••• Malibu’s Broad Street Oyster Company posted on Instagram that a Santa Barbara location is “coming soon,” but it’s not ready to say where or when. I respect that! But I’m still going to make a guess: my money would be on Corazón’s space in the Project (see below). Broad Street’s offerings—including its famous lobster roll—pair well with Captain Fatty’s, and the location is high-volume and near enough to the water (which I think is ideal for a seafood restaurant). But that’s just a guess. And of course there are many other spaces that would work, such as Chomp on the Rocks, somewhere on Stearns Wharf, the old Tyger Tyger space (if XO Burger moves on)…. Update: A couple of readers reminded me that Broad Street used to have a presence in town—a cart in front of Muni Wines in the Funk Zone (which I went to and enjoyed, but forgot the name).
••• Corazón has closed its outpost at the Project in the Funk Zone. From the announcement: “With great pleasure we want to thank everyone for the amazing support we have received in the past two years. We hope to have brightened some of your darkest days with delicious food during the pandemic. Covid has won this one! We’re saying adios to this location but please continue to visit our sibling restaurants Corazón Cocina for amazing tacos and ceviches, Little Heart Cafecito for coffee & breakfast tacos (coming soon [to the Public Market]) and Del Corazón for tacos de guisados, tamales and churros (coming soon [to E. Victoria Street].” The Captain Fatty’s taproom part of the Project remains open.
••• Starting tomorrow, Bettina will be the first restaurant around here that I’m aware of to insist on vaccination proof for inside dining. It’s what’s required in big cities like L.A., San Francisco, and New York, and it makes far more sense than Santa Barbara County’s policy requiring masks everywhere indoors except restaurants. (Does Covid take a rest when we’re eating?) Anyone whose panties get twisted at the thought of having to show proof—a photo with your vaccination card and ID suffices—can sit outside. Update from a reader on Instagram: “Might be worth mentioning—Bettina is also accepting proof of a negative test. Which I think is very fair especially in light of current situation with young children/boosters/Omicron! I’m at-home testing my family these days any time we do gatherings with others. With Omicron, knowing strangers have just been tested honestly gives me more peace of mind than knowing they have been vaccinated (possibly 6+ months ago).”
••• Speaking of Bettina, chef Joshua Pressman will be cooking at Outstanding in the Field‘s lunch (it’s at 2 p.m.) on February 19 at Rancho El Rincon. Tickets are $385 per person and don’t appear to include tax or service.
••• And chef Matthew Kammerer of the Harbor House Inn near Mendocino will be cooking dinner at the Ojai Valley Inn on March 7. The price is $395 per person, which includes wine but not tax nor an unspecified service charge. No disrespect to Pressman or Kammerer, both of whom are very talented, but who are all these people willing to pay more than $400 per person for dinner?
••• Padaro Beach Grill, closed because of a fire, says it’s hoping to reopen this week.
••• XO Burger, in the former Tyger Tyger space, is now open Thursday through Sunday (noon-7 p.m.).
••• “Habit Burger Grill founder Brent Reichard and his co-owning brother, Bruce Reichard, are selling the last eight of their restaurants to Yum! Brands, which owns every other Habit in the country. The Reichards had hung onto the Santa Barbara County locations when they sold the rest of the chain in 2007.” —Independent
••• The Independent profiles Sideyard Shrubs, whose founder, Sarah Bourke “typically buys fruit that otherwise can’t be sold because it’s bruised, getting old, oddly sized, or otherwise not pretty. Without the salvation of her shrubs, much of this produce would wind up in a compost pile or landfill.”
••• Peasants Deli, the Peasants Feast spinoff in Solvang, has been doing pop-ups during the run-up to its official opening in January. (Keep an eye on its Instagram stories for details.) Below: The Godfather.
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