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Well, there’s good news and bad news.
Downtown Santa Barbara is losing Goa Taco.
For anyone whoever visited the restaurant, these weren’t street tacos, or even tasty seafood tacos so popular in Santa Barbara.
These were delicious, paratha tacos, filled with pork, duck or lamb, or vegetarian options, for $8.50.
Goa Taco, 718 State St., has gone out of business. The owners closed the doors on May 31.
The restaurant opened two years ago in June.
“With a move back to Australia, it is with much sadness and all the emotions that we closed the doors,” said owner Duvaldi Marneweck in a Facebook post. “We would like to thank each and everyone who supported our little taco shop. We were, and always will be, totally in love with Santa Barbara and all its wonderful people.”
Marneweck, a South African-native, moved to London after high school and began cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants. He then moved to Australia, where he completed his formal chef’s training, and eventually Manhattan, New York.
The restaurant space hasn’t had much success with longevity. In the past 10 years, it has been home to Fatburger, Killer B Barbecue, and several other businesses.
Now the good news.
The new owners plan to open “Apna,” an Indian Cuisine restaurant. They intend to keep some of the menu items, including some of the tasty paratha tacos. Crews were busy painting and making touch-ups to the site on Thursday.
The target date for an opening is late July.
Michelin Top Restaurants
Michelin has announced the Bib Gourmand establishments for the inaugural Michelin Guide California selection.
The Bib Gourmand award was originally introduced in 1997, and highlights restaurants that serve high-quality meals, including two courses and a glass of wine or dessert, for $40 or less.
The list features 151 restaurants representing 36 different cuisines, including tacos, sushi, bistros and oyster bars.
“Our inspectors were very impressed by the diversity of cuisine and culinary trends that they have seen across the Bib Gourmand selection in California, and it’s great to see that many of these restaurants take advantage of the fantastic local produce available throughout the state,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guides.
The Santa Barbara restaurants on the list were Mesa Verde and Sama Sama Kitchen.
Buellton Distillery Wins Bronze
DorWood Distillery in Buellton recently won the bronze medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirit Competition. The company won with its G7 Gin, made from nine hand-selected botanicals. It is the first time DorWood has entered into competition.
Buellton’s DorWood Distillery was established in 2014. It also makes Vodka, White Hawk Malt Whiskey, Limoncello and Habapeño Limoncello.
All products are distilled and bottled at their distillery and tasting room. They also serve cocktails from their products in their tasting room, according to a news release.
The 19th San Francisco World Spirits Competition was founded in 2000 as a way to recognize exceptional products in the spirits industry. This year it featured nearly 3,000 entries.
Jeannine’s Opening in Goleta
The new Jeannine’s Restaurant & Bakery will open in Hollister Village as early as mid-July.
Proprietor Alison Hardey told Noozhawk that it will have a soft-opening in mid-July and a “true opening” in August.
Hardey said Jeannine’s will be honored as the Santa Barbara County Business of the Year by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson later this year.
The new Hollister Village restaurant “will be an homage to how we started as a bakery,” Hardy said.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
