Chef Ink Cover, SB Independent January 2, 2020
Talking Tattoos With Decorated Chefs From Los Alamos to Coast Village Road
It was so much fun to interview local culinary wizards and talk tats. Check out this week’s cover story in the Santa Barbara Independent, or click below to see the PDF.
Originally published in the Santa Barbara Independent on January 2, 2020.
Root 246’s Creekstone Ranch Burger is one of the specials on the menu at Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks, taking place Jan 27 to Feb 10. Courtesy photo.
The Santa Ynez Valley has so many great restaurants, and the upcoming annual foodie celebration is the perfect time to check out a new one or revisit and old favorite.
Part of Visit California’s California Restaurant Month, this year’s Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks feature three-course meal deals—all $20.19—at a record 32 restaurants in the six Santa Ynez Valley towns of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang.
Why is it two weeks long?
“We continually heard from local restaurants and from diners that the only way to improve Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks is to offer more of it,” says Shelby Sim, President/CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley. “The event has been successful from year one, expanding well beyond what can be fit into just one week. It is exciting to continue to see it grow.”
Representing each of the Santa Ynez Valley’s six distinct communities, 32 restaurants will participate in Restaurant Weeks in 2019. In addition to the offerings of the Valley’s restaurants, many Santa Ynez Valley wineries will offer wine and small bite pairings in their tasting rooms for $20.19. And special lodging deals are available at hotels throughout the Valley.
“Santa Ynez Valley’s food scene is rapidly evolving in terms of both quality and quantity; it’s even challenging the region’s reputation for world-class wines. Our restaurants these days—rule,” says Sim.
The Courtyard at S.Y. Kitchen | Photo Credit Rob Stark
Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks menus shine with farm-fresh examples of wine country’s seasonal bounty, with tasting menus crafted by celebrated chefs. Exemplary, and locavore, Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks dishes include S.Y. Kitchen executive chef Luca Crestanelli’s “Bird’s Nest Lasagna” (with fontina cheese, roasted butternut squash, chanterelle mushrooms), his “Fried Sous Vide Organic Egg” (with cheese fondue and chicory), and his “Saffron Gnocchetti (with butter and sage, optional bone marrow, raspadura cheese). At The Bear and Star in Los Olivos, chef/partner John Cox’s Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks menus include the likes of his “Wagyu Empanada” (with black beans and Cotija cheese), utilizing proteins pulled from nearby Fess Parker Ranch.
In Solvang, new chef de cuisine at Root 246, Crystal “Chef Pink” DeLongpré, puts her locally- and sustainably-sourced, TV chef touches on an “American Lamb Burger” (Bellwether Farms Jersey ricotta, house-pickled mustard seed, smoky tomato jam, served with fries or Chef Pink’s famous Brussels sprouts), which is destined for the eatery and lounge’s Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks menu.
Norman, courtesy Skyview Los Alamos.
The food-centric hotspot of Los Alamos will boast chef and restaurant participants like the town’s culinary founders, chef Jesper Johansson of Plenty on Bell and chef Clark Staub at his Full of Life Flatbread enterprise; chef Drew Terp of PICO fame; chef Conrad Gonzales’ Valle Fresh; and Norman restaurant and bar, the dining and drinking component at mid-century motor lodge marvel, Skyview Los Alamos.
At Buellton’s pioneering Santa Ynez Valley food-scape player, Industrial Eats, chef/owners Jeff and Janet Olsson will celebrate the foods of—with 100% of proceeds benefitting—the People of Yemen. Yemeni dishes will comprise the bistro’s Restaurant Weeks menu, with specialties like Shourba Bilsen (lamb broth lentil soup with coriander), Hor’ee (braised beef shank with basmati rice), and Bint Al-Sahn (dough cake with honey).
Dates of participation vary by establishment, but the list of participating restaurants, wineries, and lodging properties includes:
Ballard
The Ballard Inn & Gathering Table, 2436 Baseline Ave., 800/638-2466
Buellton
Campfire Café at Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground, 180 Avenue of Flags, Buellton, 805/688-3716
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.,45 Industrial Way, 805/694-2252
Firestone Walker Brewing Co., 620 McMurray Rd., 805/697-4777
Hitching Post II, 406 E Hwy 246, 805/688-0676
Industrial Eats, 181 Industrial Way, 805/688-8807
La Tequila Mexican Restaurant, 35 W. Highway 26, 805/697-7776
Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, 555 McMurray Road, 805/688-1000
Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks is taking place Jan 27 to Feb 10. Courtesy photo.
