Santa Barbara: La Super-Rica Taqueria and my Disagreement with Julia Child

The outside of La Super-Rica Taqueria, Julia Child's favorite. 

I thought Julia Child could do no wrong. La Super Rica Taqueria, sadly, broke this illusion. (And yes, I realize how much like Julie Powell I am right now and I will promptly forget it.) According to many Yelp reviews and google searches, this place is notorious for being praised by Julia Child herself as her favorite taqueria. Needless to say, I was thrilled to get the chance to try it.

When we arrived to the little shack of a restaurant that is La Super Rica Taqueria, I thought that it must be one of those hole-in-the-wall places with amazing food, and boy was I hungry! But we soon met the first of many obstacles on our quest to try the famed La Super Rica when we found out that they were cash-only. It was no big deal and we found an ATM not too far up the road.

When we returned, however, the uncrowded restaurant that we had left only a few minutes earlier now had a line that was out the door. Although this too was no big deal, I was starving by this point, and I become notoriously unpleasant and incompetent even with the simplest of tasks when I am hungry. Ordering for 6 people, as my family asked me to do, was not the simplest of tasks, and thankfully, my mom took mercy on me (or was simply frustrated with my ineptitude) and took over for me. As we waited in line, we tackled our next obstacle: to find seats for 6 people, a venture that proved to far too difficult for a place described as ‘good for groups’ on Yelp. We thought ahead and tired to save a table, and eventually decided the easiest thing to do would be to split up into two tables, which we were lucky enough to find. But, of course, the people in front of us in line were not smart enough to think ahead and try to find a seat, but instead, rudely hoevered around one of our tables like vultures. (They also made some rather racist comments about the French. They pissed me off.)

All of this, plus the fact that the place was uncomfortably hot and there were flies buzzing around our heads was enough to put my dad off, and he wanted to get the food and leave, to eat at home where we would be comfortable. I selfishly tried to push for staying in the restaurant, despite the fact that everyone was having such an awful time, so I could fully take in the experience for this blog. But my dad couldn’t handle it and went to wait in the car and my mom ordered the food to go. I was disappointed, but soon got over it, thanks to those same rude people. My mom asked me to get some salsa and these people apparently had no regard for restaurant etiquette, or else they hadn’t notice that a line that had formed, and cut in front of me twice! I was perfectly ready to leave the restaurant and was in a terrible mood.

My only comfort was the thought that it would all be worth it once we got our food. It had to be, right? Julia loved it. I was heartened by the fact that by the time our food arrived, our luck seemed to be turning around. People began leaving, it wasn’t so crowded and hectice, and we found a corner table big enough to suit us all, so we decided to stay. The server was very accommodating to our ever-changing plans and graciously put our food on plates for us.

My order at La Super-Rica: one Taco Bistec, Guacamole and Corn tortillas, and Horchata.

Finally, after all that, we were ready to eat our food. I unrapped my taco from the to-go foil, and was immediately disappointed. The Taco Bistec that I ordered was literally only plain beef on a corn tortilla. But I decided to hold my opinion until I tasted the food. Maybe the ingredients were so flavorful that adding to the dish would have made it cumbersome. Sadly, this was not the case. The food was only mediocre at best. Even the guacamole, which was widely praised on Yelp, was not to my liking; I even felt that my homemade guacamole, which has more tartness to it, was better. Though there were a few upsides to the meal, even these were accompanied by drawbacks. Their salsa verde had a twist that is indescribable, but the restaurant lacked the chips to go along with them. The Horchata was also very tasty, the best I ever had even, but only for the first few sips; after that, it was sickeningly sweet. Overall, the meal did not sit well with me and I was disappointed that we went through that much effort for that little pay off.

The Taco Bistec was underwhelming.

But La Super Rica was not a totally lost meal: it was a learning experience for me. Most importantly, I learned to not let myself get that hungry before I eat. It only makes me crabby, impatient and self-absorbed, and my poor family were the ones who had to suffer me this time. I learned that I should use Yelp and judge long lines with discretion, as popular does not always mean good, especially for someone as snobby as me. Also, I learned that Julia Child is not infallible. Or maybe the taqueria has changed greatly since her visit there, which is certainly possible. Either way, La Super Rica’s current hype is undeserved.

Santa Barbara: Jane Restaurant

My meal at Jane: Penne Pasta with Shrimp and Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil, Garlic and Olive Oil. Mmmm.

The best dining experience we had in Santa Barbara was probably at Jane. Their food was solidly good and the atmosphere seemed down to earth (for the most part). My family was still going strong with our strangeness, but unlike other experiences we had had in Santa Barbara, we didn’t feel too out of place.

