Santa Barbara Culinary EventsHungry? Need to fill your culinary calendar? Here is where you will find all the restaurant and culinary happenings in Santa Barbara. We feature a calendar of special dinners, tasting menus, prix-fixe meals, food festivals and other culinary events, including regularly occurring food events as well as special one-time-only events featuring top chefs. Keep checking back so you can know all that's going on in the world of restaurant and food events in Santa Barbara. We've also got the latest Santa Barbara Restaurant News and Wine Events.
January 26-February 5
A stellar cast of Santa Barbara restaurants and tasting rooms will roll out special three-course menus spotlighting regional cuisine, wines and beers to coincide with the 27th Annual Santa Barbara Film Festival. Several "Film Feast" participants will take the silver-screen drama tableside with movie-themed menus celebrating classic and contemporary films. Participating restaurants include some of the town's hottest tables, such as Miro, Wine Cask and Downey's, among others. See a complete list online at www.santabarbaraca.com/filmfeast. Santa Barbara Film Feast, 1601 Anacapa St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-966-9222.
February 18
Riverbench Winery and Chocolats du CaliBressan will pair up for an afternoon of local decadence in the winery's Santa Maria tasting room. French chocolatier Jean-Michel Carre works in Santa Barbara. On February 18 from 1 p.m.-4 p.m., his luscious artisan chocolates will be served with Riverbench Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The cost is $15 per person. Riverbench Vineyard & Winery, 6020 Foxen Canyon Rd., Santa Maria, CA 93454, 805-937-8340.
Ongoing
A new "gastronomic stimulus package" at Brooks features a three-course dinner for just $33. The meal includes a choice of seasonal soup, fried oysters or chopped hearts of romaine followed by either shredded short rib, Scottish salmon or free-range chicken breast. For dessert, choose from cinnamon roll bread pudding, tiramisu or Maytag blue cheesecake. Brooks, 545 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001, 805-652-7070.
Ongoing
Theatre aficionados in Ventura enjoy special treatment at 71 Palm, where chef-owner Didier Poirier offers a pre-Rubicon Theatre menu for just $25 per person, including a glass of house wine. Available Wednesday-Saturday, from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m., the chef from Le Mans, France, prepares dishes such as sand dabs with lemon butter sauce, grilled hanger steak, wild mushroom ravioli Provencal, and Tahitian vanilla bean crème brûlée. To qualify, guests must present their Rubicon tickets for a matinee or evening performance that day. 71 Palm, 71 N. Palm St., Ventura, CA 93001, 805-653-7222.
Mondays
Holdren's Steaks & Seafood, located in Santa Barbara and Thousand Oaks, now dishes out all-you-can-eat baby back ribs, served with a side and soup or salad, every Monday night for just $20. Slow-roasted then finished on the grill and smothered in homemade barbecue sauce, a full rack typically runs $29. Holdren's Steaks & Seafood, 1714 Newbury Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, 805-498-1314.
Tuesdays
Join chef Greg Murphy of bouchon restaurant in Santa Barbara for an informative "Foodie Stroll" through the local farmers market. Guests will rendezvous with chef Murphy and select ingredients before returning to bouchon for dinner at 6 p.m. Local wines will be chosen to accompany the evening's meal. The cost of the tour and three-course dinner with wine is $65. Limited to six guests each Tuesday. Call 805-730-1160 for reservations. Bouchon, 9 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-730-1160.
Thursdays
On Thursday evenings, sample a selection of meat and seafood dishes prepared on the outdoor grill at Onyx, the dramatically styled Japanese restaurant at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. The cost is $39 ($18 per child), and also includes your choice of appetizer, sushi, side dish and dessert. For additional information or to make a reservation, call 818-575-3000. Onyx, Four Seasons Westlake Village, 2 Dole Dr., Westlake Village, CA 91362, 818-575-3000.
Thursdays
Enterprise Fish Co. has reintroduced their late-night happy hour. From 9 p.m.-11 p.m. on Thursdays, "LIVE @ Enterprise" will spotlight local bands and local food, such as Santa Barbara spiny lobster and white sea bass. Enterprise Fish Co., 225 State St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-962-3313.
Fridays
Chef Jason Collis of Jonathan's at Peirano's restaurant in Ventura prepares the food for weekly dinners at Limoneira Ranch. The Sunset Dinner in the Orchard Series takes place every Friday throughout summer, and pairs local ingredients with local wines. An ahi tuna tartare features crushed Limoneira avocados and Limoneira Meyer lemon zest. Grilled local halibut is served with salad drizzled with fresh Ojai olive oil. For more details, go to www.jonathansatpeiranos.com.
Fridays
Tierra Sur Restaurant has introduced a special Chef's Choice Lunch Menu, to be served every Friday. Chef Todd Aarons' selection of seasonal dishes may include orecchiette pasta with housemade chorizo and peppernata, or hamburger sliders with pickled zucchini, tomato, yellow ketchup and fries. (This isn't your typical kosher restaurant.) All entrees include a bowl of soup du jour or house salad. Menus change weekly. Tierra Sur Restaurant, Herzog Wine Cellars, 3201 Camino Del Sol, Oxnard, CA 93030, 805-983-1560.
Sundays
Every Sunday, chef Shaun King of the Los Olivos Café designs a unique menu of family-style fare. Guests serve themselves from platters of Mediterranean food, which may include goat cheese crostada or a salad of shaved seasonal vegetables, pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs. For entrees, expect dishes such as braised lamb shank with panzanella, feta, olives, lemon aioli and grilled flatbread. Please note: the entire table must participate. Los Olivos Café, 2879 Grand Ave., Los Olivos, CA 93441, 805-688-7265.
Sunday through Thursday
The Harbor Restaurant on Stearns Wharf now offers a three-course tasting menu, available at dinner Sunday through Thursday. Chef David Cecchini changes his offerings weekly, and the cost is just $20 for dishes such as lobster ravioli with sage butter, sultanas and goat cheese; beef Milanese with saffron potato risotto and sautéed spinach; and pan-roasted duck breast with stir-fried ginger rice and baby bok choy. The Harbor Restaurant, 210 Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-963-3311.
Sundays
OngoingHere's a chance to return to your childhood every week: Elements has introduced a special called "Sunday suppers," an update on comfort food classics such as mac-n-cheese, meatloaf, fried chicken and burgers. The two-course special will be served from 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. every Sunday, in addition to their regular menu. Elements, 129 E. Anapamu St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805-884-9218. Fresh seafood right off the boat. Fruits and vegetables from nearby farms. Artisan cheeses paired with local wines. A unique new culinary program gives participants an opportunity to explore the bounty of Santa Barbara under the guidance of regional expert Laurence Hauben, the leader of Slow Food Santa Barbara, who partners with local vineyards and chefs to create a comprehensive culinary experience. Hauben and her partners (including Roblar Winery and Chef Josh Brown of bouchon and Seagrass Restaurant) offer a variety of programs. For details call 805-259-7229 or visit www.marketforays.com. Ongoing Ongoing Wednesdays Wednesdays
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DINING ON A BUDGET
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