Trattoria Uliveto

This evening we had the perfect meal. Perfect atmosphere. Perfect service. Perfect food. And it was all right here in the Santa Maria Valley at Trattoria Uliveto.

First a little story: In 1996 we ventured to Boston to run the Boston Marathon and had the occasion to "carbo-load" in the Italian section of North Boston. We dined at a traditional family-owned restaurant for lunch and enjoyed it so much that we returned with friends the next evening for dinner. We'd never had such outstanding Italian food and lamented the fact that we had nothing similar back home on the Central Coast. So we began a 12-year quest for the "perfect" Italian restaurant.

Now a confession: I'd been meaning to type a review since Trattoria Uliveto opened last August but I kept getting distracted by yet another perfect meal at the Trattoria. Each time Ann and I dine here, we're amazed by Chef Curti's inventive and delicious culinary masterpieces. Trattoria Uliveto won us over during our first visit with their extensive menu and attention to freshness, quality and presentation. Since then, we've explored the "regular" menu but often don't get past the evening's list of Specials because there's always something new to explore. Either way, there's an outstanding meal awaiting and we're always glad we've returned.

This evening we arrived early and were cordially greeted by Marna, the Trattoria's friendly (and beautiful) hostess. We were seated and brought fresh-baked bread straight from the oven along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We ordered a Pinot Noir from the Trattoria's large selection of Central Coast wines and explored the menu. Daniel (our server) came by to present the list of tonight's specials and answer any questions we had. Ann didn't make it past the list of specials but I selected one of my favorites from the regular menu. For our Antipasti, we had Crostino Alla Romana (a delicious mix of toasted Bruschetta, Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Butter, and Sage). For our salad we usually split an Insalata Spinaci (Spinach, Mushrooms, Gorgonzola, Italian Bacon, Red Onion) but tonight we decided on the Insalata Speciale (a delicious blend of roasted beets, spinach and feta cheese). Ann selected tonight's Halibut special (a grilled Halibut filet layered upon a bed of mashed potatoes, julienne carrots and accented with fresh mint to perfect the delicious mix of flavors). I ordered the Penne Amatriciana (a simple but delicious blend of Onion, Pancetta and Tomato). Amatriciana dishes are rarely found here in California and I'm always glad I can rely on Trattoria Uliveto to serve the perfect Penne Amatriciana whenever I succumb to the craving. Co-Owner Jim Spallino swung by our table to make sure we were comfortable and, as always, we had a very pleasant conversation with him. Then it was time for dessert. Marna gave us the desert list rundown and we ordered the Pannacotta (an Italian cream custard with fresh raspberries and blackberries and drizzled with a balsamic vinegar sauce). It was the perfect finish to our perfect meal.

We truly feel honored that Jim Spallino, Alfonso Curti and their families have partnered to open Trattoria Uliveto right here in the Santa Maria Valley. The Trattoria is located in Old Town Orcutt and is open 6 days a week (Tuesday-Sunday) for lunch and dinner. We recommend reservations.

Trattoria Uliveto
285 South Broadway
Orcutt, CA 93455
805-934-4546

El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant

We had the pleasure to recently discover a fantastic Mexican restaurant in the heart of Santa Maria. El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant is a genuine Mom and Pop enterprise. Owners Gus and Rosie Arana welcome each diner to their pleasant and comfortable restaurant as if they were opening their own home to you and your family or friends. Rosie is the chef and she prepares each dish with the freshest homemade ingredients and her own tasty recipes. Gus is the official greeter/waiter and is more than eager to answer any questions and make sure you're comfortable and quickly attended to. The restaurant is super clean and the pride Mr and Mrs Arana place in their enterprise is evident from the moment you walk in the door.

It was tough deciding from amongst the extensive menu so we ordered a couple Mexican beers and took our time while enjoying the delicious fresh salsa and chips. The salsa is chunky and very flavorful (not that watery kind we sometimes find). Not that I needed it, but just to be sure I had plenty of spice, Gus brought a bottle of homemade hot sauce which added more than enough kick to my servings of the salsa!

