The Sea Has a New Star

The upscale, casual vibe of The Ritz-Carlton Bacara is right in sync with the new fine-dining restaurant that takes full advantage of the stunning ocean views with a more opened-up interior space and coastal-inspired cuisine. Marisella, which means “star of the sea,” is the newest restaurant from Chef/Partner Danny Grant, the two-Michelin-star chef behind a number of acclaimed restaurants including Maple & Ash in Chicago and Scottsdale, Monarch in Dallas, Kessaku in Dallas, and Eight Bar in Chicago.

The classically trained French chef — who must have been a teenager when he earned two Michelin stars in back-to-back years (2011-2012) as well as Food and Wine’s 2012 honors for Best New Chef — was on hand when we visited Marisella last week, as he shared his excitement for the new space, which now lets in more light with bigger windows to show off that pretty seaside view, reoriented the bar a little bit, and added cushy, couch-like banquettes and oversized booths with very plush pillows, which make the space even more luxuriously comfortable. 

Grant also told us how excited he is about the bounty of fresh ingredients we have available in the area, which were evident from the get-go, with an amuse-bouche starter of Sungold cherry tomatoes grown just down the road at John Givens Farm, garnished with basil and served with local olive oil and a mixture of house sea salt and herbs that added a delightful crunch. My gin and limoncello spritz had just a hint of bergamot and a kiss of absinthe that paired wonderfully with the tomatoes, as well as our house-made focaccia starter, called “Dip in the Pot” — a bright, fresh, and tangy but light combo of tomato sauce, roasted garlic, chili, and basil. The focaccia was light as air — next time, I want to try the other two sauce options: whipped ricotta with truffle, honey and black prepper, as well as an offering of prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella.

The black truffle Wagyu carpaccio with crispy artichoke, capers, and tonnato sauce (a classic Mediterranean sauce with flavors that evoke the sea) was elegantly balanced, managing to be both light and rich at the same time, and paired particularly well with my husband’s excellent Old Fashioned, which had Foro Amaro, citrus demerara, and homemade bitters, as well as a custom ice cube with the Marisella logo “M.” Chef Grant also brought us a gorgeous bluefin tuna crudo, which melted like butter in my mouth and had a lovely, slightly blistered tomato sauce that brought a unique spin to this familiar dish.

Our excellent server — a Westmont student who said he had 80 hours of site-specific training after earning his chops at some other local fine-dining restaurants — recommended the Savory Martini next, an unusually pleasing combination of Hendrick’s Gin, Haku vodka, caper brine, mediterranean essence, and lemon verbena. The bespoke (a word I frequently object to, but that definitely applies here) martini menu also has a pickletini (with 400 Conejos mezcal) and a tomato martini (with Grey Goose) on the savory side of the cocktail menu developed by Christina Demas.

On the sweet side, later in the evening I tried the espresso martini, which was delicious too and also featured Haku vodka (it’s Japanese; the only other place I’ve had it in town is at Oku), as well as house-made cafecito liqueur. The Bacara’s legendary wine cellar also seems to be still in good hands with a wine list curated by Amy Mundwiler.

Meanwhile, the food courses just kept on coming. There were gently roasted shrimp prawns with a Calabrian emulsion that took me right back to Italy, and a shrimp scampi ravioli topped with uni (so Santa Barbara!) that Chef Grant, who comes from a large Italian family, said was a riff on his childhood ravioli favorite. 

The Masami Cattle Ranch Wagyu strip was cooked to buttery, tender perfection (and nicely sliced for us in advance) and our accompaniments — sauteed local greens, pan-roasted wild mushrooms with brown butter, and slow-cooked polenta — were also all excellent. 

Just when I truly thought I couldn’t enjoy another bite of this impressive meal, we saw a neighboring group get the tableside tiramisu service, with layers of coffee-soaked homemade ladyfingers and mascarpone mousse topped with a theatrical encore of chocolate shavings! We couldn’t resist that amazing dessert. I had taken just one bite when Chef Grant came out again with what he described as “the most incredible strawberry sorbet” he’d ever had. I’m honestly not big on fruity desserts for the most part (especially when there’s chocolate on the table), but at his urging, we tried the strawberry basil sorbetto, and he was right. That was one killer sorbet, made with local strawberries and basil and the perfect capper to a very memorable meal. 

While this is definitely a fine-dining, very high-quality experience, the dress code and the friendly vibe at Marisella is resort casual. We were there on a weeknight, and there were plenty of families and kids. 

Located at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara, at 8301 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, Marisella is open daily for dinner. See marisellarestaurant.com for complete menus, prices, and reservations.