ALESSIA Patisserie and Cafe - (Near Santa Barbara, CA)

Jeff Podvin We were able to get a table, without a reservation which was nice. It took a minute for the hostess (costumed-angry raggedy Ann) to acknowledge we were there. I got the feeling she did other jobs too... maybe server assistant. The restaurant was sufficiently quant, clean, and well-decorated. The star of the show was definitely the server. She was friendly and even ran upstairs to grab me some decaf. Now for the food- I got the ribeye and my wife ordered the steak medallions. Both were good- and the price was more than fair. My wife typically doesnt like steak- and always get medium-well- she said the medallions were still so tender/juicy. And for $32, I was pleasantly surprised at the flavor, presentation, etc. The Ribeye, $40- was prepared excellently and was prime ribeye. The flavor reminded me of a picanha steak; it came with compound garlic herb butter which complimented it nicely. There was a large party in the next room that shared the attention of the one server- she handled it beautifully. The bartender did appear slightly bothered to make the drinks for the large party (she had 7 folks on her side to worry about)- I wasnt too sure about a few things- I found it odd there wasnt warm bread or rolls- especially for a place called the Duke (which screams steak, potatoes, bread). But at the price point (low for such great food), this was not an unmet expectation. Then the costumed-angry raggedy Ann- its the week of Halloween and the hotel itself was decorated... Im not sure if she was angry, hated her job, or playing a character. Nonetheless, the service and food were on point- so it didnt diminish our experience. Well likely make a trip back sometime.

Kevin Bryan My sister swears by this place so I decided to give it a try. It is FANTASTIC. Perfectly fried chicken, it is light, airy, moist, and full of flavor. The place itself is very clean and tidy. The staff is kind, curteous, & professional. The lunch combo is very very well worth it for all you get. I will definitely be returning to try all the flavors. I am completely confident that none of them will disappoint.

cakefacejelly I had been wanting to try this place out, so two of my coworkers and I went for our lunch. We all got our own order of pork xiao long bao, I had the pickled radish and pork soup, my coworkers had the green beans and shrimp fried rice. We all loved our food, the space was clean and the customer service was great too. I have been recommending this place whenever I get a chance, I will definitely be returning.

Leslie Gonzalez This place is a hidden gem. A few people had mentioned it to me. Wow, the food is so good. The best dish is the Huitlacoche Quesadillas and the Flor de Calabasa Quesadilla. Theyre made w tortillas hechas a mano. OMG soo good. You can get the order with one of each, and it comes w a little cup of black beans. Asada tacos w the same tortillas are good (you have to ask for the tortillaa hechas a mano), and the Tlayuda is huge. We always order extra tortillas for the table bc we cant get enough! Definitely recommend.

Tyler Garrett Great Pho place! So happy to see some genuinely good Vietnamese cuisine out here. Loved by a lot of vietnamese locals and tourists! Try the Crunchy Tofu and Spring rolls! The Pho is excellent for a gloomy Monterey day with a light hearty broth.

Jayasimha Nuggehalli Nice restaurant for a quick bite. You have order food at counter and they will bring it to the table. Ordered grilled chicken taco, service was quick and good. Salsa was very good, taco was tasty too.