For our main courses, we finally settled on a couple enchilada dishes: Chicken Enchiladas Suizas and Chicken Enchiladas Mole. Both meals come with fresh homemade refried beans and Mexican rice with vegetables. Both the beans and rice were fresh and perfectly prepared. I really liked the beans; they were smooth and full of healthy flavor.

I'm a big fan of Mole sauce so I usually order a Mole dish whenever I see it on the menu. Gus and Rosie's Chicken Enchiladas Mole are undoubtedly the best available here on the Central Coast. The enchiladas were stuffed with large chunks of white chicken meat, wrapped in fresh corn tortillas, smothered with Rosie's homemade Mole sauce and topped with delicious Mexican crumbled cheese. Wow!

The Chicken Enchiladas Suiza were also filled with a generous helping of grilled white chicken meat, wrapped in homemade tortillas, smothered with Rosie's green chile sauce and topped with shredded cheese. Served with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream on the side, these Suiza enchiladas will surely please Suiza fans every time.

We finished our meal by sharing a desert of fried ice cream. Gus and Rosie serve their fried ice cream with a special surprise which you have to try to really appreciate. We won't spoil the surprise; just order it yourself; you'll love it!

El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant is open 7 days a week (Sundays and Mondays from 11 to 3; Tuesdays thru Saturdays for both lunch and dinner). They're located in Santa Maria's Town Center West shopping center, right next to Big 5 Sporting Goods near the southwest corner of Main and Broadway. Stop by soon!

El Paraiso Mexican Restaurant
241 Town Center West
Santa Maria CA 805-614-2883

Port San Luis and See Canyon Apples

Let's keep this secret between ourselves: Weatherwise, September and October are a couple of the most beautiful months of the year here. The temperatures are often warm during the day and cool at night, the skies are clear and the summer vacation crowds have disappeared. In celebration of our "Indian Summer", we hopped in the Mustang for a cruise up our coast to Port San Luis and See Canyon.

Port San Luis adds a rich history to the Central Coast. This natural habor was used by Spaniard and Portuguese explorers many centuries ago. In 1873 John Harford built the original wharf which helped establish the port as a major shipping center for retail goods, passengers and mail. In the 1880's, the the Pacific Coast Railway ran all the way from Los Olivos to the Harford Pier.

Today, commercial and sport fishermen use the pier as their base of operations and many pleasure boaters tie up in the harbor year-round. Local fishermen may be seen cleaning their catch at the base of the pier and numerous pelicans can be spotted in the area just waiting to tussle over the remnants.



There are several fresh fish markets on the pier which sell wholesale to local restaurants and retail to the general public. The Old Port Inn Fish Market is probably the largest and is certainly our favorite. The Old Port Inn restaurant (right next to the market) at the end of the pier is also one of our local favorites for a fresh seafood dining experience.

Today we stopped into Fat Cat's Cafe (at the base of the pier) for a quick lunch on the patio. I'd been hankering for a bowl of their great clam chowder ever since I'd tasted a sample at the Pismo Beach Clam Festival last year. The chowder was as excellent as I'd remembered and certainly satisfied my craving. Ann had a crab cocktail which was loaded with fresh crab and perfectly seasoned.

For "dessert" we drove up See Canyon to sample and buy some freshly picked apples from the Gopher Glen apple farm. See Canyon provides the perfect climate for growing apples: it's cold enough for frost in the winter and warm and sunny in the summer. There's enough fog-shrouded mornings and moisture in the summer that many of the apple farms don't need to irrigate their orchards.

We've been buying Gopher Glen apples for about 20 years now. There's always a large selection of apples and today there were 12 varieties to choose from. These apples are crisp and delicious..they've got to be the best in the world!

Gopher Glen also presses and sells their own cider which is available in container sizes ranging from 16 oz to 1 gallon. Apple season usually runs from late July to early December. This year though, the See canyon apple season is running about 3 weeks early so most varieties will trail off around the end of November. Better hurry!

