Food &drink r ccocKtail conteSt returnS S
paul wellman
changes
dumpLing king
of Lotusland takes place Saturday, October 28, 3-5 p.m., at Ganna Walska Lotusland (Cold Spring Rd.). Call 969-9990 for tickets ($95-$110). 4·1·1 Spirit
ike many other college towns, Isla Vista is often targeted by aspiring restaurateurs eye-
openin
gs
Shandong FlavorS overcome Former cantina location
dumpling King
EASY ITALIAN: After years of visiting in-laws in Carpinteria, Luis G. Alvarez decided now was the right time to bring his mini-chain of Italian basics to the beach town.
• Wine Guide
ing the stomachs (and wallets) of 20,000 students. Sadly, most shops shuffle in and out of business similar to the four-year rotation of its consumers. When longtime student favorite The Cantina decided to close its doors last year, residents found themselves no longer able to satisfy their cravings for what many thought was the best breakfast burrito in town. The good thing about dropping dumplings into this void is their versatility. They’re fitting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, explained Dumpling King owner Jaguar Wang, who recently opened Isla Vista’s very first Chinese dumpling spot inside the old Cantina. With UCSB’s ever-increasing population of both Chinese-American and international students, Wang by eugene cheng seeks to deliver an honest dining experience made for, and by, those desperate for homeland flavors. Customers accustomed to Chinese cuisine will be familiar with appetizers like garlic cucumber salad and beef tendon. But the main focus, of course, is the dumplings. Wang emphasized that Dumpling King’s four main offerings — beef celery, three-flavor, fish, and vegetarian — are authentic to his native Shandong province. Similarly, he currently employs cooks that are already accustomed to Shandong’s rich history of dumplings. So far, Isla Vista residents have greeted Dumpling King warmly. By its second week of operation in late summer, this once-Mexican restaurant has become a lightning rod for students looking for an alternative to is located at standard supermarket dumplings. “I’m Chinese, and I 966 embarcadero del mar, can tell the difference between handmade and frozen ones,” said Rachel Yang, a part-time employee. “All of isla vista. our ingredients are made every morning.” UCSB stucall 562-8800. dent Jonathan Chan concurs with Dumpling King’s claim of authenticity, specifically “judging by the skin and the filling, and,” he added,“the dipping sauce complements the balance of flavors.” It remains to be seen whether Dumpling King will fall prey to the vicious cycle of restaurants that frequently start and then fail in Isla Vista. But Dumpling King’s mere presence carries more weight than just the filling inside the dumplings. Chan acknowledges that Isla Vista is “not particularly well known for delicious — even passable — Chinese food.” But Dumpling King? “It’s a taste of home,” Chan explained. As the cultural demographic in this small town continues to shift, Wang and his Shandong-bred dumplings may be the torchbearers for a gastronomical revolution— revolution one that isn’t limited to orange chicken and fortune cookies. n
Courtesy
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It took just 20 minutes of wandering through the various botanical wonderlands of Lotusland for the garden’s events coordinator Patrick Reynolds — who’s also the renowned mixologist behind the long-running Farm to Bar series at the Wildcat — to find enough ingredients for an afternoon cocktail. Dragon fruit from the cactus zone, Meyer lemon and variegated pink lemon from the citrus garden, hummingbird sage from the insectary, strawberry guava from the tropical corner — combined with gin, these elements made for a subtly sweet, texturally creamy, tiny-bit-tart beverage called the Dragon’s Harvest, which I sipped while retracing Reynolds’s steps to the source of each. We’d met to talk about the Spirit of Lotusland, the second annual cocktail competition that comes to the garden on Saturday, October 28. I was a judge in last year’s inaugural edition Dragon's Harvest and found the event to be a thoroughly engaging bartender showdown. Each booze wizard is challenged to make a drink that best showcases their assigned section of Lotusland — from bromeliad to fern to cycad to topiary, and so forth — while using fruits, herbs, and other exotic edibles that come from throughout Lotusland. Into that formula came a casually flowing entourage of imbibers led by us judges, and we all experienced cross-sensory bliss, with taste buds, eyes, ears, noses, and even fingertips fully enthralled. This year’s contest adds a layer of food complexity to the mix, as the competing businesses — the returning champ Alcazar/Milk & Honey as well as Bobcat Room/Little Kitchen, The Imperial, The Lark, Les Marchands, and Loquita — must also provide a bit of food to complement their cocktail. It all finishes with live music and more food on the main lawn, where this year’s judges will crown the Spirit of Lotusland victor. —Matt Kettmann —
Dining Out Guide
Conquers Isla Vista
Spirit ooF lotu l Sland
Food & drink •
CANTINA GOES ASIAN: Jaguar Wang is now selling traditional Shandong dumplings in Isla Vista from the former Cantina space.
p.141 matt kettmann
his ip T
Guicho’s
Offers Simple Solutions for Carpinteria
“m
y motto’s always been to simplify things,” says Luis G. Alvarez,
owner of Guicho’s Eatery, the San Clemente–based Italian restaurant that just opened its third location in Carpinteria. That emphasis extends to all aspects of the business, from the sleek interior and clean flavors to the convenient comfort of a home-cooked meal with the ease of takeout. “We love what we do,” explained Alvarez, “and we like providing fresh food for people and families, and having it be simple, convenient, and affordable.” Alvarez opened the first Guicho’s in San Clemente in 2001, then opened a second one there with longtime friend Jim Donahue, who
third location For convenient italian eatery chain by rebecca horrigan
independent.com
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ocTobEr 19, 2017
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