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What’s old is new again in downtown Santa Barbara.
The storied La Paloma Cafe has returned, just in time for the holiday season. Most Santa Barbara residents and tourists are familiar with the building at 702 Anacapa St., on the corner with Ortega Street, when it was known as the Paradise Cafe, under the ownership of former Santa Barbara City Councilman Randy Rowse.
Rowse and his business partners, in fact, changed the name from La Paloma to Paradise when they purchased La Paloma Cafe 38 years ago.
Now, under the ownership of Acme Hospitality, the building and restaurant are going back to their roots.
The café “tributes the cuisine of the Californios, early California settlers who incorporated Spanish and Mexican influences into indigenous ingredients cooked over fire,” according to a news release.
The restaurant is designed in honor of the age of the ranchero.
“The thoughtfully crafted menu reflects the past and present of the region, using barbecue traditions of Santa Maria along with inspiration from Baja, California, dating back to the mid-1800s fiestas put on by vaqueros who ran the local cattle ranches,” the news release states.
La Paloma’s executive chef is Jeremy Tummel, a veteran of the Wine Cask, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, the Pebble Beach Co., the Rosewood Miramar Beach, the Santa Barbara City College Culinary Academy and The Bear and Star in Los Olivos.
He is a third-generation Santa Barbara native and part Chumash Indian.
Christy Guzman is the general manager. According to a news release, she worked her way through the ranks from host to busser, to runner and server “at such acclaimed properties as The Mandarin Oriental Miami, Conrad Miami and Waldorf Astoria Park City.”
She also has had leadership roles at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Carlyle in New York City, and the Rosewood in Washington, D.C. Before La Paloma, she worked as the general manager of the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito.
The restaurant also includes a bar.
The interior and exterior design of La Paloma was created by local designer Stephanie Greene Fuller and Acme’s Sherry Villanueva “to reflect the historical lifestyle of the Santa Barbara ranchero. The bar includes a mural commissioned in 1940 by Jennie Luera, La Paloma’s family matriarch. With the new restaurant, it was meticulously restored by local artist Jeffrey Skyles.”
Original tiles line the walls of the bar, including depictions of fighting cocks, which is rumored to have taken place in the rear of the building many years ago, the news release states.
The restaurant offers dinner reservations and takeout from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. It plans to add lunch and brunch service soon.
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber Supports Small Business Saturday
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to support Small Business Saturday this weekend.
The chamber is encouraging residents to buy from local businesses, both in store and online.
“We encourage you to kick it off with Small Business Saturday this week,” the chamber said in a news release. “Let’s make a conscious effort to shop small and keep it local.”
Chamber members should tag @Sbsouthcoastchamber in seasonal promotions on social media.
Tbe chamber also encourages poeple to visit the downtown Visitor Center at 120 State St., Suite F, and purchase locally made crafts and merchandise for potential holiday gifts.
“Sharing what’s special about Santa Barbara and our vendors is a great way to celebrate the holiday season all while supporting local businesses and shopping local,” the chamber stated.
Through Sunday, the chamber will offer 25% off all merchandise, excluding ticket sales. The center is open from noon to 5 p.m. daily.
The City of Goleta has launched a #GoodLandGoodShopping campaign to promote local businesses.
Businesses are invited to hang a #GoodLandGoodShopping window poster. Volunteers will be passing out signs around town on Monday. People can also pick up a poster via sidewalk service at the Goleta Valley Library, 500 N. Fairview Ave., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday beginning next week.
Santa Maria Valley Chamber Launches Contests
The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is launching two contests for Santa Maria Valley residents.
The first is a “Shop Local Selfie Contest,” where people can submit their selfies while out supporting local businesses for their chance to win weekly prize packages. People can enter the “Shop Local Selfie Contest” at santamaria.com/shop-local-win.
In addition, the chamber is holding a “Shop on Us!” receipt reimbursement opportunity. Residents of the Santa Maria Valley submit their receipts from local businesses they support during their holiday shopping for a chance to be reimbursed up to $200. Winners will be drawn the week of Dec. 21. Additional details, including how to submit your receipts, can be found at santamaria.com/shop-local-win.
Both contests will kick off on Small Business Saturday this weekend and run through Dec. 21.
— 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.
