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Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Our meal was, in a word, spectacular. When they emphasize the words fresh, local, and high-quality ... believe them. No joking around here - this is a meal worth the hype. From the moment we walked in the door to the end of the meal, we were treated as VIPs (and believe me, we are most certainly NOT). The owner is just incredibly personable and kind, involved and wanting feedback on your experience, but not pushy or intrusive. Waiters were very attentive and friendly. The sun-dried tomato flatbread app - I honestly could have licked my plate. We both ordered vegetarian entrees, which are off menu and tailored to your individual likes/dislikes. This is my go-to special occasion restaurant in SB.
A true gem off the main fairway of State Street. Bouchon duely deserves all the rave reviews we had seen and heard before going for dinner this evening. We sat on their enclosed patio which was nicely decorated with small plants and fountains all around. Our waiter Eric was very friendly and knowledgeable and was very helpfull with the specials of the day and seemed to have quite a bit of knowledge about the wines as well.
On the topic of wines I have to say that they have quite an extensive selection of local wines which is very nice to see. Over the past few days in Santa Barbara we've noticed that many places don't take advantage of being in such a prominent wine region. We started out with a glass of '08 Flying Goat "Goat Bubbles" Rose a sparkling wine out of Santa Maria which I highly recommend. We had actually brought in our own bottle of red this evening so that is all that we got from the wine list.
For appetizers we ordered the Heirloom Tomato "Napoleon" Salad and the Local Spiny Lobster (Gratin). Both dishes were fantastic. If I counted correctly the salad had 5 different varieties of tomato layered with a goat cheese, carmelized onions, endive, and some type of crouton discs. Topped off with balsamic and a variety of different oils. The crouton, endive, and the onions being carmelized gave this salad a unique spin on your average tomato salad. The lobster was equally satisfying. For those of you that have not had the pleasure of trying our local lobsters, they are in my opinion better than most other species. The meat tends to be more tender and lacks the stringy pieces that can sometimes be found at the edge of Australian and Main Lobsters. This appetizer had a puff pastry base topped with a combination of shaved lettuce, tomatoes, and the lobster. The plate was drizzled with a creamy, buttery sauce.
For the next course I had the French 4 onion soup and my girlfriend had the green lentil soup. First and foremost I have to say the onion soup was HOT! so be careful if you try it. It was a bit different than any onion soup I've had before in that it was quite a bit thicker than I am used to. It gave the soup somewhat of a different texture but none the less it was delicious. The lentil soup was also very good and was the only lentil soup I've ever had that did not seem to have any whole lentils in it. It was more of a blended lentil soup. Flavor wise it was also very good but vegetarians beware there was a small amount of meat in it which we think we identified as ham.
For our entrees we got the Maple and Bourbon Glazed California Duck Breast with butternut squash succotash and the Blood Orange and Mint Marinated Rack of Lamb with rapini greens and onion herb barley. The duck was very tender and quite delicious but quite a rival in flavor was the succotash. The combination of flavors of the squash, corn, and beans against the applewood bacon was amazing. The lamb was also delicious cooked to a perfect medium rare. The orange and mint were by no means overpowering and in conjunction with the gaminess of lamb and the seasoning rubbed on the outside this entree was second to no other lamb I've had before. I also really enjoyed the barley. Before tonight I'm pretty sure I've only had it in soups but it was great as a rice alternative as well.
To finish off our dinner we shared the blue berry upside down cake with a lemon ice cream. This was one of the best cakes I've had in quite some time. The tartness of the ice cream was a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the cake. My only regret...not getting my own.
Bottom Line: I would highly recommend Bouchon to anyone looking for a memorable and outstanding meal. From ambiance to the service and the appetizers through to desert this will be an experience you won't soon forget.
People thought this was:
One of the trend restaurants in SB for years since opening in 90's.
Not sure of the ownership anymore, used to Mitch and the old chef was Charlie who's got the Ye Old butcher shop now I believe.
This is good and a small market.
But being in LA not the prices are just to much for what you
can find these days.
California has a unique cuisine and with the local produce, fish, meats and wines, eating good California cooking can be a real treat. Bouchon gets California cuisine. They use fresh local ingredients, have a stunning wine list and a unique spin on each dish.
Our waiter was attentive and very knowledgable about the menu. I had a wonderful tower of heirloom tomatoes over greens and drizzled with local oils. My entree was the duck breast. Each bite was heaven.
It was a warm night and we had a nice table in the garden area. I am looking forward to my next visit.
I have a friend who says such and such place is THE BEST(!!), hand gestures included. This place is right up there.
I will have to say this is such a place. I took a few clients here by suggestion and they absolutely loved it. Now, I'm not much of a wine drinker, so I can't vouch for that, but from the reactions they had on their face on the recommended local wine, I was jealous.
