Balmy weather, blue skies and ?http://www.wic-kid.co.uk/??gentle breezes greeted our arrival in Santa Barbara a mere 90 minutes from Pasadena. Anacapa Island rose gently from the Pacific while the sun danced golden on the water. If I had ordered it myself, I could not have asked for a better day.
Grilled Artichoke
We were booked in at the Fess Parker Santa Barbara but first we needed some lunch. We made a visit to the FisHouse, ?here??a sun-bleached restaurant located on Cabrillo Boulevard across from the beach. We were a little early for our reservations so we sat in the bar for a bit enjoying a glass of bubbly. Once seated by the restaurant’s floor to ceiling windows (there’s not an ocean view as such but you know it’s there) we were able to people watch ralph lauren uk?to our hearts’ content.
The FisHouse boasts ?usually local, always fresh? seafood with a menu that reflects that statement. We began our meal with a very non-seafood item, the grilled artichoke served with garlic aioli and drawn butter. The artichoke was cooked perfectly, not mushy or hard but tender with a smoky flavor ?ralph lauren sale uk?. It was just delicious when dipped into the assertive aioli.
Crab Cake Benedict
An order of crab cake Benedict was my choice of entree and the grilled Skuna Bay salmon was my companions.
I have a fatal attraction with crab cakes and I usually order them when I can, add poached eggs and hollandaise sauce to the mix and there is no way I can resist. The crab cake Benedict wasn’t bad but unfortunately the eggs were overcooked, with a hard yolk and the hollandaise sauce was bland and sparse.
Salmon grilled with a citrus butter sauce sat atop rice and fresh vegetables. The salmon sported deep grill marks and had a clean fresh taste. According to the FisHouse the salmon is certified organic and sourced off Vancouver Island. The rich butter sauce melded with the fish for a delicious dish.
For dessert we shared some vanilla bean cr?me brulee that was creamy with a bright taste of vanilla. The brulee formed a thin crust which cracked into sweet crunchy pieces.
The view from our balcony at the Fess Parker
A short drive down Cabrillo Boulevard and we arrived at the Fess Parker which is a Double Tree by Hilton. A large property, the Fess Parker is directly across the street from a park that is bordered by the ocean. Palm trees dot the expansive property which is equipped with tennis courts, fitness facilities, restaurants and a wonderful pool. Those who just can’t be separated from Fido will find the Fess Parker very pet friendly so bring him along.
Our room had a large balcony with a full ocean view. It was a treat to sit there enjoying a glass of wine, and watching the waves roll in. The king-sized bed was soft and cushy with luxurious linens. Did I mention the warm chocolate chip cookies? When you check in you will be offered warm chocolate chip cookies, my advice? Take them they are delicious.
King room at the Fess Parker, photo by Fess Parker
The morning brought with it mild temperatures and sunny skies so we decided to have breakfast al fresco at the Roundhouse restaurant on the hotel property. We enjoyed their breakfast buffet that was a grazer’s dream. Pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and my favorite bagels and lox with all the trimmings. I was loath to leave this beautiful spot but we had things to do and places to go.
Sitting in the hills above Santa Barbara is a gem of a hotel that has been there since the 1920s: Belmond El Encanto. It had fallen into disrepair until Belmond purchased it and restored it to its previous glory. It onlytook
Front of Belmond El Encanto and you come up the drive
seven years to complete this task with old landmarks like the Lily Pond, Arbor, and Wishing Well being painstakingly restored. The original Craftsman-like bungalows still dot the property (but with modern amenities) with additional Mission-style bungalows new to the hotel. In all there are 92 rooms and suites. The property also boasts, a bar, restaurant, fitness facilities, spa, pool and a spectacular view.
We were given one of the new rooms situated toward the top of a hill with a large patio with panoramic views of the ocean below. The only
Balcony vista
problem I found was that there was no shade on the patio and in the afternoon it was far to warm to enjoy the space. The room was large with heated bathroom floors, a deep bath tub, king-sized bed, fireplace and sitting area. Very luxurious and altogether extravagant, this hotel is for those that wish to really get away from it all and be pampered while doing it.
We had made arrangements to have dinner at Bouchon, Santa Barbara just off State Street. I contacted Bouchon because I had walked by it on a previous trip and something about it drew me to it. I remembered that feeling and called for a dinner reservation.
Pt. Reyes Blue Cheese Tart
Featuring what they call ?wine country cuisine? the restaurant offers dishes crafted from fresh, local ingredients and Central Coast Wines. They do offer a smattering of other area wines on the ?Outsider? list, but when in Rome…. From the welcoming glass of Goat Bubbles, a dry sparkling rose to the dessert this was a meal that will live in my memory. It was thatgood.
We began our meal with two of Bouchon’s delicious first courses: French four onion soup, which is one of the few dishes that will always be on the menu and the Pt. Reyes blue cheese tart for me.
Seared Local White Sea Bass
The soup was done in the traditional way with a thick layer of gruyere and sour dough on top. Rich, sweet, and luxurious the soup was served with a chilled glass of Qupe Chardonnay which offered just enough acidity to balance the richness of the soup.
A pecan tart shell enclosed melted red onions and tangy Pt. Reyes blue cheese. Topping the tart was a salad of fresh greens dressed with a spicy mustard dressing dotted with candied pecans. An aged balsamic reduction decorated the plate as well as lending an acidic note to the richness of the tart. I had a glass of Melville Pinot Noir that had a fruit presence that melded beautifully with the tart.
For our main course I ordered the restaurant’s locally caught fresh White Sea Bass and my companion had the char-grilled rack of lamb.
Blueberry lemon upside down cake
The White Sea Bass was delicate and flaky served with a vanilla-scented risotto with English peas and rock shrimp, wilted mustard greens and saffron cream. Luscious is how I would describe the play of the mild fish and the tangy mustard greens. The saffron cream provided an intense hit of flavor and risotto was perfectly creamy with a pop form the English peas. I had a glass of a Cargasacchi Pinot Noir that added a bit of spice and a touch of fruit to my dish.
Australian lamb cooked to medium rare and served on a bed of chanterelle mushrooms with fresh asparagus, fava beans and creamy white polenta was my companion’s choice for dinner. The lamb was cooked to perfection and drizzled with a black truffle jus while the mushrooms provided a musky backdrop. Jonata Vineyards Todos was served with the lamb adding a bit of spice and touch of fruit to the meal.
For dessert we shared a piece of blueberry lemon upside down cake, topped with a scoop of local McConnell’s blueberry ice cream. It was so nice to see blueberries used in something other than muffins. The cake was tender and moist and the blueberries where from a local farm. With our dessert we had a glass of late harvest Viognier from Margerum vineyards. A delicious end to a most memorable meal.
The 411:
FisHouse: 101 East Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara. (805) 966-2112, www.sbfishhouse.com
Fess Parker: 633 East Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara. (805) 564-4333, www.fessparkersantabarbarahotel.com/
Belmond El Enchanto: 800 Alvarado Place, Santa Barbara. (805) 845-5800, www.elencanto.com
Bouchon Santa Barbara: 9 West Victoria Street, Santa Barbara. (805) 730-1160, www.bouchonsantabarbara.com
