Food & Home Magazine - Fall 2017

Seafood Paella from Opal Restaurant and Bar.

Photo by Alex Siegel.

America’s First Silver Dollar

The Lord St. Oswald-Norweb 1794 Silver Dollar • MS-64 (PCGS)

Acquired shortly after striking by William Strickland on his tour of the United States in 1794-1795, this keepsake now ranks among the finest examples of our nation’s first silver dollar. Property of a Santa Barbara family for more than three decades.

Sold August 2017 by Stack’s Bowers Auctions for a Record Price

$2,400,000.00

Sale arranged by Ronald J. Gillio

Numismatic Acquisition Coordinator Stack’s Bowers Auctions

Ronald J. Gillio, Inc.

Established 1961

Gillio Coins

Serving Santa Barbara Since 1971

For an appointment, contact Ron Gillio cell (805) 637-5081 / email rjgillio@gmail.com www.gillio.com www.stacksbowers.com

America’s Oldest and Most Accomplished Rare Coin Auctioneer

Montecito

www.DistinctiveRealEstateOnline.com

License 01304471

Sophisticated, single level home with walls of glass is encompassed by beautiful gardens and amazing natural light. It is indoor outdoor living at its best! Down a private lane, this stunning gated home is the epitome of tranquility and privacy. This mountain view home is 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms on 1.2 acres with a 3 car garage.

Wendy Elizabeth Gragg 805.453.3371

Offered at $3,385,000.

www.DistinctiveRealEstateOnline.com

This magnificent Montecito Estate set on 2 acres with mountain views offers an incredible Main Residence, Pool House and Guest House with the highest attention to detail, craftsmanship and design. The stately grounds have an expansive pool, an outdoor kitchen, 4 outdoor fireplaces, loggias and patios, a koi pond, an outdoor spa, raised bed vegetable gardens, fruit trees and a beautiful rose garden.

Free In-Home Consultation

No need to spend time driving store to store to get ideas for your kitchen or bath remodel. Montecito Kitchens provides a free in-home consultation that includes a variety of high quality materials so that you can see how various styles look in your home. We will customize a plan for your exact space, style, budget and more.

Montecito Kitchens is an accomplished design and construction firm that provides fine kitchen, bathroom, office, closet and other custom designs with high quality materials. Our company delivers skilled and proven craftsmanship from the start of your design all the way through the masterful finish of every last detail of construction. Our workmanship is100% guaranteed and references are gladly furnished.

PublIsher & PresIdent

Philip Kirkwood

phil@food-home com

CoPy edItor

Jeff Miller

ContrIbutors

Raymond Bloom

Angela Borda

Kim Carmel

Lisa Cullen

Danielle Fahrenkrug

Avery Hardin

Bryan Henson

Lynette La Mere

Julia McHugh

Jeff Miller

Hana-Lee Sedgwick

Leslie A. Westbrook

PhotograPhy

Jim Bartsch

Bill Boyd

Michael Brown

Joshua Curry

Eliot Crowley

Mehosh Dziadzio

Braulio Godinez

Ashley Hardin

Alexander Siegel

Shelly Vinson

ContaCt InformatIon

P.O. Box 20025, Santa Barbara, CA 93120 (805) 455-4756

www.food–home.com

Food and Home (ISSN# 1533-693X) is published quarterly by Metro Inc. and single copies are provided to selected homeowners free of charge. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and designs printed in Food & Home are the sole property of Metro Inc. and may not be duplicated or reprinted without Metro Inc.’s express written permission. Food & Home and Metro Inc. are not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers. Readers should verify advertised information with the advertisers. Food & Home and Metro Inc. reserve the right to refuse any advertising. Food & Home® is a registered trademark of Metro, Inc. Copyright © 2017. All inquiries may be sent to: Metro Media Services, P.O. Box 20025, Santa Barbara, CA 93120, or call (805) 455-4756, or e-mail: info@food-home.com. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs, artwork, and designs printed in Food & Home are the sole property of Metro Inc. and may not be duplicated or reprinted without Metro Inc.’s express written permission. Food & Home and Metro Inc. are not liable for typographical or production errors or the accuracy of information provided by advertisers. Readers should verify advertised information with the advertisers.

All in the Family

Jane Restaurant is a true local’s tradition

The owner of Jane Restaurant, Margaret Huston, has a humble and unpretentious view on food: “Keep it simple and keep it fresh.” She explains: “Our food is approachable, and our core values are quality, value, and friendly, efficient service.” This down-to-earth attitude is reflected not only in the food itself, but also in the restaurant’s ambiance. Jane exemplifies the essence of family-owned and -operated.

In both the intimate Jane downtown and the spacious Jane at the Marketplace, photographs of Huston’s late mother, Jane Moody, decorate the walls, and pay homage to a family tradition – a tradition that celebrates food and people gathering together.

Jane Moody grew up on a farm and one of the menu’s appetizers reflects a dish she used to make. The goat cheese pancake evolved from her original cottage cheese pancake crafted from fresh cow’s milk. Adapted to modern taste, it now incorporates smoked salmon, sour cream, and golden caviar.

The legacy of family and food continues with Huston’s daughter Jane Chapman, who manages the downtown Jane location. Chapman grew up in the restaurant world. Her parents, Margaret and Mark, operated Montecito Café for 30 years.

Chapman was able to experiment in the kitchen, collaborate, and cook dinner for her family. She explains “It was almost like I was an apprentice. I was able to watch how my parents cooked at home, buying local produce and creating meals from scratch.”

Participating in the family restaurant encouraged her to become the manager of Jane. “The restaurant is an extension of my family,” she says. Chapman appreciates the location of the restaurant, nestled between the Granada and Arlington in the historic theater district.

The quaint two-story Jane downtown is set in one of the historical Spanish Colonial Revival buildings. Whether seated downstairs or up in the charming balcony area it instantly feels as though

you’ve set foot into someone’s home. When combined with a warm, welcoming staff, the dining experience comes to life.

A more casual expanded version of the downtown Jane is the open and airy space of Jane at the Marketplace. With ample parking, a vibrant community of guests, and a reasonable happy hour, it’s just what the Goleta neighborhood needed. When the Santa Ana winds hit, the outdoor, dogfriendly patio is enclosed, warmly lit, and romantic.

Margaret and Mark Huston were traditionally trained in chef school in a French style, however there’s a Mediterranean accent in many of the dishes. A must taste is the decadent fettuccine and homemade lamb sausage with spinach, tomatoes, roasted garlic, and cream.

Both restaurants have an extensive handcrafted drink menu with the option of half sized wine bottles (a personal favorite). They also both have the same menu, but Jane at the Marketplace features oak-fired pizzas with dough made daily from scratch. Meticulous attention to detail is a top priority and manifested up and down the menu.

Elaborates Huston: “We don’t cut corners. We make all of our dressings and create all the stocks from scratch. We use fish that’s fresh every day and top-quality meats.”

For a subtly sweet way to wrap up the evening, try a slice of the homemade coconut chiffon cake with layers of cream and sauce anglaise.

Clearly, both Jane Restaurants are committed to excellent service and quality cuisine. The question is, which Jane will you choose? –

By Julie Boe

The Spicy Margarita

Your team just beat your rivals in a brutal volleyball battle on East Beach. You need to celebrate, but how and where?

Well, for some the obvious choice is a margarita. And not just any margarita, but rather one at the bar at Harry’s Plaza Café, where the drinks are renowned for their heroic size. And not just any margarita. This calls for a Spicy.

The Spicy Margarita, invented by Harry’s general manager Kevin Hebert and veteran bartender Mike McHugh, is concocted with Hornitas jalapeño-infused tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice, shaken and poured into a jumbo rocks glass with Tajin chili lime salt crusted around the rim.

Sizzle … Bang.

A bit of cocktail history: The Spicy Margarita was invented for Fiesta three years ago but has proven so popular it’s become an everyday favorite.

Do you have to be tough, or fireproof, to drink a Spicy? Not necessarily, said co-creator McHugh. But it helps to be a fan of spicy ingredients.

Has anyone ever drunk three? He said the answer is yes, after which, “with our pour, they may no longer recognize its spiciness.” — JeFF miller

Jane Restaurant . 1311 State St ., Santa Barbara 6920 Market Place Dr ., Goleta . www . janesb com

Harry’s spicy margarita

Joshua Curry

Tri-Tip Heaven

Apromising wisp of smoke curls above the outdoor grill at Barbareño, wafting over a covered patio strung with lights and filled with greenery in a décor that co-owner Jesse Gaddy calls “refined rustic.” You will find everything from barn doors to Chumash baskets artfully arranged in this Spanish Colonial Revival building. The menu is no less intriguing, with appetizers like smoked Brussels sprouts and grilled avocado, and entrees that come from the heart of the grill.

Chef Justin Snyder has traveled the world, honing his skills at restaurants like Ta Viein in Hong Kong and Blue Dragon Hawaii, and enjoying “freedom to create” in the kitchen. He starts with the premise that “every dish has a story,” and at Barbareño that is particularly true. Local agricultural history is always taken into consideration (did you know tri-tip originated in Santa Maria, and that Santa Barbara was the first place to bring avocado farming from Mexico?) and ingredients are locally sourced whenever possible. Part of the richness of the dining experience is the background of each dish, which the servers are happy to share with you. The end result is “Central Coast cuisine” that takes traditional foods of our area and presents them in novel ways.

The tri-tip dinner is easily the most popular item on the menu, starting with certified Angus beef that’s smoked over red oak, then cooked by sous-vide with duck fat for 16 hours, gently coaxing it to perfection. It’s then given another quick grill before being served with a side of creamy pinquito beans and deconstructed pico de gallo (pickled cherry tomatoes, cilantro chimichurri, onions, and jalapenos). The finishing touch is a garlic butter that regulars cannot do without. For dessert, Gaddy likes the peach sorbet with vanilla anglaise sauce topped with plum syrup and fried soba noodles! — Angela Borda

Barbareño 205 W Canon Perdido Street, (805) 963-9591

Danielle Fahrenkrug

Photos cour tesy of Olio e Limone Ristorante and Kevin Steele / kevsteele com Photos cour tesy of Olio Crudo Bar and Gary Moss /garymossphotography com

Photos cour tesy of Olio Pizzeria® and Kevin Steele / kevsteele com

Luck of the Irish?

by leslIe a. Westbrook

Timing is everything,” Wine Cask Executive Chef Brandon Cogan says of his kitchen rules. “It’s not a race, it’s a tie! Everything needs to come up at the same time. There’s a lot of looking left and looking right and if you don’t communicate with everybody — and are not all working towards the same end — then you’re in trouble!”

Good timing aside, it was a long and circuitous road to his downtown home and new kitchen post earlier this year.

The 42-year-old California native, who proudly proclaims his “throughand-through Irish” heritage, grew up in Palos Verdes. He was “the only kid he knew who didn’t surf,” he laughed. Cogan left home at 18, having lost both parents at a young age, and moved to Park City, Utah, to join his brother and work in the building trade. Winter construction in the cold was not agreeable with the SoCal boy, so he jumped ship when offered a

job in a pizza place and discovered his métier/calling.

“I loved it! The people, the hours, the job,” he said, adding, “Everything is unpredictable, but don’t think I’m cut out for anything else. I certainly can’t imagine myself in an office.”

In 1997 Cogan moved to Santa Barbara to attend SBCC’s Culinary Arts Program, followed by a line cook job at The Fish House when it opened. By default, the 21-year-old was promoted to chef but ended up burning out. “I was way too young,” he recalled. From there, Cogan returned to line cooking at Stella Mare’s, followed by a three-year stint at Bouchon before moving south for a sous chef position at the W Hotel in Westwood. But big city life got to him. “It was fun, but the romance ended due to the staggering number of people and cars. I wanted to return to Santa Barbara’s pace and people.”

