Fine Food First, Gluten-Free Second: ‘Lilac Montecito’ Calling All Diners

“Gluten-free is really just a by-line for us – it’s important to what we do, and we do it well,” Gillian Muralles, owner of Montecito’s newest eatery, Lilac Montecito, recently told the Journal. “But if someone doesn’t care about that, I’d love to get them through the door just as much!”

Mrs. Muralles and her husband, Alam, already have a track record as purveyors of quality food, regardless of the gluten-free label. The pair, L.A. transplants with several years in the bakery business, opened Lilac Pâtisserie in Santa Barbara almost a decade ago. And while their offerings have steadily drawn a culinary clientele needful items that don’t contain the gluten protein – including more than a dozen signature cakes, like the Chocolate Decadence and the Princess Torte – the focus has always really been on quality ingredients and proprietary recipes that deliver a universally enjoyable food experience.

“Some people need to be gluten-free, and a lot of people don’t, and that’s fine,” continues Muralles, who was diagnosed with celiac disease 20 years ago. “We serve really good food that people can feel good about sharing with their family and friends.” Even if it’s gluten-free, “food shouldn’t be something people are hesitant about, it should just be good.”

That was the impetus for Lilac Montecito, which opened its doors late last month in the space along Coast Village Rd. that most recently housed Mesa Burger, and the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf before that. For now, the focus is on dinner, and though the couple didn’t see the foot traffic along their State Street location to justify staying open past breakfast and lunch, “we felt like Montecito was a natural fit for our clientele,” says Muralles. “Many of them live in Montecito, and expanding on our pâtisserie concept to offer fine dining suited the area.”

The menu at Lilac Montecito certainly reads like fine dining, and any concerns around gluten’s absence may well be eclipsed by dishes that aim to wow. Starters include a Yellowtail Crudo, served with avocado mousse, candied celery and lime coconut milk; a Buffalo Cauliflower, with a spinach-cashew crema and pickled carrots; and the Arancino, a saffron risotto served with a Bolognese sauce and caciocavallo cheese. 

Mains feature fish, including salmon and swordfish, a Chicken Marsala, Swedish meatballs, and a bone-in ribeye. Muralles is partial to the duck breast, prepared sous-vide and served with a butternut squash puree. “It’s prepared so nicely – a tender, juicy duck breast but a crispy skin, which is tough to pull off!” she says.

The biggest challenge around crafting a gluten-free dinner menu? “Finding a chef that would be open to working under those parameters,” adds Muralles. “Chefs want a fair amount of freedom in the kitchen, and restrictions can be difficult, because they limit the things they want to take on.” She says they found their man, though, in Executive Chef Piersimone D’Anna, whose résumé includes previous stints in Los Angeles and Monaco. 

“Chef developed a recipe for handmade gluten-free pasta,” she adds. “It’s challenging when you’re making something that should be made with gluten, it’s mainly about the flour. It’s tricky. But he was the man for the job and figured it out.” Gluten-free pasta offerings include a fettucine alfredo and a kabocha squash ravioli. The Santa Barbara Spaghetti is doled out with local sea urchin, saffron, crispy quinoa and toasted almond.

Among the desserts: chocolate lava cake, tiramisu, and cheesecake, along with rotating selections of house-made tarts and ice creams and sorbets.

The Lilac Montecito wine list features around 70 bottles, including several Napa cabernets, Sonoma chardonnays, French champagnes and global selections from New Zealand and Italy. Most labels, though, are standouts from Santa Barbara County and California’s Central Coast, including Foxen, Brewer-Clifton, Au Bon Climat, The Hilt, and Margerum. The liquid line-up is curated by Antonio Gerli, a level-3 sommelier who doubles as general manager for both Lilac locations. 

Lilac Montecito is currently open for dinner only, nightly from 5 pm. Breakfast and lunch are on the horizon, with a menu that’s different from the downtown Santa Barbara pâtisserie but with the same caveat, which Muralles is quick to reiterate. “We’ll offer food that’s delicious,” she says, “which just happens to be gluten-free.”  

Lilac Montecito
1209 Coast Village Rd.
(805) 845-2457 
lilacmontecito.com