Stella Mare in Santa Barbara is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. No exaggeration; this is not something I write lightly. Every aspect of the restaurant itself and every dish is well thought out and perfectly executed. It’s a bit pricey, but you get what you’re paying for.
Appetizers
Stella Mare has an astounding selection of delicious-looking appetizers. I could eat here every day for a month and never get bored. Seafood is well-represented, but there are also many other options. The special that night was fried frogs’ legs, which I refuse to eat because frogs are cute. They also have escargot, which I have long refused to try. Now that I’ve discovered that abalone is really a type of sea snail, I’m reconsidering the escargot veto, but I’m not quite there yet. The crab cakes and cheese plate are high on my list of what to try next time.
Roasted garlic artichoke from the oak oven
This artichoke was possibly the best I’ve ever eaten in my life. The whole thing was moist but not soggy. The garlic and leaves were perfectly cooked; the spices were evenly distributed and prominent without being overwhelming. Stella Mare’s oak-burning oven shines here: the artichoke acquired a hint of oaky smoke flavor. Now I want an oak oven.
French onion soup
Stella Mare’s French onion soup was very good. I suspect I would consider it “great” if it had not arrived directly after the artichoke, which is a tough act to follow. They use sweet onions, which was a surprise a bit different from the French onion soup that I’m used to, but it worked well.
Entrees
There are too many choices! It was very hard to decide. I’ll just have to come back. There’s plenty of seafood, at least two duck dishes, beef stew, lamb, and meat roasted in the oak-fired oven, with many optional sauces and sides.. The special that night was rack of lamb and fresh locally caught fish. Sometimes they have wild boar.
Seared scallops with lobster-tomato-squash flan
One of Stella Mare’s house specialties, according to the waiter. I didn’t think lobster flan would work, but it does. I was also suspicious of the lack of an overt starch, but again, it works. Stella Mare’s chef definitely knows his stuff.
Steak and rosemary potatoes au gratin
My wife got a steak, also cooked in the oak oven. It was great, fully comparable to Argentine beef, which is a rare find in the US. She ordered it medium-well, which many restaurants take to mean “dry and brown”, but Stella Mare executed it perfectly: a hint of pink in the center, juicy and tender throughout, never dry.
The rosemary potatoes were similarly well executed. It’s easy to screw up anything with rosemary by using an overwhelming amount, but they were perfectly balanced. Likewise, anything with cream can easily turn into a glob of mayonnaise, but the proportions were perfect: smooth without being overpowering.
Wine: Labyrinth pinot noir
Stella Mare has an enormous wine list, mainly of local California varieties, but also an extensive French wine list (of course.) I deferred to the recommendation of my waiter and got a pinot noir from Labyrinth, right here in Santa Barbara. Since I was getting scallops, I asked for a white so as not to overpower the seafood, but he asked whether I normally drink red, and produced this very nice pinot noir, which went well with everything I ordered.
Service: impeccable
Bill, our server, was one of the best waiters I have ever had the pleasure to dine with. He was genial, friendly, and charming, without ever approaching, much less crossing over to, obnoxious or overbearing, as too many outgoing waiters do. He is intimately acquainted with the menu and appropriate wine pairings. He somehow always appeared exactly when he was needed, never a moment before or late. He can sense whether the time is right to interject a friendly remark, and et always knows when it’s better to discreetly avoid interrupting. You cannot find a better waiter than Bill anywhere.
Dessert: Chocolate cake, lemon cake
Stella Mare’s desserts are as outstanding as everything else on the menu. After we finished eating, Bill asked us if we wanted to move to a couch next to the large, cheery stone fireplace for dessert. This was the perfect ending to our meal. As it was our anniversary, Bill surprised us there with a rich moist flourless chocolate cake with “Happy Anniversary” written on the plate. As at every other phase, there was a long list of delicious-looking choices, with dessert wines and liqueurs, espresso, coffee, tea, and everything else you’d expect. We shared the lemon cake. I was almost too full to finish it.
Conclusion: Highly recommended
You can’t go wrong at Stella Mare.
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