Back in town, the cook took the first job he could land at the now defunct Mondial Catering. Then Chef Jeremy Tummel at the Wine Cask needed a sous chef and Cogan landed that spot, much to his delight. When Doug Margerum sold the restaurant — later reclaiming it with Mitchell Sjerven — Cogan moved on yet again.

Next stops included stints at duo catering; Café Luck and the San Ysidro Ranch under one of the ranch’s best chef’s, John Trotta (2010 –2013). When that job ended, there was a quick stop at Bacara Resort before he boomeranged back to the Wine Cask and worked under Chef Rosner. That was three years ago.

When Rosner moved on to “do his own thing,” Cogan had more than earned his stripes and was offered the executive chef position earlier this year. Now he “owns the menu” and gets to do his own thing. With more responsibility — and a raise in pay — Cogan is super stoked.

Chef Cogan and his team aim to create the perfect restaurant experience. “It begins,” he said, “with the company you are with and ordering what you think you will enjoy. The restaurant’s job is to make sure it’s executed well, comes out hot and in a timely manner, and that the guest is unmolested — yet the staff is there when required.”

Succulent entrees include Seared Mediterranean Branzino with mint oil, yogurt, snap peas and heirloom potatoes, and sweet deboned quail paired with Stoplman Roussane. Be sure to start with the gorgeous oysters with tomato syrup, horseradish, and micro celery that pop in your mouth, especially nice with ’13 Potek Blanc de Noir from the Santa Rita Hills.

“All the menu design is mine at the end of the day,” said Cogan. “I approach work the same way as I did as a sous chef. I make sure everything is held to a certain standard and that everyone is doing his or her job. I try to create approachable food that is easily understood, tastes good, and that people crave. Our last chef was more art-oriented. I hope my cuisine is something everybody is going to love and want to come back for. I feel proud we get good feedback from our guests.”

Cogan has the seemingly perfect life now. He lives downtown with his girlfriend (who also works in the restaurant trade at Convivo) and gets to walk to a gig he loves.

“I have 15 minutes to get my head straight on the way to work and 15 minutes to let steam off when I head home,” he says.

All in all, a great day at the office.

THE ART OF INSPIRATION: Panoply of Squash

Creating new dishes for the Wine Cask and Intermezzo, Chef Brandon Cogan and Sous Chef Louie “The Rock” Martinez take inspiration from the season and market availability. When planning the fall menu the duo “grabbed a bunch of eight-ball squash” from the Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market and created as many variations as they could think of. They stuffed the small round zucchini, shaped like a billiard ball, with prosciutto, spinach, shallots and garlic, and plated the tiny gem with pureed and grilled zucchini along with melon ball squash, with Israeli cous cous as the accompaniment for tasty roasted, sliced duck.

David Fainberg is the Wine Casks’ enthusiastic and knowledgeable sommelier who tends to pour unique Santa Barbara wines for food pairings that include some tried and true winners (Margerum Sybarite from Happy Canyon, for example) alongside new discoveries (a Pinot Noir from Lutum paired with scallops with wasabi that converted this non pinot fan).

The historic and elegant Gold Room has been recently refurbished and the bar now sits in the center of the room. The tasting menu is a great way to explore the chef’s creativity. There are five-course (plenty) and eightcourse versions (way more than plenty) tasting menus to choose from. Do your best, as my dining companion and I did, and then take the rest home for a happy and tasty memory. — L.A.W.

Hoffmann Brat Haus

Gourmet

& Age old Craft Beer

Tasty Tidbits

by leslIe a. Westbrook

Ococoa Chocolate Heaven!

801 State St, 805-962-3131

Move over Godiva, there’s a new chocolate in town. Ococoa’s tasty and pretty dark chocolate cups (“peanut butter cups all grown up”) are filled with a variety of natural nut butters that include the familiar (hazelnut and almond butter) as well as the more exotic (tahini and pistachio butter). Founder Diana Malouf’s roots are Lebanese (her great uncle was noted furniture designer Sam Malouf) and the family heritage is reflected in flavors that include Classic Peanut Butter, Pistachio Date, Sesame Fig, Hazelnut Chocolate, Almond Cherry, Cashew Apricot, Marzipan Truffle, Macadamia Guava, and Sunflower Honey.

Ococoa nut cups ($2 25 each) and chocolate bars available at Pierre La Fond in Montecito’s upper village, or online via Ococoa com, phone 1-800897-7095

History Repeats Itself: Stock up!

In the late 1800s, when beer was carried home in a galvanized pail from the local pub, it made a sloshing sound as the CO2 gas escaped from the lid. Rumor has it the word “growler” emerged as a result of the sound. Perhaps more accurately, the traveler owes its popularity to laws prohibiting sale of liquor on Sundays and sufficed a tippler’s need to stock up.

The Apiary now offers small (17oz.) and wine-bottle-size growlers (25 oz.) of most homemade offerings on tap: mead, jun, and cider ranging from barrel-aged single varietals to experimental batches flavored with fruit, hops, or herbs. A perfect holiday or house gift, or just keep some on hand for home use and guests. These growlers are perfectly quiet; all you may hear will be cries of delight when you arrive with one in hand. Fill a growler for $8$20; $5 deposit for the reusable /returnable /recyclable bottle.

The Apiary, 4191 Carpinteria Ave , Carpinteria (Open Thursday – Friday 4pm- 10pm; Sat/Sun 2 – 10pm). www.theapairy.com

Sausage

Hoffmann Brat Haus is a locally owned family business. Our vision was inspired by the European tradition of families and friends coming together to share meals and stories. Our goal is to create a restaurant that feels like home while providing a unique and memorable experience.

Try Gourmet Sausages and some of the Worlds best beer selections. Beer Bar, Sports Bar, Patio Seating, Gluten Free, Vegetarian and Vegan Options, Dog Friendly, WIFI, fire pits available. Happy Hour 2-6 Sunday - Friday. Live Music Thursday and Sunday. Open Daily.

Downtown Dish

by

It’s Friday morning and I’m feeling like a leisurely breakfast on State Street, more specifically at La Arcada Bistro.

Sitting on their sidewalk patio, I slice my fork into the poached egg on top of their Santa Barbara Benedict and watch golden egg yolk waterfall over rich avocado and spinach, mixing with lemony hollandaise and pooling by the house potatoes. This is a bit of all right, I think, wondering if I should add strawberries and cream to the table, or possibly their Irish oatmeal with candied walnuts.

My friend is enjoying a monumental omelet and reaping the rewards of asking for her potatoes to be double-fried. Inside is a full bar that looks plucked straight out of Ireland. On more than one evening I’ve enjoyed a pint of Guinness and co-owner Willie Quinns’s tall tales (“Every one of ‘em true,” he assures me) and traditional Irish music. His wife Trini, from Mexico, makes sure that you can order fish tacos just as easily as shepherd’s pie, the menu a beautiful reflection of their marriage.

It seems beer is the key to an Irishman’s happiness, as Willie tells me he first met Trini when he brought beer over to an elderly friend’s house, where Trini was a caretaker. Willie came back night after night with a beer or two for his friend. It turns out, he wasn’t fooling anyone; they all knew he was visiting to see Trini!

Up for a really special treat? It’s not on the breakfast menu, but you can order a traditional Irish breakfast with soft eggs, Irish bacon, sauteed tomatoes, black and white pudding (ask what’s in it, if you dare!), and Irish soda bread that Willie makes himself. As Willie says, the breakfast is “absolutely amazin’” and exactly what his family used to have on their farm in Ireland.

Fortified with breakfast and good cheer, I enjoy an afternoon at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, learning about Santa Barbara’s golden “film era” and the history of the Fiesta festival. But soon enough, the sun sets and my stomach grumbles. I stroll over to Kanaloa Seafood, where Friday

night dinner includes mellow live music and complementary palm trees. Sitting on the relaxed patio,

I might not have guessed that inside is a world-class fish market, featuring sustainable seafood from all over the world. Chef Roberto Soria has rolled out a new menu for dinner, featuring lux grilled salmon and a memorable seafood pasta. And I will get to those entrees ….if I can make it past all of the tempting appetizers. Often I like to eat an entire dinner of appetizers with

a nice glass of wine (tonight it’s a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Vogelzang Vineyard). My mind made up, I dive fork-first into a bowl of creamy mac and cheese with pasilla chiles, smooth white cheddar, and the twist of rich crab meat. Delicious! Another sip of wine, another look at the menu, and I go for the shrimp ceviche, a beautiful scoop of sweet shrimp, avocado, and salsa with house-made tortilla chips. Cold ceviche on a warm tortilla chip is the perfect bite, and I take many, until the plate is empty. Then I can’t resist the fritto misto, a plate of tender calamari and fish deep-fried in a cornmeal buttermilk batter with a light drizzle of cilantro sauce, dunked into a glorious lemon aioli. Oh yeah, this is the real deal. And I am delightfully full. Except Chef Roberto reminds me they have McConnell’s ice cream served with sliced mango for dessert. Sold!

La Arcada Bistro, 1112 State Street, 805-965-5742, serving breakfast Friday–Sunday Kanaloa Seafood, 715 Chapala Street, 805-966-5159

Braulio Godinez

angela borda

Willie and Trini Quinn.

Lunch at Kanaloa Seafood.

La Arcada Bistro breakfast.

Louie’s is a hidden gem

offering creative and up-to-date Californian cuisine with spot-on service. Its bistro-like space is located inside the 130-year-old Hotel Upham, and reflects the charm and tradition of its Victorian location, with a jazzy, comfortable feel all its own. The romantic atmosphere can be experienced dining cozily inside or outside on an old-fashioned heated verandah. Choice selections from the well-stocked wine bar are served with extraordinary fresh seafood, pastas, filet mignon and a changing menu of specialties.

Food 26

Decor 21

Service 25

Cost $47

The Best Catch on Earth!

The quest for Santa Barbara uni

by Jeff mIller • Photos by alexander sIegel

Do you have uni today?”

“Let me check,” said the guy on the other end of the phone at the other end of the country, at The Lobster Place in Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City.

“Yes, we have some from California. They’re $14.95 each.”

“From where in California?”

“From Santa Barbara.”

“Those are the best?”

“Yeah, those are the best.”

Ask around, do some research, and you’ll hear the same thing over and over. Santa Barbara, which also gave the world Kinko’s, the Egg McMuffin, Sex Wax, and Earth Day, to name but a few, is also home to the best uni in the world.

In the world.

Runners-up are from Hokkaido, Japan, and Maine.

What a delicious bit of serendipity for our hometown.

Uni, for the uninitiated, comes from the common sea urchin. Crack one open, being careful to avoid the spines, and you’ll see five gold-to-yellow tongue-like organs flaring out in a star pattern. That’s the uni, aka gonads. Here’s what you do next: You scoop them out and you eat them, and chances are you’ll be hooked.

“Like fine-textured caviar,” said local urchin diver Pierre Charest.

“A cross between lobster and avocado,” said Sarah Wallace, the wife of diver Miles Wallace, who’s been known to concoct a delectable uni bisque.

Urchin divers come in various ages, sizes, shapes, etc., but they have several things in common. For one, they’re at home in saltwater, but they’re not crusty old salts “like the hard-core crab guys,” said diver Ruben Zertuche. “We’re just normal guys who jump in the water. A lot of us are surfers.”