To start, I got their special heirloom tomato salad and let me just say that I've never had anything so well balanced in my life. Usually I'm not a huge fan of balsamic vinegar in my salad, but I think there was a drug in there bc I so wanted more of it.
As for the main course, one person got the duck confit and loved it. They prepare it like in the image included. The rest of us got their special Kurabuta Pork (Kobe of pork) and all were in heaven. I have never had pork that good in my life. Perfect.
Service, excellent. Although I had a bit terse of a captain answer the phone to take reservations. Otherwise, everyone was very professional and non-snob.
I was driving back up 5N and I wanted to go by Santa Barbara just to have another pork chop. Alas, another day...
As one in our party kept saying, "I'd come back.."
If you're reading this, you probably already know this is one of the best restaurants in SB so you can expect great food, lovely ambiance, fantastic wine selections, and excellent service.
What you may not know is that the owner of the restaurant, Mitchell owns 2 other top-notched fine dining restaurants in town - Seagrass and the soon-to-be-reopened Wine Cask. You may know that the restaurant business is finicky and difficult to survive but he managed to keep growing in this competitive little town. This is very telling of Mitchell's business acumen and his craft in keeping fine dining alive during these harsh economical times.
When you dine at Bouchon, you should take advantage of what fine dining restaurants have the luxury to offer - excellent service. Ask your waiter/waitress what is the most popular dish, what is the chef eating, what is Mitchell's pick, where they buy their food. Ask away, they were trained to be knowledgeable about their food and wine selections. When the food arrives, don't just eat to taste but smell and look at how fresh the ingredients are. You will notice the composition of the plate is thoughtful and proud. Prepare to spend at least 2 hours there. Take your time to enjoy your food and the conversation with your company. Zip a little wine in between. Try not to finish everything so you will have room for desserts and leftovers for the next day which is oh sooo good.
My date and I shared a very enjoyable meal here last night.
We ordered the Foie Gras (a nightly special), the grilled Kobe New York steak and the Blood Orange & Mint-marinated Chargrilled Rack of Lamb. The food at Bouchon is not about inventive preparations or exotic ingredients, rather, it is accessible and flawlessly executed.
The space includes both indoor and outdoor seating. We sat inside, though both areas seem very comfortable.
The service was friendly and inviting, especially the owner, who greeted us and decanted our wine.
The reason I'm not giving Bouchon five stars is their wine list. I understand and expect some wine markup at any restaurant, but many of the bottles at Bouchon are marked up well over twice their retail price.
Luckily, I reviewed the list before we went and brought a bottle with me. None-the-less, their $25 corkage fee is an embarrassment, unfortunately tainting an otherwise splendid dining experience.
(An aside: A staff member, who I won't name, told us Bouchon's butter, Plugrá, is Italian. While made in a "European Style," Plugrá is made by Keller's Creamery, an American company.)
People thought this was:
This was a really delightful experience. Great ambiance, friendly and attentive staff and wonderful food.
For starters we had the Escargot 'Vol au Vent' ("classic white wine & butter-sautéed escargot with roasted garlic, fine herb and sherry sauce in puff pastry tower, garnished with organic watercress"). This was really nice, the escargot was moist and tender without being chewy. The roasted garlic was a perfect combination with it. I'm not the biggest fan of puff pastry but it worked really well in this dish. We also had the Warm Sweet Onion & Blue Cheese Tart ("caramelized onions, Avila Farms toasted walnuts and Pt. Reyes blue cheese with organic baby watercress pomegranate-balsamic reduction"). It was also fantastic. The blue cheese and and walnuts were a perfect combination (as they always are) and it was a delightful dish. It was warm and gooey. We tried to share it, but cutting it in half just resulted in all of the creamy insides oozing out all over the plate *sigh*. It was still great even with its presentation ruined. I enjoyed both these starters with the Cold Heaven Voignier which was really spectacular. Light and fruity, it was like a better muscat. It went really well with the strong flavors of the blue cheese tart.
For dinner I had the Pepper-Crusted Venison ("butter-poached new potatoes, sauteed haricots verts, dried cherry demiglace"). I ordered it rare, but it came out medium. *sigh* It was still delicious though. A bit tough, but as it's a game meat I can let that slide. It was very flavorful even with the pepper-crust. The vegetables with it were also wonderful and made a great pairing. I really enjoyed the grilled bell pepper with the spicy cream in it. Whatever it was it was wonderful with the venison. I also had a pinot noir with dinner and it set it off the spicy flavors nicely.
Our waiter was fantastic. He was really knowledgeable and friendly. He offered well thought out wine pairing recommendations for us and after our meal was great about finding directions to the Santa Barbara Bowl for us.
