The Black Sheep could easily be called The Dark Horse. Or maybe they imply the same thing. Anyway, it’s an unassuming place (or at least their patio set-up is), tucked away a block off State Street, with a menu that looks appealing but doesn’t stop you in your tracks — but the restaurant completely blew us away. It was one of the best food and wine pairings we’ve had in recent memory. (“Recent” here extends beyond quarantine.)
The Black Sheep offers a 4-course (+ a few starter bites) tasting menu for $55, with optional wine pairing for an additional $35. Each course got better than the last, and not just because the wine kept coming. I believe their menu switches regularly, based on what’s available, but here where a few highlights from ours (we got a meat-based one and a seafood based one):
- Salmon vichyssoise
- Tuna tartare
- Shrimp / Grilled tomatoes over israeli couscous
- Sauteed scallops / ramen noodles with sea urchin (!!!)
- Duck leg confit / sea bass
- Flourless chocolate cake / berry cheesecake
Obviously the accompaniments and interesting ingredients did the dishes justice, but I can’t remember many of the details. Not because they didn’t stand out, but because fancy places tend to list off 8 different ingredients to you while you’re just salivating over your plate, ready to dive in. This just means we’ll have to return, in order to write you all up a more detailed menu!
The wine pairings were incredibly generous, I think because the waitress was a bit confused by what the kitchen was bringing out. The original wine she grabbed didn’t exactly pair well, so she always grabbed a second. That led to double the tastings and double the fun. It was completely understandable as they were finding their groove under Covid circumstances, and we appreciated that she more than made up for it!
We’re already planning a trip back to The Black Sheep for a special occasion. I have a feeling this one might become our go-to for celebratory moments in Santa Barbara!
https://www.blacksheepsb.com/
26 E Ortega St, Santa Barbara