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Funk fries, wood-fired oysters and the Janis Choplin salad, of course, all have a home inside Santa Barbara’s eclectic and diverse Funk Zone.
These original food items are among the many offerings at new restaurant We Want the Funk, 210 Gray Ave. in Santa Barbara.
“This is a fun, casual, elevated food idea that we are doing for the Funk Zone,” owner Ted Ellis said.
Ellis and his wife, Greer, were the original owners and partners in Cabrillo Boulevard restaurant Oku, but they have since moved on to their new endeavor.
They also offer flatbreads and desserts, along with drinks, including beer and wine. The restaurant sits snugly next to a recent BizHawk profile La Lieff, a wine bar and tasting room.
Santa Barbara artist Michael Matheson painted the dreamy, 1970s-style “We Want the Funk” mural on the wall. There’s also a disco ball, and Ted Ellis said the place has a ’70s vibe.
“The whole thing is very ’70s-inspired, as far as the look and the art,” Ted Ellis said. “We’re trying to keep it funky for the Funk Zone.”
The location, he said, is the place to be in town.
“I love the Funk Zone because it’s kind of a place where people can enjoy different wine and food, but there’s still artists down here, there’s still surfboard, skateboard shops,” he said. “It’s a neat area of Santa Barbara that we are trying to keep funky.”
Zaca Coffee Opens Roastery
The Buellton Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to recognize the opening of Zaca Coffee Roastery.
The coffee is available at dozens of locations, but now the coffee is available for drinking at Zaca Coffee Roastery, 270 E. Highway 246.
Zaca Coffee is also selling the ZacaVac, a vacuum-sealed canister that can be refilled with a choice of blends, “ensuring the freshest, most delicious coffee in your morning cup,” according to a news release.
The roastery is owned by wife and husband team Hayley Firestone and Dennis Patrick. They are working with longtime roaster Rob Wallace and Matt Haneif. They also have launched Zaca Cold Brew in a can, according to a news release.
Big Lots in Lompoc Opens Saturday
Big Lots will open a store at 1009 North H St. in Lompoc with a grand opening weekend featuring scratch-off contests and prizes, beginning at 8:45 a.m. Saturday.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing the Big Lots experience to Lompoc with the opening of our newest location,” said Bruce Thorn, Big Lots president and CEO. “We’ve put a lot of thought into the layout, design and visual appeal of the store to elevate the shopper experience and help our customers live bigger and better.”
The store will be open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Big Lots is one of America’s largest home discount retailers, operating more than 1,450 stores in 48 states, according to a news release.
Ice Cream, You Scream at Rori’s
Ice cream store Rori’s Artisanal Creamery is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
Through Sunday, customers can enjoy the limited-time flavor Sour Cream Coffee Cake for free, exclusively at the Montecito Country Mart shop. After that, it will be available for purchase through the end of December.
Rori’s first opened at the Montecito Country Mart and now has stores in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Santa Monica and other spots.
Rori’s found the Sour Cream Coffee Cake after it ran a flavor contest in November and asked for submissions from customers in Montecito.
“Dreamed up by our flavor contest winner Heather Andrew and inspired by Ina Garten’s classic recipe, this is a sour cream ice cream with a cinnamon walnut streusel swirl,” a news release states.
— 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.