Overall it was a great experience with lovely food and a nice atmosphere.
wow. Such a lovely restaurant, very provencial and intimate. Perfectly prepared sea bass, steak, chicken and pork chop. Everything tasted fresh, fresh, fresh. The preparation is French, the portions are definitely American. If you can, order the crab cakes, they are the best. Ever.
Because this place is uber spendy, my ideal meal would be the crab cakes and heirloom tomato napoleon appetizers and then I'd grab a scoop of McConnell's ice cream at a local shop.
People thought this was:
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.
I have never felt so compelled to write a review before has I have after completing my dining experience at Bouchon. From the moment I bit into the perfectly delectable bread placed immediately on our table, I knew it was going to be a good meal.
I ordered the Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast, easily the best duck I've ever had. It also came with an amazing array of roasted corn, fava beans, apple-wood smoked bacon and butternut squash. Needless to say there was not a bite left on my plate. I had hoped to try the other entrees that my party had ordered, but alas they had devoured theirs as well. All felt the same way.
Dessert was not necessarily planned, but when molten lava cake is on the menu, it is almost a necessity. I ordered it, and it came accompanied with some delicious coffee ice cream that accompanied it perfectly.
If there was a downfall of this restaurant, it is that it made me too full. Although that certainly was not their fault. The staff was extremely knowledgeable about each individual dish, and recommended wines that perfectly accompanied the food. The ambiance of the restaurant was beautiful, we ate on the patio, although the inside looked very nice too. I only wish we didn't devour our food so there would have been leftovers. But needless to say I will be back
Bouchon is a quaint, cozy restaurant with cute patio seating in addition to the indoor tables. I enjoyed the ambiance a lot, perfect temperature and lighting; however, the service was a bit spotty. Our waiter didn't come over to our table for about 15 minutes, and upon arrival, merely stated he was very busy and would be back in a minute. We had water on the table and finally some bread at about 30 minutes into the meal. Now, this is unacceptable to me, but at least the food made up for it.
For our appetizers, we ordered the sweet corn bisque and heirloom tomato stacked salad. The sweet corn bisque was very nicely pureed and had a nice, gently flavor that was paired very well with the recommended wine. I also enjoyed the salad, particularly the combination of heirloom tomatoes stacked with crispy croutons, goat cheese and arugula drizzled with a balsamic glaze. The texture combination was unreal and this was probably the most unique salad I've had at a fine dining establishment.
I had the sea bass with summer squash and fingerling potatoes with pesto and olive relish. It was delicious and the filet of sea bass was at least 10 ounces- it was huge. My BF got the honey-mint and blood orange demi-glazed rack of lamb with carmelized onions and herb farro barley. The lamb was a bit cold and dry in my opinion, but the herb farro barley was absolutely perfect in preparation and flavor.
For dessert, we ordered the blueberry upside down cake with lemon zest ice cream. This dessert should be tried by any person who steps foot inside the restaurant. Being a huge fan of upside down cakes, particularly the pineapple variation, I was in HEAVEN with this unique twist on a favorite and the lemon zest ice cream was so light and tasty. We almost ordered another... :)
People thought this was:
This place is fantastic, great outdoor seating and phenomenal food and service. Everyone is super nice and made sure we had a great time!
The food--is fresh, local, and organic
heirloom tomato napolean, you gotta try it to believe it--- sooooo good
dungeness crab cake, full of crab, not greasy..all flavor
sea bass and pork chops were the fave main meals.
Will be back!
Highly recommended for dinner and celebrating special occasions!
My wife and I had dinner here to celebrate our 1-year wedding anniversary. I made a reservation via e-mail several weeks prior, and casually mentioned that it was our anniversary. They actually confirmed the reservation by calling me that morning - and when we got there 20 minutes early, our table was already set and decorated with roses. We didn't even sit down yet, and I was already impressed!
The food was absolutely delicious! I had the Grilled Angus New York Steak, and she had the Pan-Seared Pacific Fresh Local Sea Bass. We enjoyed our meals to the last bite, and we finished off with a Vanilla Crème Brulée for dessert. Our waiter (Hunter) was very nice, accommodating, and also very knowledgeable of the menu. He even helped me pick out a glass of wine to compliment my meal, which ended up being on the house as an anniversary present.
I don't know much about French cuisine, so I can't speak on how authentic it was - but we enjoyed every minute of our experience here.
People thought this was:
I had heard great things about this place and it certainly lived up to it's expectations. Great ambiance, server was very knowledgeable about food and wine pairings as well. The hubs and I shared the heirloom tomato salad and duck con fit. Both were amazing. I guess the duck is their signature dish, which we didn't realize until after ordering it, but I definitely agree, this dish was amazing. The duck was so rich and melted in my mouth.
