Home Product Reviews Food and Travel Wine Country

Dining at Sesto Senso, a Hidden Gem in Montecito, CA
Rate it! Votes (1) | Comments (0) By Cheri Sicard and Mitch Mandell Photos: Sesto Senso Posted October 25th, 2008

MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA, USA-- The typical Santa Barbara tourist might never find Sesto Senso, as it’s tucked in the back of a supermarket shopping center in a next door town of Montecito.  But we want to let all the Fabulous Foodies and Travelers about this unique gem of a restaurant and wine bar, as you’re bound to have a memorable experience.

The hip interior immediately takes you out of the suburban shopping center, replete with kid toting moms doing the weekly marketing chores, outside its doors. Inside Sesto Senso, visitors are enveloped in a stylish environment that would be at home in the heart of Hollywood, or Manhattan, or any other trendy urban neighborhood. The outside world is quickly forgotten, to the point that it’s almost shocking when you leave and go back outside.

The menu focuses on carpacchio and stylish small plates. This kind of place is the foodie equivalent of a day at Disneyland – the chance to sample lots of interesting and innovative dishes, expertly prepared, and paired with the perfect wines.

Wine buyer Ryan Petersen and his well trained staff are always nearby to help with selections, which comes in handy as the place offers a staggering number of wines by the glass. You’re always assured a fresh pour, and a good value 6 ounces, thanks to a state-of-art high tech system that keeps air out of the opened bottles. The sophisticated storage and pouring system doubles as the center piece of the bar’s décor, and provides patrons an at-a-glance view of what’s available by the glass.

For those who want to taste wines, Peterson always offers a flight of reds and a flight of whites on the menu, along with a “taste-off” flight that gives diners the chance to compare and contrast local wines with their European counterparts.

Chef John Rosa’s dishes were flavorful, often surprising, and gorgeously presented. We especially enjoyed the Halibut Ceviche, which was surprisingly mild and well balanced with harmonious flavor. The wild mushroom risotto was one of the best we’ve ever had -- with perfect al dente texture, balanced earthy flavors and the extra kick of a truffle oil finish. The chef is a fan of truffle oil – we even got hints of it on the Prosciutto plate, but since we’re fans too, we didn’t mind.

Even though you may not come across Sesto Senso naturally in your Santa Barbara wanderings, we definitely recommend seeking it out. It’s only a 5 minute drive from downtown Santa Barbara, but the experience will take you worlds away. It’s a great late night stop for drinks at the bar and small snacks, or turn the fare into a tapas style tasting menu for dinner. Either way, you’ll be glad you went.

Sesto Senso is located at 1000 Montecito in Montecito, CA 93108. Phone 805-565-1956 or click to www.sestosensoca.com.

For travel and accommodation information and to request a free copy of the official Santa Barbara County Visitors Guide, contact the Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission at 800-676-1266, 805-966-9222 or www.santabarbaraCA.com. If you’re already in town, visitor information is also available at the Visitor Information Center located at 1 Garden Street (at Cabrillo Boulevard) in Santa Barbara.

There are no comments for this item

Be the first to leave a comment

You must be a registered member to leave a comment. So why not sign up now?