S.Y. Kitchen

1110 Faraday Street

Santa Ynez, CA 93460

+1 805-691-9794

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JULY 26, 2024

The Food:

Wood Fired Pizza; Prosciutto, Burrata, Arugula

Fresh Pea Salad; Arugula, Fresh Peas, Ricotta Salata, Celery Root, Walnuts

Octopus Salad; Taggiasca Olives, Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Haricots Verts

Burrata & Roasted Cauliflower Salad; Salsa Verde, Hazelnuts

Prosciutto e Melone; 24-month Prosciutto di Parma “Ruliano”, Cantaloupe Melon, Vanilla Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mint, Pane Carasau

Grilled Artichoke; Moroccan Spice Aioli, Lemon

T-Bone Truffle Sliders; Truffle Cheese, Caramelized Shallots, Parmigiano Crisp, Potatoes

Agnolotti; Ricotta, Tomatoes, Eggplant

Affogato: House Amaro & Espresso over Vanilla Gelato

The Wine:

2019 Foxen Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8      96

This recent dinner at S.Y. Kitchen was one of the best meals I have had in a very long time. I am not sure why, but several years had passed since my last visit. That is not a mistake I will make again. Everything we tried was divine.

Wood Fired Pizza; Prosciutto, Burrata, Arugula

S.Y. Kitchen has been a mainstay of Santa Barbara’s culinary scene for many years. The restaurant is part of Kathie and Mike Gordon’s group of Italian-themed spots that includes Toscana in Los Angeles, Nerano in Beverly Hills and Nella in the Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, which is just a short drive away. Brothers Luca and Francesco Crestanelli serve what they term “cucina rustica.” If that is so, it’s an especially refined version of rustic Italian cuisine. The bar and dining rooms are bustling on this night, as they usually are. Even though the ambiance is decidedly informal, service is top-notch.

Guests will have a very hard time choosing from the menu and daily specials. We start with the Pizza with Prosciutto, Burrata and Arugula. It comes out of the wood-fired oven perfectly cooked. Delicious burrata, salty, thinly-sliced prosciutto and vibrant greens are an ideal complement. Delicious.

Grilled Artichoke; Moroccan Spice Aioli, Lemon

The Fresh Pea Salad is bursting with the crisp, refreshing flavors of summer. Octopus Salad, a staple of the Italian kitchen, is quite bold and rustic, in the best sense of the term. That theme continues with the Grilled Artichoke, which is served with a rich aioli redolent of Moroccan spice and lemon. I would be remiss not to mention the Burrata & Roasted Cauliflower Salad and Prosciutto e Melone, both of which we enjoyed later in the week for take-out. Both were terrific. The Burrata & Roasted Cauliflower Salad is much more complex than the description suggests. A colorful and delicious array of cauliflowers plays off the richness of the burrata beautifully, while the salsa verde offers a kick of flavor. Prosciutto e Melone is another classic. It can often be unremarkable, but when all the ingredients are first-rate, as they are here, it’s a dish that ascends into the realm of the sublime.

Agnolotti; Ricotta, Tomatoes, Eggplant

It’s so refreshing to see a properly curated and thoughtful wine program. Guests will find a number of gorgeous wines by the glass. Many of Santa Barbara’s most exciting small producers are represented in wines by the bottle. As is befitting of an Italian restaurant, the selection of wines from the boot is extensive. Prices are exceptionally fair, especially by today’s standards. Guests will find any number of budget-friendly options. For those who want to splurge, there is plenty to choose from. Even the most coveted bottles on this list are well-priced, though. That said, I can’t help noticing that most tables, at least those that are nearby, order cocktails rather than wine.

Foxen is one of my favorite producers in Santa Barbara. The team led by founders Bill Wathen, Dick Doré and winemaker David Whitehair consistently turn out some of the region’s most compelling and distinctive wines. Their 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is stellar. What a wine. Deep and wonderfully dynamic in the glass, the 2019 offers unreal complexity with its layered fruit and Santa Maria spice. At nearly five years of age, the 2019 is remarkably primary. The 2019 was priced at $65 a bottle ($145 on this list) when I first reviewed it a few years ago, a reminder of the tremendous value Santa Barbara wines offer in a global context. Readers who own the 2019 should be thrilled, as it is world-class.

T-Bone Truffle Sliders; Truffle Cheese, Caramelized Shallots, Parmigiano Crisp, Potatoes

Our main courses start with the sublime Agnolotti, which are filled with ricotta and served with a ‘Norma’ style sauce of tomatoes and eggplant. It’s a refined take on this classic dish that is deeply satisfying. The T-Bone Truffle Sliders are a sort of California-meets-Italy main. The caramelized shallots provide just a touch of sweetness to complement the truffle cheese and the richness of the beef. Superb.

I am not much of a dessert person, but Affogato is impossible to resist. Here it is offered as a “dessert cocktail”, which I find a bit odd. The combination of amaro, espresso and ice cream is pretty divine and makes for a fine conclusion to this wonderful dinner.

Affogato: House Amaro & Espresso over Vanilla Gelato

Santa Barbara wine country remains a largely undiscovered destination for oenophiles. Far away from the glamor of other regions and more centrally organized than others, Santa Barbara retains a casual, informal feel that I find especially attractive. The number of top dining destinations has grown considerably in recent years, making visiting here even more appealing. When it comes to the region’s best food and wine experiences, S.Y. Kitchen is at the top of my list.