Deschutes Beer Dinner at Eureka!

If you weren't at Eureka! Santa Barbara's Deschutes Beer Dinner a couple of weeks ago, then you missed out! But they plan on having more beer dinners, so it's okay! Just be at the next one! Your $60 will be well spent. So much food. So much beer. Really. So. Much. Beer.

If you don't know about Deschutes Brewery, look them up! Or go out and buy a six-pack of their Fresh Squeezed IPA or Mirror Pond Pale Ale--some of my favorites! They were born in Bend, OR and they are fantastic! They also have a pub house in Portland, OR, which I've had the pleasure of visiting and I immediately fell in love.

First Course

Lollipop Corn Dogs
Polish sausage dipped in sweet corn batter and served with a spicy porter mustard
 
paired with

Deschutes Cream Ale on Nitro
4.7% ABV
30 IBU
An Ale version of an American Lager, Deschutes' Cream Ale is light, with good hop balance and clean finish

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Second Course

Crispy Glazed Brussel Sprouts
Tossed in herb oil and topped with macadamia nuts

paired with

Deschutes Armory XPA
5.9% ABV
55 IBU
Experimental pale ale with floral and tropical notes, perfectly balanced

You'd enjoy this one if you like their Fresh Squeezed IPA.

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Third Course

Lobster Taco
Knuckle and claw lobster with cabbage, avocado, saffron crema, watermelon radish and Eureka's signature handcut fries

paired with

Deschutes Hop Slice Session IPA
4.5% ABV
45 IBU
Brewed with Meyer Lemon, Hop Slice balances floral hop notes with a subtle citrus kick

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Fourth Course

Fresno Fig Burger
Fig marmalade, melted goat cheese, bacon, tomato, red onion, arugula, and spicy porter mustard (medium rare)

paired with

Deschutes Jubel 2015 American Strong Ale
10.4% ABV
55 IBU
An imperial take on Deschutes' festive winter ale with notes of toasted caramel, raisins, dates and figs are complemented by spicy and herbal hop aromas

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Fifth Course

Chocolate Torte
Dark chocolate torte with vanilla ice cream and macadamia nuts

paired with

Deschutes The Abyss Imperial Stout
12.2% ABV
86 IBU
12 months barrel aged in Bourbon, Pinot Noir and New Oregon American Oak, this deep, dark Imperial Stout has almost immeasurable depth and complexity. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors make it something not just to quaff, but contemplate

One of the beer reps from Deschutes came down to do the pairing with us and talk about each beer, and the pairings were made by Eureka's bar manager/AGM, Lindsey. Thoroughly enjoyed each beer and food pairing, and like I said... a lot of food and a lot of beer. I barely finished my food and well, five beers is a little too many for me, ha.

I'm a BIG fan of Eureka's Steal The Glass event on Wednesday nights, so I was excited when I heard that we also get to keep our Deschutes glass.

Anyhey, $60 might seem like a lot, but if you're able to go to one of these beer dinners, you'll see that it's worth it! It's also more fun when you do it with friends. :)

Follow Eureka! Santa Barbara on Instagram or like them on Facebook to stay updated on all their events!

Happy dining and happy drinking!

Patxi's Pizza

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to try Patxi's Pizza new lunch menu, featuring their delicious piadine. A what? A piadine! It kind of looks like a taco, but tastes like a pizza?!

Originating in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, a Piadina is a thin Italian flatbread typically filled with a variety of cheeses, cold cuts and vegetables. A simply yet luxurious meal, Piadine flavors highlight Patxi's quality meats, fresh vegetables and cheeses. Their new lunch menu is available from 11 AM-4 PM with six different piadines, as well as a mini deep dish pizza, and a personal thin crust pizza.

If you've never been to Patxi's, then you're missing out! They specialize in deep dish and thin crust pizza, but all of their other menu items are pretty damn good, too. But we'll discuss that later. For now, piadine!

