Santa Barbara CA Blog All Things Santa Barbara

Farmers Market Offers Giant Strawberries

Over at the Carpinteris Farmers Market they were selling some really BIG Strawberries -  and here they are!: If they're in Carp, then more than likel;y we'll find them in Santa Barbara and Goleta!

Mexican recipes - Digital Book

Among the world's great cuisines, the Foods of Mexico stand out in their diversity. Rooted in a history of ancient Indian civilizations, inspired by the Spanish Conquistadores of the sixteenth century, and influenced by European tastes in the later revolutionary years, it is a dynamic cuisine, adaptable but remarkably complete even in its melding of different cultures.

Explore Mexican cooking in all its delicious variety with this outstanding recipe collection for today's home cook. You'll find traditional favorites like:

ACAPULCO CHICKEN
FRIJOLES DE OLLA (BEANS COOKED IN A POT)
CARNE ASADO (MEXICAN STYLE BEEF TIPS & GRAVY)
CHALUPA
CHICKEN ALEJANDRO
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH PASILLA CHILI SAUCE
CHICKEN OR BEEF FAJITAS
CHICKEN TEQUILA
CHILES RELLENOS (FRIED STUFFED CHILES)
CHILI POBLANO PIE
CHIMICHANGAS SUPREME
EL CHICO SALSA VERDE
ENCHILADAS BANDERAS
GRILLED CHICKEN ADOBO
GRILLED CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
SUPPER NACHOS
RICE CON QUESO
And Over 200 More!!

No cooking collection is complete without a copy of the Recipes From South Of The Border cookbook and it's authentic recipes for cooking traditional Mexican food at it's best.
Buy Now! Click Here to Order.
SBLocal.com Online Price $2.99

27 Years for La Superica! - Good Eats!

Julia Child made this place famous back in the early 80's, after she wrote up a review of this small, quaint eatery. Personally, I was one of their first customers 27 years ago! And that's the truth! Isidorio will confirm it (when I was there he told me; "It's hard to believe it's been 27 years, huh ?" Yes, it is! - Webmaster SBLocal.com.

I was wanting to revisit them recently, so I headed over there for a take-out dinner last night. Most of the crew is the same along with Isidorios Son behind the counter. The recipes are still the same as they were 27 years ago - Why change a perfect proven menu ?

So I Ordered my favorites pictured here [Click Image for Larger View]. The Taco de Chuleta is a nicely seared Pork cut served on 2 Homemade / Handmade Corn Tortillas! Fabulous!

The Taco de Chorizo is another slightly spicy Mexican Sausage that just melds together fine tith their choices of Salsas.

The Bistec Taco also another favorite. Most of the tacos only cost about $2.30 each, if I recall correctly......

Last but not leastly to be forgptten is the Chorizo Especial, a blend of Cheese and Chorizo served with 3 Tortillas! Pour some of the creamy Salsa Verde on that and you're ready to go! This smooth concoction costs about 4.30 - In all My Bill was @11.85 - enough for 2 meals!
I could just go on and on about how great this place prepares their food - but it just something that you have to experience for yourself. You Decide!

Pizza Anyone - Rusty's Pizza Parlor

Rustys Pizza in downtown provides a nice getaway from the usual fare of nice Home Cooked meals....Expecially when its' Pizza!

Pizza is a Great Quick Fix when your in a hurry just about anytime. If you're a Local you probably get their coupons in the mail - Use them: Just Say I got coupon #11 or #12, what's that good for again? Hahaha.

DOWNTOWN 232 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101, Visit their website at: RustysPizza.com For at home delivery call them at 805-564-1111 in the Downtown area, check out their website for other locations served.

Our Favorite is the Rust's Special with Thin Crust & Pineapples! (RUSTY'S                       SPECIAL: All your Favorites! Pepperoni, salami, mushroom, olive, onion and                       sausage. Anchovy or bell pepper on request).

Cheap Eats - Hot Stuff, Chilangos

In keeping with our Cheap Eats theme, and trying to keep yiour expenses to less then about $30.00 a day for one person . . . here's something a litt more expensive located right Downtown.

The reason this Post was head-lined with the word'HOT' is because that's exactly what you'll find at Chilangos Restaurant. It's the Hot Haberno Blend of chiles that they serve up at Chilangos.

This fairly large Carnitas Buritto, with Cheese and Guagamole cost a whole $8.01 - The menu is Mexican, and they also offer Vegetarian Fare....Check them out at:

Chilangos Mexican Restaurant

- 503 State St, Santa Barbara, CA  - Tel: (805) 897-1160

Click image for larger view.

