{"id":8875,"date":"2018-03-30T18:10:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-31T01:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=8875"},"modified":"2018-03-30T10:17:36","modified_gmt":"2018-03-30T17:17:36","slug":"local-dish-smithy-kitchen-bar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=8875","title":{"rendered":"Local Dish: Smithy Kitchen + Bar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The

The outdoor patio at Kitchen + Bar is a beautiful place to dine, day or night. Photo courtesy Smithy.<\/p><\/div>\n

There’s nothing better than good food in a beautiful setting, and the new\u00a0Smithy Kitchen + Bar<\/a> (7 E. Anapamu St.) has both! I’ve dined on the lovely outdoor patio\u2014under its gorgeous canopy of 100-year-old olive trees\u2014twice in the last few weeks\u2014once on a cold night and once on a warmish one\u2014and the well-placed heaters make it a comfortable and cozy spot to be in almost any weather.<\/span><\/p>\n

Designer Steve Hermann<\/a> has redone\u00a0the former Somerset<\/a> space in an upscale yet approachable style, with a more “Santa Barbara” vibe and every day price point. Originally a blacksmith shop, hence the name “Smithy,” this prime downtown location (near the Granada Theatre<\/a>, Santa Barbara Museum of Art<\/a>, Public Library and Sullivan Goss Gallery<\/a>) is now a great spot for lunch, dinner with friends and family, nighttime drinks and bites or a leisurely Sunday brunch. There’s also a special Easter Brunch menu<\/a>, if you’re eager to check it out this weekend.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Smithy’s “Baby I’m a Star” cocktail and roasted sunchokes with chanterelles, brown butter hazelnuts and butternut squash puree, photo by Leslie Dinaberg.<\/p><\/div>\n

Chef Lauren Herman<\/a>\u2019s new menu is delicious, and nothing is over $20. We loved the\u00a0mussels and clams with shallot, garlic, crispy pork belly, and bok choy served with grilled toast. The sauce was so savory we asked for extra toast (homemade) to lap up every last bite. The pastas were also terrific. Try the\u00a0Cavatelli combined with pork ragu, mustard greens and tomato confit for a hearty dish. The\u00a0squid ink casarecce in lobster bisque with uni and nori breadcrumbs was also fabulous.<\/p>\n

The vegetables really shine as well. We loved the\u00a0fried delicata squash with cauliflower, bagna cauda, calabrian chili and anchovy a\u00efoli, as well the roasted rainbow carrots with spiced cashew butter, coconut yogurt and carrot top pistou. I also enjoyed the sunchokes, roasted with chanterelles, brown butter hazelnuts and butternut squash puree. Overall, everything was tasty and ideal for sharing.<\/p>\n

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Smithy’s Polenta Dumplings and Mushroom Flatbread. Photo by Kay Cheon, courtesy Smithy.<\/p><\/div>\n

Partners in life and in the kitchen, Lauren Herman\u2019s wife, Christina Olufson<\/a>, is a terrific pastry chef.\u00a0 The\u00a0flourless chocolate cake with crushed honeycomb was amazing, as was the\u00a0butterscotch pumpkin cake. Our friends at a nearby table also raved about the\u00a0brioche doughnuts, so those are definitely on my list to try next time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The cocktails are also worth noting, with creative names like “Ortega Undead II: The Resurrection” \u001f\u001f\u001e\u001d (tequila blanco, lime , thai chile, wild elderflower, falernum and chili-salt rim), “From Tokyo to Mars” (iwai japanese whiskey and bittered grapefruit cordial) and “Baby I’m a Star” (pear and fennel, vodka, fino sherry, absinthe, lemon and peychauds bitters) that are just as delicious as they are irresistible for wordsmiths.<\/p>\n

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One of several communal dining tables at Smithy Kitchen + Bar, courtesy photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

While I loved the aesthetic of Somerset, Smithy is definitely a more welcoming space, not to mention significantly less expensive. The building\u2019s original exposed brick walls with white weathered board and batten walls, rustic reclaimed table tops, and original school house chairs create a beautiful restaurant that is both airy and open, yet still feels intimate. As is becoming a trend, there are three separate communal tables and bar seating, as well as an additional 130 seats located inside and out, offering a myriad of dining possibilities. The nights I was there, there were large groups of people (both young and less young), lots of couples and smaller groups, as well as some solo diners.<\/p>\n

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Smithy’s Kale Salad. Photo by Kay Cheon, courtesy Smithy.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe want Smithy to provide a dining oasis in the heart of Santa Barbara,\u201d states owner and designer, Steve Hermann.\u00a0 \u201cWe hope to become that bar\/restaurant that feels like home for all of our guests\u2019 dining and drinking needs, whether small or large.\u00a0 Our food is delicious yet accessible, and our environment is welcoming and comfortable.\u00a0 We\u2019d like to create a new history with Smithy that matches the history of our iconic Santa Barbara location.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smithy is located in downtown Santa Barbara at 7 East Anapamu St.\u00a0 Call 805\/845-7112 or visit Open Table<\/a> for reservations. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11:30 \u2013 2:30 p.m.; dinner from 5p.m. \u2013 close; and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. \u2013 2 p.m.\u00a0 Happy hour runs daily from 4 \u2013 6 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014Leslie Dinaberg\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons<\/em><\/a> on March 29, 2018.<\/p>\n

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Interior shot, courtesy Smithy Kitchen + Bar.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Bar interior shot, courtesy Smithy Kitchen + Bar.<\/p><\/div>\n

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