Los Alamos
Full of Life Flatbread, 225 Bell St., 805/344-4400
Norman, 9150 US Highway 101, 805/344-0080
Pico at The Los Alamos General Store, 458 Bell St., 805/344-1122
Plenty on Bell, 508 Bell St., 805/344-3020
Valle Fresh, 380 Bell St., 805/865-2282
Los Olivos
The Bear & Star, 2860 Grand Ave, 805/686-1359
Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Café, 2879 Grand Ave., 805/688-7265
Santa Ynez
The Lucky Hen Larder, 1095 Meadowvale Rd., 805/691-9448
S.Y. Kitchen, 1110 Faraday St., 805/691-9794
Trattoria Grappolo, 3687 Sagunto St., 805/688-6899
Willows Restaurant & Bar, 3400 E. Highway 246, 805/686-0855
Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Weeks is taking place Jan 27 to Feb 10. Courtesy photo.
Solvang
Cecco Ristorante, 475 1st St., 805/688-8880
First & Oak, 409 1st St., 805/688-1703
Fresco Valley Café, 442 Atterdag Rd., 805/688-8857
Hill Haven Provisions, 448 Atterdag Rd., 805/691-9025
Hummingbird Restaurant, 453 Atterdag Rd., 805/403-7100
Leonardo’s Ristorante, 632 Alamo Pintado Rd., 805/686-0846
Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant & Take Out, 1992 Old Mission Dr., 805/693-2994
Mad & Vin at The Landsby, 1576 Mission Dr., 805/688-3121
River Grill at The Alisal, 150 Alisal Rd., 805/688-7784
Root 246, 420 Alisal Rd., 805/686-8681
Solvang Brewing Co., 1547 Mission Dr., 805/688-2337
Succulent Café Wine Charcuterie, 1555 Mission Dr., 805/691-9444
Toscana Pizzeria, 485 Alisal Road #163, 805/697-7445
Alma Rosa’s eco-chic tasting room in Buellton, built by Allen Construction, incorporates a 15-foot olive tree, local river stone and recycled Douglas Fir. Photo by Patrick Price.
Wineries
Alma Rosa Winery, 181-C Industrial Way, Buellton, 805/691-9395
Hitching Post Wines, 420 E. Highway 246, Buellton, 805/688-0676
Kalyra Winery, 343 N Refugio Rd., Santa Ynez, 805/693-8864
Loring Wine Company, 201-B Industrial Way, Buellton, 805/691-1300
Pence Vineyards & Winery, 1909 W. Highway 246, Buellton, 805/735-7000
Roblar Winery & Vineyards, 3010 Roblar Ave., Santa Ynez, 805/686-2603
Sunstone Winery, 125 N. Refugio Rd., Santa Ynez, 805/688-9463
Lodging
Flying Flags RV Resort & Campground, 180 Avenue of Flags, Buellton, 805/688-3716
Hampton Inn & Suites Buellton/Santa Ynez Valley, 600 McMurray Rd., Buellton, 805/686-1555
King Frederik Inn, 1617 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, 805/688-5515
The Landsby, 1576 Mission Dr., 805/688-3121
New Haven Inn, 271 Alisal Rd., Solvang, 805/618-8541
Pea Soup Andersen’s Inn, 51 E. Highway 246, Buellton, 800/732-7687
Santa Ynez Inn, 3627 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805/688-5588
Sideways Inn, 114 E. Highway 246, Buellton, 805/688-8448
Santa Ynez Valley Restaurant Week menus do not include tax, tip, or beverages, and reservations are strongly encouraged. For the latest updates, including menus and dining hours, visit www.DineSYV.com.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on January 24, 2019.
The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! by Leslie Dinaberg
Two of Santa Barbara County’s hottest restaurant teams—PICO in Los Alamos and The Black Sheep in Downtown Santa Barbara—have joined forces to create The Wine Shepherd, a new wine bar, tasting room and wine shop located next to The Black Sheep at 30 E. Ortega St., Santa Barbara (at the corner of Ortega and Anacapa Streets, across from Paradise Cafe).
PICO co-owners Will Henry and Kali Kopley have an excellent selection of wine in the retail section of the restaurant and The Wine Shepherd extends those offerings into Santa Barbara’s buzzy Presidio Neighborhood. It also offers an additional tasting room for the well-regarded Lumen Wines, which Henry co-owns with pioneering Santa Barbara County winemaker Lane Tanner.
The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.
“We have a 2,000-bottle wine inventory at PICO, available to enjoy at the bar, in the restaurant, or for purchase to take with you…with The Wine Shepherd, we’re simply sharing PICO’s unparalleled wine selection with a greater portion of Santa Barbara County,” states Henry, whose father, Warner Henry, founded The Henry Wine Group import, wholesale and broker empire.
