“Food & Wine” Best New Chef features California-Peruvian cuisine in Santa Barbara

I mentioned in an earlier post that I don’t generally eat at hotel restaurants, so you might find it odd that this is the second hotel restaurant review I am writing this week. We drove by Hotel Indigo on lower State Street on a Wednesday night looking for somewhere to eat only to find that their restaurant, the Blue Tavern, was completely filled with a 45 minute wait. This made us wonder about this 60 seat restaurant and what made it so popular. We decided to make another attempt at it the following Monday and were able to secure the last of two available tables.

I have since learned that the Chef, Ricardo Zarate, was named 2011 Food & Wine Best New Chef and has 3 other restaurants in the LA area. (Mo-chica, Picca and Paiche) He takes inspiration from his heritage; born in Lima, Peru. He has created a Cali-Peruvian fare that showcases his ingredient obsession for Ají amarillo (a spicy yellow Peruvian chile).

 

In this restaurant they feature hand-tossed, wood-fired pizzas; fresh, sustainable seafood; grilled meats; local produce; and house-made pastas. The ambiance is casual and comfortable with thick wood hewn tables and an interesting array of lights in the middle of the ceiling. It’s lively and busy, and offers friendly, attentive service.

 We were offered the chef’s amuse bouche of a bowl of Cancha which is toasted chulpe corn. It’s a Peruvian version of corn nuts and has a starchy crunchy taste that is quite addictive!

Our starters were Yellow Tail Tiradito and Seared Albacore. Each were works of art on a plate offering a burst of flavor in each small bite.

The Seared Albacore was served with Rocoto Leche de Tigre (Rocoto being a pepper and Lech de Tigre or Tiger’s Milk which is a citrus based marinade that cures seafood), ponzu, sesame oil and crispy quinoa. It was divine!

The Yellow Tail was served with an Aji Amarillo soy dressing, sesame sauce and sweet potato. Also quite delicious!

Moving on to entrees, our three selections were the Diver Scallops Salad, Pan Fried Branzino and a Margarita Wood Fire Pizza. The Scallops were made with aioli, wasabi peas, wild arugula, granny smith apples and walnuts. A nice mix of spice and fresh flavors with the added crunch from apples and walnuts.

 

 

The Pan Fried Branzino had a perfectly crusted skin served with roasted vegetables and a huacatay (Peruvian black mint) jalapeño sauce. Yummy!

 

 

 A Peruvian twist on a traditional Margarita Pizza made with mozzarella cheese, tomato panca sauce (Peruvian red pepper) and basil. I found the crust to be a little grainier and thicker than I prefer for a wood fire pizza, but otherwise it was great. I even had cold leftovers the next day and loved them!

  

To compliment our entrees and add some veggies to the mix, we ordered two of their “From the Farm” items. Cauliflower and Green Beans. This is where the menu fell short because these two items had no description other than their name. They were both masterfully done and incredible! I’m sure that many guests pass them up unless they are familiar with the restaurant and that would be a shame.

 

 

 

 

 

I cannot even begin to describe the full contents of each item but I know they used aji amarillo in the sauce with the cauliflower and topped it with a mix of panko and parmesan. The green beans were served in some sort of soy/ponzu type sauce with a shaved cheese on top that intrigued us as it seemed to be alive and moving as it seemingly melted on the beans. I could have made a meal of these two dishes alone and been quite satisfied!

For a fun, trendy food experience in a lively, albeit a bit clamorous, restaurant this is a “must try” spot. Your taste buds will awaken to this exciting new mix of flavors and if you’re like me, you’ll be searching the web for some aji amarillo pepper of your own!