Another thing they have in common is a tendency to love their profession.

Charest started diving in 1985 at age 20. He’s now 52. “I’d like not to think about that,” he said. More seriously, he added, “I’m still amazed I’m fortunate enough to do this. It’s a good lifestyle, but physically demanding. Definitely not for everyone.”

Sometimes Miles Wallace comes up from a dive and discovers that the weather has soured on the surface.

“Wow, this is nasty,” he mentions to his deck hand. “Yeah, tell me about it,” grumbles the hand, known as a tender. Wallace can be forgiven if he smiles at that and heads back down as soon as possible. “Underwater is so nice,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable lifestyle.”

That’s not to say there aren’t risks. Sudden current changes can cause problems when you’re down 75 feet or so, as can surprise encounters with large creatures. Once Wallace turned around to find himself face to face with an elephant seal. “They get ginormous,” he said. “It turned out fine, but just to have them in the area is straight-up scary.” There are also electric rays and, of course, sharks, including the great white. “I’ve never seen one and I hope I never do,” he said. A great white is blamed for the only known shark-attack death of a Santa Barbara urchin diver. That was Jim “Weener” Robinson, in 1994, off San Miguel Island.

At present there are 304 licensed urchin divers in California, overseen by the state’s Sea Urchin Commission. Of those, about 25 are seriously active in the waters off Santa Barbara, with uni as their primary source of income. All are male except for Stephanie Mutz, the only licensed female diver in the state. When not diving, Mutz spreads the word about our ecosystem and our local seafood in confabs with local restaurants and as an adjunct biology professor at Ventura County Community College.

It’s hard to pinpoint the value of the fishery because the price paid at the processor is significantly less than the actual value once the uni has been removed from the urchin. About half, according to David Goldenberg, executive director of the commission.

Nevertheless, the 2016 harvest in the south region, from Santa Barbara to San Diego, was 5,318,758 pounds, with a price of $6,651,803. The haul was slightly higher in 2015, and higher still in 2014 (8,069,584 pounds), but the money actually dipped a bit due to supply and demand.

The numbers are significantly lower in the northern region, around Ft. Bragg. One-tenth or so of the south’s in 2016, half in 2015. “The north is having far greater problems,” said Goldenberg.

Weather is generally agreed to be the reason for the harvest decline. Warmer water due to El Niño slowed the growth of kelp, which is the sea urchin’s favored food.

“It’s not glory every trip, or every year,” said diver Stacy Cheverez. “The industry’s gone through its ups and downs, like any industry. That’s how Mother Nature is. The ocean’s never the same.”

“It’s cyclical,” agreed diver Charest. “When there’s a lot of greenery, cows get fat. When kelp is in, the sea urchin population spikes.” But “there’s also the human influence,” Wallace said. “We’re polluting the ocean at a rapid rate.” More vigilance is needed to preserve the health of Santa Barbara’s golden resource, he feels.

Once upon a time almost all of California’s uni was shipped to Japan,

where it’s long been a known delicacy. No more.

“We don’t ship out of the country,” said Laszlo Nemeth, vice president of Santa Barbara Fish Market. “We air-ship to New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, on a weekly basis.” How much? “About 1,000 pounds a week. If we had 2,000 we could ship them, no problem.”

Wallace sells most of his urchins to a processor in Long Beach. Charest has started cutting out the middleman by selling some of his urchins at the Farmers’ Market in Newport Beach on Saturdays. “Direct to the consumer means more money in my pocket,” he said. “I don’t have to pay someone to do the cleaning and distribution.” He gets $6 apiece. One hope shared by many in the business is that more SB seafood restaurants would offer the delicacy harvested right off its shore. Wallace has tried to whip up interest by bringing uni to bartenders to promote the idea of uni shooters. But such land-based concerns melt away when it’s time to go diving. Here’s how they do it:

Charest and his tender, Austin Ashe, head out aboard their 26foot Anderson three or four days a week, usually to the Channel Islands. Once at an auspicious spot, Charest, clad in his wetsuit and hookah gear, starts a dive. (A hookah system, connected by air hose to a compressor aboard the boat above, allows divers more mobility than bulkier traditional scuba gear.)

The most important job of the tender is explained by his full title: line tender. That job is to keep the air line unkinked and generally unhindered in its mission of delivering air to the diver below. Wallace’s best tender ever was the “supertrustworthy” Robert Curtis, who’s now gill-netting salmon in Alaska. “You have to trust your tender 100 percent,” Wallace said. “It really is a matter of life and death, especially when you’re moving the boat with the hose in the water. Knowing it’s clear, not in the prop. You don’t trust just anybody.”

Wallace descends from his boat, the Isla, a 32-foot Radon (another noteworthy Santa Barbara product), with a bag and a basket. He anchors the bag on the bottom and then swims out to fill the basket with urchins picked from reefs using a contraption called a rake. When the bag is full, it’s hauled to the surface, winched aboard, and unloaded. By the end of the day, on a very good day, the take for one diver can total 2,000 pounds. But there are many factors deciding the fate of every harvesting trip. Example: On one recent outing, the Zertuche family reaped $2.30 per pound from their processor, then $1.30 the very next trip. “It depends on area and weather,” said Ruben Zertuche. You can pick in a “lush spot,” but then have to move because weather kicks up, turning the water rough and dirty, and the next spot doesn’t offer the same quality and quantity. “One spot is right next to the feed line, one spot has kelp, another no kelp. It can make a huge difference,” he said.

Zertuche is “the biggest producer by far,” said Nemeth of the SB Fish Market. In talk of the trade, that makes him a “highliner.”

“He’s right,” said Zertuche. The reason: “We’ve got one of the bigger boats in Santa Barbara,” the 38-foot Meant to Be. As a result, “We can do overnight trips and go out a little bit more than the other guys and in rougher weather.” Sometimes they come in with 5,000 pieces aboard, offload, and go right back out for another 5,000.

“We air-ship to New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, on a weekly basis .”

Urchin harvesting is permitted Monday-Thursday from June through October and Monday-Friday November through May. Weekends are off, simply as a way to protect against overfishing, Goldenberg said. There are no catch limits, but size restrictions provide “another limiting factor.” In the south, urchins must be at least 3.25 inches across the “test,” or shell (excluding the spines). In the north the size limit is 3.5 inches.

To make all that happen they use three divers (Ruben, his brother Mike and their father, Raul) and a tender, Mike Foley. There’s a lot of history there, in addition to a lot of urchins. Father Raul, who’s now nearing age 70 and retirement, has been urchin diving since the 1970s, “pretty much when it started,” Ruben said. He also helped build their boat, another Radon, back in 1988.

With their high volume, it makes sense for the Zertuches to sell to a processor. In their case, that’s Santa Barbara Uni, based in Oxnard, where their urchins get cracked, cleaned, sorted by quality, placed into trays, and shipped out across the U.S. and to Japan.

The sorting involves dividing uni by quality: A, B, and C. A is known as “California Gold,” which is, fittingly, the gold standard.

Considering the quality of Santa Barbara’s urchins, it might seem surprising that there’s not a gold rush going on, but the fishery is well regulated by the California Sea Urchin Commission, in conjunction with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Are there boat patrols? “Oh, yes,” said Goldenberg of the commission. “Not only for fishing on offdays, but spot inspections for harvesting undersized urchins.”

The restricted number of licenses is another limiting factor. Wallace was a longtime tender on another diver’s boat before finally winning his own permit in the lottery run by the commission just five years ago. “I’ve been part of the industry since I was a kid,” he said. “I started at 18 or something and I’m 40 now.” Austin Ashe, Charest’s 23-year-old tender, is currently waiting for his own break – “hoping to win one through the lottery system,” said Charest.

Beyond rules and regulations, Santa Barbara’s urchin divers tend to be most protective of their fishery. “If there are 20 urchins in one spot, I’ll leave three or four to spawn,” Wallace said. “It’s an incredible resource here. We’ve got to be stewards of the fishery. Take care of it.”

Like Wallace, Charest was born in Santa Barbara, and also feels blessed to have landed in his profession. “I’m lucky, I know that,” he said. “I count my blessings every day for what Mother Nature is still providing.”

He’s also grateful for the older generation of divers who created the tradition and passed their knowledge along. Guys like Gaylord Parkinson, Jim Cotton, William Hooten, George Hawkins, Kenny Schmidt, Chuck Cavanaugh, Leonard Marcus, Bruce Steele, and the aforementioned Raul Zertuche. Wallace added Curt and Cappy Pettersen.

“These guys have all been diving for around 40 years,” Charest said. “That blows my mind.”

Autumn Clam Chowder With Corn, Anaheim Chili, and Delicata Squash

Ashley Hardin

Recipes to warm the soul

Nothing beats spending a lazy fall Sunday hanging around the house and making a killer soup or casserole for family and friends. Clam chowder, corn chowder, lasagna, stuffed peppers, gourmet avocado toast … just about anything that says comfort. The following are some recipes for just that kind of day. Enjoy!

AUTUMN CLAM CHOWDER WITH CORN, ANAHEIM CHILI, AND DELICATA SQUASH (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1 cup white onion (diced)

2 cups celery (diced)

2 large fresh Anaheim chiles (diced)

2 ears of corn (kernels removed and set aside; cobs discarded, saved for stock or other use)

1 small delicata squash (seeded & diced, keep skin on)

2 cups heavy cream

1 quart whole milk

½ cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups canned or fresh chopped clams with their juice

3 dashes of your favorite hot sauce

½ tablespoon Old Bay seasoning salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Begin by heating the butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.

2. Add the onion, celery, chiles, delicata squash, and corn to the pot. Sauté for 6 minutes. This is also a good time to add a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Add the flour to the pot and whisk vigorously until the flour is incorporated. Continue cooking for two minutes, whisking often to avoid scorching.

4. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream. Then bring the chowder up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until chowder thickens.

5. Finish chowder with a few dashes of hot sauce and a pinch of Old Bay seasoning. I like topping mine with oyster crackers for a little crunch. It’s also great with your favorite crusty sourdough bread.

Recipe By Avery Hardin (continued)

Avocado Toast with Roasted Trumpet Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Parmesan

Avocado Toast with Prosciutto di Parma, Soft-Boiled Eggs, and Sumac

Avocado Toast with Octopus, Breakfast Radish, Jalapeño, and Lime

Ashley Hardin

AVOCADO TOAST WITH OCTOPUS, BREAKFAST RADISH, JALAPEÑO, AND LIME

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 slices rustic country loaf bread (use any bread you prefer)

1 medium ripe avocado

1 breakfast radish (sliced thin)

1 jalapeño (sliced thin)

¼ lb. octopus (steamed, braised, or tinned)

1 fresh lime (juiced, discard skin and flesh)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt to taste

1. Toast bread.

2. Slice avocado and lay neatly over the top of toasted bread.

3. In a small bowl dress the octopus, radish, jalapeño, and sea salt with the lime juice and olive oil.

4. Spoon octopus mixture over the avocado toast and enjoy.

Recipe By Avery Hardin

AVOCADO TOAST WITH ROASTED TRUMPET MUSHROOMS, TOMATOES & PARMESAN

(Serves two)

Ingredients:

2 slices rustic country loaf bread (use any bread you prefer)

1 medium ripe avocado

4 oz. trumpet mushrooms (use any mushrooms you prefer)

1 cup cherry tomatoes or any fresh tomato (sliced into bite-size pieces)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt

1. Toast bread.

2. Dice avocado and spoon over toast.

3. Heat olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium high heat. Carefully add mushrooms to sauté pan and cook for 5 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Turn off the heat, add the tomatoes and a pinch of sea salt, sauté for 10 seconds and spoon mixture over avocado toast.