Bouchon has superb, fresh food, really excellent, friendly, efficient service, and a lovely ambience. I love this place.
We had dinner before going to the theatre, so we were naturally on a tight schedule and informed the maitre d' and our waiter. They came through and we made the theatre aconstraint without any trouble.
I had their version of a caprese salad with wonderful, fresh tomatoes, goat cheese, aromatic basil and a really good balsamic vinegar. It makes my mouth water thinking back on it.
I followed this with venison, which I expect to be lean and tasty but not necessarily the most tender of meats. I was surprised to have it be very tender as well and the portion was large enough to make it a satisfying entree. It was accompanied with a very nice lentil dish instead of the usual mashed potatoes. All in all, really scrumptious!
I will go here again when I want a fine dining experience.
It is impressive to see a restaurant that cares about high quality in all the aspects of its business: ambience, service, and food.
Very good wine selection and the staff are particularly knowledgeable. Most food items and wine are local, which is great. Service was very good if perhaps a bit overly familiar. Food was very good. Not vegetarian friendly but seafood was excellent.
Noise was moderate, dining room very elegant and comfortable without being overly formal. Great date place. We noticed that many of the other diners seemed to have an LA Westside nip-n-tuck vibe. Most of the women there had had some major work done, and there was more than one middle-aged man having dinner with his younger inflatable trophy wife. Made for great catty conversation. ;)
Bay area restaurant owners. Please visit Bouchon, taste the greatness, see the staff work a busy Friday night, incorporate everything, including the menu, then call me and I will come in at least twice a month. We cannot wait to visit again, next time we are in town.
Thanks to Bacara and a very special bottle of rare, hard to find Pinot, we were treated like rock stars. Every single minute being inside this place was special. Being from the Bay, expectations were high, and then we walked in and the bar was raised even higher. It was met. Bouchon gives fresh, local a new meaning. I could write a page on the meal itself, but you must experience it to understand it. So please go here.
My only question was why are the 2 best dining experiences in Santa Barbara right next to each other. The answer was simple.
Can't wait to come back.
People thought this was:
Food was above average. Waiter knew his wines, recommended a great local Pino "Prodigal". Patio is great in the night air.
Mike decided to take me here after the reading the reviews on Yelp and we had a wonderful experience here at Bouchon on a Saturday night.
The ambiance definitely resembles that of a french restaurant, very warm and inviting. They seated us in an almost alcove like "couples" section as we looked around and everyone seemed to be very much in love (definitely a great date place).
The cuisine is California French inspired and we ordered the french onion soup, kobe beef steak, and sea bass. The portions are definitely full sized at this restaurant. We shared the french onion soup and I can't imagine someone being able to drink the entire soup on its own even though it was delicious. Our entrees were beautifully plated and again the portions were huge! The sea bass was perfectly cooked and the kobe beef was good but we ordered it medium and it tasted more like medium done (order it medium rare if you are going to get the kobe steak). We were so full that we couldn't even entertain the idea of dessert which is usually my favorite part of the meal.
This is definitely a romantic restaurant as evidenced by the "dates" all around us. The ladies were all wearing dresses whereas most of the men were wearing jeans, I guess that's Santa Barbara dressy for guys!
The service was also great and our waitress seems to really have a passion for the food and the wine there . They know a lot about their local wines and have an extensive list. They were also very attentive to our needs, refilling our waters, bringing us an extra spoon to share our soup, little touches like that make the restaurant stand out =)
People thought this was:
The only other establishment that rises above in service, food, ambiance, wine, and quality is the French Laundry. That's nothing to sneeze at. We come here a few times a year and it's always consistent. When your servers actually give wine tours on the side you know you've stepped into a special place. The staff knows and loves food here without the pretension. The owner is incredibly professional, runs a tight ship and it shows. Stick with the local food and what they're known for. Their foie gras makes Patina's mediocre.
Guys, please please please take your special lady out here for a great night out. It's a grand slam, it's kicking a 55 yard field goal, it's a triple double.
We went here to celebrate our 22nd anniversary on the advice of other Yelpers. The table was lovely and strewn with rose petals and everyone wished us a happy anniversary. The tomato and goat cheese appetizer was a work of art and delicious. The NY steak (that dh had) was fab and the upside down blueberry cake with lemon zest ice cream was to die for. My ahi did not make my socks roll up and down, however,
I was a little surprised that the service wasn't all I had read about. We did have to wait about 15 minutes for our tab after the dishes were all cleared away, which I thought was rather slow since we were clearly ready to go. My husband ended up hunting down another server on foot. Also, the sound system was on the fritz so it was a very bizarre experience sitting under the speaker and having it blast jazz and then fade to nothing for 10 minutes and then blast again. This went on the entire time we were there. We joked with our neighbors that there must be a poltergeist. They had evidently complained to the owner to no effect (or so they said). I didn't understand why they just didn't turn it off? But a small complaint, in an otherwise lovely evening.
