Square One (closed)

Square One’s change up in the menu means I should be able to eat there more often, but in my mind the place is still an occasional indulgence.

I look forward to a small plate of something savory, or a dessert, after I wrap up my gallery visits on First Thursdays. I think about who I want to invite to join, or whether I would prefer to sit there, solo, to thoroughly enjoy the food for the food’s sake.

This time it was friends, two of them, that joined me for charcuterie, dessert and a glass of wine.

Camera non-awesomeness is thanks to my pocket fuji, which doesn’t do well in low light. But if you can make it out, going clockwise from the top:

• coppa americana
• rabbit pate, country style with fried capers and garlic
• foie gras torchon
• truffle salami
• salad of frissee, fennel and blood oranges
• pickled onions
• capers
• wholegrain mustard

Plus, lightly toasted brioche for the foie gras, and toasted baguette.

Risa, the lush, drank the wine, the Babcock Syrah, that I have no photo of, but hey, it looks like red wine.

We picked the rabbit pate and foie gras, and let the house recommend the coppa americana and truffle salami. Everything was delicious. I am always in awe that all the charcuterie is housemade. I can barely make a sausage, just imagine the work that’s gone into perfecting salamis and prosciutto. It’s all very well done.

The plate fed two of us well, and when we got another round of bread, they were warm and so lightly toasted it was like biting into a warm piece of a fluffy cloud. I forgot to add my charcuterie to it! $5 each, so $20 for this plate.

Ooooh, dessert! I’ve been partial to their pots de creme, but we let the house recommend something new. Definitely the strawberry shortcake, they said. I was skeptical – how can they change up a strawberry shortcake to be better than my mother’s biscuits and farmers market strawberries, and our own whipped cream?
Well, the answer is coulis, and mint. Damn. I mean DAY-um. It was so good. First, great presentation. Gotta love ring molds. I even moved the dish to the front desk for some better light, I knew it would be that good that a crap grainy dark photo would be disappointing.
The mint is great, a little bite of coolness. And the dessert wasn’t cloyingly sweet, either. The co-owner said very little sugar was used, just a smidge on the berries to draw out the juices (I do that too). The rest is the natural sweetness of very fresh, very local ingredients. $8 for this little work of art.

Risa had a rich cup of pressed decaf coffee, which came from the SB Roco, but tasted better than however SB Roco brews their own coffee. Burnt-style or something. I stole a few sips.

Past entries:
18 April 2009
5 September 2008
27 July 2008
19 January 2008

Square One
14 E Cota St
Santa Barbara, CA 93190
www.squareonesb.com