            Let’s start with their food. I ordered their Penne Pasta with Shrimp, Clams, Bay Scallops, Chopped Tomato, Basil Garlic & Olive Oil, but decided to hold the clams (I’m not that adventurous, especially with shellfish). It was, as expected, very tasty and light and was exactly what I was in the mood for at the time. Though I’m usually not huge on scallops, these were probably the best I’ve ever tasted. The shrimp was just shrimp, nothing to write home about. My dish, however, was not the best one that I tried that night. My dad’s meal won that honor: the lamb chop special with a tomato sauce that he ordered was so hearty and delectable. Although it was a bit heavier than I was in the mood for at the time, I still lamented not ordering his dish. And, though Tolani’s lamb chop special was very different and certainly superior to Jane’s, it inevitably reminded me of that epic meal in New York. (It also led me to the superstitious and irrational conclusion that if there is a lamb chop special to be ordered, it is probably the best thing on the menu.)

Dad's Lamb Chop special. So hearty, sooooo good.

            After regretting not getting dessert after our last meal at the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, we decided that, though we were very full, we should try some dessert at Jane. The waitress was very nice and brought my littlest sister some soft-serve ice cream, which she thoroughly and messily enjoyed. She was a hilarious sight to behold; cackling with joy as she shoved the dessert into her face, pushing the soft-serve into precarious positions that posed a threat to the restaurant’s ‘children shouldn’t spill’ rule (which I’ll get into in a little bit). It was as if she had never tasted ice cream before and when we told her that, she emphatically replied in a very serious tone that she, in fact, had eaten ice cream before. But enough of her hilarity…

Bad photo of my dessert: Creme Brule, too big to finish, but so delicious.

            Dessert for the rest of us can mostly be described as overwhelmingly large but delicious. The portions for dessert were too much for us to handle, especially after a meal so large as well. I, the great lover of Crème Brule, was only able to get through about ¾ of mine before I stopped for fear that my stomach might actually burst open. I didn’t quit, however, before trying a bit of my dad’s Chocolate Marquise, which proved to me once and for all that my dad was making better culinary choices than I. Though I loved the Crème Brule (especially the crunchy top), the Chocolate Marquise was so rich that it had a slight cocoa bean flavor, and it was accompanied beautifully by a vanilla cream sauce. My brother and sister shared their Coconut Cake, for which Jane is known on Yelp, and that was also rather tasty, if you are a fan of coconut! It was a shame that they gave us so much dessert, as it was too good to let go to waste.

Chocolate Marquise with vanilla cream sauce.

Coconut Cake.

There was only one slight downside to Jane and that was their attitude towards children, as I alluded to above. With their children’s menu, the management left a little note for parents and the gist of it was this: we love kids, but we’re not going to clean up after them. For my parents, who deal with four to five messy children every day, this was a big turn off. Their reasoning, with which I totally agree, was that it is the restaurant’s job to clean up after its patrons and if you make a big mess, say because you have children, then you make it up to the staff by tipping big.

But this little negative quirk was not enough to make us dislike Jane in the least bit. The service was very friendly, the food was too enjoyable and, particularly when compared to the other experiences we had in Santa Barbara, Jane’s drawbacks were mild.

Santa Barbara: Boathouse at Hendry's Beach

The Boathouse at Hendry's Beach

Lovely atmosphere: right next to the beach!

The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach is yet another example of how your experience at a restaurant can be completely decided by either the atmosphere or the food. We went to the Boathouse twice on our trip: the first time I was impressed by their atmosphere, the second time, by their food.

On our first trip, we were seated outside, which made all the difference in terms of atmosphere. The Boathouse is situated right next to Hendry’s Beach (surprise, surprise), its natural beauty made even more beautiful by the twinkling lights decorating the restaurant and the easy reggae music that floated through the air as we waited for our appetizers. My mom and dad and I split their Seared Ahi Tuna salad, Crab Cakes and a Chile and Lime Crab Cocktail. (If it isn’t already obvious, this place specialized in seafood). The Ahi Tuna salad was the only genuinely good meal out of the three. The Crab Cakes were decent, though a little salty and the Crab and Lime Cocktail was just mediocre. I also ordered a Blood Orange Margarita, which was delicious after I remembered to stir it; the first half of it or so was oversaturated with tequila (or maybe I’m just a lightweight). This trip, I paid more attention to my surroundings than to my food. 

Ahi Tuna.

Blood Orange Margarita.

