••• Solvang’s Peasants Feast, which earned Michelin Bib Gourmand status while only being open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is dipping a toe into dinner service with special Friday-night dinners on February 24 and March 3. There no reservations, and the à la carte menu is expected to be along the lines of radishes with pastrami tallow; a warm spinach salad with spigarello, cornbread crumble, crème fraîche, jamón Ibérico, and bacon vinaigrette; and Hope Ranch mussel toast with pimentón aioli and fresh herbs.
••• The Independent profiles We Want the Funk.
••• This Sunday morning at Frequency Wines: a 45-minute yoga class and a and a glass of wine for $25.
••• The “for lease” sign is down at the former McDonald’s at 1213 State Street (Victoria/Anapamu), and the listing is no longer online. Word on the street is the new tenant might be an Indian restaurant.
••• D. asked for recommendations for Easter brunch. As I celebrate neither Easter nor brunch, I pass the query along to you….
••• Two events worth noting: “The sixth-annual Women Winemakers Celebration showcasing the winemaking talents of Santa Barbara County women winemakers will take place at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos on March 12. Proceeds from the 2023 gathering will be donated to The Rainbow House Inc, the first LGBTQIA+ community resource center in the Santa Ynez Valley. Expect 30-plus women winemakers pouring their wines during a walk-around tasting reception, paired with bites prepared by some of the area’s best female chefs, restaurateurs and food crafters.” Ticket info is here.
••• And Ojai Food + Wine is October 26-29: “Ojai Food + Wine brings together more than 50 top chefs and 100 acclaimed wineries in over 40 unique experiences. Join us October 26-29 for an exclusive, four-day gathering showcasing some of the world’s best culinary personalities.”
••• Strange Beast, the “cocktail izakaya” collaboration between Good Lion Hospitality and Sama Sama, has opened in Ventura. The menu had me at hello.
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Recommendation for best current Indian restaurant
Our favorite is Masala Spice on Calle Real in Goleta. Working our way through their enticing menu.
Apna on State St is incredible!
We love Bibi Ji
Local in Montecito will have a lovely Easter brunch from 10-3! All the usual favorites plus a few Easter specials and great cocktails to go with them.