Sama Sama Kitchen was the first place we risked dining out after 3.5 months. It just called to us, with its well-spaced tables on State Street, and its tagline that spoke straight to our stuck-up San Francisco sensibilities: “Southeast Asian food inspired by the offerings of our local farms.”
I loved how limited the menu was, which I’m not sure is an always-thing or a Covid-thing, but either way: give me 10 outstanding options over 40 mediocre ones any day.
Eating out at a restaurant after so much time cooking and ordering takeout was beyond special. (Eating in at McDonald’s probably would’ve felt great too, but I swear Sama Sama Kitchen’s rating isn’t swayed by the circumstances.) What’s more, the al fresco dining was a welcome reminder of why we moved to Santa Barbara in the first place: this city was made for safe outdoor activities year round.
We ordered 4 things:
- Crispy rice salad – MUST. I was skeptical since I tend towards real vegetables, not “salads” that are actually rice and pork. But it was everything.
- Wings – Tasty but not a must-have (even according to Tom, who ate 95% of them).
- Tofu and broccolini stir fry – So flavorful! Meat lovers agree.
- Chicken Bao – The star of the show. Best chicken bao either of us have ever had. (Admittedly a very specific category but it was great and I still think about it.) Of course I didn’t grab a picture of it, which is a good sign that I was too busy enjoying it.
1208 State St, Santa Barbara