As I headed up north this past weekend to San Luis Obispo, I knew I wanted to take advantage of Santa Barbara’s food scene on my way up and back. I stumbled across Barbareno on Yelp twice before I actually looked into it. To be honest, I wasn’t really intrigued by any of the food-photos, it just looked like a cool place. After getting in touch with the owner, Jesse, I was confirmed for dinner on Sunday on my way home.

When Sunday came around, I wanted so badly just to drive straight home- I was exhausted. Boy am I glad I didn’t do that. O. m. g.

Barbareno was more than I could have imagined, dreamed of, or wanted. Not only did I enjoy probably the best meal of my life, but I learned so much about culture and food. I had no idea what this place was about coming in, but I quickly learned that Barbareno is basically a California-central-coast cuisine and culture dining experience wrapped up and tied with an aesthetically-pleasing bow. (Yes- the place is BEAUTIFUL.)

Located off of the “famous” State Street in Santa Barbara, Barbareno (literally the name of the language spoken on the Chumash Reservation) is nestled on a little corner with its’ own parking lot- equipped with a smoker for tri-tip and all. The menu looks pretty basic and drives a curious mind (like mine) crazy. I can assure you that there is a story and history-lesson behind each and every dish, which is one factor that makes Barbareno so attractive. OK, OK, let’s get on to the food now!

My server, Chris, was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable, attentive, and helpful. He stood so patiently answering each and every one of my questions, even repeating his answers numerous times for me. As he walked be through the menu, I pretty much wanted to order everything. But, eventually, I came to a conclusion, and ended up with perfection and a happy belly.

To commence the meal, Chris came out with a basket and placed two little pieces of bread and butter on my plate. House-made “Santa Barbara Sourdough” and house-made butter. *Insert jaw drop here*. I knew this place was going to be good, but not THIS GOOD. My first question at every restaurant is almost always, “Do you make your own bread?” but almost in a joking way, since this answer is, 99% of the time, no. Now let me tell you about Barbareno’s bread… Good gracious. Two words- simply divine.

The next dishes began coming out and, no joke, I was beginning to drool all over myself.

Hidden Valley Crudites : One of my initial thoughts was, “Wow, they serve Hidden Valley Ranch and advertise it? How tacky…” Silly me. Little did I know, the Hidden Valley ranch and company was actually started in Santa Barbara, making this dish another tribute to the city. So the ranch hummus was amazing, but let’s get real. The star of this dish was the pita bread. Of course, they make this in house as well, and I started crying as I took my first bites. Yes, the bread was delectable, but the pita bread might have been even better. Something about it was just so light, airy, and perfect. In a weird way, I felt like I was Laura Ingalls from Little House on the Prairie, eating Ma’s bread in the little log cabin.

Sunchokes : In the 1800’s, a small town just outside of Santa Barbara, called Summerland, was founded as a place for H.L. Williams (the founder) and fellow spiritualists to live. These spiritualists adopted sunflowers as their official symbol. As a tribute to the nearby town of Summerland, Barbareno created this sunflower dish. The plant’s roots are roasted to bring out natural sweetness, then topped with a gremolata made with sunflower seeds. Finally finished with petals from the sunflower and sprouts. Think of a butcher’s “snout-to-tail” philosophy. Now apply it to a vegetarian, or just someone who just loves and respects vegetables. This is a dish they would create. To me, it tasted a little like potatoes, and was so good. The gremolata sauce was to-die-for. I wanted to lick the remains off the bottom of the plate. I am still amazed that the whole dish was made from one plant.

Fried Chicken : I’m not a fried chicken person, honestly. When I saw “chicken liver glaze” and grits listed as the description, however, I was intrigued. After one bite, I really should have handcuffed myself. I demolished all of the grits and did a good number on the chicken. If there is a grits God, he makes the grits at Barbareno.

Everything about this entree sounded AMAZING to me… except the blue cheese. Thankfully, they were able to make it without for me, so please note- I am writing about this dish without the blue cheese! 😉 

Although I was tapped out, I couldn’t pass up a house-made dessert when the menu was brought out. Out of the selection of three, I went with the olive-oil beignets. They were pretty game-changing in terms of beignets. Warm, light and airy- on top of the perfect amount of caramel, candied nuts, and pistachio cream. Well, ok, actually, I could have used a whole side of that pistachio cream because it was amazing. If you want to end your meal with a dessert, but nothing too sweet, this is  the perfect solution for you. The olive oil dough is a perfect cross between sweet and savory.

The meal had come to a conclusion, and it is very safe to say that I spent my long drive home reminiscing the culinary journey I had just taken. I will 100% be making trips to Santa Barbara, solely to come to Barbareno.