Frankland's
Crab & Co Opens in the Montecito Inn
By FBWorld Team
Following
the tragic mud slides in Montecito, Frankland's was rebuilt
on the Montecito Inn property, and had its 2nd opening on April
6. Guests attending the opening were delighted with the authentic
recipes and inviting atmosphere. Montecito Inn's Copus Brothers
were on hand for the opening and shared their enthusiasm on
working with the Scratch group.
Scratch|Restaurants,
the creative restaurant group known for its multiple restaurants
in Encino (Scratch|Bar, Sushi|Bar, Woodley Proper), once again
combines the crackerjack talents of chef-owners Phillip Frankland
Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee for their first hotel venture outside
of Los Angeles. Starting with Frankland's Crab & Co., the
group plans to open four concepts at the historic Montecito
Inn. Capturing fond early memories of jaunts to the Santa Barbara
coast and weekend drives down Pacific Coast Highway, Lee reminisces
through the nostalgia of lobster rolls, peel-and-eat shrimp,
clam chowder, and good times with loved ones-arriving at the
modern-day, casual seafood shack that is Frankland's Crab &
Co.
Delicious Fresh Crab
The
whole crab was sensational, and the menu highlights Santa Barbara's
freshest catches like local ridgeback shrimp, wild-caught crab,
clams and oysters, served raw, steamed, fried, or whipped with
butter and other accoutrements in house-baked brioche sandwiches.
Standout Fish & Chips are comprised of a flavorful filet
of wild-caught branzino battered in Scrimshaw brew, while Chowda
features an intense stock made from a variety of shellfish,
teeming with jewels like house-cured bacon, crab, lobster and
prawn. Riffs on other classics include freshly-shucked Fried
Local Oysters & Clams and a Mary's Fried Chicken Roll topped
with a tangy giardinera. Upgraded sides like a corn on the cob
is brushed with lobster butter, a freshly churned butter drawn
and steeped with lobster shells. Beachcomber and Wine Tasting
picnic baskets make for an easy grab-and-go option for beachside
feasting and snacking at nearby wineries.
Montecito Inn Hotel Group
For
dessert, Margarita's Homemade Iced Cream Sandwich rotates through
flavors such as Peruvian dark chocolate chip cookies surrounding
Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream and Latvian-style sgushenka.
To drink, homemade root beer on draft, fresh lemonade, and iced
tea are given the option to be spiked with mini bottles of premium
gin, vodka, tequila and other spirits. A house keg on display
allows for easy pints and pitchers of rotating local beers,
while a selection of individual wine cans showcase favorites
from the region.
Chef Phillip Frankland Lee
Entering
the sunny, windowed storefront perched at the main drive of
the Montecito Inn, diners are greeted by an ordering counter
and wall-sized menu. A smattering of wooden tables and stools
fill the counter-lined interior, anchored by distressed concrete
and cheery Crab & Co. sign lit with exposed bulbs. Pops
of red catch the eye throughout the room, complemented by swaths
of cheeky green AstroTurf.
Pastry & Dessert Chef Magarita Lee
From
the best catches of the region at Frankland's Crab & Co.
(opening April 6) to composed ice cream cones and sweets at
Margarita's Snacks (late summer), The Monarch's wood-hearth
ode to the Central Coast (late summer) to artful fine dining
at the world-class Silver Bough (winter 2018), Scratch|Restaurants
aims to present a dynamic range of dining options for locals
and visitors to Santa Barbara at the Montecito Inn.
Frankland's
Crab & Co., located at the Montecito Inn on Coast Village
Road, is open daily from 11am to 10pm, no reservations needed.
For takeout orders or more information, visit www.franklandscrabandcompany.com.
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By Bonnie Carroll
About Bonnie Carroll
Bonnie Carroll has been a food/travel/lifestyle writer since
1983. She is the founder & publisher of Bonnie Carroll's
Life Bites News - www.lifebitesnews.com,
does travel and food reporting on KZSB1290 radio, and contributes
to a variety of national and international travel/lifestyle
publications. Her first children's book C.C. Charles was published
in 2002 and she is currently working on a second book. Contact
her at Contact her at writebc@aol.com.