The final post in which locals who love food recommend the dishes that they deem outstanding. Thanks again to everyone who participated! Now sign up for the Siteline email newsletter for the freshest food news in town.
··········
We joke that the Santa Barbara Chicken Ranch is our favorite restaurant in Santa Barbara. The half-chicken plate includes juicy chicken, tortillas, rice, and beans—get the sides of salsa and pickled onions to add.
··········
The dessert soufflés at San Ysidro Ranch live up to the setting, which is saying something.
··········
Whether Satellite‘s mushroom banh mi qualifies as a banh mi is debatable. Not up for debate is that it’s a deeply satisfying sandwich.
··········
The bao at Secret Bao are all good, but the maitake mushroom one is the perfect combination of crunchy/fluffy, unctuous/fresh, umami/sweet.
··········
All Chinese restaurants have potstickers, but many of our local restaurants serve the frozen, commercially made ones that lack soul. The pan-fried pork potstickers from Shang Hai, however, have that chewy, handmade dough texture that makes the heart sing a little with each bite. The filling is nice and balanced, too.
··········
Raised on Los Angeles’s Dupars, Twohey’s, and The Tallyrand pancakes, I mean business when I say Sunshine Cafe has my favorite flapjacks in town. Spring for the real maple syrup and a side of the thick-cut, slightly sweet bacon.
··········
Taqueria Cuernavaca has a few locations, including one in Santa Barbara, but we adore the potato tacos from the Ventura outpost. They’re the best version of a dish that’s very easy to make bland and boring.
··········
Third Window Brewing’s Wagyu smash burgers are an example of a classic executed perfectly. Classic is great as is, or go for the tomato jam one for some extra flavor. Better yet, get both! (They’re on the smaller side.) Keep an eye on Third Window’s Instagram for availability.
··········
The corned beef hash at The Worker Bee Café in Carpinteria is chunks of slow-cooked corned beef with home fried seasoned potatoes, eggs, and toast. It’s a quaint neighborhood place where the owner greets you like an old friend.
··········
Yoichi’s photogenic Shoukado bento boxes are filled with extraordinarily fresh sashimi—the salmon and scallop being my favorite. I’ll admit that I could enjoy an entire bento box full of their seasoned eggs, as well, if only that were a thing.
··········
I was so happy when Yona Redz opened a brick and mortar restaurant because Santa Barbara was so overdue to hop on this train—and boy does he get us there!
··········
You can order anything off Your Choice’s menu and sing praises but I crave the ginger chicken soup all the time. A great balance of umami and bright, ginger flavor, it’s somehow simple but also complex.
··················
Previously in this series:
••• Part 1: “I’ve Never Had More Delicious Fries Anywhere”
••• Part 2: “I Could Eat It for Breakfast Every Day”
••• Part 3: “The Garlic Cloves Become Like Little Nibbles of Butter”
··················
Photos, clockwise from top left: Secret Bao, Third Window Brewing, Shang Hai, Satellite, Yoichi’s, Yona Redz.
Comment: