Monthly Archives: August 2019

Cold Spring Tavern

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve driven past here dozens of times but today was the first time I ever turned off the main road and wound my way down to the Cold Spring Tavern. What an amazing place! It’s an old stagecoach stop, and retains all of the charm (and rickety wood construction) of its historic past.

Outside, a stream cascades down the rocks at the bottom of the canyon, and the building is surrounded by lush growth.

The restaurant is divided up into intimate rooms, with great mood lighting, and views of the woods.

Lunch offerings include salads and sandwiches and burgers. Both the chiliburger and venison steak sandwich were excellent, as were the accompanying fries and salad. Apparently the quiche is amazing, with a wonderful pastry crust, but the person before me got the last order!

Service is friendly, and the staff are definitely having a good time working there.

Cold Spring Tavern
5995 Stagecoach Rd
Santa Barbara, CA
93105
(805) 967-0066
https://www.yelp.com/biz/cold-spring-tavern-santa-barbara

Beckmen Vineyards

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***** (5 stars)

A beautiful property, well worth the search to find it! With two major properties and ten varietals there is a lot going on here. Most important is the great winemaking.

Our favorites were the Syrah, especially the PMV Clone 1.

Great hospitality from Neil. Be sure to ask about their library wines.

Beckmen Vineyards
2670 Ontiveros Rd
Los Olivos, CA
93441
(805) 688-8664
https://www.yelp.com/biz/beckmen-vineyards-los-olivos-2

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery

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**** (4 stars)

This is a lovely hilltop tasting room. The winery specializes in sparkling wines, and the ones we tried were crisp and well made. Their wine club is a particularly good deal. Our server was friendly and very enthusiast.

Laetitia Vineyard & Winery
453 Laetitia Vineyard Dr
Arroyo Grande, CA
93420
(805) 481-1772
https://www.yelp.com/biz/laetitia-vineyard-and-winery-arroyo-grande-2

Talley Vineyards

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***** (5 stars)

This was the best producer we visited during our day in the Arroyo Grande area. Their Chardonnays and Sirah were particular standouts. The tasting room has a marvelous view of the vineyards, and there is a nice outside area for relaxing with a bottle. We voted by joining their club!

Talley Vineyards
3031 Lopez Dr
Arroyo Grande, CA
93420
(805) 270-7505
https://www.yelp.com/biz/talley-vineyards-arroyo-grande

The Gathering Table

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Hamachi
Octopus
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***** (5 stars)

This terrific restaurant in The Ballard Inn is very popular, so be sure to make reservations. The atmosphere is a cross between modern and colonial, and the food is 100% creative.

We loved every course. The standouts were the best tomato soup I’ve ever tasted, and some incredibly tender octopus. The hamachi was also melt in your mouth tender. Service was an efficient team effort.

The wine list offers a nice selection of local bottles and some French wines, but very little variety by the glass.

Highly recommended.

The Gathering Table
2436 Baseline AveThe Ballard Inn
Solvang (Ballard), CA
93463
(805) 688-7770
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-gathering-table-solvang-ballard

First & Oak

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Oysters
Rabbit tacos
KIMCHI RISOTTO
Barramundi
Tetr de moine
Chocolate mousse

**** (4 stars)

This small, one-room restaurant offers fine dining in a home-spun atmosphere.  Many of the dishes are definitely noteworthy. We particularly enjoyed both of our appetizers, the oysters, and the rabbit tacos. Flavors and textures were perfect in both dishes.

The entrees were fine, but not as impressive.

Desserts were nicely done, with a homemade honeycomb being the standout.

The weakness is the wine list, particularly the wines by the glass, which are heavily reliant upon a single so-so producer. This is odd, since the restaurant is in the middle of wine country.

Service was friendly, but the single server struggled to keep up with the three occupied tables, which were unfortunately simultaneously seated.

The menu allows you to select the number of courses you like, and we felt the price for three courses was extremely reasonable.

First & Oak
409 1st St
Solvang, CA
93463
(805) 688-1703
https://www.yelp.com/biz/first-and-oak-solvang-3

Santa Ynez Inn

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***** (5 stars)

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Complimentary breakfast

This beautiful property offers spacious rooms with traditional (and posh) decor in a very convenient location.

The decor incorporates fine woodwork and beautiful tile and mosaic floors into a blending of modern floorplans and colonial ambiance.

Prepared to order breakfast, evening wine, and nighttime desserts are included in the room price.

The staff are friendly hosts, and you feel as if they are inviting you into their home. While this imparts a bed and breakfast feel, the service level is what you would expect from a five-star resort.

Many good restaurants are within easy walking distance, and dozens of wineries and tasting rooms are just a few minutes away by car.

Santa Ynez Inn
3627 Sagunto St
Santa Ynez, CA
93460
(805) 688-5588
https://www.yelp.com/biz/santa-ynez-inn-santa-ynez