4. Grate Parmesan over toast and enjoy.

Recipe by Avery Hardin

AVOCADO TOAST WITH PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA, SOFT-BOILED EGGS, AND SUMAC

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 slices rustic country loaf bread (use any bread you prefer)

1 medium ripe avocado

4 oz. Prosciutto di Parma

2 eggs (preferably organic)

½ tablespoon sumac (substitute chili flake if you like it spicy)

Sea salt to taste

1. Add 1 quart of water to a small saucepot over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Gently add the eggs to the boiling water being careful not to crack them. Set a timer for 7 minutes. Remove eggs after seven minutes and place in an ice water bath for 3 minutes. This will keep the eggs from overcooking and make them easier to peel. Peel eggs and slice into quarters.

2. Toast bread.

3. Crush avocado in a separate bowl and smear over toasted bread.

4. Place soft-boiled eggs on avocado toast and drape Prosciutto around eggs.

5. Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and sumac.

Recipe by Avery Hardin

ULTIMATE SEAFOOD AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE PASTA

This is a house favorite! Shrimp, scallops, and Andouille sausage (or use chicken or turkey Andouille sausage) sautéed with peppers and onions in a Cajun cream sauce tossed with gluten-free fusilli pasta A dish that pairs perfectly with a glass of Pinot Gris wine!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

½ lb. jumbo shrimp

½ lb. scallops

2 Andouille sausage (turkey or chicken sausage for a healthier version), cooked

12 oz. gluten-free fusilli or cavatappi pasta noodles

½ red bell pepper, cut into slices

½ green bell pepper, cut into slices

½ cup white onion, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

8 oz. whipped cream cheese

½ cup half and half

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup white wine

1 vegetable bouillon (no salt added)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

1 ½ teaspoons Himalayan salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1-2 tablespoon olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1 . Cook the vegetables: In a medium skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions, red bell pepper slices, and green bell pepper slices. Heat on medium-high until the onions become

translucent, about 10 minutes continuously mixing. Set aside until ready to use.

2 Prepare the meat: In a skillet add olive oil then the shrimp and scallops. Cover and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat or until the shrimp starts to turn pink and the scallops are no longer translucent. Make sure not to overcook them. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, slice the sausage. When the shrimp

and scallops are cool enough to handle, remove the legs, shells, and tails of the shrimp, then cut each shrimp into thirds. Cut the scallops in half or thirds as well so you have the seafood in large chunks. Set the meat aside until ready to use.

3 Make the Cajun cream sauce: In a saucepan or skillet add the garlic and heat on low-medium about 1 minute, then add the cream cheese, half and half, Parmesan cheese crumbs, white

Ultimate Seafood and Andouille Sausage Pasta

Danielle Fahrenkrug

wine, vegetable bouillon, tomato paste, 1-2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning (for a super spicy dish use up to 2 tablespoons and for a more mild dish use 1 tablespoon), salt and pepper. Mix it continuously to melt the cheeses and combine the flavors. Once the cream cheese is melted, transfer the cream sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the cream sauce back in the saucepan, cover, and heat on low for about 15-30 minutes while you make the pasta.

4. Make the pasta according to the package

directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the water then drain the noodles. In a large bowl mix together the noodles, sausage, shrimp, scallops, cooked onions and peppers, and desired amount of the sauce. If the sauce is too thick add a little of the reserve water from the noodles. Toss to combine the ingredients well and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Recipe by Danielle Fahrenkrug (Delightful Mom Food) delightfulmomfood com

CLASSIC FLAVORS

A beautiful French pairing from Stella Mare’s Chef Roth Ironside

By Hana-lee sedgwick

As much as I love the summer months, cooking just isn’t high on my list of summer priorities. By September and October, though, I’m itching to get back into the kitchen. Shorter days and cooler nights make fall a great time of year to make warm, comforting dishes at home. This recipe for Stella Mare’s Coq Au Vin, the classic French dish consisting of braised chicken and wine, is a perfect choice for this time of year. Simple ingredients make up this comforting dish that’s rich and satisfying, yet doesn’t require too much hands-on time.

STELLA MARE’S

Stella Mare’s, located across from the Andree Clark Bird Refuge, has been a Santa Barbara staple for 20 years, specializing in French bistro cuisine. “Stella Mare’s offers a mix of French country cuisine and some revisited classic dishes with a modern twist,” describes Executive Chef Roth Ironside, who follows the French tradition of using ingredients that are in season when most flavorful. While he says that mastering the art of French cooking “can take decades,” Chef Ironside was drawn to French cuisine for all the different elements that make up the French culinary culture. “I truly love the tradition of French cooking because there is so much history and so much to learn. French cuisine is delicious and beautiful, innovative and traditional.”

The historic Victorian building that Stella Mare’s occupies is one of the more unique places to dine in Santa Barbara. The glass-enclosed greenhouse room, with its fireside couches and jazz tunes, offers a cozy ambiance unlike anywhere else in town. It’s almost as if you’re dining at someone’s private house in the French countryside.

WINE PAIRING

As the name suggests, this dish is made by braising chicken in wine, and there’s something about comfort food paired with red wine that’s perfectly fitting for the fall season. Shares Chef Ironside, “With its richness and depth of flavor, this Coq Au Vin is a great match for a mild Syrah or Pinot Noir.” His wine pairing of choice is a local Syrah from the boutique label DV8 Cellars –the 2014 Monaco Syrah. Savory notes of leather and smoked meat are complemented by flavors of black fruit, cedar and earth. Sourcing grapes from Ballard Canyon, an AVA known for producing exceptional Syrah, DV8 Cellars’ owner Marc Simon adds that this Syrah is a lovely pairing because it’s “hearty enough to stand up to richness without overpowering the dish, so nothing falls flat.”

COQ AU VIN

4 pieces chicken legs and thighs trimmed

½ lb. button mushrooms, quartered

4 garlic cloves

1 small yellow onion, diced

¼ lb. thick-cut bacon

1 750-ml. bottle Pinot Noir or Cabernet

Sauvignon (or red wine of choice)

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 ½ tablespoons butter

8 baby carrots, roasted till tender

¼ lb. green peas

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

- In a roasting pan, season and sear chicken legs until browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

sInCe 1979

ItalIan & MedIterranean CuIsIne steaks • seafood • Chops

late lunCh - lIght dInner untIl 4:30

daIly Chalkboard speCIals open aIr bar near theatres and shops plenty of parkIng In baCk

- In the same pan, add bacon and sauté until the fat is rendered down, then add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Sauté till onions are translucent.

- Add bay leaf, thyme, and wine to the roasting pan. Simmer until alcohol evaporates (about 5 minutes).

- Add chicken legs to pan and cover with foil. Braise in oven at 300 degrees for 1 ½ hours.

- After baking, remove chicken legs from braising liquid and keep warm.

- Transfer braising liquid with mushrooms and onions to a sauce pan. Reduce to a sauce-like consistency, then stir in 1 tablespoon butter.

- While your sauce is reducing, in a separate sauté pan add ½ tablespoon butter and chopped garlic until golden, then add peas, carrots and parsley and sauté until warm.

- To plate, place the chicken on top of the

mashed potatoes then pour sauce over the plate. Garnish with peas and carrots.

Mashed potatoes

2 ½ lbs. red potatoes

½ stick butter

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

- Starting with salted cold water, add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, then drain. - In a small saucepan, heat cream until warm. Using a potato masher, slowly blend cream into potatoes until smooth and creamy, then whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Recipe provided by Stella Mare’s Chef Roth Ironside . 50 Los Patos Way Santa Barbara 805969-6705 .

Hana-Lee Sedgwick

PLAN YOUR NEXT EVENT WITH VIVA

Viva is the quintessential Santa Barbara gem, located in the heart of downtown in the historic La Arcada Plaza, within walking distance of the majestic Santa Barbara courthouse. Viva offers four uniquely beautiful event spaces that create the perfect atmosphere for your perfect celebration. Whether you are hosting a small gathering, large party, corporate event or a lavish wedding, Viva has just the space for you. We are one of the largest, non-hotel event spaces in Santa Barbara with the ability to accommodate any size group up to 400 guests. Our on-site coordinators and gourmet chefs look forward to treating you and your guests to an unforgettable event.

Opal Restaurant and Bar— Seafood paella.

AlexSiegelPhoto.com

up from the deep local favorites from the deep blue

Intro by leslIe a. Westbrook

Ioften joke that I am on a seafood diet. I see food, I eat it— especially if it’s fish. Leaving what I refer to as “the holy cow” in the dust (I gave up beef years ago), seafood —wild Alaska salmon or locally caught black cod in particular— is my omega-3 of choice. We’ve come a long way from the fish sticks of my youth.

Santa Barbara boasts a bounty of treasures from the sea, whether you select from an array on display at many markets, or from delectable entrees served at our finedining establishments.

Does your heart go pitter-pat over a bowl of steaming mussels or clams? Do you salivate at the sight of Hope Ranch oysters on the half shell, lobster from Maine or spiny lobster from our shore? Whether you savor fresh sea urchin (uni), sashimi, hearty fish stews or just a fine piece of grilled swordfish or a whole steamed snapper, there are as many ways to prepare seafood, as there are species. Delve into Asian-style entrees or fish tacos; French bouillabaisse or Italian inspired cioppino, or a just a simply grilled or broiled piece of fish served with lemon, butter and a sprig of parsley. All satisfy.

The “buy local, sustainable food” movement is alive and well in our very own Santa Barbara Harbor. With over 1,100 boats, the marina has always been home to a working commercial fishing fleet. On any given day, sea bass, swordfish, sea urchin, shark, crab, and lobster are swung

from decks of boats into trucks for delivery to local chefs. Some are even flown halfway around the globe. Brian Colgate, of Santa Barbara Fish Market has been selling sea-to-table fish from our waters in his cozy retail space near the waterfront docks for 12 years. The fish market’s smoked black cod is a favorite. Ask nicely for a sample of any of the smoked fishes they sell and I guarantee you will add a chunk to your purchase.

“We have a really unique, small harbor and a very tight knit fishing community that is respectful of the resources and practices sustainable fishing. There is a strong awareness of how important it is to maintain our fish population for the future,” notes Brian. The market provides a direct outlet to the public for commercial fisherman and whatever local fish is caught, from spot prawns to halibut, comes right though their doors. The list of choices is long and includes fish from other waters as well. I counted eight types of salmon – from Alaskan Wild Coho to Scottish, scallops, calamari and even shark jerky!

Did you know that you can pick out a piece of fresh local or imported fish, such as branzino from Greece, at the seafood counter at Whole Foods Market (they buy from SB Fishmarket) that catches your eye and they will grill, sauté or steam it for you with a choice of seasonings or marinades, free of charge? They will also shuck your oysters on the spot and peel and de-vein shrimp.

Decades ago, an annual Fishermen’s Festival featured a “Blessing of the Fleet” and a parade of fishing boats covered in flowers and streamers.

Shoreline Café— Seafood soup featuring black mussels white fish, calamari, leeks, fennel and onions.

Palace Grill— Cajun spiced and seared ahi with vegetables and Martini.

Joshua Curry

Braulio Godinez

Eventually, this tradition was replaced by an annual fundraising Harbor Festival that benefited a home for unwed mothers. The festival fell on hard times in the late 1990s and was absent from the waterfront for two years until it was reinvented in 2002. The festivities were moved from spring to fall and altered to celebrate local fisheries. Today, the annual Harbor and Seafood Festival, held on the second Saturday in October, draws thousands of people to the waterfront to enjoy succulent seafood like fresh lobsters and barbequed albacore, plus a host of other seafood treats and marinerelated information and demonstrations. Lucky for us, Santa Barbara is like a year round seafood festival – whether you throw a line off of Stearns Wharf and catch your own dinner, buy a piece of fish and barbecue it at home or dig in at a restaurant.

