••• Photographer Michael Haber is opening the White Caps Beach Club at the corner of Lillie Avenue and Hollister Street in Summerland (next to The Nugget). “It’s about community, and it’s about fun,” he says. The motto is “eat, play, stay.” The eating is via a food truck—”brand-new, absolutely stunning, with my 1963 Jeep Willys wagon in front, looking like it’s towing it”—selling lobster rolls, lobster mac and cheese, crab cake sliders, tater tots, clam chowder, beer, wine, and more. The playing involves outdoor seating for dining, backgammon, dominoes, and enjoying live music (schedule TBD), and the Nugget will get to use some of the tables, too. The staying, meanwhile, happens at the vacation rentals in the structures at the rear of the property. Look for a “very, very soft opening” in the next week or two, and if everything goes well, a grand opening around Memorial Day. Follow @whitecapsbeachclub for updates.
••• K. pointed out that Pearl Social has a “temporarily closed” sign, so I asked the PR rep: Acme Hospitality brought on bartender Liam Baer to “re-conceptualize and refresh” the venue, and the bar will reopen sometime this summer as Pearl Social Cocktail Club, with food from Lark chef Jason Paluska.
••• Tamar is now serving beer and wine.
••• A profile of McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. —Independent
••• A profile of The Shop on Milpas Street, which “has attracted a big following among visitors from Los Angeles and San Francisco, but is just now catching on with locals in Santa Barbara.” (Really?) Of note: “The Shop-Mini, a grab-and-go version of The Shop, [is] set to open soon.” —Noozhawk
••• There’s another bagelry in town: Mother Dough Bagels. “Our dough is naturally fermented for 48 hours to achieve its distinct flavor and texture. They’re hand-rolled, boiled and baked in small batches. Resulting in a thin, crispy exterior with a light, chewy crumb. The best part? They’re incredibly easy on your gut because they’re made with 100% wild yeast! In fact, don’t be surprised if you find yourself reaching for another.” You order in advance and pick up Saturday mornings on Olive Street. Haven’t tried them yet….
••• Laura spotted an Instagram comment by Cagami Ramen saying it’s forthcoming Goleta outpost will be in Hollister Village Plaza (the one with Smart & Final and PetSmart).
••• The Oyster Bar at Moby Dick on Stearns Wharf opens May 23. Also in the works: “a transformation of the Moby Dick Restaurant more broadly [with] a new imaginative menu that is reflective of our community, focused on locally produced and sustainably harvested seafood, produce, and alcoholic beverages.” —Restaurant Guy
••• Cooney’s, as the bars at the Santa Barbara Public Market are now known, released its food menu.
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I know two of Mr. Haber’s neighbors and they speak less than fondly of him. I stood in the back of my truck and looked over his Tom Sawyerish whitewashed fence at the clear cutting of majestic oaks. . . sheesh. Sad that the new norm in Montecito is people moving here and cutting down the hedges and trees that have made it the “semi-rural, rarified enclave by the sea,” as some refer to Montecito. And good luck with the Summerland business. He’s going to compete with Field & Fork for an already slim market.
Try supporting instead of hating. Looking forward to this new spot. Best of luck
Agreed!!
I don’t think the Haber’s are new to Montecito since my kids, now in their mid-to-late 20’s, went to MUS with their kids. And I look forward to trying his crab cake sliders and clam chowder!
I took the NYC reference from the SB county development sign I saw. It had his name and address as being in NYC, who knows, I could be wrong.
Yes, you are wrong, Dan O. Seibert. The Habers are long-time locals and wonderful people and Michael is a great, inspired artist who brings beauty not hate to our neighborhood. I say this as a casual acquaintance, only.
Clear cutting oak trees is not just illegal. It is disrespecting our native trees and our neighborhoods. Why would someone come here and destroy whaat we all love about our area? Go somewhere else.
McConnell’s also came out on top in a shootout of 24 vanilla ice creams on the always excellent Binging with Babish YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/ESWbKCLPWRs?si=0rwbaOkRCk31DuWm
That sounds like a smaller version of the menu at teddys by the sea. Right down to the specials on lobster rolls they serve. Not to original I would say.
CL….. out
I think you might be trying a bit hard. I wish you lots of luck as you will need it.
I wonder if you have any restaurant experience?
I think I will take on professional photography and see how that pans out. lol ????
Jonathan
Fantastic!! Thanks for making Summerland a better place!!!
Ate at Azul last night for the first time. Amazing cocktails and food. Did you mention it before and I missed it? Really exceptional.
Residents are being forced to hack their oaks and hedges if they want to have insurance. It is appalling, but they either lose their insurance or have to pay at least 4 to 5 times more than normal to go on the CA Fair Plan, and the state doesn’t seem to want to protect the oaks any more.