Yes, there have been so many failed attempts at retail in town and this was one. I think a food destination will do well. Retail is tough here. There is appetite for it but it seems difficult to sustain many well-intentioned upmarket efforts. Recent shifts in who lives here and visits might make the difference. And free business advice for Runyon: consider a men’s clothing store since there is literally almost nowhere for men to shop in town. A captive audience could make that successful.
There are plenty of non-snooty businesses there. Like Adams Chiropractic. Siteline is geared toward an up-market readership so I geared my surprised comment that no one the author knows is familiar with Las Aves to the sort of person I assumed him to be referencing. Plenty of “normal” and non-snooty Santa Barbarans go to Las Aves. And I am honestly shocked you’ve never found reason to patronize it.
"I don’t know of any Santa Barbarans who don’t know what Las Aves is"
Oh, Buffy... you'll be late for your tea-time after your tennis lesson if you keep complaining like this to the plebeians... I'll have Jeeves bring the Jag around... hurry, darling, please?
Sorry I don't run in your wealthy and snooty circles, but hello from a lifetime Santa Barbaran who has never heard of Las Aves!
"I could only wait so long for the woman pictured above to finish her phone call." This is SO Santa Barbara...!
the original 1990’s intention of that dev. was mixed use with shops, cafes and services. over the first 3 years, locals didn’t adopt to the idea. services won over. great place for therapy… super quiet. maybe this time retail can be sustained long term.
Ditto to this review with some added observations. The sushi rice was not sticky enough to hold together and the nori was leathery therefore the larger sushi pieces were difficult to eat. The Hokido uni was the only flavor pop but even this pricey treat was not consistent. Local uni, don’t bother. The table aesthetic was perfect contemporary Japanese, until our sake was served in French wine glasses.
I was disappointed to see Runyon behind this as well. The platform is a decent development but not in the vein of what SB needs, or wants
Hate to break it to you, but if you’re citing an increasingly in-demand dermatologist and a place that gives Botox as treasures of your town, you’re already “Hamptons-via-LA-via-Coastal Grandma”… maybe more so the latter
What? This is awful news. I’m honestly heartbroken. Here are the services I patronize regularly at Las Aves: dermatologist, cosmetic services, and dentist and chiropractor both of whom I’ve been going to for 25+ years (though Dr. Dinning’s practice was recently taken over by a new dentist Dr. Loul, the practice remains). And no offense Erik, but you must not know many long-time locals. I don’t know of any Santa Barbarans who don’t know what Las Aves is, and virtually every woman in Montecito knows where it is because Jeannette and Aesthetics Montecito is there as is the fabulous and increasingly in-demand dermatologist Erika Klemperer. I love every appointment I go to there and have always thought how lucky I was to live somewhere like Santa Barbara where something like a dental appointment can be such a dignified and beautiful experience.
I’ve met the guys who do Runyon before through my former line of work. I admire what they do and like them as people. They’re passionate. But please dear god WHY are we turning our GEM OF A TOWN(s) into LA? The grey-washed pirate ship barn look is so on the outs and already exhausted as the banal global Instagram-aesthetic look. There is already some wood cladding on some of the structure but PLEASE don’t make Santa Barbara look like anywheres-vile Hamptons-via-LA-via-Coastal Grandma. We have so much more magic going on here that what developers are throwing at us lately.
I feel truly, truly sad reading this. So disappointed in what’s happening here. If I can find a contact email for the guys at Runyon, I will shamelessly email them.
Tracking the local real estate market is a pastime for many and I think it is clear the crazy market has cooled significantly. Whether that turns to a rout remains to be seen but as someone who prefers stable markets where people buy and sell for reasons other than speculation I certainly hope so!
Bonkers? It's literally insane
I don’t understand how individuals think they can open restaurants with no experience. I wish people would do their homework.
???
That video is bad! Cringe.
The new wine shop in Ventura looks great. Thanks for sharing it. Lately Ventura is getting the kinds of businesses I wish we were getting more of here. 1) They feel like they're owned and operated by locals. 2) They're stylish, and zeitgeisty enough without being corny or too trendy. 3) They're accessible financially and feel like they're for actual people who live in town, not catering to some imagined version of who lives here (those businesses fail fast, remember the 24 hour caviar delivery service LOL) or the ever-increasing tourist hordes. They're the kinds of businesses it feels like we're lacking and they're the kinds of businesses I want to patronize on a daily basis.