My friend joined me lunch and we both ordered our own piadine. I got the Whole Hog and she got the Gaucho:

Whole Hog - $8.95

Pepperoni, garlic-fennel sausage, prosciutto cotto, homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, baby arugula, radicchio, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon

Gaucho - $8.95

Spanish chorizo, Calabrian peppers, homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, baby arugula, radicchio, extra virgin olive oil, and lemon

These things were delicious! A different take on traditional thin crust pizza, the best way to describe it is like a taco pizza. I love thin crust pizza, but my least favorite part about it is when some places make it so thin that it becomes soggy. If you've had that happen to you, then you probably know how unappealing that is... unless you like soggy pizza.. ? Anyway, in case you're wondering, the crust has a nice crunch to it and the soggy deal doesn't happen with these! Aside from the piadines, we also ordered a heavenly appetizer.

Artichoke Dip - $9

Oven-baked cheese, roasted red pepper, and fresh jalapeño with crostini

So. Good. Seriously some of the best artichoke dip I've had. Not too salty and the crostinis are delicious. Their focaccia goes well with it, too!

Since we're on the topic of appetizers, let me introduce you to some of their other ones!

Meatballs - $9

Braised meatballs in tomato sauce, basil, and Parmesan with focaccia

Sauce might be a little spicy for some, but still good. Meatballs are tender and their bread is delicious.

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PC: @eatingwithjo

Antipasto Plate - $11 (Sm) / $16 (Lg)

Naturally cured meats, artisan cheeses, and accompaniments with crostini

Loved this plate. All the cold cuts were great and not too salty. The sauce it comes with is made with Sicilian peppers and tomatoes, giving it a sweet and spicy flavor. The picture is the small size, but I actually ordered the large size (for two) and ate it all.

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Burrata Bruschetta - $11

Creamy burrata, basil-garlic-Parmesan pesto, garlic-roasted tomatoes, and arugula with focaccia

Ugh. Definitely one of my favorite appetizers. It's amazing. That's all I have to say.

Sooo, deep dish pizza?!

Half Favorite / Half Alfredo - $26-$29 (12")

Favorite: pepperoni, fresh mushrooms and black olives

Alfredo: roasted chicken, bianco sauce, broccoli, roasted garlic, and mozzarella

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Half Special / Half Greek - $26-$28 (12")

Special: All-natural garlic-fennel sausage, fresh mushroom, green peppers, and onions

Greek: roasted chicken, bianco sauce, broccoli, roasted garlic, and mozzarella

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Half Favorite / Half Spinach Pesto - $26 (12")

Favorite: pepperoni, fresh mushrooms and black olives with added prosciutto

Spinach Pesto: fresh spinach, basil-garlic-Parmesan pesto, and homemade tomato sauce with added artichoke hearts

I'm not an expert of deep dish pizza, but I think these guys do pretty well with theirs. I've seen and read a lot of negative and positive reviews about Patxi's, and I've talked to a lot of people about it. General consensus? Most Californians don't realize what Chicago style pizza actually is/don't know what to expect with deep dish pizza. It's dense and it's more like a pie then it is a pizza. That also means you can't eat as many pieces like you would with a thin crust pizza, etc. I can usually only have about two slices, maybe three if I'm really hungry. But one piece of deep dish is probably equivalent to two or three pieces of normal pizza. So, if you're a little upset about the price (ranges from $20-$30), you actually are getting what you pay for. And as you can see from the pictures, the sauce comes on top. Best way to think of it is like the pizza is built backwards.

Their deep dish pizza can take anywhere from 30-45 mins and thin crust takes about 15-25 mins. If you're ordering for pick up, deep dish takes about 45 mins and thin crust takes about 25 mins. If you're ordering for delivery, deep dish takes anywhere from 60-80 mins and thin crush is about an hour. I've had both delivered before and I've only had positive experiences, and the wait time has always been a little shorter than what they said. Also, not sure if this is still a thing, but if your order is over $30, then it's free delivery!

While I love eating from the comfort of my own home, I enjoy the ambiance of Patxi's more! It's a nice open space with a nice bar area and great selection of beer on tap. The service has also always been great when I've gone! Soooo... if you've never had deep dish pizza before.. don't be afraid to try something new. ;)

Happy Dining!