Here I thought I found a hidden gem of a restaurant, but apparently the secret is out. Since there are dozens of reviews extolling the food, I'll just add my two cents and say that the service here is top notch. It is difficult to strike that balance between really good, attentive service and pretentious hovering. They do it perfectly here. The servers are SO knowledgable about the menu and the (almost all local) wine list. And, surprise!, they also have some excellent beer selections. I would recommend the fois gras and the cheese plate for dessert....
This was one of those dining experiences that made me feel like I had been pampered.
People thought this was:
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! My wife and I decided upon Bouchon as our "expensive dinner" during our mini-moon in Santa Barbara and are so glad that we did! We sat on the heated patio (point, Bouchon) had great conversations with both our server, the maitre d', and the table next to us (point, Bouchon) loved every bite of our meal (point, Bouchon kitchen), and really enjoyed the local wines paired with each of our dishes (point, Bouchon sommelier). As a self-proclaimed Bay Area food and wine junkie, it was awesome to get the opportunity to enjoy the Santa Barbara version of a great, local dining experience. Just remember, if you wanna go, make a reservation!
People thought this was:
Though it gets 5 stars from me, I would say that the restaurant doesn't quite deserve ALL the hype I've heard and read. I love the concept of local and seasonal food and wine and the food and wine was very good, delicious even. But I expected a more divine experience.
Though we don't have all that good local food on the East Coast, there are plenty of restaurants in NYC that would give Bouchon a run for it's money.
Service was excellent and we sat in the patio which was just lovely. I'm not running back to Santa Barbara to go to Bouchon, but if I'm ever back, I'd probably eat there again.
People thought this was:
The restaurant deserves ZERO stars... I made a reservation 3 weeks ahead of time. We found out on the day that they no longer had our reservation in the system (WTH?). We came to SB from Bay Area to celebrate our anniversary. They did not even try to accommodate us.
I have been to Bouchon twice, and although our meals were delicious, I must be honest and say they were not memorable. What I do remember, though, is the ambiance and delightful service. My then-boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's Day a couple of years ago, and were seated in the Cork Room, which is a room next to the main restaurant that is more intimate and can be reserved for private events--just lovely. On ordering, the boyfriend jokingly asked for "a bottle of your finest pinot noir" and I looked at him in horror, since the server might not have realized that we were just poor college students splurging on Hallmark Day. The server figured this out, and offered a taste of their best pinot, but recommended a different bottle. The tasting offerings were extremely generous (about half a glass each) and the wine he recommended was actually even better, but at least I can now say that I have had absurdly expensive wine.
This is hands down the most romantic restaurant in Santa Barbara. It's expensive, but not ridiculously so, and you definitely get your money's worth. As other reviewers have noted, the servers really know their wines, and they will not make you feel uncomfortable or stupid for not knowing your wines; in fact, they will be more than happy to recommend a wine to suit your taste and budget.
People thought this was:
I heard and saw this restaurant on Foodnetwork: one of Giada's weekend getaways. I was so pleased and happy that we went here for our anniversary.
Place:
- Nice and like that they grown plants covering the restaurant.
- Outside sitting is available. It is heated and surely you won't feel cold if you do decide to seat outside.
- Cute and cozy
Service and Food:
- Our waiter was nice. He upfront told us their specials and recommended different foods on the menu.
- They are all attentive and all waiters seem like they are helping out each other even if it's not their table.
- The food is fantastic. Ordered the following: Marktet Flatbread and thier Purple Soup (can't remember the name), main course: Duck and Rack of Lamb and for Dessert: of course Creme Brulee. I dont even want to touch the food b/c it's so pretty and well plated but I have to eat, you know...It's so delicious and made to perfection.
We asked their manager to take picture of us and we were so embarrased because he took one chair and stood on it. He said it's the best view (taking the picture from top down) and so that we'll remember the food that we ordered ;) I thought that was sweet of him to do that...
All in all, I am very pleased and highly recommend it to everyone. By the way- yes they do put lavender as a garnish :) it's not for publicity for giada's show...
People thought this was:
Sometimes, it's all about the service.
Let's not treat the 5-star rating as perfect, but rather like letter grades, where a 90-100% is an A. Bouchon gets 5 stars from me for a 92%.
I made reservations via email and received a reply within 24 hours, which was crucial since I would be driving down the coast the day before during their open hours. I also had to call to tell them we were running behind, and they were able to accommodate us.
