Carpinteria on the Sly’s

It’s one thing to list the vintages of your wines, it’s another to list them for your cocktails. But that’s what Sly’s (686 Linden Ave., 684-6666) in Carpinteria does, instantly asserting its respect for tradition. The just-opened restaurant is a comfortable-in-design yet upscale-in-food quality (and price) seafood and chophouse, which isn’t a surprise given it’s owned by James and Ann Sly, and James was the original chef at Lucky’s in Montecito. While its official opening night had some of the usual jitters, the kitchen is already achieving wonderful things, like a perfect Kansas City New York bone on steak served with a Cognac sauce that helps the meat’s sweet juices sing. The pan-fried scallops provencale were equally good in a very different register, especially when napped with a tomato confit that was the zenith of summer. Sides-such as a creamed spinach that is emerald rich and just bound, not drowned, in cream-come a la carte but are hard to resist. Incredibly fine dining comes to Carp.