The Lark

I attended a fun birthday dinner at The Lark a couple of a weeks ago for a good friend of mine. You do need to make a reservation ahead of time and with a big group of people, they'll most likely ask you to choose what you'd like to order beforehand (it's family style). We had 12 people and if you ask them to, they'll print you out your own menu with a personalized message at the bottom for whatever occasion you're celebrating!

Snacks - Crispy Brussel Sprouts - $12

Medjool dates, garum, sesame, lime

These were fantastic! Definitely one of my favorites. It comes with a fish sauce that gives the dish a unique flavor. Fish sauce is actually a commonly used ingredient in most Cambodian dishes, so it was like a nice taste of home. 

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From The Farm - Roasted Beets & Strawberries - $14

Ricotta salata, lemon-strawberry gastrique, spiced hazelnuts, red watercress, basil

This salad was light and refreshing with a hint of sweetness (from the strawberries), and a nice crunch from the hazelnuts. It was big hit at our table.

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From The Ranch - Marinated & Grilled Hanger Steak - $22

Charred broccoli, calabrian chile, crispy shallots, mint

This was delicious! Steak was tender and juicy, though I wish they gave a bigger portion of steak vs. the vegetables.

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From The Ocean - House Made Gnocchi & Dungeness Crab - $34

Spanish chorizo, navel orange, castelvetrano olives, lobster roe, cilantro

This dish will literally blow your mind. It's heaven on earth. It's a party in your mouth. It's basically everything you've ever dreamed of. This dish was rich, decadent and creamy, and definitely a favorite among everyone.

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Platters - Slow Roasted Superior Farms Lamb Ribs - Half Rack - $24

Medjool date caramel, salsa verde, crushed pistachio, fennel pollen

These were great! The meat fell off the bone and it had kind of a buttery taste and melted in your mouth. But since we only got a half rack, there were only four ribs aka not enough to go around. But we did order a whole chicken, which kind of made up for it.

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Platters - Texas Gulf Coast Redfish - $36

Smoked andouille sausage, crispy dirty rice, poblano chile, grilled scallions, creole shellfish sauce

The fish was tasty and the sauce gave it a nice spice. The crispy dirty rice also complimented the dish well.

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Platters - Mary's Roasted Chicken - Whole - $40

Black pepper grits, grilled sweet corn, jalapeno, ham hock, pickled okra, chives, chicken jus

The chicken was moist and flavorful and the grits were absolutely delicious. So glad we got a whole chicken instead of half!

Since it was my friend's birthday, I asked if we could bring our own cake. They said yes and even kept the cake in a fridge for us. There was, however, a $3 cutting fee per person. But they did take care of everything for us i.e. plates, silverware, etc. It was a delicious German Chocolate cake that one of our friend's made. So good. So full.

If we hadn't of brought our own cake, then we definitely would have gotten a couple of their desserts. I'm not sure what their dessert menu looks like now, but these are the two I had last time and they were delicious: mascarpone cheesecake profiteroles with blueberries (left) and a hazelnut praline ice cream sandwich with grilled peaches and tarragon (right).

With the check being spilt between all of us, it came out to be about $35 per person, and that included a coupe of bottles of wine that we brought on our own. You can bring two bottles of wine and their corkage fee is $25 per bottle. If you bring a large bottle of wine, it's considered a magnum and the corkage fee goes up to $50. If you don't bring your own bottle, I believe their cheapest bottle of wine is around $50. They, of course, have great craft cocktails as well. They also give you delicious popcorn as an appetizer. Seriously, it's so good.

The Lark is a great spot in The Funk Zone with fast and friendly service. I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time I was here. There's a decent amount of indoor seating, as well as a bar, and they also have patio seating. It's the perfect place to celebrate any special occasion or just to have a fancy night out!

If you're headed their way any time soon, be sure to tag @sbgoodeats and #sbgoodeats on Instagram. :)

Happy Dining!

Welcome!

Hey there!

So excited to have sbgoodeats.com finally launched! Doing some pretty cool things in the next couple of months that I can't wait to share with you.

Stay tuned for my first food post that'll feature the fun and delicious dinner I had last week at The Lark for a friend's birthday.

Happy dining!