A lot of the openings in the last few years here feel like they're run by a corny and anonymous out-of-town restaurant group, are serving as a money laundering operation, or are for old fuddy duddies with money and no taste (literal or figurative). I'm early middle aged myself so this isn't an ageist comment. There's an energy in Ventura I feel we lack here. I assume it has to do with affordability. I can't imagine being a young person and wanting to or being able to open a business here. Things were getting exciting in town here around 2019. We had some really nice businesses opening (and of course many are still open - there are great local places, I'm not saying we have none), many owned by young people who grew up here and later "came home." But something shifted in the last couple of years with the opening of the Rosewood and its clientele, a new cohort of people streaming into town because of new WFH capabilities or discovering what is local to them for their COVID vacations rather than jetting across the world, etc. Something shifted and things don't feel the same.
I guess more weekend trips to Ventura are in order. Soon the locals there will be annoyed with the Santa Barbara invaders the same way we're annoyed with the LA invaders.
the restaurant design looks great. If it were 1992
>Unrelated: the video on the restaurant’s home page is bonkers.
Wow. You weren't joking.
Went there last night. Beautifully done, our waitress was top notch.
Very self conscious drinks menu…
Too precious & expensive.
$100. for two appetizers & two Mezcal margaritas including tip.
Way too steep for this location across the street from the vacant ghost of Macy’s past.
The lamps are by &Tradition (https://www.andtradition.com/products/manhattan-sc52). We ordered them from an Italian site (https://shop.mohd.it/en-us/), because they were substantially less expensive, but there was a long lead time so who knows if they'll arrive at all....
Nice work! Only #5 remains unidentified. The others:
1. Hook & Press
2. Tre Lune
3. Dart Coffee Co.
4. Alessia Cafe & Patisserie
5. —
6. Secret Bao
7. Field + Fort
8. Aperitivo
9. Satellite
Please share the online source for the beautiful table lamps that you mentioned ordering while still seated at the restaurant. Thank you!
The beautiful bar and promise of fine cocktailing drew us in, though we didn't realize at first that it was Mexican themed. We weren't looking for $20 margaritas or mezcal that day. Such a polished high end appearance would be well accompanied with seasoned and personable bartenders.
I respect the risk they take at that location, and respect even more that their version of "Mexican" is what they offer the world.
But my advice: it's the success of the bar that will make or break Auggies. There is nothing else high end in that increasingly shabby looking section of State (except Joes) where you can get a good drink. They should transcend beyond their theme to capture the interest of all drinkers, while doubling down on their core asset which is that beautiful bar.
Satellite SB for the space stickers.
The first uni pic shows it's spawning and the second one (nigiri) shows it wasn't entirely cleaned (the seaweed specs). It surprises me they would serve both of those. Great review and the pics pretty much line up with the descriptions.
IMO, for traditional nigiri, TERU, when their premium fish arrives (check their IG for daily updates) is the best sushi in town. Arigato doesn't even make tamago, and most sushi restaurants in town buy it pre-made). Teru makes it (as does Sun Sushi). Arigato fancies up their rolls with colorful sauces and ornamentals on the plate, To me it's always been the most overrated and over priced sushi in town by a mile.
1 Hook and Press
7 Field + Fort
Thank you for doing the hard work, Erik.
I had been very curious about this spot — just this week asking about if any friends had yet gone. And it was our anniversary, so I was curious to try something new/special. (p.s. I really relate so much to being greeted by surname , but the server has no idea what to do with my husband's presence). Anyway, your review was immensely useful and captured what I suspected. It's fine — but for me, probably best left for the guests that love the Miramar. I always approach the place with open arms, hoping for a special experience, and sadly have walked back home with a bit of disappointment in some way each time. I was hoping this was more like LA's venerable n/naka and less like a perfectly ok hotel restaurant.
So, for sushi, I think I'll stick with regulars the SB-loved, Arigato or my personal favorite, simple and easy spot: Shintori Sushi on upper state. Both considerably cheaper and on a level that I expect from eating sushi for dinner.
And for intimate omakase, I still think the best spot in our area is Yoichi's, hidden away on Victoria.
Curious if others have spots that they swear by as trust go-to's?
