We did the Riverbench tasting room in Santa Barbara. It wasn’t big at all. We got there right when it opened at 11 and it was us (party of 7) and another couple. Another twosome came in about 10 minutes later. Our friends who planned the trip had been to Riverbench before and liked their wines so it was their suggestion. They did the red tasting and bought 3 bottles of the Mesa Pinot Noir. I did the Sparkling/Bubbly tasting, which was good, but nothing I wanted to buy. I did buy wine at some of the other places we tasted at (Happy Canyon/Piocho, Margerum, Au Bon Climat) and also picked up a bottle of Amaro from Margerum.
Las Tunas location in San Gabriel is our favorite. Been to the ones in Rowland Heights and Beverly Hills too. Rowland Heights was so-so based on lobster prep. Beverly Hills was pretty good on most counts, but the atmosphere, limited live seafood options, no visible tanks and customers in general don’t give one the feel of Asian-ness like the other two.
If the BH location is closer, if you’re pressed for time, and the house special lobster is all you’re after, then go there.
None of the food is traditional, nor all that spectacular to be honest. And while the adult beverage selection is interesting, maybe even a bit eclectic, again like the food it isn’t all that.
But like Zan and Jayna (aka the Wonder Twins), when you combine the food (preferably the shrimp omelet, or the pork belly, with or without the Chinese broccoli) and wash it all down with a glass of dry txakolinas, something magical happens. It’s kind of like eating Thai street food Basque-style.