The champagne’s been popped, the wrapping paper has been thrown away, tacky sweaters are ready to return to the store (just kidding, Aunt Maggie; I loved the light-up Frosty the Snowman sweater). For many of us, the year’s end came with one strong simple message: Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out, 2017.
But even as the year (thankfully) draws to a close, it’s hard to not look back fondly once more on a few things I remember that I actually enjoyed. The year brought me an opportunity to sample some of the best menu items I’ve ever seen in my life, and that’s not an exaggeration. I spent the year giving my Rebeccamendations for the area’s best meals and here are my Rebeccamendations for the the top 10 best meals I ate last year (and here’s to hoping this year has even more in store).
10. The Burton House and Grill’s New York strip steak: In March, I indulged in the full-on luxury steakhouse experience at Nipomo’s brand new Burton House. The experience was pure fine dining perfection, but it was the steak that stole my heart. Seared to perfection with an appetizing shade of rosy pink medium rare inside and served with an unforgettable whiskey peppercorn sauce, Burton House’s steak made me appreciate the traditional steakhouse all over again.
9. Trattoria Uliveto’s ravioli di zucca: The big secret to dining at Trattoria Uliveto in Orcutt is paying attention to their specials; the chef comes up with some pretty inventive takes on traditional Italian meals. So it’s rare that I actually order off their permanent menu. But when I do, I’m never disappointed, especially in their pasta selections. The ravioli di zucca, a homemade ravioli dish made with pumpkin and ricotta cheese in butter sage cream sauce, is near perfection (and sometimes available on their happy hour menu). It made getting through some of the lower points of 2017 almost bearable, because that’s pretty much what pasta was invented for.
8. Scratch Kitchen’s dark chocolate mousse and orange zest and liqueur truffle: I am not a big fan of dessert (trying to fit into that wedding dress this year). What I experienced in this simple and small plate early in the year set the tone for what I would expect at other area restaurants throughout 2017. Often desserts tend to be too heavy (who needs seven different kinds of chocolate on one small plate?), but Scratch Kitchen understands that balance and restraint go a long way in creating the perfect sweet bite.
7. Bacon and Brine’s everything: Literally everything on the menu was a masterpiece. It’s a shame that the restaurant shuttered for good in August. Where on the Central Coast will we ever find creations like The Hipster (fried chicken with bacon aioli served on a glazed donut) or a BLTK made with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and “legit” kimchi? Likely nowhere for a while, at least not until the venue reopens (hopefully) one day.
6. Las Comadres’ pupusas with melted cheese: Who knew the demand for El Salvadoran comfort food would be so high on my list in 2017? Las Comadres in the heart of downtown Santa Maria serves up an authentic bite of masa tortillas stuffed with melted cheese, beans, pork, and other ingredients that I kind of fell in love with, like the first time I saw Brad Pitt onscreen in Thelma and Louise. True, unwavering, undying love.
5. Ca’ Del Grevino’s fig and prosciutto flatbread pizza: I really loved the elegant yet laid-back nature of the food at Ca’ Del Grevino’s tasting room in Orcutt, but even I was unprepared for how delicious the fig and prosciutto flatbread is. Don’t let the avocado slices drizzled with honey on top scare you off; it’s an overall flavor combination that works wonders on the palate.
4. Cubanissimo’s puerto frito: Fried pork bites marinated in a mojo sauce, boiled with fat/lard until all the water evaporates, and then sauteed in the melted fat make for one of the most unique and comforting meals I had all year. But it’s the addition of Ironbeer, a traditional Cuban soft drink, to wash it down that makes this meal one of the best all around.
3. Senor Taco’s carne asada tacos: I raved about them all year to the point where people banned me from mentioning them anymore. Relatives from hundreds of miles away came just so they could see if I was right about how good they taste (I was). For making hands-down the absolute best tacos in a community filled with excellent tacos, they deserve one more shout out.
2. Chef Owen Hanavan’s moonfish at Bottlest: Hanavan told me that he wasn’t planning on buying moonfish when he went to the fish market the day he was prepping for the meal I would have at the newly opened Bottlest in Buellton (it’s a rarity to find it in restaurants on the Central Coast). But when he found it at a Santa Barbara fish market he just knew it was the perfect ingredient. Served with black squid ink potatoes alongside a mushroom puree, bay leaf, and lemon gel for acidity, the moonfish was cured for about an hour to build flavors and change the texture before being seared in grape seed oil. The result? A smooth and silky bite of complex flavors that never overwhelm the delicate flavor of the moonfish.
1. Chef Stephen Snook’s truffled roasted cauliflower at First and Oak: Leave it to the British-born, Gordon Ramsay-trained Snook to find the most inventive way to serve cauliflower during a season when everyone tried to get creative with the season’s most popular vegetable. Cauliflower truly was the belle of the ball in fall 2017; I had it in just about everything from mashed potato substitutes to ice cream. But it was Snook who had the rather ingenious idea to use the vegetable as a springboard for experimenting with textures. Snook’s whipped cauliflower, crispy quinoa, and a chive vinaigrette included just about every note you could think of—crispy, creamy, crunchy, chewy—and yet still managed to feel like a smoothly composed and balanced bite of food. It was a small and elegant dish that capped off a truly fun and remarkable year of foodie living on the Central Coast.
Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose is busy gorging herself on more food for next year’s list. Contact her at rrose@santamariasun.com.
• Valle Fresh in Los Alamos has a new pizza special, made with potato, chorizo, verde, romesco, and a fried egg served on top. I am sort of over the whole “putting an egg on top of everything” trend, but honestly this works like magic so I’ll allow it. Visit them at 380 Bell St., Los Alamos.
• Central Coast Specialty Foods is offering up Double R Ranch prime rib (pictured) while supplies last. The marbling on the meat alone should be enough to get you down to 115 E. College Ave, Lompoc.
This article appears in Jan 4-11, 2018.