While in Santa Barbara this past weekend for a wedding I had occasion to dine at Holdren's for dinner. Since we were splurging on a two-night weekend stay in SB, we decided to make a splurge weekend of it -- and this was our dinner splurge. We started with the sauteed mushroom and grilled Castro Valley artichoke appetizers. They were a wonderful start. The mushrooms were sauteed with sliced garlic (that I was eating off the top) and with a hint of white wine. The artichoke was grilled with seasonings and had a garlic aioli and clarified butter for dipping. YUM! They had a great crusty bread and a chewy dark brown bread...also with butter for spreading and dipping. I had the sirloin and shrimp entree with rice pilaf and a side of grilled asparagus. As usual, my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I barely dented my steak, but I made sure I tasted a little of everything...and I was not disappointed in the least. \r
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One thing I noticed about Holdren's that made me feel like we'd made a wise choice was that there seemed to be a large local contingent dining that evening. When locals dine, it's got to be a good place...especially in a town with sooooooooo many options. \r
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Give Holdren's a try.
Pros: Close to the parking lot, intimate atmosphere
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