By now you're probably familiar with all the restaurants and wine bars Los Alamos has to offer on Bell Street. But now it's time to look on the other side of the highway.
On the east side of Highway 101, at the top of a short steep drive, sits Norman, the restaurant housed in the newly renovated Skyview Los Alamos hotel.
If you're starting to connect the dots between "old motel in a remote area" and the name "Norman," you're not imagining things. The name is a devilishly whimsical nod to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Norman Bates, the chilling character forever loyal to his mother. But there's nothing scary about the food served up inside.
The tightly executed menu is the work of Chef Will Hanko, who formerly worked at Full of Life Flatbread under Chef Clark Staub. Hanko is a rugged, laid back sort who seems to fit in well with the California modern ranch style at Skyview.
The decor inside Norman is distinct from the more western-influenced style of the rest of the motel. It's more Hollywood glam meets French bistro on the riviera. Sitting outside on the beautiful patio overlooking the rolling hills of Los Alamos feels like a galaxy away from life in the Santa Maria Valley. It's luxurious but not intimidating; the kind of venue I'd feel comfortable in wearing a pair of jeans or an evening gown.
The bar is backed by a long line of windows that open up to serve customers outside. Inside, the bar really adheres to the 1950s vibe Norman aspires to. Cocktails are old school cool, including the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Negroni, to name a few. My favorite is the French 75, which is lemon juice and gin topped with bubbly Champagne. The bar smells herbaceous, thanks to a variety of fresh ingredients that go in almost every drink.
The menu is compact (for now) but still manages to offer a variety of options ranging from beef to seafood and even has some vegan and vegetarian selections. What's nice about Hanko's menu is that everything is far from dull or predictable.
My first surprise was the shrimp cocktail. Many of my friends and colleagues have heard me bemoaning the sad state of this classic menu item in contemporary restaurants. (Mixing four chopped up baby shrimp into a giant vat of unseasoned cocktail sauce is not a "shrimp cocktail," and you should be banned for life from the food industry for doing so.)
But Norman does not cut corners. I had five hearty-sized Mexican prawns, but the real eye-opener was the sauce. Because, as Hanko explained, they use their housemade ketchup in the cocktail sauce, there is an ever-so-slight hint of allspice that hits the palate. The dish offers the heat of the horseradish and warmth of the nutty spice balanced with the creamy slices of avocado and chilled shrimp. It's a simple dish with a nice, complex flavor.
I nixed the salad in favor of soup–roasted tomato and red pepper (although the roots and fruits salad with Babe Farms beets looked amazing). The soup was delicate and well balanced, and Hanko said one of the things he might do is incorporate more vegan or vegetarian soups, which is a smart idea for soup fans such as myself.
But it was the pork dish that was the star of the evening. Hanko told me they first sous vide the pork, which results in a tender juicy chop. The pork is then wrapped in caul fat and seared. The dish is served with a succotash of corn, snap peas, okra, cherry tomatoes, and more seasonal vegetables and then served with sliced stone fruit. It's a nice spin on the "pork chops and applesauce" classic, paying homage to local fruits and vegetables.
The pork is not aggressively seasoned, allowing the aromatics to blossom on the palate. The combination of the sweet corn and peas pairs nicely with the bright acidity of the tomato and the dish offers a good range of texture. It's one of those great dishes that really shines with one big bite of all the ingredients together.
Locality is another priority for Hanko. The chef said he wants to source as many items as possible from Los Alamos and the surrounding area, and he's off to a good start with several dishes already featuring Babe Farms products. For Hanko, it's the first opportunity he's had to put his own personal stamp on a menu and he's chosen a smart and intriguing direction to take it in. Norman has a lot potential, considering where they are starting from, and it will be fun to watch the venue grow as Hanko experiments more with ideas and ingredients.
My advice is to grab your biggest pair of sunglasses and your prettiest caftan, order a few of their vintage-style drinks, and spend the day lounging poolside reminiscing about old lovers you met in Paris. Trust me, there's nothing scary about this Norman.
Arts and Lifestyle Writer Rebecca Rose is old fashioned. Contact her at [email protected].
• Local chefs are still memorializing the late Anthony Bourdain. On July 14, chefs Brooke Stockwell and James Owens, of Solvang's K'Syrah Catering and Events, will host a dinner in his honor. The meal will feature their take on some of Bourdain's favorite foods, including Cacio e Pepe and Korean Fried Chicken. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m.; tickets are $50. More info: ksyrah-solvang-anthony-bourdain-tickets-july-14.eventbrite.com.
• Big thanks to the Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA), which invited me to their annual Summerfest, which helps raise money for their internship program. Featuring local wineries and eateries, the event included tastings of tacos from 555 Lounge & Bar at the Santa Ynez Marriott, corn on the cob from Root 246, salad from Hill Haven Provisions, and many more.
• I recently stopped into Naughy Oak Brewing Company's Santa Ynez location to check out what's new and found a few new favorites. Fog Monster is a New England IPA made with some of the Australia's Summer Hop owner Steve Kitts was so excited about when he spoke to me last year about his upcoming beers. Try some for yourself at 3569 Sagunto St., suite 101, Santa Ynez.
• Speaking of great events, I was lucky enough to attend the Vintner Festival in Nipomo at the Monarch Club. In addition to discovering some great new wines at the festival, I also happened to sample some of the grub and drinks at the bar at Adelina's Bistro, next to where the event was hosted. The bar serves barrel-aged cocktails (pictured), starting at $10, which are really unique and flavorful. Get your drink on at 1645 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo.
• Did you know you can mix and match the flavors of the flatbread pizzas at Pizzeria Bello Forno? Well, you do now. I recently shared a half-and-half of the salumi along with the smoked speck and pineapple (pictured on page 42). The salt and smokiness of the speck offers a nice contrast to the pineapple, which is thinly sliced so it's not as clunky and obtrusive as other versions of the pineapple on pizza. Try it at 119 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt.