Traditions should be expanded upon, don’t you think? The following is the short list of what’s available to savor, explore and enjoy!

Ashley Hardin

Braulio Godinez

Harbor Restaurant— Local Hope Ranch mussels simmered in white wine and tomato garlic broth.

State & Fig—Pan-seared salmon with clams.

Fishouse—Fresh local uni layered over a lime wheel and raw scallop, served with house made ponzu sauce.

Carl Perry

Crocodile Restaurant and Bar— jumbo shrimp cocktail - with horseradish cocktail sauce.

Café Stella Bistro— Black mussels in cream.

Michael Brown

Ashley Hardin

Holdrens Steakhouse— Local baked sea bass with vegetables in a Dijon cream sauce.

Danielle Fahrenkrug

Petit Valentien Restaurant— Patoto wrapped local black cod over vegetables.

Grilled shrimp and chicken sausage with white beans and sautéed baby spinach.

SB Shellfish Company— Local lobster tacos.

Paradise Café—

Olio Crudo Bar— Polipo (Octopus).

Sly’s— Grilled Dover sole sautéed in butter and herbs.

Ashley Hardin Chuck Place

EXPERTISE IN:

Home Theater

Flat Screen + Projection

Audio and Acoustics

Shades + Lighting

Whole House Control

Streaming Media

The right light can mean everything. Not only can we offer you the ultimate in home theater and audio, we can make sure you enjoy it in the perfect environment. A personalized system can adapt to your needs seamlessly, from automated shading to the ultimate in controlled lighting we have the expertise to ensure the perfect solution. So, take control of the light, and create just the right atmosphere for all of your life’s activities.

Shelly

Vinson

Shelly

Vinson

Shelly

Vinson

Louie’s at the Upham—Scottish salmon with vegetables and garlic mash.

Bouchon— Local black cod with risotto.

Viva Modern Mexican—Sea bass marinated in serrano chimichurri, with roasted tomato habanero sauce.

Three Pickles Deli— Award winning New England clam chowder.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

MONTECITO & SANTA BARBARA

DRAMATIC HOPE RANCH ESTATE W/ VIEWS

Hope Ranch | $11,500,000

Susan Conger | 805.565.8838

Susan Burns Associates | 805.565-8822

HEDGEROW CLASSIC ESTATE

Montecito | $5,495,000

Barbara Koutnik | 805.565.8811

Susan Conger | 805.565.8838

TUSCAN FARM HOUSE ON 3 ACRES

Montecito | $3,495,000

Bruce Emmens | 805.452.3283

Bruce.Emmens@ColdwellBanker.com

MEDITERRANEAN VIEW RETREAT

Montecito | $2,995,000

Barbara Koutnik | 805.565.8811

Kathy Marvin | 805.450.4792

LUXURY EL ESCORIAL CONDO

Santa Barbara | $629,000 - $1,200,000

Bob Oliver | 805.895.6967

Karin Holloway | 805.895.3718

PEBBLE CREEK HOME

Santa Barbara | $581,000

Rochelle Schneider | 805.448.6227

RochelleS@ColdwellBanker.com

The Beauty of Bamboo

If you’re looking for innovative design, great value and a smaller carbon footprint, take part in helping the planet, Bamboo is a great choice when compared to hardwood because it grows to maturity in 5 years or less, making it one of the fastest growing and sustainable plants on earth and harder than oak. Bamboo is one of the best plants on the earth to sequester carbon. It also releases about 35 percent more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees. Appreciated for centuries for its versatility and beauty, the warm, rich tones of bamboo make it a star material for designers. Variation in grain and color helps to create the real beauty of natural bamboo. For Your Home Furniture in downtown Ventura features a wide variety of Greenington furniture, the leader in Bamboo furniture. Greenington uses only mature Moso bamboo at least 5 years old. This ensures maximum strength, hardness and stability for all their products.

For more info visit www.fyhfurn.com or call 805641-1919.

Light Sculptures

Artist Timothy J. Ferrie blends the functionality of light with the intrinsic qualities of art to create, Lightsculptures, a unique process that brings copper tubing to life in each hand made, one-of-a-kind piece. The line includes chandeliers, table lights, floor lights and sconces and is custom built for both residential and commercial applications.

Visit www.tjferrie.com for a look at their online catalog and installation ideas.

Mad for metal - pillowed rhomboid in a metallic finish provides the perfect backdrop for soaking. Available at Tileco www.tilecodist.com

Trending Local Remodeling Preferences

by bryan henson

Every year we look back at our completed projects to see if we can identify what trends are emerging from our customers’ design preferences. What we’ve discovered is that our unique environment and community have a strong influence on local design and styles.

More and more we see our clients wanting to create personal and unique spaces for their families. There’s a growing freedom in design that diverges from past desires to adhere to one genre of style. Less importance is being placed on having everything match. Reclaimed and repurposed materials are blending with new.

Though some of our clients continue to pursue modern designs with a minimalist approach, in general we see people wanting to declutter and simplify. Special signature pieces are being pursued over themes. Personalization and quality are favored over having more.

Most of our remodeling projects have some element of transforming dark and confined spaces to lighter, more inviting environments. Large floor-to-ceiling windows and doors are one of the best ways to bring in light and to create a connection to outdoor spaces. Decks and patios are increasingly thought of as extensions of the home for living and entertaining.

Covered patios and decks for outdoor living and entertaining are highly desirable in most remodeling projects

Southern Coast Janitorial Services (805) 964-4993

BUILDER NOTES

We’re seeing an increased focus on lighting design as awareness and technology have improved dramatically over the past few years. Talented local lighting designers are available to help transform how spaces feel through layered lighting techniques. Lighting controls are simpler to use and more cost effective than ever.

There’s more integration of technology, but instead of focusing on whole-house systems, many stand-alone, wireless systems are being used. Keyless entries, simple security systems, automated shades, and thermostat controls are among the most popular. All of these systems can now be controlled by your smart phone.

Solar photovoltaics and battery storage are in high demand. We’ve installed nearly a dozen Tesla Powerwalls this summer alone. Rebates and tax incentives are still available for solar. Also, interest remains strong for home health, comfort, and energy upgrades. These smaller and simpler projects typically include insulation, heating, and cooling equipment upgrades.

With any significant project we highly recommend hiring an interior designer to help with the finishes and furnishings that can transform a great project into something extraordinary. Our community has a wealth of talented professionals from architects, designers, landscapers, and builders to help you transform your house into a sanctuary.

Bryan

Henson is the president of Allen Construction www buildallen com

Light colored ceilings, large openings, intentional lighting design and an uncluttered space provide a bright, welcoming environment with a strong connection to the outdoors.

1/25/2018

The Missing Ingredient

By Lisa Cu LLen

Fall is prime planting season in Santa Barbara. With summer heat behind us and the anticipation of winter rains, it’s the perfect time to landscape.

We are in the fortunate position of being able to have beautiful gardens all year round. The gardens at San Ysidro Ranch are a perfect example. Regular visitors to “The Ranch” know what I am talking about. Those gardens are fantastic every time of year.

Recently I visited a property that had all the right elements: stone walls, flagstone patios, swimming pool, gorgeous views, fountains, etc., but something was missing. The location was spectacular, the house also, but the garden? Kind of blah. It didn’t take your breath away as it should have. What was the missing ingredient?

The garden in question was missing a very important detail: It was designed to look great in only one season: spring. The result was nice, but it wasn’t spectacular. That got me thinking. How does one make a garden look great in every season?

Know your plants

It’s a good idea to know what your plants will look like at every time of the year For example, roses are at their best in April and May, so they should be used along with plants that peak in the summer, fall and winter (unless, of course, you are creating a formal “rose garden”). Hydrangeas are great summer and fall perennials but in winter become a bunch of sticks, so use them with something that looks good in winter and spring.

You should also take into account perennials that need to be cut back once a year, such as lavender and sages. Design with this in mind.

Some plants only look great when in bloom or only certain times of year. Instead of making them the center of attention, put them in the background so they’ll be appreciated when they make their big show.

Mexican evening primrose is a not very common perennial that comes up with a fabulous display of pink on around the first of April and keeps on giving till midsummer. They then die back to the ground waiting for their springtime debut next season. Know this before you plant.

Lisa Cullen

Inspiration grown locally

IN THE GARDEN

Spring and summer blooming perennials are easy, but what about autumn and winter? Rockrose, camellias, azaleas, pentas, Mexican marigold, Mexican sage, clivia, aloe and birds of paradise can all be used to brighten up a winter garden. Even roses, if maintained correctly, can be glorious in November and December.

Year-round color

There are a number of year-round bloomers that thrive in our Mediterranean climate. Tropicals such as lantana and bougainvillea keep you in color throughout winter. In the drought-tolerant category, there are lots of choices. Besides the sages there are lots of different geraniums that bloom every day of the year. Then there are those plants with foliage of different hues. Designer tip: If you want to create a formal garden, stick with one color theme White, purple, red, blue, or yellow, when used separately, create a greater impact than when mixed together However, if exuberance is what you’re going for, then mix it up all you like

Think into the future

So, when you design your garden, you must think into the future. Envision what it will look like in every season and plan accordingly. Planting annuals each season is practical for small areas but if you want the whole garden to be alive with color, perennials are the way to go. Once, we designed a garden for a gentleman in Montecito that featured a different color each season. The client called me to report this fact excitedly and commented, “Wonderful! You know, it’s almost as if someone had planned it that way.”

Lisa Cullen, landscape designer and organic gardener owns Montecito Landscape with her husband, Chris She can be reached at 805 969 3984 or www montecitolandscape com

Lisa Cullen

Rethink Your Landscape

Reduce water use & your bill with these simple steps:

• Create a Rain Garden. Rain gardens slow, spread, and sink rainwater into your soil, reducing runoff and irrigation needs.

• Go Native. Plant native and water wise plants and reduce watering and maintenance needs.

• Switch to Drip. Automatic sprinkler systems are the #1 use of water in our city. Drip irrigation or hand watering is more efficient and saves water.

Classic California Craftsman architecture gives way to stunning views of the Santa Ynez mountains.

ARCHITECT DAN WEBER:

A pursuit of nature by design

By leslie a . westBrook

pHotos By erin FeinBlatt

The day Dan Weber popped into the world (March 10, 1979) the temperature in Cheyenne, Wyoming, dipped to a low of 18 degrees. Dan was raised in nearby Big Horn on rodeos, wilderness, and weather. Like most “architectural kids,” he made a lot of art in his youth, but growing up in the Wild West meant more woodshop and welding workshops than painting or sculpting classes.

“You take what you can get,” the 6-foot 3-inch founder and principal architect of Anacapa Architecture admitted, “My high school ran out of true arts training.”

Finding “The Cowboy State” too isolated and culturally bereft, Weber searched for architecture colleges for his escape. He attended and graduated from Cal Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo in 2002, ranked No. 1 at the time for architectural studies (ahead of Harvard). Today Cal Poly stands at No. 2 behind Cornell University for undergraduate studies, according to Architectural Record.

“It was a progressive program that focused on the design process,” Weber recalled. His deep connection to the outdoors and nature and SLO’s proximity to Big Sur didn’t hurt.

“I grew up in a wild, beautiful place and spent a lot of time in the mountains,” he said.