It's a cute little place that's easily missed (we drove right by it) and takes up two separate but adjacent locations. There's the main dining room, and next door is an area for large private dinners. The restroom is also in this annex. While this could be a dressy place, we were comfortable in casual clothes... I mean nice jeans and shirts, not slumming it or anything. We were seated in the patio area, which was protected by a canopy and rain/wind screen and was heated, so the chilly night wasn't a problem.
Service, as mentioned, is very good, though some may find it somewhat intrusive. We had 2 busboys tripping over themselves to make sure we were watered, and the wait staff worked as a team, with our waiter taking being our primary caretaker and others checking in to make sure we had ordered or had our questions answered.
The food is good, but should have been better... while the flavors were there, I needed to add salt to everything. I was a little disappointed that a place like this doesn't offer sea salt on the table.
- Roasted Wild Mushrooms: I love mushrooms, and these were done very well. But also, this dish needed the most salt... they tasted perfect after I sprinkled some on.
- Seared foie gras: Very tasty, just a tad bit more livery than I like, but that's fine (not so much for my tablemate).
- Braised short rib: Tender, succulent, flavorful, moist... the way a braised short rib should be! But the winner here is the white truffle polenta..... it tasted wonderful, and I couldn't stop eating it.
- Seared Salmon: It must have been a special that night. On the menu it was indicated as being cooked to medium rare and that's how it came out. My dining companion didn't like it that way but wanted to power through it. When our server came and asked how we were, he could tell that she wasn't happy, and to his credit he further inquired and made her feel comfortable about bringing it back and cooking it well done (she's not very confrontational about such things). It came back out, replated, and she was satisfied. She still wasn't thrilled by it, but she figured it was probably because of the 2x cooking. The salmon came with wilted spinach and beluga lentils... the lentils were definitely not my cup of tea, and polluted the other items on the plate. Salt definitely wouldn't have helped!
- Creme Brulee: It was solidly done with a good sugar crust. No salt needed here! ;)
So while the food brought down the total score (and really, the food wasn't that bad at all), the service makes us want to come back time and again, making it a 5-star in my book. Woohoo.
People thought this was:
Not bad not bad, tho it wasn't "the best meal i've ever had in my life" But it did satisfy my taste buds.
The atmosphere was: well, unpretentious. They play an upbeat music in the background that you could almost dance in ur seat. The fume from open kitchen could get alil overwhelming. So try to seat at the section of their dinning room closer to the entrance.
I would've ordered the lamb chop but i don't eat lamb but that seems to be the signature dish of the restaurant.
I ordered the Foie Gras appetizer, yes, it was really really yummy.
The duck breast was a tiny lil over cooked for me but hey, the crispy skin was really yummy. I could licked the whole plate if i was eating it at home.
If you ever get a chance to go, just listen to their recommendations.
There are so many restaurants around that area, and i wonder if they are just as good as Bouchon...
People thought this was:
The New American checklist:
1. Fresh, high quality ingredients that reflect locality
2. Old ideas with new spin, or classics that have been refined
3. Perfect execution
Starter: Foie Gras.
The foie is seared and served on brioche, and depending on the day and season is accompanied by various fruits and veggies. It was served with nectarines and bitter greens, both of which were fresh and loaded with flavor. The foie was rich, tasty, and melts in your mouth. However, the accompanying brioche was a little too small to hold the foie, and its butteryness was not a good compliment to the foie - it just made a rich dish even richer.
Main courses:
Duck: their signature dish, and with good reason. Duck comes two ways: roasted, and confit. The roast was crispy, tender, tasty, and most important of all, not too salty. The confit was just average, however. It had a slightly stringy albeit tender texture. It was lacking in richness though, and the flavor was definitely not there. It tasted freeze-dried, actually. The succotash was an interesting take on a peasant dish, except I wouldn't call it succotash, because it was mostly corn and squash. Succotash is more like beans cooked in broth with onions and carrots. Sufferin' succotash is the word here. The sauce was weak, but the meat really did not need it.
Kobe Beef: the price is the first indication that this is not real Kobe beef. The second is that this that this has none of the flavor or texture of real Kobe beef. The third is the portion size. No one in their right mind would serve more than 8 oz of Kobe beef at a time. The richness is something that should be experienced, but it's like trying to eat an entire plate of foie gras. However, for a regular new york steak, it was just average. The meat was not evenly cooked throughout. Some parts were medium rare, and others were a solid medium well. It was also a little salty. Accompanying it were braised greens, which were a little too salty as well, and roasted potatoes with bacon. All in all, if you're in the mood for red meat, go for the duck or the venison, because this was just ordinary.
Big points for emphasizing locality and freshness, as well as quality ingredients. All their dishes are made from fresh vegetables and meats that are locally grown and harvested daily from nearby farmer's markets. Dishes are slightly modified daily depending on what's available, and only for the better.