Firestone Walker Taproom Restaurant

Heading home from a Dodgers game (Dodgers shut out the Padres 5-0!), we stopped in Buellton for dinner at the Firestone Walker Taproom Restaurant. Arriving on a Sunday eve at 6PM without reservations, we got real lucky and were seated at a table for two in the upper level of the dining room. We were entertained with a great view of the open kitchen and all of the other dining room activities. We probably had the best seats in the house.

The Taproom menu ranges from soups and salads to sandwiches to filet mignon. This evening, the Marguerita flatbread-style pizza caught my eye but so did the Walker Fish and Chips (cooked in a Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale beer batter) and so did the Seared Ahi Tuna and so did the Grilled White Shrimp.

Then our waitress came by with the evening's specials which included Cajun Blackened and Grilled Sea Bass with horseradish mashed potatoes and fresh grilled vegetables. Bingo. That was it. That was it doubled. As often happens (kinda scary often); both my better half & I settled on the Sea Bass special. We were both treated with a thick filet of perfectly grilled, fresh sea bass coated with a solid dry rub layer of Cajun spices and cooked to a crispy, "blackened" crust. The sea bass was served with a pat of basil butter floating on top. Very tasty. The mashed potatoes and veggies (julienned butternut squash, spinach and beets sauteed to perfection) were also very excellent.

The Firestone Walker Pale Nectar paired very well with my meal as did the Firestone Winery's Sauvignon Blanc with Ann's meal. Unfortunately, we were too full for desert. But we've decided to return for another meal sometime soon with the intent of leaving room to try some desert. Besides, the Walker Beer Battered Fish and Chips keep calling my name....

Silver Strand Beach

Silver Strand Beach just barely falls within the geographical limits of what we consider California's Central Coast AND it's about a 2 hour drive south of Santa Maria AND it's nearly within the urban expanse known as Los Angeles. BUT - Silver Strand Beach is a great getaway which we've been visiting for several years now.

Silver Strand Beach is a one-mile-long by one-quarter mile wide slice of shoreline and homes along the western edge of Oxnard; bordered by Channel Islands Harbor (think fishermen, sailboats and million-dollar yachts) on the north and Port Hueneme (think Navy SeaBees and commercial freighting port) on the south and east.

Silver Strand is well known among surfers for it's great winter swells and is the birthplace of several hard-core punk bands during the mid-80's. The beach community itself is extremely close-knit but friendly and ranges from year-round locals to vacation homeowners to folks who just need to escape the hustle of the big city and/or have retired into the laid-back lifestyle.

On our visit this weekend, we we're fortunate enough to have met Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog. Tillman is the sweetest, friendliest bulldog you could ever hope to meet. He loves grownups and kids and other dogs and he loves to say hello. He also loves to play. Tillman's idea of play is a little different from most dogs'. You see, in the laid-back Silver Strand Beach lifestyle; Tillman grabs his skateboard when he wants to play. You may have seen Tillman's video on YouTube or you may have seen Tillman in Apple's iPhone ad. Either way, Tillman's got his own website...check it out.

Here's a Tillman update: Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog now has another talent. Presenting Tillman the Skimboarding Bulldog.

For more about Silver Strand Beach, check out this Wikepedia entry. It's pretty accurate.

For cheap eats - we highly recommend Pepe's for their outstanding Mexican takeout (try any one of their huge burritos or the fish tacos).

Another popular spot is the Jetty Surf Cafe (right across the street from Pepe's). The Jetty Surf Cafe serves up an awesome breakfast or lunch (and during the Summer is also open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays). We often enjoy the Hawaiian French Toast for breakfast (3 slices of Kings Hawaiian sweet bread rolled in crushed corn flakes and almonds; served with sliced bananas, powdered sugar and cinnamon). There's also a huge selection of eggs, omelets, scrambles and breakfast burritos. Lunch is served from 11AM to 3PM Mondays thru Fridays and from 12PM to 3PM Saturdays & Sundays. The lunch menu ranges from a Sourdough Swiss Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger to Grilled Ahi Tacos to a Hawaiian Style Plate Lunch to Philly Cheese Steaks to Subs and Salads.