More Good Cheap Eats - Panda Express

This time we introduce you to a little know fact regarding Panda Express in Paseo Nuevo Mall . . . if you order a 2 item dish, that's Great! - But the 3 Item is only a dollar or so more and you get a nifty container (on Orders To-Go) full of your choice (unless you order Pot-stickers) what a Deal! So everything you see pictured ( Rice, Chow Mein Noodles, Beef & Brroccli, Kung Pao Chicken, BBQ Pork 5th item in box!)  right in this here photograph is what I got for a total of $6.95 Taxes & Drink not included. Beat that Rachel Ray!!

PASEO NUEVO PANDA EXPRESS
                                605 PASEO NUEVO 
                                SANTA BARBARA, CA    93101    
                                Phone: (805) 568-3688
                                Fax: (805) 568-1186 
                                Directions: 1ST FLOOR BY NORDSTROMS

Website: with directions- Panda Express

Local Farmers Market

Santa Barbara has a really great Farmers Market - for more information visit their website  at http://www.sbfarmersmarket.org. In Downtown Santa Barbaratheir Operations happen;

Saturday
DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA
8:30AM- 12:30PM
YEAR ROUND
Corner of Santa Barbara & Cota Streets

Tuesday
OLD TOWN SANTA BARBARA
4:00- 7:30PM SUMMER HOURS
3:00- 6:30PM WINTER HOURS
500 & 600 Blocks of State Street

Great place for buying Locally grown Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Locally Harvested Seafoods when available.

Photos by SBLocal.com

Good Cheap Eats - Rudy's Downtown

Every watch Rachel Ray on the Food Network ? Well, once she present an episode on Santa Barbara. She ate at the S.B. Shellfish Company of the Wharf, The Camino Real Cafe ( I believe that's the name of the place) in Goleta, and Cold Springs Tavern off of Highway 154.

Now I'm not saying that those were the Best or the Worst picks . . . just that for Santa Barbara on $40.00 she and her crew sure wore out some Rubber and Gas to find those deals. Here at SBLocal.com we like to keep it strictly very Local. Like a short walk downtown or a quick cheap Bus ride.

So for this first installment of Pictured Foods . . . . I Give you Carne Asada from Local Favorite Restaurant, owned and operated locally for over 30 yeras: Rudys Restaurant in Paseo Nuevo Mall.

At $6.41 this was a big meal for one person. Tell them you want a Burritto, Plated, sometimes it's alot easier than eating one of Rudy's Very Large Burrittos by hand. I also had an extra Large Tortilla, great for picking up the Steak morsels, Beans & Rice and then pouring your choice of 3 different Salsas. Drinks optional, but water is free. Second Choice shown here is the Chicken Enchilada. Lots of Food for a mere price of around $7.00. It's more than a meal, it's a Meal and a Snack!

P.S.: I am not an employee of Rudy's Restaurants! I just happen to eat there often.

 Rudy's Restaurant Paseo Nuevo Mall - 811 State St, Santa Barbara, 93101 - (805) 564-8677
Online at RudysRestaurants.com

Where to Eat ?

Used to be lots of inexpensive places to eat in S.B. - but with the Rents constantly increasing here, well, it’s hard to keep the good places in town.

Now, if your hoping to find out about pricey eats . . . perhaps you should look elsewhere. Here we’ll point out a few fair priced eats, mostly of the Spanish/Mexican Tastes.

La Super Rica Taqueria - 622 N. Milpas St,  - Santa Barbara  - Phone: (805) 963-4940

As you may have heard before La Super Rica Taqueria has been a medium priced eatery, but since it bacame famous because Julia Childs qrote about it in the L.A. Times way back when: It’s pretty difficult to get a table during rush hours. But during the off hours, like after Lunch and Dinner you can usually get served fairly quickly.

If you like Mexican Food - with great hot sauces, and cold beer, or wine this is the place for you. One of the special things about LSRT is that you can watch them prepare the food, plus make the Tortillas BY HAND! The Mexican Sausage, Chorizo can be had in tacos or melted in a bowl of cheese! Muy Fantastico!

LITO’s Take Out - 514 E Haley St - Santa Barbara, CA 93103 - (805) 962-1559
If you have a Taste for Authentic Carnitas - Litos is tha place to be! Menudo on weekends, Enchiladas, Burritos and Homemade Beans and Rice! It’s a small Eatery and they tend to close early somedays.

Hopefully we can say more about these to LOCAL places to have Some Great Tasting Food. - Remember it’s an axxquired tases, all that salsa and meat; but one ce you know where to get it, you’ll always remember it!