The partners behind Little Dom’s recently expanded its footprint in Santa Barbara County with new arrivals in October Bar Lou In Montecito. For the past 16 years, Warner Ebbink and chef Brandon Boudet have gone all out on this. Little Dom’s in Los Feliz, later expanding Little Dom’s Seafood in Carpinteria in 2020. With Bar Lou, they’ve taken a thoughtful departure from mostly run-of-the-mill Italian menus towards a full-on coastal approach, with a menu that reads like a restaurant in the south of France.

Boudet and Ebbink had no intention of opening another restaurant, but the opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant arrived. Oliver’sThe duo is set to be a part of El Roblar, the ambitious Ojai hotel project expected to open in 2025. But the chance to replace a key area in Montecito was worth it, so they bought four. months to rearrange the space. “We knew that if we had the opportunity to open something in Montecito, we would definitely take it,” Ebbink says. “Probably the best location with the nicest patio on Beach Village Road. This really reminds us of Dominick’s,” referring to the shuttered West Hollywood restaurant Dominick’s, They opened in 2003 and closed in 2015. Since Amour.)

Over the years, Boudet and Ebbink have built relationships with local suppliers and farmers. Wild Local Seafood Inc. and the basis of Santa Barbara bread Oatmeal Oven. They incorporated these items into small plates like roasted carrots, crab cakes, a meat and cheese plate, and a smoked black cod smörrebröd sandwich slathered with dill pollen creme fraiche, potatoes, and pickled fennel. Larger plates include Santa Barbara sea urchin spaghettini and steak au poivre with fries.

Boudet also created Bar Lou’s beverage program, bringing in selections from every major wine region, with a special emphasis on Santa Barbara County and Central Coast vintners. Beers rotate on tap, while boozy classic cocktails use local ingredients whenever possible, like the Guillotine made with bourbon, allspice dram, Genepi, and fresh lemon.

Boudet and Ebbink worked together Isabelle Dahlin Design And Mahte Design redesigning the venue’s four dining rooms. They doubled the restaurant’s capacity to 135 seats; Most of the chairs are on the tree-lined fireplace veranda. There is a direct view of the custom-made marble bar, which seats 12, separated by a large sliding bronze door. Those familiar with Little Dom’s will feel right at home with its French oak flooring and leather booths. Boudet and Ebbink bought old oil paintings featuring dogs and pieces from Los Angeles flea markets that now line the bar and dining room walls.

Montecito’s mega-famous neighborhood has a median home price of $6,550,000. redfin. Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry and the former CEO of Google their own house Here. Montecito’s hotels match the price energy of the area, with the Montecito Beach House or San Ysidro Ranch offering rooms starting at well over $1,000 per night. Called the “American Riviera,” locals dine at Lucky’s, the sumptuous (and exclusive) Montecito Club, or BUT Sushi Inside Rosewood Miramar for an omakase of $185. It’s now possible to cosplay like European royalty while eating a surprisingly solid dinner in one of California’s tightest zip codes.

Bar Lou is open daily from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM at 1198 Coast Village Road, Santa Barbara, CA, 93108.