La Super-Rica, Santa Barbara

This is one of two dishes I actually have dreams about and it could very well kill me one day but because I don't get to go to La Super-Rica as often as I'd like, I think I might live a bit longer... This is a pot of melted cheese, red sauce and chorizo. I like to order a bowl of grilled veggies as well and then make soft tacos with their homemade corn tortillas. You can definitely eat on the "cleaner" side as well. All of their grilled meats are fabulous and be sure to check out their daily specials.

Julia Childs called Superica, as we SB natives call it, her favorite Mexican food spot. And having grown up in Santa Barbara and being exposed to a lot of great Mexican food, it's mine too -- not that I come close to having the palate or cooking skills of JC. It's a funky little shack on Milpas Street with plastic subbing in for windows and patio seating with white plastic chairs. It's minimalistic at best but nothing will stop the hordes of people from popping by no matter what the time of day. And you will wait a while. But you will meet people in line who will tell you exactly what to order. And they will all be right because everything is excellent. It's a family run business with Martin taking orders up at the front most days. If Anthony Bourdain were ever to do a show on SB, I know La Super-Rica would be his first stop and he would love it.

La Super-Rica Taqueria

622 N. Milpas St.

Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Sakura on Centinela

I'd been driving by this always packed sushi joint every night for a year and always wanted to give it a try. It wasn't until last weekend that I finally did and I actually went back again a few nights later. Now it's no Sugarfish or Katsuya in feel, it's more of a casual hole in the wall but the hordes of people alert you to the fact that they serve up some really excellent sushi. It's warm and inviting and the staff are very friendly. We started with the crab gyoza and had to order more. Then the blue fin tuna came out and I couldn't help but moan as I bit into it, it was that good. It absolutely melted in my mouth, so fresh and mild. I always love spicy tuna on crispy rice and theirs was very good albeit not any better than others I have ordered. The albacore and red snapper sashimi were also beyond fresh and excellently seasoned with green onions and roe. They have a nice selection of Japanese beer and hot and cold sakes. Sakura is that diamond in the rough that every neighborhood begs for not to mention their very fair prices.

Sakura Sushi

4545 S. Centinela Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90066

Le Moulin des Pinchinats -- Aix-en-Provence

Several summers ago my family and I took a trip to Aix En Provence. I'd been once before and absolutely fell in love with it: the food, the rose', the art, I could go on and on... When I travel I like to be close enough to town to walk. I also like sitting by the pool in the afternoon after sightseeing and a nice lunch and I often have a hard time finding the perfect spot. But in this case, I could not have dreamt up a more incredible B&B that ticked all the boxes. There were several factors that contributed to an absolute dream holiday. The first was the quintessential old Provencial stone home with lavender shutters that literally felt like something out of a travel magazine. The gardens and the pool were equally magnificent. I whittled the days away on the patio hammock with a book. Second were the hosts, Jean Francois and his lovely wife were so dear, we felt like we were staying at an old  family friend's home. And the breakfasts! I included a photo from one of the four incredible morning spreads we were so lucky to enjoy. The pastries were straight from the patisserie and the yogurt was homemade. Every morning there was a different fresh squeezed juice and homemade granola and a baked tart. 

It's less than a mile walk into Aix where there are countless amazing restaurants and shops. We often got lost winding through the cobblestone streets but getting lost in Europe is one of my favorite parts of the experience, when you are so in awe of your surroundings that you completely lose yourself in the moment. Getting lost and then found keeps me traveling. 

There is a tourism office in the center of town that will take you on excursions in the surrounding areas, to the Luberon Valley or the wine region of Cassis. If you time it right you may be there for the infamous lavender bloom which is an experience in and of itself. A highlight for me was returning to le Moulin and sitting by the pool in the afternoon after a busy day in town. And with all this said, the price of the hotel is another major draw to le Moulin, it is one of the most affordable stays I've had in Europe. This is the first time I have actually posted about a hotel on the blog and it's because le Moulin des Pinchinats truly stands out in my mind.

Le Moulin des Pinchinats

552 route des Pinchinats

13100, Aix-en-Provence, France

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London UK

Meat Fruit: Mandarin, chicken liver parfait and grilled bread. This is their most famous dish and it was incredible! 

Powdered Duck Breast: braised and grilled red cabbage, spiced umbles and pickled cherries

I'd been dying to eat at Heston Blumenthal's restaurant The Fat Duck in London for years, it's been one of those bucket list restaurants for me for as long as I can remember. But because it's now closed and I was visiting London over the summer, I thought I'd try Blumenthal's equally lauded restaurant Dinner in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The menu at Dinner is an homage to historic British gastronomy. Some of the recipes they use date back to 14th century. And it's a very meat centric experience for sure. It's collected all the accolades possible, two Michelin stars and was ranked #7 on the S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2015. I have to mention that the service was exquisite. The ambiance was modern, sleek with lot's of windows and glass and very aesthetically pleasing. There is no tasting menu so one can order a la carte as they choose. I had a starter and a main and paired each course with an incredible glass of wine. I don't often dine like this and Dinner was a total experience. It's definitely a splurge but well worth saving up for. 

