HEAVENLY
PALATE THE RITZ-CARLTON BACARA’S ANGEL OAK STUNS THE SENSES WITH A COASTAL-INSPIRED PRIX FIXE MENU by DELANEY WILLET | Photographs by SILAS FALLSTICH
T
he Ritz-Carlton Bacara could serve solely mediocre cheeseburgers and french fries across the expanse of its dazzling 78 acres, and this would still be the most delightful meal to meet one’s lips on account of the oceanside elegance in which one is enveloped. Instead, the resort leaps one step further, with Angel Oak, the property’s prix fixe concept, to secure Bacara as a premiere destination of the California coast.
The restaurant boasts a 12,000-bottle wine cellar greeting guests upon entrance, and a cocktail program to be enjoyed atop the sweeping cerulean Amazonite bar, commanding the center of the vast dining room. Chef Josh Kellim has curated an opulent menu to match, sourcing the finest and freshest local ingredients to reflect the diverse tapestry of the Santa Barbara landscape. Angel Oak’s concept straddles steakhouse sophistication and seaside serenity, lending a certain relaxation to the stately fare. Delicate, fluffed focaccia garnished in poppy seeds and onions precedes an amuse bouche outfitted in a heaping dollop of caviar and grounded by a potato croquette. Diners are given the choice between Chef Kellim’s three- or five-course tasting menus, replete with pairings from the cellar and bar.
32 | JULY/AUGUST 2022