Finch
& Fork Dining Featuring Corner Grill Cocktails
By FBWorld Team
A
visit to the Finch & Fork Corner Grill in the Kimpton Canary
hotel in the heart of Santa Barbara is really a must for visitors
to this city by the sea, where the welcoming cocktail bar people
offer highly creative cocktails with small plates, including
fresh oysters that keep locals and hotel guests coming back
for more.
Finch & Fork Corner Grill
If
you are a duck lover or long for skillfully prepared sea scallops
you will love the preparations and presentation by Executive
Chef Peter Cham and Sous Chef Elijah Klein who bring new delicious
meaning to interesting flavors in all their menu selections.
Chef Cham has become well known for his outstanding scallops
served with corn relish, pickled Fresno chili, and chorizo vinaigrette,
and the duck breast with carrot cardamon puree, farro, pearl
onions, and blackberry gastrique is now one of my favorite duck
preparations. The restaurant menu is well rounded including
fish, pork, chicken pasta, and meat dishes, as well as a collection
of interesting sides, salads, and special daily soups.
Executive Chef Peter Cham
My
green salad and finger licking good apricot & mustard glazed
rib appetizer were perfectly paired with a chilled glass of
NV Taittinger Brut champagne. Ken Brown Pinot Noir was ideal
with Chef's superb scallops and Santa Ynez Valley Sunstone Viognier
blended beautifully with the duck breast entree flavors.
Sunstone Viogneir Wine
Their
daily specials are varied and offer something for everyone from
a burger & beer on Monday to a slow roasted prime rib on
Sunday and it's all delicious. During my visit, I spoke with
a local couple who visit Fork & Finch every Sunday night
for favorite 'best in town' prime rib dinner with mashed potatoes
and vegetables.
Duck Breast
The
dining room is a large room with big comfortable booths or center
tables for couples or large groups and oozes with warmth and
ease. All of the employees are great at making patrons welcome
and accommodating their needs; from the cocktail bar to the
dining booths no one drops the ball. The lead Bar George Piperis
prepares some classic and stylish cocktails with names like
'Barbie Bath Balm' and Summer Negroni, while sommelier Joe Dohany
is brilliant at pairing perfect wines with your small plates
or dinner items from the restaurant's outstanding wine list.
Summer Negroni Cocktail
If
you still have room for dessert the fresh peach with ice cream
is a lovely sinful ending to a superb dinner at Finch &
Fork. The hotel also has a lovely rooftop where special events
are hosted weekly, details can be found on their website at
www.finchandforkrestaurant.com.
For reservations call 805-879-9100.
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.
