The Hungry Cat purrs

By JOHN DICKSON — Feb. 24, 2009

POSITIVE NEWS is always welcome in this economy and the Hungry Cat restaurant at 1134 Chapala Street has plenty to share. Starting March 17th Hungry Cat begins offering lunch service Tuesday – Saturday 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and brunch service on Sundays. Hungry Cat has also started accepting reservations for the first time. In April or May Hungry Cat will expand the restaurant by adding a second dining room, using part of the space currently occupied by neighboring business Don Q Billiards.

YOGURT INVASION: Reader Tony let me know that Yo Yum Yum, a self-serve-style yogurt shop, is coming to 5915A Calle Real in Goleta next to Zodo's Bowling. It was widely reported last year that the South Coast experienced a Cupcake Invasion. This year it appears that a Yogurt Invasion is underway with the first shot fired by Pinkberry which opened downtown in January. ?   Pinkberry's supporting troops will arrive over the next few months including Yogurtland (downtown), Live Culture (downtown), Red Mango (Five Points) and now Yo Yum Yum (Goleta). Yo Yum Yum opened their first regional location in Carpinteria last September.

WINE CASK CLOSES: The big restaurant news last week was the closing of Wine Cask and Intermezzo at 813 Anacapa Street. After hearing the news last Tuesday I contacted Doug Margerum who owned and managed the restaurant since 1981 and sold it to Bernard Rosenson in 2007.

   We chatted via email and he clearly has been moved by the turn of events.  Margerum offered this official statement: “I was saddened to hear that the Wine Cask has closed. I feel for the Rosenson family, this must be a very difficult time for them. My hope is that Wine Cask could begin anew now that this chapter has ended.”

REDS CAFÉ UPDATE: Owner Dana Walters tells me that Reds Café at 211 Helena Ave is undergoing renovation. When it reopens in the second week of March it will be renamed Reds Urban Wine Bar. “We're house cleaning and doing a bit of a facelift,” said Walters. “New colors, hours, menu (cheese plates, tapas, champagne brunch, wine and beer menu, homemade desserts). A new and improved Reds.”

FAT TUESDAY: Tonight the Palace Grill at 8 E. Cota Street celebrates “Fat Tuesday,” more commonly known as “Mardi Gras,” featuring live music, costumes, masks, beads, Doubleloons and a best costume prize. Seatings are at 5:30, 6:00, 7:30 & 8:00. Call 963-5000 for reservations.

FAVORITE PLACES: This is the first in a series where I ask locals to tell me about their favorite places to eat and drink. For today's paper I interviewed many local columnists, listed below and sorted alphabetically by the name of their media outlet.

Toni Thompson (Coastal View News): "The Corktree - the amazing (and affordable) wine selection, lobster mac n cheese, and Murph Panini keep us coming back for more!  When we are looking for a romantic spot to celebrate a big occasion in Santa Barbara, we head to Elements Restaurant. When we are looking for a bit of international flare, we go to Cafe Buenos Aires in Santa Barbara, sit on the patio and enjoy the flamenco dancers doing their thing!"

Craig Smith (Craig Smith’s Blog): “On Sunday evenings we walk down to Brophy Bros. from the Mesa. I always have a Bloody Mary and the shrimp and chips. Wednesdays, I'm often at the Sandbar for dinner. The extended happy hour is great (2 for 1 Mexican beers) and I always order the enchiladas marisco (seafood enchiladas).” Craig's other favorites include Norton's Pastrami, Los Arroyos, The Habit, The James Joyce (Irish coffee), Good Cup, Daily Grind and the Coffee Cat.

Jenni Perez (Daily Nexus): “My favorite place is Freebirds. It's pretty cliché to say that but there is a reason why there is a line out the door at 2 a.m. on weekends. Their burritos are hard to resist. I also like Pascucci and their classic Italian menu.”

Loretta Redd (Daily Sound): "My favorites: Opal for business lunch or nice dinner, Paradise Grill for burgers and Louie's on the deck (the Upham)  For a 'splurge' meal, make it either Seagrass or Ruth's Chris."

Karen Lee Stevens (Daily Sound, Examiner.com): "I like to go to the Natural Cafe (tasty tostada salad), Sizzler (as a vegetarian, I appreciate their vegetable soup and variety of veggies at the salad bar), and Lazy Acres (their make-it-yourself salad bar is the best in town). When I'm not eating salads, I like the cheese enchiladas with beans & rice combo at Rose Cafe (on the Mesa)."

Barney Brantingham (Independent): "Among my favorites are Opal, Max's, Petrini's, Harry's, Via Maestro 42, Pascucci, Pan e Vino, Trattoria Vittoria, Chase Cafe, Ichiban, Madam Lu, Endless Summer, Dargan's, Los Arroyos, Boathouse. Tre Luna, Paradise and too many more to mention."

Penny Patterson (Independent): “Cajun Kitchen on Canon Perdido is by far the best place for breakfast. Panino is our favorite place to get my favorite food, sandwiches. Dinner will usually find my girlfriend and I at Fresco or the Natural Cafe. Going out to eat for breakfast is one of my girlfriend's and my favorite things in the world to do, so if you are looking for an overarching favorite, I'd have to go with Cajun.”

Starshine Roshell (Independent): "We love love love Sly's in Carpinteria. The artichoke makes me weep. Big fan of Tupelo, Zaytoon (who can resist a hookah?) and Los Arroyos. Flavor of India. Just had a killer meal at Louie's last night."

Tim Buckley (Montecito Journal): "I'm going to have to say that for lunch I eat at the Montecito Deli almost every single day (try the tri-tip sandwich). For dinner I like Tre Lune, Sly's and Edomasa. For a drink I recommend Joe's, Lucky's and the Biltmore (margaritas!)"

Arthur von Wiesenberger (News-Press, Nippers.com): “My favorite places keep evolving as new restaurants come on the scene. Jane is a case in point. I have always loved the Montecito Cafe for food, service and value and only wished there was one closer to downtown. Recently my prayers were answered! I love Olio e Limone for refined Italian cuisine. Harry's does a great job on steak and drinks at reasonable prices.”

Leslie Dinaberg (Noozhawk, Daily Sound, SBParent.com): “If I could afford it, I would eat at Arigato every day. Since I can't, my almost-daily splurge is Latte's at Java Station. My favorite place for cocktails is Chuck's, although Harry's is a close second.”

Henry Dubroff (Pacific Coast Business Times): “I really like the Chase Grill on State Street for lunch as it is a place to be seen and the Italian-style food is unfailingly great. The owners are wonderful and you can get a smaller, less expensive portion if you order an eggplant or chicken parmesan sandwich without the bread. I'm also a big fan of Coast in the Canary Hotel. The fare is more traditional California and the shaved prime rib sandwich is to die for. It's got lots of booths so you can have a quiet and confidential chat. One of the hidden aspects of South Coast dining is great breakfasts on the cheap. The Cajun Kitchen is awesome for home fries, especially the one on Linden Ave in Carp. Also East Beach Grill on East Beach (blueberry pancakes) and Long Horn Coffee Shop in Santa Ynez.”

CREEKSIDE IS FINE: Last week I published a list of recently closed restaurants that included J.R.'s BBQ at 4444 Hollister Ave which is also the address of Creekside Inn. Manager Jules tells me: "Everybody's calling thinking the Creekside is closed, when in fact J.R.'s is the only thing that closed. We have a full kitchen that is open and serving food, and the dining room will be open in the springtime.”

  John Dickson’s column appears every Tuesday in the Daily Sound. E-mail your restaurant news tips to info@SantaBarbara.com

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