Jon & Vinny's -- LA

Love caprese like yours truly? Jon and Vinny's happens to have the best I have ever had outside of Italy. They use a creamy burrata rather than the typical mozzarella and it is a plate of fresh, luscious heaven. I happened to be on a glutton, dairy, sugar and alcohol free sabbatical upon my first and only visit so I missed out on a lot of what they are most famous for. But I simply had to try the burrata because as everyone knows about me, cheese is my weakness. And the tomatoes! I know we're moving away from tomato season but because the nice weather hasn't seemed to abandon us quite yet here in Southern California, I'll bet you can still manage to secure some tasty, in season tomatoes at Jon and Vinny's. Like I said, I missed out on their very well reviewed pies and dessert too. I'm planning to update again at some point as soon as I'm able to return. the takeaway here is that if you're planning a dinner in the LA area and want to impress your guests, Jon and Vinny's should top your list.

412 NORTH FAIRFAX AVE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90036
(323) 334-3369

HOURS
SUN - SAT | 8:00AM - 10:00PM

Ca's Patro March -- Mallorca

I spent a week in Mallorca over the summer and it was one of the most incredible trips I've ever taken. I had no idea what to expect and was bombarded by insurmountable beauty every where I turned. What I wanted to share on the blog was my experience at Ca's Patro March on the north side of the island in Deia. My friend and I had heard that this was the restaurant where they shot an unforgettable scene in the Night Manager. It's a cliffside seafood restaurant overlooking a cove with crystal blue water. Yachts, boats and swimmers are all that you will see when you gaze out into the sea. The restaurant is very casual, some patrons were actually scaling the rock wall to join their friends at their table so swimsuits did not seem to be discouraged.

We took a bus from Palma up to Deia which is about an hour ride. What nobody told us was that the bus would drop us off at the top of town where no cabs would service us down to the restaurant which was a steep three miles down a winding road. And what goes down must come up was all that we were thinking! After about an hour down the snaking road we found our way to Ca's. There was an hour wait so we settled in and enjoyed the view. The second photo is of the view from our table and it was glorious -- could hardly believe it was real. The menu was chalk full of fresh seafood options and I don't think you could order anything wrong. I ordered prawns in garlic and olive oil that was actually crackling hot when it arrived at the table. Kiran ordered fried anchovies which she loved. But as good as the food was I don't think that is why you visit Ca's Patro March. It is a total experience. I have never been as awe stricken of a restaurant setting, it literally took my breath away. And I will mention that we found a hiking path on the way back up that was shorter but steeper and it was brutal in the 95 degree weather but it was totally worth it. It's a memory I will have for a lifetime - these are the experiences that I live for and I felt compelled to document it here.

Grilled Flank Steak

This summer has meant having friends over to the pool and grilling it up and this flank steak recipe is the easiest thing I have cooked all summer which makes it a great option when entertaining. And let me start by saying how rarely I eat red meat. Every few months I'll indulge in a great burger or a fillet and because flank steak is so lean, I thought it would be fun protein to try out and I've now prepared it three times. What makes this cut of meat so ideal for grilling is that because it's so thin, it takes only a few minutes to cook. There are numerous different marinades you can use but the one I am including is totally delicious and super easy. I cut 1/4 inch slices about an inch apart across the grain and on both sides to let the marinade permeate the meat. I like to marinade the steak for at least two hours before grilling and if I'm really prepared, overnight. Here's the recipe:

• 1 lb. flank steak (I get mine at TJ's and it's very affordable)
• 1/3 C EVOO
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (the healthiest vinegar option)
• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 1/4 honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

First mix together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and pierce the steak. Place the meat in the marinade and make sure the meat is fully coated. Then pour the entire mixture and meat into a ziplock bag and marinate from two hours to overnight. 

To grill: Set the grill to high heat on one side and low on the other - should take about 15-20 minutes to pre-heat. After the grill is heated, remove the meat from the ziplock bag and place on the hot part part of the grill and sear it for about a minute or two on each side. Next move it over to the cooler side of the grill and cook covered for another few minutes to your preferred wellness. Because the meat is so lean, it can get tough if cooked too well so I suggest cooking to a nice medium rare. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes and then with a good sharp knife, slice the steak thinly across the grain. I like to serve with garlic bread and a nice salad. 

Tres Lune, Santa Barbara

Looking for high quality Italian fare in Santa Barbara? Tres Lune is always my families go-to spot. Not only is the food divine but it's distinctively New York or San Francisco in feel, a super cozy neighborhood joint. Every time I dine at Tres Lune I always run into family friends so it's seemingly  a locals spot. It's nestled on quaint Coast Village Road in the heart of Montecito and it feels very laid back in comparison to bustling State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.

My favorite dish is their branzino, which is deboned and beyond fresh and flakey. But over the weekend I tried their linguine in saffron with lobster in a porcini mushroom sauce and oh my God! It was so incredible. I'm not one to typically order pasta and moreover a pasta in a cream sauce but this was so worth the splurge.

They have a huge wine list and really interesting and good Italian wines. Cocktails are on the small side so I usually try a glass of something unique and Italian. Their tiramisu is one of the best in town. I realize that there  are a lot of Italian options in Santa Barbara but this one is worth a visit.

1151 Coast Village Rd.                               
Montecito, CA 93108
(805) 969-2646