The Wine Shepherd, whose name is a play on words referencing The Black Sheep, offers a wide array of local, domestic and international wines for sale, as well as a carefully-curated list of beer and cider. Housed in the former Seagrass Restaurant space, The Wine Shepherd’s “upcycled chic” ambiance features a tasting bar built by Henry himself, where a selection of 14 or more wines by the glass—plus beer and cider—are available, as well as Lumen Wines tasting flights and excellent cheeses and charcuterie from PICO Chef and Partner Drew Terp. The Wine Shepherd also offers competitive pricing on bottles to go.
The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.
With a string of hits in the food and wine world, Kopley is owner-founder of five different establishments in North Lake Tahoe, California: three Uncorked wine bar locations, Soupa restaurant, and Petra, a wine-inspired restaurant in Northstar. As a restaurateur, Kopley was a customer of The Henry Wine Group, which led to her introduction to Will Henry. The two are now married are parents to an adorable little girl.
“The Wine Shepherd marks the seventh wine-related business in which I’ve recently had a hand in launching, and is modeled after some of my Tahoe-area businesses,” says Kopley. “We have such a loyal PICO following…and many of our friends and fans make the drive from Santa Barbara to Los Alamos. The Wine Shepherd will give them just a taste of what PICO has to offer, but closer to home.”
“We will offer a large selection of wines from around the world, as well as a healthy representation of local heroes. As we do at PICO, we will focus on small production, family-owned producers and obscure, hard-to-get wines, plus old vintage rarities and gems,” says Henry.
The Wine Shepherd, photo courtesy Anna Ferguson-Sparks, Stiletto Marketing.
Henry and Kopley chose The Wine Shepherd’s location after becoming friends with The Black Sheep’s family of owners, Chef Robert Perez and his son, Ruben.
“We have always loved what the Perez family has done with The Black Sheep. Kali was also a patron and huge fan of their former Nevada City restaurant, Citronée,” says Henry. “We intend this to be a partnership with them that will both enhance the wine experience that we’ll offer, and augment The Black Sheep’s existing wine program.”
The Wine Shepherd is open Tuesday through Friday from 3-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m., with special happy hour prices from 4-6 p.m. daily. For more information, visit WineShepherdSB.com.
Cheers! Click here for more Cocktail Corner columns.
When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie believes variety is the spice of life. Send your suggestions to Leslie@sbseasons.com.
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on July 6, 2018.
Pico is located in the Los Alamos General Store, courtesy photo.
Headquartered in the wee Western-style town of Los Alamos and sharing its 1880s vintage building with The Los Alamos General Store is PICO, a farm-to-table foodie destination that’s quickly building a buzz among diners up and down the coast.
Owners Will Henry and Kali Kopley, a husband and wife duo, chose the building because of its history and place in Los Alamos’s timeline. It continues to fulfill its original destiny as a mercantile through the retail portion of General Store, which includes a 2,000-bottle wine shop. The restaurant side of the business takes its name from historical figure Salomon Pico, an infamous local bandit said to have been part of the inspiration behind the legend of Zorro.
Housemade charcuterie from Pico, courtesy photo.
PICO’s seasonal menu is a tribute to the symbiotic farmer-restaurant relationship, using strictly in-season ingredients and primarily showcasing the bounty of Santa Ynez Valley. Dishes are created based on the food items at hand from local farmers and ranchers, all under the guidance of Chef Drew Terp.
Terp’s top-notch credentials include Michelin-starred kitchens from Napa (Auberge du Soleil) to New York City (Alain Ducasse at the Essex House, Masa and barMasa), Spain (under Chef Pedro Subijana at Akelare), Las Vegas (barMasa and Shaboo), Washington, D.C. (Jaleo) and most recently with the now-shuttered Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos. Terp makes all of his ingredients in-house—including the ketchup and mustard.
Pico’s Seared Duck Breast, courtesy photo.
PICO recently added a 2,000-square-foot outdoor area with additional seating, a fire pit, a chicken coop, bee hives and raised gardens, bringing the locally sourced menu even closer to home.
With the outdoor area, “the restaurant’s eggs come from right outside our back door; our bees will provide honey for our dishes and drinks, as well as our house-made condiments and provisions; and the garden will offer up home-grown herbs and produce, to supplement the fabulous ingredients that we receive from our local providers,” says Terp.
