Eats

There is good news for restaurateurs and chefs on the Central Coast. If you put soup on your menu, I guarantee you will have at least one loyal customer who will order it every time: me. I won’t bore everyone with too many details (as I have before) about why I think soup is the […]

For months now I’ve had First and Oak on my list of must-try spots, and I finally broke down on a chilly Tuesday night and ventured out to Solvang to see what everyone’s been talking about. It turned out to be one of the best dining experiences of my entire life. First and Oak’s concept […]

It’s almost become a cliche to declare a love for “underground” food spots. It’s sort of an absurdist statement, if you really think about it. What do you exactly love? That food is prepared for you in a highly suspect environment that isn’t entirely on the up-and-up? Should this really be a thing foodie culture […]

In the late 1990s, I was stuck working the worst possible job in the history of time. I was writing copy for a law firm’s fledgling website and hated every minute of it. Lawyers, y’all. Anyway, one of the highlights of the job was my cellmate (or office mate, however you see that), Brenda. She […]

Don’t let the size of J’s Burgers fool you. It’s a small joint, with some tables inside and a small counter and soda fountain. Nondescript, lacking any dominant decorating theme or over-the-top merchandising, J’s is a quiet space still growing after just four months of being open. But what J’s lacks in ornamentation they make […]

I guess I’m going through a black bean phase because I am also completely head over heels for the black bean tostadas at Natural Cafe (pictured). They are really refreshing and extremely filling but not too heavy. Pick them up at 2407 S Broadway, Santa Maria. 937-2735. Bob’s Well Bread is doling out these divine […]

Until the early 1970s, Sides Hardware and Shoes delivered what its name promised. In 1901 the original building was put up by an aspiring businessman named Milburn Sides. He started M. Sides Hardware and Shoes, supplying the slowly growing ranch town as a fixture in the small community. But in 1970s, when American tastes leaned […]

For some reason this week, I have “Food Glorious Food” from the musical Oliver! stuck in my head. I’ve been singing it nonstop for two days (much to the “delight” of those close to me who have to endure my shaky singing skills). So I’m giving in and writing about some truly glorious food that […]

Burgers are a complicated little package. In 2001, acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud launched a revolution in fine dining with a gourmet burger. He originally made the dish for a journalist who wanted to interview him about a group of French terrorists who had threatened to blow up a McDonald’s. Boulud had no intentions of […]

Lidos is hitting the road. Literally! Lidos, a staple in Santa Maria in various formats for years, is now a food truck focused on sandwiches such as Philly cheesesteaks and and hot pastrami. I can’t testify to how the food truck compares to the original Lidos restaurant because, sadly, I never had a chance to […]