Today his beautiful place, in addition to the realm of his vivid imagination, is his firm’s office in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. (Family note: His sister Betsy works across the street at the Environmental Defense Center.)

Resonating to West Coast culture and progressive design, Weber has carved a perfect niche for himself and his staff. His first job out of college with was Conceptual Motion Company, working with Steve Yates, Henry Lenny, and David van Hoy. During his five years there, 2002-2007, he quickly became a partner in the firm.

After the 2008 economic crash, Weber faced a turn of events that would rechart his course. He and a business partner had purchased a “cool little modern house” on the Mesa in January 2007 to remodel and sell. The 2,000-square-foot house became a sustainable-focused project, with radiant floors and a solar-power system. Hundreds of people went through the open houses – realtors, tire kickers, and people focused on modern sustainable living – and inquiries started rolling in. The house became his calling card and launched his own career in a new direction.

By the time the project was listed in 2008, the crash was in full

ARCHITECT PROFILE

An open floor plan and earth-hugging horizontal profile are ideally suited for Southern California’s moderate climate.

swing and the architecture firm in which Weber was a partner went through significant downsizing and ultimate dissolution. Weber and a business partner independently pursued projects in Santa Barbara and Hollister Ranch before Weber founded Dan Weber Architecture in 2014. He renamed it Anacapa Architects in 2016 to reflect the company’s origins on Anacapa Street in the Funk Zone and to pay homage to the collective contributions of the company’s growing team.

CALLING CARD

Half of the firm’s business is residential; the other half is a dynamic mix of interesting commercial projects, including Airstream trailer adventure resorts and community buildings.

“I am trying to do creative work that reaches out and engages the community in interesting ways,” Weber said.

Case in point: AutoCamp, a hospitality project in Sonoma County. The firm designed the entire site, including custom interiors for new Airstream trailers fresh off the assembly line, canvas tents, and a dramatic clubhouse that blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor space. Design and construction was completed in

just one year. The resort destination is attracting a hip mix that includes an eclectic group of artists, designers, entrepreneurs, writers, and photographers, and Google and Airbnb employees have partaken in corporate retreats at the camp.

A current project on the boards, closer to home in the Santa Ynez Valley, will introduce an upscale food and wine destination in downtown Buellton in 2018. A mix of 37 retail businesses will include a public market, 18 wine/beer/cider tasting rooms, and four restaurants in 50,000 to 60,000 square feet of sipping, shopping, and nibbling Nirvana.

Other projects on the drafting table include a boutique hotel in downtown Santa Barbara, an ecological resort on Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast (south of San Juan del Sur), and another AutoCamp location in California.

HEROES AND INFLUENCERS

Drawing inspiration from the iconic Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe and the Kauffman House by Richard Neutra, AutoCamp’s Clubhouse is strongly influenced by modern, minimalist design. Midcentury modern furnishings and finishes, such as a suspended steel fireplace, char-

22-foot vaulted ceilings with open beams create expansive living and dining areas.

acterize the space. “My architectural language is about connecting dwellers to their environment; enhancing their experience of their surroundings,” Weber said, adding, “I don’t design with a set style or pre-established look. I respond to the context of the project and environment.”

Case in point: a beautifully executed Craftsman-style San Antonio Creek remodel on a budget for Rich and Jody Buie and their children.

Don’t look now, it’s hard to believe this project was a 1960s ranch style house in its former life. Collaborator/general contactor Nate Modisette of Bomo Design is the fine woodworker who created all the custom doors, windows, wooden beams, and mahogany cabinetry throughout.

“The existing house was outdated and desperately needed work,” said Weber. The remodel took approximately ten months and included a living room addition and plans for a guesthouse.

“We do full interior design for some projects, all the way down to the cabinets, furniture, fixtures and art,” Weber noted.

Weber’s firm has blossomed quickly from one to 13 employees in the past three years, with many of their “awesome clients growing with us.” In fact, business has been so good they opened a second office in Portland in 2016.

“Santa Barbara is a remarkable paradise but can feel isolated, so we opened a new office in a dynamic city with progressive urban planning and tons of great design and restaurants,” Weber said. “Portland is a hotbed of creativity and innovation. You don’t need a car to move through the city, which is a great endorsement for density.”

From the countryside to the city, Dan Weber seems to have found a balance between architecture and nature – be it in California, Oregon, or back home on the range, when he visits his family and friends and reconnects with his roots.

A wood-burning fireplace features sophisticated sandstone masonry.

DINING OUT

Lucky’s 28 ounce USDA Prime Porterhouse, served with Creamed Spinach, Creamed Corn and Skinny Onion Rings. www.luckyssteakhouse.com

CARPINTERIA

Garden Market. Garden Market is a gem tucked into Santa Claus Lane. Offering very tasty sandwiches, salads, smoothies and casual fare the Garden Market is a very enjoyable place to have a lunch break. Open Monday–Sunday 8am-5pm. [BrL] $ (BW) 3811 Santa Claus Lane (805) 745-5505

Sly’s. James Sly, formerly of Lucky’s in Montecito, is back to cooking the finest steaks anywhere. Sly’s is open daily for dinner from 5 pm, features a full bar and extended wine list. (LD) $$ (FB). Reservations are suggested. 686 Linden Ave. 805-684-6666.

MONTECITO

CAVA. Experience the bold flavors of Spain, Mexico and Latin America in a romantic garden setting. [BLD] $$, (FB) 1212 Coast Village Road, 969-8500.

Lucky’s. Montecito’s only premium steakhouse. Great wine list and martini selections. Great weekend brunch served 9am3pm. [BrD] $$$, (FB) 1279 Coast Village Road, 565-7540.

Stella Mare’s. Overlooking the Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara…a glass greenhouse, sofas by the fire, casual French décor and traditional French Country Cuisine. Full bar and extensive American & French wine list, great private rooms for your event needs and Live Jazz on Wednesdays. Closed on Mondays $$ [LDBr] (FB) 50 Los Patos Way. 969-6705. (Cafe Stella is located at 3302 McCaw Ave, on upper State Street in Santa Barbara. www.stellamares.com)

The Stonehouse. Located in a 19th-century citrus packing house, The Stonehouse features a relaxing lounge with full bar service and a separate dining room with crackling fireplace and creekside views. Regional cuisine is prepared with a palate of herbs and vegetables harvested from the on-site chef’s garden. Open for dinner from 6-10 p.m. daily.[D] $$$ (FB) 900 San Ysidro Lane (805) 565-1700.

SANTA BARBARA

Barbareno. 205 W. Canon Perdido St., Santa Barbara, 805963-9591, barbareno.com; open Wed.-Sun. for dinner. This California-style bistro celebrates the surrounding terrain through its decor, menu, and name.

Boathouse. The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is the newest venture of the owners of the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company, which began on Stearn’s Wharf in 1980, and the Santa Barbara Fishouse. Enjoy stunning views and great seafood from a family run business that knows their fish! [BLD] $ (FB). 2981 Cliff Drive 805-898-2628, www.sbfishhouse.com/

boathouse

Bouchon. Restaurateur Mitchell Sjerven hosts the city’s first Wine Country Cuisine restaurant with more than 50 Santa Barbara and Central Coast wines offered by the glass to compliment bouchon’s “ingredient driven” and seasonal fresh menu. Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list features exclusively Californian selections, paired with cuisine that is “creative without being over the top...”” (Wine Spectator, July 1999). Fresh Channel Island seafood, Santa Ynez and Ojai Valley game, and local farmer’s market produce predominate. Outdoor dining is available year-round on the heated, covered garden patio. Ask about private dining in the intimate Cork Room where up to 20 guests can be seated at the Grand Table. Open for dinner nightly from 5:30pm, reservations recommended.

[D] $$$, (B&W) 9 W. Victoria, 730-1160.

Breakwater Restaurant. Enjoy the comfortable large patio overlooking the historic, scenic Santa Barbara Harbor. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily from 7 AM. Award winning clam chowder, nightly specials, fresh seafood, steaks, sandwiches, salads and a kid’s menu for your little mariners. At the scenic Santa Barbara Harbor, 107 Harbor Way. 805-9651557. sbbreakwater.com.

Bar & Grill.

Chase

Serving classic New York Italian cuisine in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara since 1979. State Street

1. Boathouse—The Burger is as delicious as the view of the Pacific. Featuring Kobe beef and cheese with all the fixings on a briochce bun. www. boathousesb.com. 2. Nectar—Pan-seared burger topped with sautéed onions and mushrooms and sandwiched in between Ciabatta by Deux Bakery and smeared with house-made Kashmiri sauce and served with spiced French fries. www.nectarsb.com. 3. Chuck’s Waterfront Grill—The house favorite Rincon Burger features a half-pound of Angus beef, sharp cheddar cheese and all the usual fixings. A panoramic view of the waterfront is a great pair, too. www.chuckswaterfrontgrill.com. 4. Dargan’s Irish Pub—Spicy Bacon Burger with premium Irish bacon, jalapeno onion strings and a tangy BBQ sauce. www.darganssb.com.

Joshua Curry

Joshua Curry

Ashley Hardin

Michael Brown

seating available. Full bar. Happy hour 3-6pm MonFri. 1012 State Street. 805-965-4351 www.chasebarandgrill.com

Chuck’s of Hawaii. For over half a century Chuck’s has been voted Best Steak in Santa Barbara and is the recipient of the Award of Excellence from The Wine Spectator annually since 1989. Featuring a nightly selection of fresh fish, from old favorites like Alaskan halibut and grilled salmon to ahi tuna (grilled medium rare). Dinner is served weekdays from 5:30 to 11pm, and until 11:30pm weekends. Full cocktail bar, featuring Firestone-Walker Double Barrel Ale on draft. Reservations welcome. [D] $$, (FB) 3888 State, 687-4417.

Chuck’s Waterfront Grill. Chucks Waterfront Grill & The Endless Summer bar-cafe began serving friends and family in the Santa Barbara Harbor in 1999. Enjoy steaks, fresh seafood and cocktails on the radiant heated deck with fire pits; or head inside for intimate, cozy booths and the full bar. Upstairs, The Endless Summer bar-cafe offers casual dining, surrounded by vintage surfboards and memorabilia. Sip on local wines, craft beers and cocktails, play a game of pool or Cornhole under covered lanais while watching sports and surf movies. Live music, happy hour and free valet parking are also offered. [LD] $$, (FB) 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, 564-1200

Crocodile Restaurant at Lemon Tree Inn. One of the best neighborhood destination eateries in SB featuring great steaks, salads and cocktails, full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. 2819 State St, Santa Barbara, (805) 687-6444. BLD $$

Dargan’s Irish Pub. SB’s only authentic Irish bar and restaurant with a tradition that has spanned three generation. Featuring the best in Irish fare, full bar and numerous beers on tap. In the heart of old town,

DINING OUT

Chase Bar and Grill—Since 1979, still the best chicken piccata in town. Offered at both lunch and dinner. www.chasebarandgrill.com

this cozy atmosphere features full lunch and dinner with room for private parties, billiards and darts. Open Daily from 11:30. 18 E. Ortega, 805-568-0702. www. darganssb.com

El Encanto. 800 Alvarado Pl., Santa Barbara, 805-8455800, elencanto.com, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sun. for brunch. The hotel’s lounge, wine room, bar, and terrace all boast romantic settings California-coastal cuisine and stunning views.

Eladio’s Restaurant & Bar. Fun, friendly, great bar with TV, heated fountain patio with ocean views and comfort food kids will love! Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and a sensational Sunday brunch. Open 7 days. [BBrLD] $ (FB). 1 State Street, (805) 963-4466, www.harborviewinnsb.com.

Endless Summer Bar-Cafe. Chucks Waterfront Grill & The Endless Summer bar-cafe began serving friends and family in the Santa Barbara Harbor in 1999. Enjoy steaks, fresh seafood and cocktails on the radiant heated deck with fire pits; or head inside for intimate, cozy booths and the full bar. Upstairs, The Endless Summer bar-cafe offers casual dining, surrounded by vintage surfboards and memorabilia. Sip on local wines, craft beers and cocktails, play a game of pool or Cornhole under covered lanais while watching sports and surf movies. Live music, happy hour and free valet parking are also offered. [LD]. $, (FB) 113 Harbor Way, Second Floor, 564-1200.

Enterprise Fish Co. 225 State St., Santa Barbara, 805962-3313, enterprisefishco.com; open daily for lunch and dinner. This lively, family-friendly restaurant—a local and tourist favorite since 1977—is known for its fresh seafood and unbeatable happy hour deals.

Finch & Fork. 31 W. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara, 805879-9100, finchandforkrestaurant.com, open Mon.-Fri. for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sat.-Sun. for brunch

and dinner.

Fishouse. On the water on Cabrillo at the gate to the Funk Zone downtown. Sensational seafood, daily full cocktail and bar food happy hour, and patio seating. 101 East Cabrillo Blvd. 805-966-2112. www.fishouse. com $$ (LD)

The Harbor Restaurant. The Harbor is one of Santa Barbara’s finest restaurants, where fresh fish and steaks are specially prepared and served in an elegant maritime interior with stunning views of the harbor. [BrLD]. $$, (FB) 210 Stearns Wharf, 963-3311.

Harry’s. Santa Barbara’s traditional locals restaurant. Steak, seafood, sandwiches and salads served in a family atmosphere. Excellent wine list and full bar. Banquet facilites available. Open daily for lunch and dinner. [LD] $, (FB) 3313-B State Street, 687-2800.

Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood. Holdren’s Steaks & Seafood is elegant and timeless, featuring U.S.D.A. prime Midwestern corn fed beef, charbroiled over their mesquite grill. Try the “Cowboy Cut”–Holdren’s signature steak—a 20 oz. Prime bone-in rib chop served over spicy onion rings. Their fresh seafood selections include Bacon Wrapped BBQ Tiger Prawns, seared Hawaiian Ahi, and a shrimp Scampi like no other. Holdren’s offers an extensive wine and martini list and outdoor seating.. Open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m., and for dinner from 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday for dinner from 4:00 p.m. Now offering Sunday Brunch 9am-2pm. [BrLD] $$ (FB). 512 State Street, 805-965-3363. In Goleta 6920 Marketplace Dr. 805-685-8900

Jane Restaurant. Located 2 doors down from the Arlington Theatre, Jane offers American Bistro food in a beautiful old Spanish building with 2 story fireplace. Fresh Fish, Burgers, Great Salads and entrees including Lamb Chops, Steaks, Veal Scllopini & Chicken Picatta. Fresh hamburger buns and desserts are all homemade

Scarlett Begonia— Brunch wouldn’t be complete without their famous Bloody Mary. It’s practically a meal all to its own! www. scarlettbegonia.net

Ashley Hardin

Ashley Hardin

on the premises daily. Closed Sunday 1311 State Street 805962-1311 and 6920 Marketplace Dr, Goleta 805-770-5388.

Joe’s Cafe. Joe’s is classic Santa Barbara at its best. Offering the best New England-style clam chowder, beef dips, prime rib, steaks, chops and fresh seafood. For over 80 years the restaurant’s history is as rich as is its’ food and very stiff drinks. It is an experience not to be missed! Now serving breakfast, too. Mon-Sun 7:30am-11pm. [BLD] $ (FB). 536 State St, (805) 966-4638.

La Arcada Bistro. Beautiful downtown dining serving breakfast lunch and dinner. Private events welcome. 1112 State Street. 805-965-5742. www.laarcadabistro.com/private-dining.

Longboard’s Grill. Upstairs from the Harbor Restaurant is an active, noisy bar & grill with a big TV, a surfer’s attitude and 360-degree views of the city & water. [LD] $$, (FB) 210 Stearns Wharf, 963-3311.

Louie’s. Celebrate the taste of a Santa Barbara tradition in the historic Upham Hotel. Delicious California bistro fare in a wonderful downtown setting. [LD] $$, (B&W) 1404 De La Vina at Sola. 963-7003.

Max’s. Sensational breakfast haunt in San Roque for over 30 years. Also features Italian scratch made offering at dinner. 3514 State St. 805-898-9121. [BLD] $$

Milk & Honey. 30 W. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, 805-2754232, milknhoneytapas.com; open Mon.-Sat. for dinner, Sun. for brunch. Dine on flavorful modern tapas and fresh cocktails at this chic restaurant.

The Natural Café. The Natural Cafe is known for their homemade soups, hearty salads, delicious sandwiches, vegetarian entrees, pasta, chicken and seafood dishes, as well as a complete juice bar, microbrewed beers and local wines. [LD] $ (B&W), www.thenaturalcafe.com [LD] $, (B&W). Three locations in Santa Barbara: 508 State; 361 Hitchcock; 6990 Market Place Drive, Goleta. For out of town see their website for details.

Nectar. Elegantly decorated two-story restaurant with a famous bar noted for its excellent martinis, mojitos, inventive cocktails and a wide range of tequilas and mescals served by a joyous staff. [BrD] $$ (FB)20 E. Cota St., 805-899-4694

The Nugget. Down-home Americana fare with the appropriate dose of Western kitsch and memorabilia is the draw at these family-friendly joints. Open daily for lunch and dinner. For location nearest you go to www.nuggetbarandgrill.com.

Olio e Limone Ristorante, Olio Crudo Bar, & Olio Pizzeria® (“Oil and Lemon” in Italian).Husband-wife team Alberto and Elaine Morello preside over this pan-Italian charmer, where you’ll experience “excellent cooking and hospitable service” (Zagat Survey). “Simply sophisticated,” says the Los Angeles Times. Wine Spectator award-winning wine list. Private dining for up to 40. Casual pizza bar-wine bar-full bar around the corner at Olio Pizzeria®, with Olio Crudo Bar, Olio’s raw bar and lounge, next door. New locations at The Shoppes Westlake Village. www.oliocucina.com. 11 W. Victoria Street, 805-899-2699

Opal. A local’s favorite, Opal fuses creative influences from around the world with American Regional touches: from Chilecrusted Filet Mignon, to Fresh Pan-Seared Fish & Seafood, Homemade Pastas, Gourmet Pizzas from their wood burning pizza oven, fresh baked Breads, deliciously imaginative Salads, & Homemade Desserts. Sophisticated yet comfortable, Opal radiates a warm, friendly atmosphere. Full bar, award winning wine list, private room for parties up to 60. 1325 State St., 966-9676. [LD] $$ (FB) Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner. The Outpost. 5650 Calle Real, Goleta, 805-964-1288, outpostsb.com; open daily for dinner.

The Palace Grill. The Palace is a contemporary American grill, with a lively, high-energy atmosphere, and fun, spontaneous events. Featuring fine grilled steaks and fresh seafood, delicious pastas, and select American Regional specialties, like Blackened Crawfish-stuffed Filet Mignon, and Louisiana Bread Pudding Soufflé. Cajun Martinis, unique beers, and a well selected wine list. Their unique “team Service” voted the Best in Town the last 16 years in a row. Rave reviews in Gourmet

Magazine, Gault-Millau Travel Guide, Zagat, and Sunset Magazine. “Best on the West Coast” according to Los Angeles Magazine. Open 7 days: lunch 11:30am to 3pm; evenings from 5:30. [LD] $$, B&W. 8 E Cota 963-5000.

Paradise Cafe. Santa Barbara’s favorite dining patio. Fresh fish, steaks, chops, chicken and their famous oak-grilled burger. Start with a drink at the street level bar, and work your way up. Open seven days a week. [BLD] $ FB. 702 Anacapa Street, 962-4416.

Renaud’s Patisserie & Bistro. Specializing in a wide selection of authentic French pastries. [BL] $ (B&W), 3315 State St Santa Barbara, 805-569-2400, and in Arlington Plaza. www. renaudsbakery.com.

Roy. Voted best late night dining spot in town. Bistro-style American cuisine featuring steaks, seafood, chicken, salads, full bar and a great wine list. Dinner from 6pm till midnight daily. [D] $$, (FB) 7 W. Carrillo, 966-5636.

Sambo’s. The original on the beach! Serving up the classic dining experience. [BLD] $, (B&W) 216 W. Cabrillo Blvd. 965-3269

Santa Barbara Fishouse. Great locally caught fresh fish prepared in a casual fun atmosphere. Terrific happy hour. Right across from East Beach. [LD], $$, FB. 101 East Cabrillo Blvd. 9662112.

SB Shellfish Co. The freshest seafood, lobster, crab and shellfish found anywhere. Enjoy a local wine or beer with the view of the Pacific at the end of Stearns Warf. 805-966-6676 www. shellfishco.com $$(LD).

Scarlett Begonia. “Scarlett Begonia will always strive to have interesting, thoughtful food. Menus change weekly with an innovative fresh look at breakfast and lunch and weekend brunch. Open 7 days a week from 9am-2pm. It is their goal to provide Santa Barbara with a restaurant that showcases progressive modern food, using sustainable, organic, high-quality ingredients coupled with innovative cooking to be one of the most foodcentric restaurants around.” 11 W. Victoria St. #10 $$, 805-770-2143.

Shoreline Beach Cafe. 801 Shoreline Dr., Santa Barbara, 805568-0064, shorelinebeachcafe.com; open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kids can play in the sand under the sun while parents take a mini-vacation with the fresh cocktails and beach-worthy fare.

Somerset. Dine and drink amid rubble stone planters and 100 year old olive trees, a truly unique experience awaits. Reservations can be made at website www.SomersetSb.com or call at 805-845-7112.

The Tee-Off One of the town’s premier steak houses featuring succulent prime rib, fresh seafood, generous cocktails and, of course, quality steaks. [LD] $$, (FB) 3627 State, 687-1616.

Tupelo Junction. At Tupelo Junction they make everything from scratch. They choose delicious recipes using only the freshest ingredients and the menu changes frequently depending on the season and product availability. [BLD] $$, (FB) 1212 State Street, (805) 899-3100.

Via Maestra 42. Traditional Italian flavors fill this deli/shop/café. Serving panini, insalate, antipasti, formaggi, salumi, dolci, caffè and gelatos. [BLD] $$, 3343 State Street, 569-6522.

Wine Cask. Located in the historic El Paseo in heart of downtown makes for a beautiful fine dining experience. Wine tasting with wide array of local wines, full bar and private dining available. www.winecask.com 805-966-9463. 814 Anacapa St. $$ (LD).

VENUES & PRIVATE DINING

CHUCK’S WATERFRONT GRILL & THE ENDLESS SUMMER BAR~CAFE

You could be the hero for having your party in a world-class setting, right by the boats while sipping a cool Mai-Tai and nibbling on calamari. Chuck’s Waterfront Grill and The Endless Summer bar-café are located on the Santa Barbara Harbor overlooking the boats. Just off the 101 freeway and close to all the major hotels, with 2 covered patios upstairs at The Endless Summer each with a capacity up to 50 guests. The entire Endless Summer can be rented for a capacity up to 185. Chuck’s Waterfront Grill is available for smaller groups up to 24 people. Reservations must be made in advance. Call (805) 564-1200. 113 Harbor Way, www.chuckswaterfrontgrill.com.

