We are all too familiar with the surfeit of restaurant and business closures that COVID left in its wake. Restrictions kept patrons away, and even the most bustling take-home enterprises had difficulty covering operation costs and rent. For many business owners, closure was the only option. For others, this time of uncertainty made bucket list […]
Adaptogens are a trendy topic in the wellness space — but what are they, and why should we care? For thousands of years, ancient wisdom traditions, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), have considered adaptogenic mushrooms as being both foods to establish optimal health and as potent elixirs to treat sickness. Known to […]
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“We don’t talk about Bruno tonight,” joked El Encanto General Manager Janis Clapoff on a recent warm and breezy evening. She was partially making reference to the Oscar award-winning animated film Encanto, but also referring to the hotel’s Executive Chef Bruno Lopez, who was taking the night off as head chef and serving as sous-chef […]
Rick H. is getting a second chance to make it right. The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission (SBRM) resident, whose full name is being withheld to protect his privacy, stands over a cutting board slicing pan-seared chicken breast. He neatly places slices on a pool of tomato feta sauce before garnishing them with chopped sautéed peppers. […]
Last week Montecito Country Mart announced that its newest eatery, Alma Fonda Fina, is scheduled to open in June. The restaurant is the latest offering from Ramon Velazquez, a local Santa Barbara chef and Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, and the owner of the popular Corazon Cocina in the Public Market in downtown Santa Barbara. Alma […]
Philip Stein doesn’t fit the standard mold of a polo club chef. For starters, his warm and friendly personality is devoid of the stuffy airs that one might assume is mandatory among those in close orbit to the regal sport. Now the Fieldside Grill’s executive chef, he was completely unfamiliar with the game – and […]
Word on Coast Village Road is that the owner of Montecito Deli, Jeff Rypysc, is in talks with a well-known Montecito restaurateur to sell the business, located at 1150 Coast Village Road. If all goes as planned, the deal will close April 1. The new concept for the deli, which has been in the same […]
In hard times, delivering comfort in a pan is a family tradition When death comes knocking, my Italian family goes to the kitchen. As early as I can remember, whenever a family member was infirm or passed away, an imaginary bell would ring and someone – usually a family elder – would go into the […]
If you’re craving hearty stews, meaty braises, or golden fried chicken, then maybe it’s time to buy a Dutch oven, a most versatile piece of cookware with the deep interior, heavy bottom, and tight lid that will take your winter meals to new and tantalizing heights. Enameled cast-iron, these heavy-duty pots are all-purpose: they can […]
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Montecito and Santa Barbara locals have opened Montecito’s first “meatless” market, PLNT PWRD MRKT (i.e. Plant Powered Market), in Coast Village Walk on Coast Village Road. Borne after owner Tim Morton-Smith and his wife, Kamren, found themselves buying plant-based items mostly online instead of in local stores, the goal of opening the market was to […]
It all started with a desire for a well-made cappuccino. I was headed to a work meeting and needed a quick jolt of caffeine. I crossed the street and followed my curiosity to the French-inspired bakery that opened last summer adjacent to the Presidio. That morning, the first of my many visits to Alessia Patisserie […]
This time of year, when days are short and nights are longer, it feels important to celebrate light and be light-hearted. The traditions of Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Kwanzaa all include lighting candles, singing songs, and feasting together. Although COVID sensibilities have pared down the numbers, we don’t have to cancel the party. Smaller […]
If you look closely, you might catch a scant glimpse of red, yellow, and orange leaves on the trees as you walk through town, but if you’re really hungry for a sign of autumn, look at a menu. Local chefs have begun introducing new dishes for fall and winter and the fare isn’t just inspired […]
