••• Local on Coast Village Road looks like it’s getting close to opening—indeed, a couple of days after I took these photos, the restaurant posted that furniture had arrived and the debut should be in the “coming weeks.”
••• Tickets for the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience’s Taste of Santa Barbara (May 16-22) are now on sale. And here’s the schedule.
••• The Little Kitchen, at 17 W. Ortega Street, will close at the end of the month. The note in the window promises “an exciting new venture in this space,” but whether the same proprietors are involved is unknown. UPDATE: N. pointed out that Cindy Black, who founded the Blue Owl (and sold it in 2018), is opening a pizzeria in the Little Kitchen space. It’ll be called Saint Bibiana, and it’s due to open at the end of April.
••• Noozhawk profiled Beans BBQ, which the mother-daughter duo of Kristi and Jenniffer Bean—hence the name—recently opened on State Street.
••• Bar Le Côte chefs Luis Gomez and Jose Gomez are moonlighting as taco chefs at the Backroom in Solvang on April 4, 4-7 p.m. “We’ll be serving tacos de bistec, discada, squash with soyrizo. Tickets are on sale now (cash only) at the Valley Brewers in Solvang. Limited amount available so get it while you can!”
••• The other day I posted that someone had bought the 78-acre property that includes the former Paradise Store & Grill. I heard back from the listing agent, who said that the new owner has mentioned the possibility of reopening the store.
••• A couple of weeks ago, I had it on good authority that Shalhoob Meat Co. was taking multiple spaces in the Santa Barbara Public Market. The burger outpost in the former Garden space at the front of the building has opened; its kitchen (below) is in the building’s far right corner. Now, commercial real estate agent Caitlin Hensel says that Shalhoob “is also said to be opening a bar with liquor license in the rear of the Public Market (previously Wine + Beer).” Still unconfirmed: from the same initial tipster, Shalhoob is said to be taking over the former Woody BBQ space on Hollister Avenue.
••• B. reports that Sazon Latino Catering is opening a restaurant in the former Su Casa space at 1417 San Andres Street (Micheltorena/Sola) on the Westside. I called the company and was told that we might expect it in three weeks or so.
••• 805 Foodie details the changes that the Ballard Inn‘s new owners, Christopher Hyldahl and Richard Ringer, have in store for the property, including a renovation of the rooms. And “the restaurant’s dining room is due for some light remodeling of a more immediate nature, leading to a temporary closure from March 28 through April 12.” The new chef is Nik Ramirez, formerly executive chef of Loquita. A sample menu:
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