Great Dinner in Santa Barbara

[pab]

My husband & I are heading to Santa Barbara from San Diego for a wedding during Labor Day weekend. Looking for an amazing dinner on Friday night to celebrate our anniversary. I have read some older reviews on The Stonehouse at San Jsidro Ranch and they seem mixed regarding the food. I don't mind spending the money if the food blows our minds. Any recent visits? Any other suggestions? Thanks

[glbtrtr]

Still mixed reviews about Stonehouse -but some of them might put it in the "blows your mind" category based upon that particular viewers context. I honestly don't know of any consistenly "blow you minds" restaurants in Santa Barbara or its environs, but I can help you with some that are known to be pretty good with enough variety that hopefully you will have an enjoyable time. Can you help us with a little more guidance than "blow you mind" -- not sure what that in fact means.

My favorite special occasion restaurant is Downey's -but it is sedate and tradition with a casual refined atmosphere and it "blows my mind" that this sort of European service level dining experience exists in this town. But its food while creative and fresh is highly and consistently enjoyable but it is more tradition continental preparation. Though their desserts are exceptionally special and might rise to "mind blowing" though that term brings in more of an image of violence than I would associate with quiet, refined Downeys.

Santa Barbara has a lot of happy dining experiences, but none I myself would ever put into the mind-blowing category. That I reserve for Michelin starred restaurants in Europe. That is where I am coming from. Fill out the definition a bit more as you see it and let's see what we can do.

Dinner at Cold Springs Tavern might be "mind blowing" because it is such a wonderful and unexpected location, but its food is merely good to very good. There are some solidly great reviews coming from Root 246 in Solvang and the Ballard Inn also in the Santa Ynez Valley a half hour up the road from Santa Barbara. And we have loved everything we have had at Giannfranco's in Carpinteria for his creative takes on Sicilian Italian.

The one thing I find consistently "mind blowing" are the chile relleno's in a naugahyde booth cafe in Guadalupe, but they are now closed for remodeling of the whole row of buildings - hope nothing really changes about this cafe.

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The Ballard Inn & Restaurant
2436 Baseline Ave, Solvang, CA 93463

Root 246
420 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463

[chickendud]

I will affirm root246 as being a top contender in the area. Fanatic food every time.

I also have had some memorable meals at the wine cask in santa barbara. (http://www.winecask.com/

)

I recently had a very disappointing meal at cold springs tavern. The duck breast I ordered was soggy and bland, one of the worst preparations of duck i have ever had at a restaurant. However, it is a very charming and beautiful setting. I have heard that the lunch menu, with sandwiches is worth the drive, though never been for lunch.

[glbtrtr]

Keep in mind Cold Springs was not recommended for its food to be "mindblowing" but the entire experience, drive and setting to be pretty special, so the food has to be taken for what it is which is often good enough to support all the rest of this places pleasures. Lunch is a good choice - I love their chili and they have very credible salads that are worth a lunch meal.

Have not yet been to Root 246 but am very intrigued by the quality of its reports and have been wondering how it is holding up over its great splash it got in the beginning.

An additional choice in Santa Barbara that I have not yet tried myself but intrigued too my its early reviews is Julienne on East Canon Perdido across from the Presidio on the corner of Santa Barbara Street.

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Root 246
420 Alisal Road, Solvang, CA 93463

[glbtrtr]

Link to local reviews for Stonehouse:
http://www.santabarbara.com/Dining/review_read.asp?pk_restaurant=792

It is my own pet peeve to disregard any dining review that resorts to the word "amazing" with no further corroborating substance. The fellow who wrote he wanted to like it but could not grabs my attention as well as expressing his regard also for Root 246 in Solvang. High rollers and megal pot money hangs out around the Chumash Casino- appears they have also considerably upped the dining ante in this same charming little Danish community known far more for its kitsch than its kitchens.

Local reviews for Root 246: http://www.santabarbara.com/Dining/re...

[Beach Chick]

I find that just being at San Ysidro Ranch is mind blowing and dining is one more piece of the happiness puzzle..simply sublime.
I've always had great meals at Plow & Angel and Stonehouse.
Cold Springs Tavern is another unexpected gem..which is so wonderful.
It will be crazy busy over Labor Day, so, I would reserve soon.
Happy Anniversary!

[hungrykitty]

Glad I saw this thread - we are also going to Santa Barbara for the weekend and were wondering where to go...from one extreme to the other, we are interested in a good steak house and a sushi bar. (two separate restaurants) I have also heard there is wine tasting near by. All suggestions appreciated... thanks

[glbtrtr]

Arigato is your best sushi, lovely spot on State Street with nice outdoor tables too. They recently featured steak and chops in the Summer 2010 "food and home" magazine which should be available where you are staying - it is a plush, glossy that features food and style matters in Santa Barbara. Left me with the idea that a lot of places could be good for lots of reasons when looking for steak in this town. The obvious ones for steak and/or chops from the article (no order here) Holdrens, Lucky's (see review above), Tee-Off, Louie's, Sly's in Carpinteria, Joe's Cafe, Harry's Plaza Cafe, Paradise Cafe, Petit Valentin (a little sleeper lovely French cafe garden patio setting), Ruth's Chris, Sea Grass, buchon, Olio et Limone, Palace, Cold Springs Tavern, Piatti in Montecito, Stella Mare, Jill's Place, Wine Cask, Aldo's, Cafe Buenos Aires.

Just from the article and the pictures, I think I would try Sly's in Carpinteria but if I drove down there I doubt if I could not go to Gianfranco's for his take on regional Italian instead. Haven't yet found THE steak place myself in town - each has its fans, and detractors and both are earned.

