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Cover Story By Indy Staff | Thu Jul 27, 2006 | 12:00pm

Last Calls

The news descended slow but strong, like the dark rum slipping through the pineapple slice in one of Willy Gilbert’s renowned mai tais: Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens-the nearly 60-year-old bar and restaurant on East Canon Perdido Street whose pagoda fa§ade is the last reminder of Santa Barbara’s once-bustling Chinatown-would be closing for good on Saturday, July 29. The reason? Owner and chef Tommy Chung, Jimmy’s son, wants to retire and sell the whole property-which includes the restaurant, bar, and home in the back-for a comfortable chunk of change, with which he’ll enjoy his golden years.

Food & Drink By Emily R. See | Thu Jul 13, 2006 | 12:00pm

Sangria

For many, sangr-a conjures up painful memories of “trash can” punch made with cheap wine and a few sad-looking apples, and usually an even more painful hangover. The traditional summer refreshment in Spain, sangr-a became popular in America after it was featured in the 1964 World’s Fair, giving people a new excuse to buy jug wine. So it isn’t too surprising that in the sweeping Spanish culinary trend (tapas), sangr-a has been left to languish as frat party fare.

Food & Drink By Emily R. See | Thu Jul 13, 2006 | 12:00pm

Tri-tip-bits

The latest on Fresco, Reds’ sandwiches, and why Emilio’s owner is not selling.

Food & Drink By Laurel Miller | Thu Jul 13, 2006 | 12:00pm

Walnut Oil

Move over, olive; there’s new oil in town. True, walnut oil is nothing new-the French have been producing it since the 18th century-but in the last year, two raw walnut vendors at the Santa Barbara Farmers Markets have started producing 100 percent pure, cold-pressed oil from their crops. Unlike commercially produced oils, cold-pressed products do not use heat, which extracts more oil, but breaks down the flavor compounds and diminishes the nutritive properties of the nut. Commercial oils also often contain water, which is used to thin the oil, diluting the taste.

Food & Drink By Indy Staff | Thu Jul 13, 2006 | 12:00pm

Top Five Beach-Blanket Bites

1. If you can refrain from eating them the second you get in the car, the trek to the beach is just about perfect to give the Corn Pups from The Doghouse a chance to cool. 730 Milpas St., 962-3808.

Business By Emily R. See | Thu Jul 13, 2006 | 12:00pm

Tidbits- Fresco Change-O:

Fresco Change-O:
With the stoves barely cool from Citronelle’s July 9 closing, Mark and Jill Brouillard have already converted the space atop the Santa Barbara Inn into Fresco at the Beach. An extension of their uptown empire, they hope to liven up the restaurant with salads, soups, tapas, and other beach-appropriate fare created by Chef Jason Banks.

Business By Nick Welsh | Thu Jul 06, 2006 | 12:00pm

Esau’s in Peril

Esau’s – one of Santa Barbara’s signature breakfast and lunch spots for more than 50 years – may be forced to find new quarters because the restaurant’s landlord refuses to negotiate a new lease. According to Esau owner Scott Stanley, landlords Abe and Mike Safina have declined to discuss renegotiating his lease at 403 State Street, which expires in October.

Food & Drink By Laurel Miller | Thu Jun 29, 2006 | 12:00pm

Crabs, Shrimps, and Oysters, Oh My!

Summer is the perfect time to free yourself of inhibitions. That said, picking up a case of crabs may not be on your list of things to do this season, but relax: The kind of crabs to which we’re referring are from our local fishery, and make for some fine summertime snacking. Other Santa Barbara shellfish worth checking out include sweet, succulent spot prawns; ridgeback shrimp; and farmed oysters, mussels, and clams.

Business By Michael Cervin | Thu Jun 22, 2006 | 12:00pm

Michael Towbes

“Stick with what you know,” Michael Towbes admonished me over a weekday lunch at Ca’ Dario. A simple statement, one that reflected not only his considerable business dealings, but his lunch choices as well. True to his own advice, Towbes stuck with what he knows, and he knows Ca’ Dario well. The staff knows him well, too, greeting him sincerely. He ordered one of his standard dishes, the LattuÂ-ghette con Gorgonzola e Noci, which is a fancy way of saying a mixed green salad with apple, walnut, raisin, and crumbled blue cheese. I went with Michael’s recommendation of the rigatoni.

Bottles & Barrels By Sao Anash | Thu Jun 22, 2006 | 12:00pm

Goooooooal in a Glass

My father and I have been exchanging emails about FIFA’s World Cup Soccer. I was born in the Azores Islands, about 800 miles off the coast of Portugal, on one of the smaller islands named Terceira. Soccer is our island’s collective sport of choice.

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