Visiting with good friends in Santa Barbara for an overdue celebration, I had one of the truly spectacular meals in recent memory at Bedda Mia an Italian (Sicilian) restaurant on State Street. The dining room is charming and comfortable, and the menu is a labor of love crafted by Chef/Operator - Alberto Morello. Chef Alberto was gracious enough to spend time with us regaling the table with stories of his Sicilian origins and the construction of his unique menu. Adding to the experience were the hand-picked wines for the evening; a 2012 Marcassin Chardonnay, Marcassin Vineyard and a 1997 Gaja Costa Russi. The menu Chef Alberto helped us fashion to accompany those wines rivaled (exceeded) my most recent meals Atosteria Mozza or Angelini Osteria. The highlights included:
Pisci Spada Cunzatu - Fresh swordfish carpaccio, herbs, lemon oil & crostino (paper thin, delicate with a unique bit of heat- never had anything like it)
Cacocciuli - Braised artichoke, burrata, sundried tomato pesto
Tortelli di Capra - Goat meat filled tortelloni, Pecorino Pepato sauce, cracked black peppe (perhaps my favorite of the evening. Seldom had goat so flavorful and tender)
Ammaru cu l'Ogghiu Santu - Braised whole prawns, spicy garlic-oregano oil (large, bursting with flavor and presented like a work of art)
Costatu di Manzo - Kobe style ribeye cap steak; roasted potatoes; tomato, red onion & Sicilian oregano salad (the cap is perhaps the finest cut of the meat, and the dish was hand assembled with just the right marbling)
Pistacchio di Bronte - Pistachio tiramisu (only had a small taste, but it was delicious)
Santa Barbara is a difficult market for truly fine dining, but Bedda Mia deserves all the love and success in the world. If you have a weekend to spend in Santa Barbara my dinner choices would definitely be Bedda Mia and Stonehouse and Bedda Mia would be first.