There’s a new restaurant in town … although it’s actually been here before. Back in 1938, Jennie Luera opened La Paloma Cafe in downtown Santa Barbara, serving traditional Mexican food and running it with her family until 1983, when that location became the Paradise Cafe and established itself as a regular meeting place for a whole new generation of locals. Now it’s time for a redux, with the much beloved Paradise closing its doors and La Paloma back in its old spot, even restoring the original mural on the wall.
The new menu hearkens back to the casual atmosphere that both restaurants specialized in, with oak-grilled meats like Santa Maria tri-tip, “Mission” chicken (grilled Italian-style lemon rosemary chicken that’s a tradition at the yearly Memorial Day I Madonnari festival at the Mission), seasonal produce, and some Mexican/Spanish/Chumash influenced dishes as well.
Executive Chef Jeremy Tummel is passionate about serving food that is not only delicious but is “honest,” without heavy cream or butter sauces. He brings a host of experience to the job, having taught at Santa Barbara City College and having worked at such places as the Border Grill in LA before coming back to his home town to work at the popular Wine Cask, the elegant Bacara Resort, and the newly reopened Miramar Hotel. He’s thrilled to introduce us to his dream of creating a “ranchero” menu and welcoming folks back to a taste of Old Santa Barbara … with a modern twist!
Of course, the signature cocktail is the Paloma, and if you’d like to make one at home, here’s how:
- Coarse sea salt (or kosher salt) for the rim of the glass
- 2 ounces tequila (preferably blanco or silver, but any is fine)
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 2 ounces sparkling water
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ ounce agave nectar or simple syrup (1 part water to 1 part sugar)
- Ice
- Two wedges of lime and/or grapefruit
- Salt the rim of a highball glass: put some coarse salt on a plate, rub the rim of your glass with a wedge of lime or grapefruit, then dip your glass onto the plate.
- Pour the tequila, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and agave nectar into the glass and stir.
- Fill the remainder of the glass with ice.
- Garnish with a twist of lime or grapefruit..