Current menu highlights include charcuterie (locally sourced meats, house-made by Terp) and cheese plates with delicious bread from the neighboring Bob’s Well Bread Bakery; starters like pork cannelloni with béchamel, manchego and asparagus with house-made bacon and a 63 degree egg, and mushroom salad with bacon and arugula; and entrées such as a juicy heart of rib eye, served sliced over crispy potatoes, cedar-wrapped halibut with morels, English peas and Meyer lemon or grilled local lamb loin with ratatouille mille feuille and polenta.
Pico’s creative menu features approachable Californian cuisine sourced from locally-farmed, seasonal ingredients, courtesy photo.
As for the wine, Will Henry is co-owner of Lumen Wines (with esteemed vintner Lane Tanner), and the list includes their labels, along with other gems. Definitely leave room for dessert, which includes house-made ice creams (also available from the mercantile) with mouth-watering flavors like dulce de leche, tarragon and granddaddy’s favorite (bourbon-Wild Turkey 101), the chef’s homage to his grandfather.
PICO at The Los Alamos General Store, 458 Bell St., Los Alamos, 805/344-1122, losalamosgeneralstore.com.
Originally published in the Fall 2017 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.
Photo courtesy Santa Barbara Wine & Food Festival.
A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History‘s beloved wine festival, and they are commemorating the event with a new name—the Santa Barbara Wine & Food Festival—which more accurately reflects the bounty of sips and bites found at this signature fundraiser.
Photo courtesy Santa Barbara Wine & Food Festival.
While the food and the wine have always flowed freely at the festival, this year events manager Meridith Moore has set a goal to have 50 food vendors on the roster this year to accompany the 50 wineries. “My hope is that the name change will help to attract even more of Santa Barbara county’s incredible food vendors and highlight the ones that have been participating all these years,” she says.
As of press time, food vendors include: Barbareno, Benchmark, Bob’s Well Bread, Brophy Bros., Buena Onda, Ca’ Dario, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Chooket/Your Cake Baker, Corazon Cocina, Country Catering, Farmer Boy, Finch and Fork Restaurant, Gelson’s ~ Santa Barbara, Helena Avenue Bakery, Hippypop, Il Fustino, Industrial Eats, La Mousse, La Sorelle, Loquita, Michael’s Catering, Mr. E’s Freeze, Mulberry Love, Pacific Pickle Works, Pico, Renaud’s Patissiere and Bakery , Slate Catering Co, Solvang Bakery, The Bear and Star, The Berry Man, Tondi Gelato, Via Maestra 42 and Whole Foods Santa Barbara.
Photo courtesy Santa Barbara Wine & Food Festival.
Wineries pouring this year include: Alexander & Wayne, Alma Rosa, Andrew Murray Vineyards, Area 5.1, Arthur Earl Winery, Au Bon Climat, Babcock Winery, Beckmen Vineyards, Bedford Winery, Blair Fox, Brander Vineyard, Brewer-Clifton, Buttonwood, Byron by Nielson, Ca Del Grevino, Cambria, Carr Vineyards and Winery, Casa Dumetz, Cebada, Consilience, CORE, Crawford Family Wines, Dierberg, De Paola, Epiphany Cellars, Falcone Family Vineyards, Feliz Noche, Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard, Fiddlehead Cellars,
Photo courtesy Santa Barbara Wine & Food Festival.
Flying Goat Cellars, Foxen, Gainey Vineyards, Grassini Family Vineyards, Hilliard Bruce, Jaffurs Wine Cellars, Jamie Slone, Kalyra, Ken Brown Wines, Kenneth Volk Vineyards, Koehler Winery, Kunin, LaFond Winery, Larner Wines, Longoria, Loring Wine Company, Lumen, Margerum Wine Company, Melville, Mosby Winery & Vineyard, Municipal Winemakers, Notary Public Wines, Oreana, Palmina, Point Concepcion, Potek, Pure Order Brewing Company, Qupé, Rancho Sisquoc Winery, Refugio Ranch, Rideau, Sagebrush Annie’s, Santa Barbara Winery, Silver Wines, Spear Winery, Star Lane Vineyard, Sunstone Winery, Tablas Creek, Tatomer, Tercero Wines, Third Window Brewing, Toucan Wines, Transcendence Wines, Vogelzang, Whitcraft Winery and Zaca Mesa.
The beautiful grounds of Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta del Sol) are a wonderful spot to appreciate being out in nature, and what better way to enjoy a summer weekend than sipping wine underneath the oaks along Mission Creek? Especially when the proceeds go to support the work of the museum. The event takes place on Saturday, June 24.
Guests 21 and older may purchase admission on the Museum’s website (www.sbnature.org/winefestival). This event is always a sellout, so if you want to join in the fun, act quickly or you not get tickets.
Hope to see you there. Cheers!
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When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”
Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on June 2, 2017.