••• Luna’s Cafe has opened in the former Judge for Yourself Cafe space at Santa Barbara Street and Equestrian Avenue. It serves breakfast and lunch, and I can’t remember the last time I saw a Monte Cristo sandwich on a menu. —Restaurant Guy
••• The Wylde Works space is now home to Union, a “live performance space, coffee house, and wine bar.”
••• National politics has come to Old Town Coffee. Apparently, co-owner Rachel Ward has been expressing her support for ICE’s raids.
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••• “The World of Pinot Noir—one of the Central Coast’s largest winery-involved events—announced this week that its shifting gears, ending for now the annual weekend-long gathering at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara in favor of a pop-up model.” —Independent
••• “Kyle’s Kitchen will be opening a new location at 6831 Hollister Avenue in the Goleta Shopping Center (the home to Target), immediately to the right of Indo China Market.” —Restaurant Guy
••• According to a beer-and-wine-license notice spotted by L., the former Corner House café space at 2902 San Marcos Avenue in Los Olivos will be an outpost of Lucky Penny.
••• L. also asked for an update on Crudo, which chef Cullen Campbell has long been planning on opening at 435 Alisal Road in Solvang. It’s not happening; Kanok Thai Bistro Kanok Thai Cuisine is taking its place, on both the ground and second floors. (Update 7/24: I removed the link because the forthcoming restaurant is evidently unrelated to the one in Costa Mesa.)
••• Condor Bar, the primary restaurant at Ojai’s new Hotel El Roblar—and the only one open to non-guests—has opened for walk-ins, with reservations taken from July 21 on (via Resy).
••• The Ventura outpost of Ojai’s Pinyon has opened for dinner, so I dragged my husband there last week. The restaurant is just off Main Street, with a courtyard entrance that abuts the rear terrace of the new Corazón Cocina. The menu differed from the sample one online, in case you’re the kind of person who locks into a dish in advance. You order at the counter, and the food is brought to you; you have to return to the counter to order more. (I don’t have a problem with this kind of system, and I understand why restaurants do it, but I prefer when you can add to your order via a QR code or roaming server. And is the additional 20 percent service charge merited? At least Pinyon has the decency not to also ask for a tip.) We ordered the market salad, with a dressing that tastes like the one at Bell’s; anchovy toasts; Jimmy Nardello peppers; and the Emily Alba and Sol Dorado pizzas. Everything was great, and I look forward to returning to see what the kitchen comes up with next. There are times when what I want even more than terrific food is a menu where I don’t know everything by heart. P.S. The wines are very natty.
••• And there’s more to come in the area. The space next door at 33 S. Palm Street has a pending liquor license for a restaurant called Palomino. The proprietor is Gabrielle Moes of Seasons Catering.
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Pinyon looks sweeeeeet!
Inspiring reads in the comments of OTC instagram- many people expressing their “who give a F” what the owner thinks- they are into great coffee and will continue to support a coffee shop with great coffee.
The lady doth exaggerate too much, methinks…
Triggered again Sam- #pewpew
I will never come back to old town coffee. That kind of hate has no business in this community. You should be ashamed of yourself Christine. I’m glad you’re not my friend otherwise I would never speak to you with your crazy views.
R
I support business owners being able to say what they want- just like you saying whatever it is you are trying to say… Otherwise you have a friend you can’t speak to?
Roy philosophy.
Spew hate while complaining about hate.
Roy try and learn… You are the hate you see in others.
Tina please mind your own business. No one is interested in anything you have to say.
Damn Roy- your making friends skills need some polishing, maybe you can get a job at OTC?
Business owners can say what they want … I’m not spending my money there to pay for it.
Exactly – there are a few businesses in town that clearly have shown where they are on the political spectrum and I patronize them as little as possible.
And yet your comment reeks of hate.
Let me guess Christine you voted for Trump? Where do you work so I never support the business you work for.
Put your money where your mouth is.
We don’t service the blind/deaf lanes at the shop, sorry