It Takes a Village
The cheerful sign on Coast Village Road
Written by Caitlin White
Photography by Jack Dahlia
Taking its place in the old Peabody’s venue, MONTE’S from chef Daniel Kim is already primed to become the new darling of Montecito. Barely two months in, the restaurant has already been added to the Michelin Guide. Rooted in the regenerative agriculture of Rincon Hill Farm in Carpinteria (see page 120), nearly every ingredient on the menu is sourced from that property. This hyperlocal ethos is the guiding force behind Endwell Hospitality, the ownership group known for their lauded venue One White Street, a restaurant similarly anchored by Rigor Hill Farm in upstate New York. Here, at Endwell’s first Central Coast restaurant, patio tables and a separate dining room define the indoor-outdoor space, which is cozy yet refined.
The menu presents a trifecta of starters, shared plates, and mains, plus a selection of sides. Sourdough from Oat Bakery comes accompanied by cultured butter and Korean chives, which is woven into dishes like the Santa Rosa Island halibut crudo with a nori rice chip or prawn toast layered with kimchi and furikake. A spectacular main, the wild rice pork katsu, marries a Japanese staple with the farm’s own grain in the signature crispy crust. Order a glass of the Sta. Rita Hills Pence “PTG” Burgundian blend, a delicious chilled red, to pair with the pork or an equally showstopping Wagyu strip loin finished with black garlic A1 steak sauce. 1198 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 805-330-4590, montessb.com
