NOSH TOWN
by Claudia Schou
Rinkside Cafe Serves Slamming — and Fresh! — Favorites
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FROM OUR TABLE TO YOURS Sunday-Thursday 11:00-8:30 Friday and Saturday 11:00-9:00 1209 Coast Village Road Santa Barbara, CA (805) 565-0642
LUCKY‘S STEAKS - CHOPS - SEAFOOD - COCKTAILS 1279 COAST VILLAGE ROAD (805) 565-7540
CAFE SINCE 1928
OLD TOWN SANTA BARBARA
44 MONTECITO JOURNAL
ith sporting venues on a welcome rebound, Ice in Paradise recently reopened in Goleta and is now in the swing of winter sports such as ice hockey and figure skating. But that’s not the only reason crowds are returning to the rink. Mysael Val Valerdi and Sean Bentley, the visionaries behind Ice in Paradise’s newest culinary concept, Rinkside Cafe, have a knack for creating finely crafted sports grub — the kind you dream about on Super Bowl Sunday. The options include hand-tossed, thin-crust pizza pies with housemade dough, crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and mozzarella and topped with an arsenal of fresh meat and garden vegetables ($20); as well as baskets of crispy chicken wings smothered in homemade barbecue sauce ($10) alongside sweet potato fries ($3.75) and roasted buffalo cauliflower florets covered in a tangy red sauce served with shaved carrots and celery sticks. Previously the pair worked side by side for a decade at Zizzo’s Cafe in Goleta. Valerdi learned the business side as cafe manager, while Bentley churned out fresh pastries and healthful snacks to go with the cafe’s just-brewed coffee and specialty beverages. For a time, the pair worked at Ice in Paradise when Zizzo’s managed the rink’s cafe from 2016 to 2018. Their friendly customer service and from-scratch menu made an impression on customers. But when Zizzo’s closed last year during the pandemic, Valerdi and Bentley were free agents. Prior to working at Zizzo’s, Bentley, who grew up in Santa Barbara and attended culinary school at SBCC, worked in just about every role you can in a kitchen — from dishwash-
er to line cook. At The Garden and Tyger Tyger, he paid close attention to cooking with fresh ingredients and learning new culinary styles. When Ice in Paradise made them an offer last June, Valerdi and Bentley signed on as manager and head chef, respectively, and have been working alongside its team to develop the menu. “When we heard there was an opening at the cafe, we pitched our vison of a cafe with our unique menu and style, that would draw crowds from all over not just ice skaters, but every culture and age,” Valerdi said. With its jovial atmosphere and crafty menu, the cafe is a perfect pitstop for any occasion. Inside, sporting events stream on the wall-mounted TVs. Outside, a chef’s herb garden provides a relaxed, farm-to-table ambiance as well as fresh ingredients. Striking a balance of tasty sports grub and healthful snacks is an important part of their mission, Valerdi said.
COME JOIN US BREAKFAST OR LUNCH OPEN EVERY DAY
GREAT FOOD STIFF DRINKS GOOD TIMES
FRESHLY BAKED BREADS & PASTRIES
SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 7:00 AM -12:00AM
Best breakfast in Santa Barbara
Mysael Valerdi and Sean Bentley with their taco creations
D’ANGELO BREAD
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” - Charlie Chaplin
7am to 2pm
25 W. GUTIERREZ STREET (805) 962-5466 28 October – 4 November 2021