Munching on Lunch at Monte’s

With one of the loveliest patio spaces in Montecito, adding lunch to Monte’s already popular Coast Village Road digs seems like a no-brainer. As Matt Kettmann outlined when the restaurant opened in the old Bar Lou space in May, the restaurant is part of Endwell Hospitality’s first endeavor in the area, with the majority of its produce from its very own nearby Rincon Hill Farm, an eight-acre regenerative farm in Carpinteria, which I had the pleasure of visiting this summer. 

This group is also working on the ambitious reopening of The Palms in Carpinteria, making the iconic spot into a three-story dining destination, including three concepts within: a casual, DIY grilling spot (like the original Palms’ DIY steak model); a fine-dining, Michelin star–aimed restaurant; and an ocean-view rooftop bar. 

While that project is still a work in progress, lunch at Monte’s is happily up and running and I had the pleasure of checking out the new menu last week. Executive Chef Daniel Kim explained that in adding lunch to Monte’s offerings, he focused on the same Korean-Californian culinary vision and ingredient-driven philosophy that defines the restaurant’s dinner service — but leaned into his Korean heritage–driven flavors a little more. 

For example, the Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich with savoy cabbage kimchi slaw had a lovely light batter on the chicken and a perfectly pillowy bun, which paired perfectly with the tangy sour kick of the kimchi. The Chicken Bulgogi Rice Bowl with ginger-scallion sauce, seasonal vegetables from Rincon Hill farm, and Koshihikari rice was a tasty riff on the standard chicken and rice. They also had a vegetable-forward Rincon Hill Farm Mushroom Rice Bowl with soy mushroom seasoning on offer if meat’s not your thing. 

But the carnivores among us will surely enjoy the mouthwatering Grilled Korean Short Rib Frites with Korean miso butter. We certainly did. The Seasonal Toast with whipped lemon ricotta and Sungold tomatoes was a delectable starter, and I can also vouch for the Prawn Toast with charred lemon aioli and kimchi — a standout from the dinner menu that’s also available with the new lunch service, currently offered Wednesdays through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If you’re looking for a good time to check it out, I would recommend a Friday, when lunch guests can make a morning of their visit with the Monte’s Farmers Market, held on the restaurant’s patio from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Held weekly, the market brings freshly harvested produce from Rincon Hill Farm, so you too can stock up on some of the same seasonal fruits, vegetables, and herbs Chef Daniel uses in the restaurant’s kitchen, in addition to the Farm’s very own dried and pickled goods. 

Monte’s, 1198 Coast Village Rd., Montecito; (805) 330-4590; montessb.com