Bouchon – The last time we had a dinner at Bouchon was three years ago. The experience was so memorable we decided our fist dinner of this trip would be to hit Bouchon right away. The look from the outside, the décor on the inside all stayed the same as I remembered, the service is still fantastic, but the food was disappointing. That night we ordered the Fresh fig salad, Fresh Pacific Ahi Tuna and Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast. From the side dishes that go with each main dish, to the plating presentation and even the taste of the main dish these were just not up to what we expected.
We talked to our local friends about it and they were not surprised (but I was). They had different guesses about the reason why the quality has been going down (slow season, the chef opened another new restaurant) but I think any good high-end restaurant should not have any excuse for not keeping their quality consistently good. I won’t be back to Bouchon next time I am in town because there are so many other great restaurants to choose from in Santa Barbara.
Bouchon
9 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara 805-730-1160
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Trattoria Grappolo – When we went to Los Olivos area and downtown Grand Ave for wine tasting and heard some people recommend Trattoria Grappolo restaurant (including the B&B owner we were stayed) so we decided to give it a try. Its located at an Old Town Plaza that makes you wonder what kind of restaurant this would be in this kind of place as we drove up. I am glad we didn’t let the first impression stopping us! The menu is simple, the price is reasonable, the service is good, and the food is wonderful. What more can you ask for? If you want a simple lunch between your wine tastings, this is the place. I just realized after I came home that my favorite Chef, Giada, had mentioned this place in her show.
Trattoria Grappolo
3687 Sagunto St, Santa Yuez 805-688-6899
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The Hungry Cat – This is a new restaurant (to me) because it has only been open for about a year and a half. It is locate on a corner, the inside space is not big but yet it is comfortable. The menu focuses on seafood and raw bar, and it has more cocktails than wine. We had Lobster and squash soup -- coconut milk, jalapeños, cilantro and lime; Seared local yellowtail -- bok choy, grilled scallions, pickled french beans, citrus soy vinaigrette; and Cured hamachi loin -- satsumas, shaved fennel, radish and daikon sprout. The food was ok but the ratio between food portion and price left me feeling it is on the expensive side. Plus the overall experience just ok, not very impressed, so I think once is enough.
The Hungry Cat
1134 Chapala St 805-884-4701
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Boathouse – It used to be called The Brown Pelican, this summer it changed hands and had an intensive remodel. It is located right on the beach and you can see the beautiful sunset when the weather is good, or you can even walk on the sand if you want to. The restaurant is round shaped with large windows and the seating faces the beach. The outdoor seating and the open bar area are also very nice unless it is raining I guess. The menu focuses on seafood and white wine of course but what I like about it is that they have a good selection of Small Bites that help to fix one of our big problems – ambitions heart but small stomach. We decided to order a Claim Chowder, Calamari, Grilled Prawns, and Broiled Black Cod, which were all fantastic on plating, portion/price, and taste. Compared to what we had in the last few nights I absolutely like Boathouse the best for the food, the service, the décor, and the view. We were the happiest customers, who would of known?!
Boathouse
2981 Cliff Dr 805-898-2628
For more photos, please go to My Flickr – Santa Barbara Restaurants.