But execution needs work. Dishes taste very one-dimensional. The quality of their meats and vegetables is good, but not exotic enough to stand on their own. Respect for ingredients is one thing, but lack of imagination is another. Easy on the salt and better sauces would really liven up dishes.
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Excellent experience. We had the roasted duck breast and the pork chop. Both main dish was perfectly balance with the right combination of flavors. The duck breast definitely deserves a second mention. We started with the crab cakes which has a delicate balance between the sweetness of the crab and the corn with the tanginess of the sauce with a nice light flavor of the fresh herbs, it was lovely. The french onion soup was delicious, very hardy serving (just a wee tab heavy handed on the salt but we are talking about a hair line complaint here). We ended the night with the Chocolate molten lava cake served with Brazilian coffee ice cream made fresh from a local ice cream maker accompany by some fresh strawberries and a couple of mint leaves as garnishing (make sure to just take a bit of the mint leave with all of that goodness in one bite...such an amazing burst of flavors! probably what heaven taste like). Had a wonderful time here, service was attentive. Highly recommend making a reservation even if it's a couple of hours before so you don't have to wait. We called just 2 hours prior to our arrival and our table was ready when we got there.
Best part of this experience only cost us $106 (we weren't drinking tonight).
Definitely will come back when we are in Santa Barbara.
Happy eating!
It's not often you find a place that serves impeccable dishes and offers fantastic service. My fiancee and I left LA to find it and we had such an experience at Santa Barbara's Bouchon.
The restaurant uses locally grown products whenever possible, even their wines are from local Mendocino County Vineyards. The waiters are so knowledgeable in all their dishes and offer great wine pairings. I highly recommend their tasting menu and wine pairings. Whenever I eat fish in restaurants I always ask if its wild, most times, I get "let me check", but our waiter (Tony) knew exactly where and how my fish came to the restaurant. My fiancee ordered their rib eye, and for a fine dining spot the portions were HUGE, it felt kind of odd having a to go baggy. From the beginning of the meal down to the upside down blueberry cake with lemon zest ice cream...impeccable food.
But as much as the food is great here, their wait staff make your experience that much better. I'm so so glad we found this gem, it's expensive but most definitely a great place for a special occasion.
This is my favorite restaurant is Santa Barbara.
I've only been here three times but each time was utterly fantastic.
I highly recommend the tasting menu with the wine pairing.
If it's warm, eat on the covered patio. Inside is nice and cozy when it's chilly.
I also like that it's right downtown so we can walk to our hotel du noir. A good idea after all the wine. The cheese course is always interesting.
I can't wait to go back.
$$$ yes but oh so good.
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This is one of those restaurants that really puts an effort into not only every thing tasting good but looking good as well. From the quite patio with well positioned heaters to the way they managed add decorative touches to little things like butter this place goes out of its way to be visually impressive.
The food unfortunately falls one notch short of its visual presentation. Like many reviewers before I felt that every thing was just a touch too salty. Nothing that would make me not enjoy my meal but a constant throughout dinner. Which by the time I finished my succulent chicken stuffed with prosciutto made me very over all things salty.
But good food over all, impressive wine list, it would make a great place to impress a date.
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DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A THOMAS KELLER BOUCHON!!!
after visiting the bouchon in yountville and vegas, I was ECSTATIC when I found out there was also one in santa barbara. I found many similarities in those two locations (menu, food) but found this one very different in flavors and ingredients. it wasn't until the end of the meal we asked the waiter how often thomas keller visits the restaurant and the waiter said NONE. LOL. ok we felt dumb....apparently this bouchon opened 3 months before thomas keller's first. the food was still very good. onto the food!
bread- delicious. crispy outside, warm inside, absolutely delicious.
appetizer- escargot. not too rich and just swimming in butter like escargot is usually served. the quality of the escargot was very good in that it wasnt too tough either. this was a lovely appetizer.
mains- rack of lamb, scallops, and duck. the lamb was okay but a bit disappointing. the sauce wasn't anything spectacular and the temperature of the lamb was room temperature to cold. I usually like my lamb warm. the quality of the meat was good but not great in that it wasnt super tender and soft. the scallops were good but a bit overcooked and tasted a bit briney. I like my scallops to taste almost sweet (the best scallops I have had are from bernardo's in rancho bernardo). the duck was THE best entree by far! cooked to medium rare perfection and the sauce was ABSOLUTELY TO DIE FOR!!! the person who ordered the lamb actually kept stealing the sauce from the duck platter bc it was a much better complement to the lamb than the sauce it came with. haha.
service was also wonderful. overall, a great meal and I would definitely return.