CORK ROOM AT BOUCHON

The Cork room is a private dining room for groups of up to 20 guests. Corporate and private parties are welcome. You will find an excellent array of wine country cuisine paired with local Santa Barbara wines for truly wonderful and unique dining experience. 9 West Victoria, 805-703-1160, bouchonsantabarbara.com

CUCINA ROOM AT OLIO E LIMONE

The Cucina Room is the ideal venue for your group of up to 40 people. Perfect for business dinners and life events when you desire the exclusivity and privacy of your very own Olio e Limone dining experience. Enter and you will find an attentive service staff, beautifully set table and complimentary printed menus. We have created five dinner menus named after some of our favorite Italian wine regions to help in the decision-making process. A luncheon menu is also available for lunchtime events. Private dining is also available at the Terrazza Room at Olio Pizzeria for up to 22 guests. 11 & 17 West Victoria Street, 805-899-2699, www.olioelimone.com

DARGAN’S IRISH PUB

Dargan’s provides an authentic Irish ambiance combined with friendly service and outstanding food. We offer both buffet style or sit-down service for a variety of special occasions, including, receptions, rehearsal dinners, business gatherings, birthdays, graduations, and fundraisers to name a few. The poolroom area can be sectioned off from the main bar and rented for private affairs and provides a relaxed atmosphere accommodating up to 170 people (100 seated). It includes a private cozy bar, four large pool tables and a jukebox. The room also offers an excellent speaker system and five HD TVs connectable to computers are perfect for wedding videos or company sales presentations. To set up a consultation to discuss space availability, room rates, and food options, call 805-568-0702 or email info@darganssb.com

EVENTS BY STELLA MARE’S

Events by Stella Mare’s, a full service private restaurant, is centrally located in uptown Santa Barbara near historic State Street, with beautiful

views of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The décor is French Provencial meets Santa Barbara style, typifying the term “casual elegance”. Events by Stella Mare’s is the perfect setting for rehearsal dinners, wedding ceremonies and receptions, anniversaries, birthdays, as well as corporate seminars, holiday celebrations, luncheon and dinner events from 40-300 guests. With three versatile rooms, a full service bar, an outdoor terrace, and majestic views, Events by Stella Mare’s can be used for intimate social gatherings or meetings or large-scale events. 3302 McCaw Avenue, (805) 969-3415, www.stellamares.com

JANE AT THE MARKETPLACE

Jane at the Marketplace in Goleta offers a private dinning room for an event accommodating 20-40 guests. Delicious craft cocktails and custom menus make this space perfect for an after work meet up to a place to gather and celebrate any special occasion. Jane in downtown Santa Barbara offers intimate private dining available for lunch, brunch and dinner. The private room comfortably seats up to 40 guests and the welcoming upstairs mezzaninea may be reserved for smaller parties of 10 or more. Custom menus, friendly service and a warm atmosphere makes private dining at jane a memorable experience. 6940 Marketplace Drive, 805-7705388, janesb.com

LOUIE’S AT THE UPHAM HOTEL

Louie’s features two elegant rooms, one for large groups of up to 50 people and the other for smaller parties of six to 15. Custom menus are available with the emphasis being on California cuisine using the freshest available produce and local wines. The setting is inside the historic Upham Hotel which offers state of the art audio visual equipment for all levels of social and corporate presentations. For more information call 805-963-7003 or visit www.louiessb.com.

OPAL RESTAURANT AND BAR

Opal Restaurant and Bar can accommodate inhouse parties from 10-120, and we have extensive experience in serving corporate functions, birthdays, wedding rehearsal dinners or wedding celebrations, weekly luncheons, and private parties of all sorts. Whether it is an on-site banquet or off-site catering, our highly effective system of service enables us to handle all events from the most casual birthday bash to the most exacting and formal affair, with a smooth and flawless style that anticipates every situation and creates a great experience for you and your guests. 1325 State St., Santa Barbara, (805) 966-9676, opalrestaurantandbar.com

CATERING

PURE JOY CATERING, INC.

Pure Joy offers full service catering for the Santa Barbara Tri-County Areas. Flawless event planning, friendly service and unbelievably delicious handmade fare— Pure Joy will bring your vision to life. 111 East Haley Street, Santa Barbara, (805) 9635766, purejoycatering.com

Mobile Magic

Santa Barbara Woodfire Catering rolls on

by angela borda

Stephen Meyer’s love of pizza began early in life in New York, where his father would often bring home a pie after his shift and his family would enjoy it for breakfast. Cooking since he was a kid, Meyer learned some of his skills from his grandma, but he cooks largely by feel, never mind measuring cups or recipes. While his customers rave about his food, he will only modestly say, “It always comes out right.” For him, food is a “mutual language” we all share, and he began his family catering business in 1980 to bring his love of cooking to others.

Meyer starts with the mission to “pour his love of the pizza pie into every pie he designs,” and it’s evident the moment you bite into blistered mozzarella, oregano, and slightly sweet tomato sauce. Like all good pizza chefs, Meyer takes the simplest of ingredients and turns them into magic. But he has a few tricks up his sleeve, starting with a surprise ingredient in his pizza dough: beer. The result is rich, flavorful, and delightfully crisp on the edges. Although he makes a range of old favorites in his mobile pizza oven (Margherita, pepperoni, mushroom and olives, etc.), his most popular offerings are the ones that show his culinary imagination. The tri-tip pizza with chipotle mayonnaise is perhaps his most ordered item, although his vegetarian pizza topped with kale salad is in heavy rotation too. If you’re lucky, he may have his lobster bisque pizza available. Meyer starts this unique pie with lobster bisque, adds cheese, and tops the pizza

with lobster ravioli, a combination you won’t soon forget.

Hang around Meyer’s pizza oven long enough and you’ll hear a stream of praise from regulars. “It’s awesome,” a young boy volunteers about the dessert pizza, a luxurious combination of apricots, crème fraiche, and honey fired on a pizza crust. Depending on what is in season, Steve might even have his famous apple-pie pizza in the oven, a delightful way to end dinner.

Meyer caters breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so there’s much more to his offerings than pizza. He does great BBQ, homey mac & cheese, and nottoo-hot Buffalo wings. But he also borrows from world cuisine and cooks everything from Thai chicken to Persian food, depending on the occasion. He caters weddings, fundraisers, birthdays, and any kind of party, from ten people to several hundred. Because his pizza oven and grill are mobile, Meyer is able to service a large territory from San Luis Obispo all the way to Los Angeles. He brings genuine care to his events and loves nothing better than “seeing people’s smiles.”

Meyer welcomes you to sample his food at one of his frequent public events. Captain Fatty’s, an up-and-coming brewery in Goleta, often features his food. Try a glass of their calypso sour with a freshly fired pizza and you’ll be hooked.

www santabarbarawoodfirecatering com

Uni yarns

by Jeff mIller

Uni. Lots of people get one bite and gotta have more. That’s the way I was with uni stories. Once I got a taste, I jonesed for more.

So I got hold of a copy of Bluewater Gold Rush by Tom Kendrick, a Santa Barbara urchin diver starting in 1978, almost the beginning of it all. And I got what I was looking for. It’s a treasure trove of sagas – sad, sweet, funny yarns about the bold, eccentric, sometimes crazy people who became legends around SB Harbor.

The book, as Kendrick writes in the author’s disclaimer, is “a work of creative nonfiction,” in which “all of the stories are true [but] embellishments have been made.” So if I wanted to get the straight scoop, I figured I ought to go to the source: the people who have been out there in the water for so many years. Once again, I got what I was looking for.

One day Kenny Schmidt was cruising through the middle of the channel when he came upon a pod of killer whales chasing a sea lion. In the boat with Schmidt was second diver Norman Graviano and tender Dennis Leon, Schmidt’s son-in-law. But soon they had one more creature aboard.

“Those killer whales chased that sea lion right up onto the boat,” Schmidt said. A full-grown sea lion can weigh over 500 pounds, and this one was all of that. “A formidable opponent,” Schmidt said.

And a discerning one. “We tried to shoo him off the deck but he didn’t want to go,” Schmidt recalled. “Between us and the orca, he decided he’d rather fight us to the death than jump back in the water.”

A further problem: “He was so big he took over the whole deck,” Schmidt said. They couldn’t even get past that wide body and the snapping teeth to the wheel. At that point, tender Leon “sort of sacrificed himself,” sticking out a foot to draw the sea lion’s attention. It worked. Graviano was able to scramble to the wheel, grab the throttle, and floor it. The others followed him into the cabin.

But it was only a partial solution. Now the three men were clustered inside, giving the sea

lion a ride through the channel at 20 knots. “He still didn’t want to get off,” Schmidt said. What next? Would a sea lion become part of the crew? These and other questions were answered when, after a 15-minute ride, the sea lion apparently decided that was far enough and jumped off, leaving Schmidt and company with nothing worse than a good story.

And speaking of sea creatures, “There used to be hundreds, thousands of blue sharks” in the waters on the way to the Channel Islands, longtime diver Lenny Marcus said. “You had to really work not to hit ’em.”

In 1972, when the industry was new, Marcus got his start as a tender aboard the Little Wing, a boat that’s prominently featured in Bluewater Gold Rush. He eventually started diving and managed to buy the boat. That was good. Not so good was that it was just after the movie Jaws came out. “I was always looking over my shoulder,” Marcus said.

After many years of diving he doesn’t pay much mind to the mid-sized reef sharks often encountered out there. But once upon a time an 18-foot great white moseyed by “and I was gone,” Marcus said. “I crawled into a crack. When he came by again I was outta there.” But not far. After swimming to the boat, he moved it a couple of miles and went back to diving. That’s an urchin diver.

Great whites “aren’t just mindless killers,” Marcus said. “If they want to eat you they will, but mostly they’re curious. We must look really funny down there with our wetsuits and rakes, banging around.”

Bill Hooten tells a story of another kind of close encounter. It was maybe 1976 and he was diving out of LA with Dave, a “gnarly guy who looked like a character out of Sons of Anarchy.”

The boat was also on the gnarly side and unwilling to start sometimes. That happened one day out by San Clemente Island. Then, adding to the excitement, the anchor wouldn’t hold. So Captain Dave decided to tie up to a buoy in Wilson Cove. Unfortunately, it was a Navy buoy. And near it was a giant billboard saying something like: “Caution: Navy Base. Totally Restricted,” Hooten recalled.

Within an hour a Navy launch churned out to investigate. Eventually convinced that it wasn’t the vanguard of an invitation, they towed the boat to another buoy where the divers spent the night. Next morning, another visit by a Navy boat, this time with a couple of plainclothes Fish and Game officers aboard. Again the authorities were satisfied.

Soon the engine started, but as they cruised by Catalina Island they were buzzed by two Navy jets. Then along came a chopper. “Then we looked astern and there was a Coast Guard cutter,” Hooten said.

The dive boat hove to and was boarded by the Coast Guard, apparently suspecting that the divers were smugglers, though it seemed unlikely that smugglers would tie up to a Navy buoy for a rest. “They looked everywhere and didn’t find anything,” Hooten said.

The only place they hadn’t looked was under the load of urchins, so the Guardsmen followed the divers all the way to San Pedro, waited until the haul was offloaded, and then searched everywhere.

Nothing. “Whatever little cannabis there was we’d probably smoked already,” Hooten said.

Those are just a few of the tales from the glory days of urchin diving. If you want more, go down to the harbor and ask. There’s a haul to be had.

Illustration by Buffalo Brothers Studios