American; Entrées $10–$22

Salads, sandwiches, soups and waistline-friendly half-orders of pasta are lunchtime mainstays at this chain known for its cozy, French-country décor. But chef Aaron Johns also showcases fresh

produce and California ingredients in newer dishes like the Petaluma chicken potpie, served upside-down in a bowl of flaky puff pastry. Happy hour deals are especially sweet, with half-price appetizers (think Maryland crab cakes), $5 well drinks, and glasses of premium wines available for $9 to $12 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Or take advantage of the free corkage and half-off pricing on all bottles during Wine Down Wednesdays from 4 p.m.

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 bar-stools 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.

NEW OJAI BOWLS 11492 N. Ventura Ave. Ojai, 805-633-9044 ojaibowls.org Californian-Asian; Entrées $9–$15

An Ojai Valley shopping center anchored by a Rite Aid is the setting for this casual, order-at-the-counter restaurant specializing in customizable poke and ramen bowls, plus what co-owners Don Hull and Doug Hernandez call “crafted bowls.” The latter include the vegan Golden Flower Bowl, named for its pairing of turmericdusted cauliflower, beet chips, and quinoa, and the Braised Beef Bowl, made with local Watkins Cattle Co. beef, brown rice, and crispy leeks. Hull, a sommelier, oversees the list of wines served by the glass and local beers and kombuchas on tap. Hernandez lets his imagination—and his sweet tooth— run free in desserts like banana spring rolls with vegan coconut ice cream and a Kona pie that involves a chocolatecookie crust, macadamia nut–vanilla ice cream, and oodles of hot fudge.

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.

NEW SPENCER MAKENZIE’S FISH CO. 311 Carmen Drive Camarillo, 805-643-3474 and 806 E. Thompson Blvd. Ventura, 805-643-8226 spencermakenzies.com Seafood; Entrées $5–$11

Kid-Friendly Famous for its grilled and tempurabattered fish tacos, this restaurant named for the owners’ two eldest children enjoys a beachy vibe that has made its Ventura location a favorite of locals and visitors alike for more than a decade. (Newly opened in May 2018, the Camarillo site echoes that laid-back feel, despite its shoppingcenter setting.) Other house specialties include the ahi pocket, an appetizer of mildly sweet tofu stuffed with sushi rice and topped with seared ahi tuna. Grilled fish-and-shrimp burritos are best when eaten “Brooklyn style,” named for kid number three and created by combining house-made Spencer and Sweet Chili Fire sauces. Also featured are Parmesan hard-shell tacos, clam chowder by the cup, bowl, and sourdough bread bowl, and the seared–ahi steak Parker Burger, a shout-out to the family’s youngest child. Local brews are on tap.

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.

Let us surprise and delight you with the best this region has to offer! 1313 Park Street, Paso Robles 805.226.5888 Open 7 days a week for lunch + dinner Brunch on Sundays thomashillorganics.com SEPTEMBER 2018 / 805LIVING.COM

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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

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.

THE ANNEX 550 Collection Blvd. Oxnard, 805-278-9500 thecollectionrp.com/the_annex Cuisines and prices vary by location

TENNIS INSTRUCTION by

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Kid-Friendly Nine restaurants offer as many dining experiences at this public market–style spot in the heart of The Collection at RiverPark. House-roasted coffee and gluten-free muffins help jump-start the day at Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters, while The Blend Superfood Bar serves smoothies, juices, and acai bowls made with local berries and honey. Scratch Sandwich Counter covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu that includes The Sabbich, a vegetarian combination of grilled eggplant, black bean hummus, and fried egg in soft pita bread, and baked goods including cookies and—at 4 p.m. on Sundays—chicken pot pies. Other order-at-thecounter options here also include: Love Pho; Taqueria el Tapatio; PokeCeviche, specializing in build-your-own Hawaiian poke bowls and chef-curated Latin American ceviche; and Seoul Sausage, the season three winner of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race with its updated take on Korean barbecue. Chef Sandra Cordero shares her heritage at Pancake, where the menu focuses on sweet and savory Dutch pancakes. The craft-beer bar Bottle & Pint serves local brews and ciders on tap and by the bottle; wines are available by the glass. Fun artwork, inventive communal seating areas (look for tables crafted from reclaimed bowlingalley lanes), and two retail shops add to the vibe.

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

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

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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 semiprivate 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.

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 hash-like 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

When Italian-born chef Dario Furlati opened the first restaurant to bear his name some 20 years ago in Santa Barbara, he picked a cozysounding moniker: Ca’ Dario (cadario.net), which means house of Dario. He’s built several additions since then, including two orderat-the-counter spots inside the Santa Barbara Public Market. One specializes in pizza. The other focuses on pasta. Both Ca’ Dario Pizzeria Veloce and Ca’ Dario Pasta Veloce include the Italian word for “fast” (veloce) in their names. To which we say: Mangia! Mangia!

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.

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.

LUCKY PENNY 127 Anacapa St. Santa Barbara, 805-284-0358 luckypennysb.com Californian; Entrées $11–$16

Located in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, this orderat-the-counter spot ranks as one of the city’s most Instagrammed restaurants. The exterior covered in thousands of shiny copper pennies is a draw, but so is the creative menu of close-up-worthy salads, sandwiches, small plates, and wood-fired pizzas. The latter includes such local-place-named favorites as the Milpas, topped with fingerling potatoes, chorizo, and a sunny-side-up egg. Salads are big enough to turn into a meal or to share with a friend who orders pizza. Seating is on a pet-friendly patio adjacent to The Lark restaurant. Coffee is served, along with beer, wine, cider, and a life-giving frosé accented with local strawberries and tarragon.

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

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

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. 

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