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Started by Julian Macassey
Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:50
New Italian & Bar
Author: Julian Macassey
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:50
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:50
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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
Re: New Italian & Bar
Author: Arne Adolfsen
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:11
Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:11
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Clap, clap, clap. Julie, you are a jeenius. Love, Arne Julian Macassey wrote: > > 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
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