🚀 go-pugleaf

	In Santa Barbara, off State Street and close to the
Arlington theatre there used to be a dive bar called Pasquals.
They served drinks and forgettable Mexican food. The proprietors
were Pasqual and Lucky, to men who now are old and gray.

	Pasqual, legend had it, once got into trouble with the
health department for riding his horse through the bar. Looking
at some of the customers that leant at the bar in those days,
there is reason to belive that the horse may have been smarter
and cleaner than some of the patrons.

	Last year, they closed Pasquals, leaving one less old
style dive bar in Santa Barbara. The place was empty with
occaisional signs that yes, they really were re-modelling and it
would be open again. Rumour was it was going to be an Italian
restaurant.

	In the last couple of weeks, the old Pasquals has
reopened and it is an Italian restaurant. 

	Last night, after dinner, I went with my dinner
companions to meet some friends at this new restaurant now called
Vittoria.

	The place is well finished with a marble topped bar, good
air-conditioning, and a white tile floor. There is a grand piano
and the restaurant manager spends time at the keyboard, providing
a nice change from recorded music.

	I went for dessert and drinks. On the wall was a poster
for Fernet Branca, and to test the "Italian" credentials of the
place I asked the barman for a Fernet Branca, he poured me one.
So, while others had wine, whisky and tequila, I had Fascist
cough syrup. 

	The barman, Milo, who used to tend at the old Pasquals
also poured an Italian liquer for us called Biscotti. It was a
new one for me and delicious. It tasted like the name, like a
biscotti. 

	The bar is well stocked, besides the usual brown and
white spirits there is a selection of malts, and aperitifs. They
currently lack some Italian aperitifs like Cynar, Averno,
Cinzano, but Milo said they would get them in. They do have
Campari.

	The entrees, looked good and prices were between $14 and
$24. The place was packed and I believe it has been since it
opened. Some of the clientele looked like music industry
hipsters. 

	The wine by the glass is well priced at around $5 a
glass. 

	The deserts include the Italian restaurant standby
teramisu. They are freshb and well presented.

	I will be going back for dinner. Milo the barman says
that Wed evenings are the least crowded.

Vittoria
30 East Victoria Street
Santa Barbara 
California 93101

Phone: 805 962 5014

Closed Mondays.



-- 
"We tend to forget. Ours is a society where things are like instant, so 
therefore, history almost is like so far back it doesn't count."
 - GW Bush, 3/29/06