••• After a couple false starts, The Nook has officially changed hands, with Norbert Schulz (above) selling it to Michael and Lisa Amador of Uncorked on E. Haley Street. Here’s Schulz’s farewell: “Well finally it was time for me to say goodbye to my culinary life and enjoy retirement! I like to thank Santa Barbara for giving me the opportunity, welcome and support for many years! There so many people to thank and stories to tell! It’s hard to say goodbye to my life in the kitchen that was everything to me. So many people helped along the way and with that I especially like to thank all of my family, friends, customers, employees and so many more who came into my life and helped me with my journey. Words cannot say how much gratitude I have! I’m a proud father of two successful children my son Kendrick is a realtor and has a talent with great knowledge and all the fun one needs! Alessia is making her patisserie a destination breakfast, lunch and pastry restaurant with her Mom as a team like we did back in the 80’s! I’m looking forward to relaxing, enjoying my family, and hiking with my dog Winnie!” And there might be hope he’ll cook occasional pop-up dinners at Alessia Patisserie & Cafe….
••• Meanwhile, “I’m not making any changes anytime soon,” says Uncorked’s Michael Amador about the Nook. “Same staff both front and back of house. Maybe some changes with specials here and there. Or maybe I’m going to do sushi… or BBQ… or maybe a little bit of all.” And I did hear elsewhere that a pizza oven could be in the works….
••• After 37 years, Woody’s BBQ in Goleta will soon be closing, says Restaurant Guy, but the owners are opening another restaurant soon in the Timbers space.
••• I finally made it to the Cajé café in the Petros space at State Street and Arlington Avenue. It’s an appealing spot to hang out, and I hadn’t realized there’s a food menu. Note that the café closes at 1p.m. when there’s a private event that evening.
••• “Whole Foods Market customers will soon have the option to skip the checkout line at locations in Washington, D.C. and Sherman Oaks, California. […] Customers who choose to use the technology will scan themselves in using one of several methods including the Amazon App. They will then shop like normal and then scan themselves out once they are leaving the store.” —KSBY
••• Rory’s Place in Ojai posted a few tantalizing photos of progress on its space, including the one below of the bar, but then said it’s shooting to open by year end.
••• Uni queen Sea Stephanie Fish has a delightfully salty design among her new T-shirt offerings….
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The t-shirt from Steph- the prose is from her ORIGINAL shirts, deemed too squishy for most at the time- not to mention they were almost neon green/yellow…. So its actually a resurrection of sorts, with a new graphic on the front- the original being the diving mermaid. ?
funny, the first time i tasted uni i compared it to baby poop.
I always tell people Uni tastes like the white froth on a wave rolling up the sand. They buy every time. ITS TRUE