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Wine Cask
813 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Piatti
516 San Ysidro Road, Montecito, CA 93108

Harry's Plaza Cafe
3313 State St Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Jill's Place
632 Santa Barbara St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Stella Mare's
50 Los Patos Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93108

Buenos Aires Cafe
1316 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Tee-Off
3627 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Holdren's
512 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

[hungrykitty]

glbtrtr-

Thank you so much for all of the recommendations. I was happy to see you post Arigato on there. I had read reviews and it seemed to have good ones and then you confirmed it for us. We LOVE sushi and while I am no “diva”, I am picky with my sushi. We are torn between Holdrens and Sea Grass. Looked at both menus and he wants a steak, but I can get enough of the menu at Sea Grass. I suggested we stay another night, but it does not work in our schedule.

I will let you know how it goes.

Is Chuck’s on the pier (I think) worth trying for lunch? I have been to Hungry Cat here in LA, how is the one there?

THANK YOU so much for all of your suggestions.

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The Hungry Cat
1134 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Holdren's
512 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

[glbtrtr]

Just went to Hungry Cat last night as we are addicted to their Pugburger and happy to report it was superb and that this restaurant has gotten ahead of its prior service attitude problems with a far friendlier, less sneering wait and hostess staff. The place was full on a Thursday night with lots of happy buzz which is always a good sign of diners enjoying themselves. We ordered the desserts for the first time and did not feel either of them were worth the extra calories, but this was partly because we were so well-fed with the burger.

I had the lemon parfait which was heavy and cloying and DH had the bread pudding which he found okay but nothing special to order again. Maybe splitting the lemon parfait would have been a better idea for us, but the best for us is to save our dessert tooth for some McConnell's icecream up the road.

Your very nice dilemma between Holdren's and Seagrass may depend on which mood you feel like. Sea grass has a refined atmosphere and one of the more lovely decorated spaces for a restaurant in this part of town (IMHO). Holdren's being on State Street has a bit more boisterous casual feel. Wish I could think of a compromise. Can't, so you do have to stay another night and do both. Sorry.

Or maybe you should meet in the middle at least geographically between the two and try the little sidewalk courtyard restaurant Bucatini's which I always forget about in this part of town, but which has never disappointed for N. Italian creations.

(Just checked our local reviews for Bucatini and it looks like it may have dropped down a few notches which would be too bad: http://www.santabarbara.com/Dining/re...

)

"Chuck's (Steakhouse) is at the harbor which is not on the wharf which juts out into the water, but rather around the curve of the waterfront where all the sail boats dock. It is in the Maritime Museum building which is worth a visit as they have some fascinating exhibits and history to share - Santa Barbara was the first place where underwater diving was developed due to some very ingenious local mechanics who solved the problem of breathing underwater. Chuck's is Chucks - historic and a leader in first selling the idea of a salad buffet and lots of plain meat. This was a very novel dining concept when it first hit our shores back in the 1960's. in some Chuck's of Hawaii knock offs.

[hungrykitty]

Glbtrtr:

We had a lovely weekend in Santa Barbara. We were very surprised, and lucky, at how beautiful the weather was. We expected it to be chilly and it was gorgeous!

Thank you again for the many recommendations that you gave us.

We went to Hungry Cat early Saturday evening and all tables were reserved. We sat at the bar and really enjoyed watching the chef prepare fabulous meals. (I love to cook) We were just going to have appetizers as we wanted to go to Arigato. The menu is not as extensive as the Hollywood location. We shared seafood fritters with stone fruit, arugula and spicy aioli. They were very good, and ended up with 2 orders! We noticed the chef plate up some nice halibut and we asked him about it. It was a special and it was grilled and served over pappardelle pasta with cherry tomatoes, zucchini, beans and spinach. WOW was that fantastic, we shared that as well.

So we headed over to Arigato for “appetizers”…45 min. wait at 9:30pm. We gave them our cell # and headed to State & A for a drink and they called 10 minutes later. What a great idea – the sushi was great! We just had a few things since we well sort of ate already…spicy scallop, avocado cut roll/soy paper, salmon sashimi and yellowtail sushi. Oh, the quality of the fish was EXCELLENT; we will definitely be coming back to this place.

Sunday we did Holdren’s. We shared an appetizer; jumbo scallops with crab potatoes, these were fantastic and so was the sauce they served them on. His steak was excellent. I wanted to try the sand dabs. The fish itself was good, a little too breaded for me.

THANKS AGAIN for all your input – it was truly appreciated.

Santa Barbara - we will see you again, soon.

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The Hungry Cat
1134 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Holdren's
512 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

[glbtrtr]

Goodness, what a great dining adventure you had. Thanks for the report. We do hit home runs occasionally around here, though not as consistently as we should. But you culled some of the best of the best.

Glad to hear Holdren's passed muster for steak. That one is a tricky call around here - it should be an easy one but it is not. But they want to give it the best shot so I'll keep it near the top of the meat eaters list.

PS often we have some of our best weather when others are having their worst. We are hot when everyone else is cold - Nov/Dec being some of our best outdoor months in the 80's - try feeling holiday spirit in that weather. And our summers can often be cool and foggy when others are wilting on the vine. And then we do other things too - Feb/March can be wet, but our favorite phrase is "we need the rain". Got to keep those reservoirs full. We lack really warm , fragrant, delicious summer nights, but we get just about everything else. Most of our outdoor dining is during the day, and lots of propane heaters necessary to keep us outdoors at night.

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Holdren's
512 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

[Midlife]

One tiny mention above of Bouchon, but it's the one I'd suggest. This is NOT Thomas Keller's Bouchon, but it could be - IMHO.

Here are the Yelp reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/bouchon-santa...

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Bouchon
6534 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599