We returned to the Boathouse, partially because we enjoyed our meal there and partially to satisfy my littlest sister’s beach cravings after spending an entire day “cooped up” at our beautiful beach house. It was a lot less fun than the last time: we were all hungry, we had a long wait, and we were eventually seated inside rather than outside. There were young guys at the table next to us making odd grunting noises, which we all thought was rather strange, especially my littlest sister, who mocked them rather loudly, causing the rest of my family to choke back our giggles and look down in embarrassment. (I could seriously start an entire blog on all the weird and funny things she does). The service was much less friendly and attentive than the first night when our waiter was super nice, likely because it was a busy night at the Boathouse. The only thing that I liked better about the second trip was the food and drink. I ordered the Mesquite Grilled Prawns, which were served on a slice of bread and infused with tons of butter and garlic, making them completely irresistible to me. My dad and I both ordered a glass of the Bridlewood Syrah, from the Central Coast, which was unbelievably good.

Mesquite Grilled Prawns were delicious! Photo Credit

            Both visits I came away enjoying the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach, but for different reasons. Perhaps there will be one day when I return, get lucky and enjoy the atmosphere and the food simultaneously, but for now I’ll have to remember them separately.

Santa Barbara: McConnell's Ice Cream

McConnell's Ice Cream in Santa Barbara

Strawberry Bourdeaux

McConnell’s ice cream in Santa Barbara was rather mediocre when compared to some of the best ice cream places I’ve been to, like Ici in Berkeley, Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz and Van Leeuwen in New York. Why write about it then? Well, apparently, the place has gotten a lot of notoriety, having been featured on Fraiser, is a favorite of Barbra Streisand, and has been called the best ice cream in the world by Time Magazine. Now, it’s possible that I ordered the wrong ice cream, as my scoop of Bourdeaux strawberry was rather unremarkable when compared to the tastes of Chocolate Raspberry Truffle and Brazilian Coffee Chip I had, thanks to my family. But, if McConnell’s is really in the running for best ice cream in the world, shouldn’t every flavor be to die for? My answer is yes and for me, McConnell’s ice cream didn’t live up to the hype.

One redeeming trait of place, however, was that it felt like one of those places that you would beg your parents to go to as a child. McConnell’s had this beach bum vibe that, when combined with the fact that they sold ice cream, produced in me a nostalgic affection for the place. And, they had a cute outdoor eating area, which added to McConnell’s laid back atmosphere. Although it may not have been the best ice cream I ever had, McConnell’s is worth checking out for the nostalgia factor and in order to investigate the hype. 

Santa Barbara: Arts and Letters Cafe

The all-powerful lamb burger at the Arts and Letters Cafe.

Going out to eat with my family is often a hectic but very entertaining experience, as the next few posts will surely demonstrate. But on our trip to Santa Barbara, even when we were missing one of the most rambunctious members of our family, we felt more unwelcome than usual. Although it could have been our imaginations, it seemed like we were being stared at much more than is commonly considered polite when we went out to eat. Now, it’s true that we sometimes appear “strange” as a family, not only because we are not only because we are interracial/multicultural (what have you), but also because my family includes some three adopted members, one of which looks very different from the rest of us. But even without being an odd sight to some strangers, we have other characteristics that might cause some people to stare. I am notoriously loud-mouthed and opinionated, and these traits are only heightened in the comfortable presence of my family. The youngest member of my family has a very distinctive munchkin voice that can cut through the loudest of environments, which would be fine if she didn't happen to be hilariously inappropriate for a six year old. And, of course, since siblings will be siblings, we all bicker like crazy.


 But despite our idiosyncrasies and like most families, we are usually met with respect when we dine out. In Santa Barbara, however, and particularly at the Arts and Letter Café, where we went out to lunch one day, the other patrons in the restaurant tended to stare, rather rudely I might add. There is no way to know the reasons for this impolite behavior; all that I know is that it made me feel ill at ease while I was trying to enjoy my meal.

A slice of cucumber in our water.

Besides this drawback, the Arts and Letters Café was an enjoyable experience. We arrived for lunch ten minutes before the kitchen closed, which ensured that we got our food quickly. Their eating area was a garden patio, which provided a very green and lovely atmosphere in which to ingest ones food. And, unlike the patrons, the service was friendly and courteous. Another virtue of the ALC was the fact that they had cucumbers in their water, which simultaneously provided a refreshing twist to our drinks and gave my family something to battle over (particularly for my littlest sister, who already has the bad habit of sticking her little fingers in the water to get the ice out).

But of course, we didn’t go there just for the atmosphere or the service or the cucumber water. We wanted good food and we received it. I ordered their lamb burger, which consisted of Niman Ranch Lamb, feta cheese, roasted pepper, spinach, basil aioli all on a sesame bun, and the ALC salad which included Shepherd Farm lettuce, red onion, avocado, pecorino cheese. Seriously divine. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the lamb burger, but once I took a bite, all doubts were cast aside. I didn’t even care that I probably looked ridiculous trying to eat a burger that was far too large to fit into my mouth. It was that good.

