Seagrass

I’m stubborn. When I hear my girlie girlfriends say Seagrass is the place for The Romantic Date or, *shudder*, the Valentine’s Day dinner I spin around and flee in the other direction.
These cues usually mean: big fancy dinner, big fancy price tag. Oh, and creme brulee or lava cake, again?

Dude. So not the case. Ok, yes, look at the menu and gawk at the $15 appetizers and $30 mains.
But get this: there is an unpublicized prix fixe that is so rocking I feel I’m in a dream and someone needs to pinch me.

It’s only offered on the non-prime time nights, Sunday – Thursday (and they are currently closed Mondays, but I think that’s changing in May).

Just $35 for three courses, based off their daily menu. So it’s not like everyone else is chowing the $30 waygu beef while you get yesterday’s coq au vin a la king. No, you get the waygu beef.

This includes a starter, a main dish, and a dessert. The portions, so I’m told, are a smidge smaller than the a la carte sizes, but honestly, it’s enough food. I was full. And it was delicious.

The first time I ate there:
* Vichyssoise with chives and truffle oil,
* Waygu cross rib with potato, cream braised root vegetables and maple syrup sauce,
* Profiteroles with warm chocolate sauce poured over the top.

My friend had the beet salad, sauteed local snapper, and raisin pudding.

Second visit was a big share fest with my dining companion.

* Kumumoto oyster shooter, ginger gelee, salmon roe, scallions, ale foam as one starter.
* Scallop sashimi and Santa Barbara sea urchin, avocado mousse, serrano pepper vinaigrette, shiso leaf as the other starter. What I thought was a garnish of green finger lime pips turned out to be some kind of smoked roe. Really unexpected and it made me dabble over all the flavors on the plate.
We don’t know who ordered what, we just ate it all. We especially liked the oyster shooter with ginger. Next time, we are each getting one of our own, if it’s on the menu.

* Main – Sauteed wild seabass, sugar snap peas, leek soubise, pommes brunoise, tomato fondue, veal jus, basil oil. Can you tell I cut/paste this from their website? I really have no idea what soubise and brunoise are. My friend ordered this.

* Main – Slow braised Kurabuto PORK CHEEK, carrots two ways, pan fried polenta, braised shallots, tangerine foam, natural braising jus with thyme. There was also a juicy piece of pork belly, like an obelisk of bacon stacked on the polenta. This was an incredible dish, the pork belly was so tender. There was also a slow roasted half onion on one of the polenta disks that was sweet, tender, and still held its form. Loved it.

For dessert we both had the Valrhona bitter-sweet chocolate torte, in vanilla bean crust with candied orange zest and raspberries.

Both times the meal started with bread and butter, and a little amuse buche that was a spoonful of some kind of fish, and crisp slice of parsnip.

They source locally and very seasonally. They plate the food lovingly. The owners and chefs browse the tables to see how everyone is doing. It’s a family run business, but definitely not a “mom n’ pop” style place.

And yes, you can come here for a romantic date, or the mother-in-law meal. You know what I’m talking about.
But it turned out to be totally approachable. If you do the Sunday -Thursday prix fixe, you’ll be getting a $100 experience of food and atmosphere for $35. Do not be afraid to ask for it.

I’m really enjoying the prix fixe options in this town, they keep getting better. Such a good deal. Add Seagrass near the top of the list.

Seagrass
30 E Ortega St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
www.seagrassrestaurant.com