dinner is served

The flavors at Toma are an instant hit

I’d go there again,” my persnickety foodie friend, michael, texted me, right after a very tasty and filling shared dinner at Toma, SB’s newest and much awaited dining spot. Located just a stone’s throw from the harbor, the cozy restaurant serving California- Italian cuisine opened in April in the same spot inhabited by emilio’s for more than 20 years. The menu, a mix of “something old, something new” is keeping regulars happy and we spotted “le beau monde” of Santa Barbara during our dining experience.

The name Toma references the former longtime manager-turnedowner Tom dolan and Toma, a northern Italian cheese used in the gratis nibbles served to diners and imbibers along with fried green olives stuffed with the cows milk cheese. Tom and his wife Vicki, who have over 65 combined years of experience in the food & beverage industry, joined by the great staff were all hard at work pleasing customers on the Tuesday evening my pal and I dined there.

Toma Chef Nat ely’s cuisine supports “local fishermen, farmers, foragers and food artisans” and is as tasty as the attractive presentations. The restaurant’s “classic” tuna cones ($14) remain on the starters list, but the roasted beet salad ($10) with ruby grapefruit, lemon Stilton, watercress and citrus emulsion was a big winner, as was the lemon aioli served with the crispy semolina crusted baby artichokes ($11). I paired both with a Sanford “flor de campo” 2010 Chardonnay ($9/glass) – and pairing anything with artichokes is a challenge.

don’t laugh, but in the name of research, we tried four main courses: a satisfying Black spaghetti ($18), a new menu choice made of squid ink pasta with fresh clams and calamari, which we both deemed successful—except for my spilling the leftovers drenched in garlic white wine butter and parsley sauce all over my sweater when I got home! Light little pillows of perfect gnocchi (an old favorite), with rock shrimp, just plain rocked! Another new item on the menu – crusted Sea bass served with braised fennel, cracked olive butter and fresh herbs is worth another repast ($25). We devoured the fried white polenta cake (my friend calls this “Italian hash browns”) accompanying the daily special, New Zealand lamb chops that paired perfectly with a glass of Jaffurs 2010 Santa Barbara County Syrah ($13).

Toma has a fresh new feeling, after some “sprucing up” that includes new art on the