One of the many benefits of going out to eat with a large family––besides the assurance that you will never have a boring time––is that you are also able to take a sampling of everyone’s dish. The most memorable dish I tasted other than my own was my dad’s seafood salad, consisting of grilled prawns and crab with baby greens, tomatoes, onion and cucumbers with vinaigrette dressing. It was definitely delicious. Crab and shrimp happen to be some of my favorite types of seafood, and food in general. Even so, my lamb burger trumped all of the other dishes I tried there that night. 

Like many of our dining experiences in Santa Barbara, the Arts and Letters Café was a little off-putting, but filled with deliciousness and a little bit of crazy, thanks to my lovely family.

In the Kitchen: Santa Barbara Breakfast Blurb

This breakfast brought the sunny-side to a foggy morning in Santa Barbara

Stunning view from our place, a little later in the day.

There isn’t much to say about this little breakfast that I cooked up for myself, other than it felt like the right thing to eat whilst on a family vacation in a beautiful house with a stunning view in Santa Barbara. Though that morning was a rather foggy one, our beach-front house still offered a gorgeous view that inspired me to shake up my usual cereal-and-milk breakfast routine. I saw that my mom had made herself sunny-side up eggs and, since that meal happened to fall within my very limited cooking ability, I decided to do the same, but with a slight twist. After making the eggs, I sprinkled some balsamic vinegar on top, toasted a few slices of sourdough bread, washed myself a nectarine and poured a glass of my favorite caffeinated beverage, Tejava iced tea. It was a wonderful way to wake myself up, and I enjoyed it all the more beside the beautiful environment that surrounded me in stunning Santa Barbara. 

Thursdays at Cafe Elmwood: Sausage and Pint Night

Sausage and Pint at Elmwood Cafe!

"This must be Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays." – Arthur Dent, of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

If you agree with this (rather geeky) quote, take heart. Thursdays have become just a little bit more bearable with the help of Berkeley’s relatively new Elmwood Café. The Café started a weekly Sausage and Pint Night, on (you guessed it) Thursdays.

            I discovered Sausage and Pint Night quite by accident. One Thursday night, Ben and I were being particularly indecisive about where to go for dinner and ended up going to Manpuku, a cheap, nearby and reliable tasty option for sushi. As we were walking home, we noticed that Elmwood Café was uncommonly happening for the time of night. We then saw the chalkboard sign outside their door and were quickly made aware of Sausage and Pint Night. Thinking it was a one-time deal, we lamented our choice of dinner and having missed out on something so European-sounding as Sausage and Pint Night. I went to Elmwood Café for lunch one Wednesday, a few weeks later, and noticed the writing on the chalkboard inside: Join Us Thursday for Sausage and Pint Night. It was a joyous moment, like finding a long-lost sock in the bottom of your drawer, but with the promise of something much more appetizing.

Needless to say, when Ben and I arrived the next evening we were brimming with excitement. We stepped up to the counter, where they had little green order cards for guest to fill out. For my sausage, I picked the Hot Italian on a pretzel with roasted onions, red peppers and their homemade ketchup on top. Ben went with the Chicken Apple Sausage on the same roll with the roasted onions and red peppers for toppings as well. Since neither of us can profess to know anything about beer, we just picked what sounded good. I got the Boont Amber Ale and Ben got himself the Trumer Pils. Despite our ignorance, our server was friendly and complimented us on our choices.

Just as a disclaimer for anyone looking to my opinion about their beer: I am a bit of a “girl” when it comes to beer and alcoholic drinks in general. I like to steer away from anything too bitter. So the Boont Amber Ale was just too much for me, especially an entire pint full. Ben’s Trumer Pils went down a lot smoother. The sausages were wonderful and, personally, I could have even done without the toppings. Overall, my meal (and the nibbles and sips I took from Ben’s meal) made me feel that Sausage and Pint Night has definite potential, and that, next time, I have to order smarter in order to really experience it at its best

Elmwood Cafe used to be Ozzie's Soda Fountain in the 50s. It's been around since 1921!

So, the food was great. But the atmosphere was what made the experience memorable. Elmwood Café truly lives up to the adorable reputation of its namesake neighborhood. And it has quite a history;  it’s been around since 1921! The newest owners have taken care to preserve what they could from the days when it was Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, which give the place a retro, 1950s-style charm. As vintage as it feels, Elmwood Café is truly millennial, giving away half of its profits to charitable projects. While the Café does its share to contribute to the betterment of the world, its contribution to the betterment of Thursdays is enough for me.