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BOUCHON? OUI!
My lack of French aside, Bouchon completes me and my frenetic adoration of wine country food. Bouchon echos the tastes of Andrew Sutton's Napa Rose at the Disneyland Grand Californian, but is pared down and personalized for an unforgettable dining experience.
Starters included the wild roasted mushrooms over pureed celery root with a dazzling cherry tomato confit-- flavorful and colorful. I'm a sucker for fungi so this was right up my alley. We also had the mixed organic greens that featured Marcona almonds, goat cheese, fresh cherries, drizzled with vinaigrette. I'm a sucker for cheese, but apparently not goat cheese. Was just a little bit too goaty for my liking. *bleats*
Wine country cuisine excels in its game meats and seafood-- I tend to order on the side of seafood. For this dinner, I went with the grilled pacific salmon and my friend went with the pan-seared pacific scallops. Tony, our server, recommended an excellent red wine pairing for our entrees: a raw and peppery 2006 Palmina Dolcetto for the salmon and a velvety 2006 Costa de Oro Estate Pinot Noir for the scallops. I've never had a red with seafood before, so this was a experience in itself. Go with the Dolcetto if you like a finish with a bite. All wines are local.
To finish, we ended with a creme brulee which wasn't really anything to write home about. I've never been a big fan of desserts so maybe I'll ask for a recommendation on my next visit.
The service is thoughtful and the execution, flawless. Starters were split without being asked, water glasses were eagerly refilled, the timing of each dish allowed for a long meal, perfect for good conversation. I loved the presentation of each dish-- the various hues were truly complimentary, almost artistic. Bouchon's menu is brief, but there is something for everyone.
I'll be back for seconds.
People thought this was:
You're on State Street, make a left on Victoria and if you aren't looking you will skip Bouchon. It's hidden amongst vines and garden shrubbery, with only one lonely hostess to give off any sign of life to this place.
So.. it's a Friday night and surprisingly - reservations were easy to make and we were seated promptly. I ordered duck, and I don't remember what my boyfriend ordered b/c we genuinely loved my dish way more LOL But I will say he got down on some bread. The bread from Bouchon was served hot and fresh, and just all kinds of delicious!!!!
I will say that I was expecting that this was similar to the Thomas Keller Bouchon. But it was not and I feel like that could be part of the reason I give an average review of 3. But I'm sure they get lots of business from dumb people like me who associate the word Bouchon to the world renowned chef.
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Note to self - try to avoid eating a huge lunch (especially when that lunch is a first visit to La Super-Rica!) a few hours before going out to a really nice dinner. I was embarrassed to eat so little and send so much back.
There are many great things about Bouchon. To start, though just barely off of State St. it is a calm setting. The menu is creative, ingredients are very fresh, service is attentive and knowledgable but not intrusive, food is well prepared, portions are huge, and the wine list is really strong. Even the background music was cool (we ended up scoring a great disc (jem - finally woken) based solely on a song we heard while dining. As I write this and think back to my Wild Mushroom appetizer and Braised Short Rib entree my mouth waters. The mushrooms had great flavor and the meat was cooked perfectly (and made for great cold leftovers the next afternoon). Yet somehow I am still held back to 4 stars.
The main question I'm left with, and that couldn't be answered in one visit, is whether the food is, as many reviews have suggested, too salty. I have to say the sauteed chard with my entree was definitely too salty and hungry or not I was not going to eat much of it. Beyond that I am simply left thinking that while really good, and an incredibly fun evening, I was not absolutely blown away.
I would definitely return to Bouchon the next time I'm in SB looking for a really nice dinner.
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Bouchon has great quintessential French gastronomy. If you're a fan of French fair, try this place before you head to another more pricey and attitude drenched restaurant in town. true, the prices are high, but they are still lower than the other French choices in SB.
Small, intimate space is perfect for anniversaries and special someones. And the staff are more than friendly without being meddling or putting off that LA attitude this part of Cali is so famous for.
MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN SANTA BARBARA.
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I took my Mom here for Mother's Day years back, as I was cruel enough to accept her offer to help me move out of my apartment on her special weekend.
Really pleasant set up, half indoor and half greenhouse front with lots of plants and greenery. You can see the entire kitchen and easily go up to make any special requests to the chefs, if you feel the need to. Great service, they had my reservation ready to go as soon as we showed up. We had a fantastic meal of roasted artichokes and pork loin special. All very tender, melt in your mouth and perfectly flavored.
A downer was the that the bathrooms were next door in a little side seating and bar area, which sucks if wandering to from the main portion on a cold, windy night. But the wonderful towels and cute decor within the facilities make up for it.
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Santa Barbara, CA
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Santa Barbara, CA
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Santa Barbara, CA
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