Eats

This past year was full of memorable meals, at least according to my phone’s camera roll. About 60 percent of said photos are admittedly of chicken strips, nuggets, and wings, but I assure you, the other 40 percent showcase the profound moments when I had the courage to step out of my bubble and branch […]

Looking back on his youth, one local winemaker recalls fond memories of exploring his grandfather’s wine cellar—but not for the reasons some might expect. “The cellar was pretty vast and it was below the house, so we’d hide there during hide and seek,” said Etienne Terlinden, owner and founder of Cordon of Santa Barbara. Between […]

Thanks to a newly launched sports bar menu, guests of the Tavern at Zaca Creek in Buellton on Sunday and Monday nights will be tempted to try the brown-butter Buffalo wings, among several other new food items and cocktails.  Kitchen member Jim Lane—a die-hard Lakers fan who helped spearhead the sports menu and is widely […]

Originally published December 17, 2015 Decisions, decisions, decisions. That’s the situation that faces diners at the Chumash Casino’s recently renovated, recently reopened, and much-changed casual dining spot, The Buffet.  The Buffet has always been a popular destination for those who want variety and the ability to pile plates high. With the new restaurant, the casino […]

The co-owners behind Dunites Wine Company, Rachel Goffinet Eck and Tyler Eck, are straddling two Central Coast counties, bringing their best to both worlds. The couple lives in Pismo Beach, and both Rachel and Tyler have worked for Santa Barbara County wineries over the years. Currently, Tyler is associate winemaker for Fess Parker Winery in […]

Every time Janelle Norman bakes a fresh loaf of brioche, part of her wishes it would go missing the second she turns away from the kitchen counter. Brioche used to be her dog’s favorite bread to steal. “This was a particularly upsetting habit because brioche takes two days and a whole lot of labor to […]

Proof and Gather breads and pastries are hot commodities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. From farmers’ markets and weddings, to direct-to-consumer channels and wholesale accounts, business is bustling for proprietor Kaitlin Munoz, and she couldn’t be happier. Born and raised in Lompoc, Munoz began her baking career as a child, whipping up […]

Fudge, toffee, kipper, biscuit, truffle. Is this a list of snacks, cute dog names, or wine club tiers? Answer: all of the above. While donating a dollar per wine shipment to Little Wolf Rescue (a California-based animal rescue organization), the two co-owners of Arrowsmith’s Wine Bar decided to name the venue’s wine club levels after […]

Everyone knows it takes two to tango, but how many does it take to mango? In the case of Three Dreamers Farmstand, the answer is one mother and two daughters with mutual aspirations. Although the venue doesn’t carry mangos, per se, it does specialize in a fruit with a similarly yellowish-red tint: pears, which are […]

Picture a bath bomb, except you’re dropping the delicate orb into a cup of mini marshmallows and hot, steaming milk. The sphere dissolves and you take a sip of what’s become hot chocolate. Cocoa bombs are one of Ashley Boscutti’s favorite items to prepare, as part of her cottage industry bakery, Bella Ann’s Sweets. Before […]

What happens in New Zealand doesn’t necessarily stay in New Zealand.  Los Olivos local Simonne Mitchelson was 18 (the country’s legal drinking age) when she moved to Auckland and became passionate about the city’s wine scene. Ten years later, Wine Enthusiast recognized Mitchelson as one of the most innovative—and youngest—wine professionals currently working in the […]

Invited to participate in a virtual Q-and-A under vague circumstances, the duo behind Bell’s in Los Alamos felt less in the dark after a surprise guest hopped on the call. “They had all these fake technical difficulties and then the U.S. director of Michelin called on the video meeting to announce that we had been […]