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Jason Banks decks his house out each year with some 25 jack-o’-lanterns (photo credit: © AArthurFisher. com)
r e s t a u r a n t unique mexican dining experience
It arrives dry to the restaurant where it is finished with ingredients including butter. Sauce Originale is sublime. “We thought it was way too risky to have such a limited menu in a small town,” says Skye. Executive Chef Jake Reimer “knows French cuisine, but he understands we’re not in Paris. He’s not making a classic French dish and putting an avocado in it.” Salade d’Endives et de Roquefort ($13.95) and Salade Niçoise ($16.95) were added for the California consumer. The dressing is basic vinaigrette, but it’s made fresh every day. Pavé de Légumes ($17.95) is a hearty vegetarian dish. The classic French dish Moules Marinières is made with Santa Barbara mussels, garlic, shallots, parsley and white wine; ($11.95). It’s all in the details. The French fries are twice cooked. First they’re blanched. Next they sit until returning to room temperature. Only then are they fried. Open only three weeks, Le Relais de Paris already has regulars. “We’re close to having a permit for outdoor dining,” says Syke. There’s also a patio in the back, which can be used for private parties. There are plans to open three more locations in California, possibly in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. Bon appétit.
The Pumpkin King Private chef, urban farmer, and beekeeper Jason Banks is all in for Halloween. Each year, his house is bedecked with some 25 jack-o’-lanterns. A professional chef (formerly with Stella Mare and Café Luck), Jason is good with knives. The Dish asked the expert for pumpkin carving tips. Jason recommends getting creative when thinking of instruments. “Raid your toolbox and kitchen drawers. An apple corer makes great small, round circles. A melon baller creates dots by taking off just the top layer for added dimension,” he says. “Surprisingly, giant pumpkins are easier to carve than smaller ones. There’s more room to scoop out the insides and surface area to create.” Design-wise, Jason recommends exaggerating facial features, or turning the pumpkin on its side and using the stump as the nose. A small pumpkin can be stuffed in the mouth of a large one and two small pumpkins can be the eyes in a bigger one. Pillar candles are used in the big pumpkins. Real candles are preferred to the battery operated ones as they emit a brighter, prettier
Urban farmer, beekeeper, chef and expert pumpkin carver Jason Banks with Petunia (photo by Wendy Jenson)
light. To avoid pumpkin splatter, transport large pumpkins by placing them in the center of a blanket and then lifting with a strong friend. Save the seeds to plant the following year. The spooktacular display will be lit up Halloween Eve and night, on Chapala Street between Junipero and Quinto. Jason is also an urban farmer and beekeeper, making jams, jellies, honey, and kosher dill pickles. His Chapala Farms (www. chapalafarms.com) products are sold at the regular artisans market at WilliamsSonoma in La Cumbre Plaza. The next artisanal event will be in January 2013.
unique mexican dining experience
Healthy Choices Backyard Bowls may be thriving with three local locations but Epic Bowls in Paseo Nuevo closed last week. Equipment and furnishings have all been removed from the small space. Meanwhile, Earthbar just opened at the Santa Barbara Athletic Club at 520 Castillo Street. Earthbar serves organic pressed juices, smoothies, wellness shots, nutritional supplements, acai and quinoa bowls. The L-carnitine shot ($2oz.) is promoted as a natural fat burner, and Brain-On ($3oz.) is said to elevate mood and increase focus. Drink up! Tips: If you have any juicy restaurant tidbits (openings and closings, key staff changes, celebrity sightings, and the like) please contact me at wendy@ santabarbarasentinel.com.
805.564.2626 600 n. milpa s, santa barbar a m o n - f r i 1 1 a m – 9 p m • S at - S u n 9 a m - 9 p m
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