CULINARY COUP . . . 
Bluewater Grill Santa Barbara Welcomes Guests Back with a New Chef, New Outdoor Patio and Locals’ Events Alberto Torres is now executive chef of the Cabrillo Blvd. restaurant which offers a new outdoor dining patio on Helena Ave. and all-day happy hour drink prices for locals on Wednesdays Bluewater Grill, the popular Santa Barbara sustainable seafood restaurant in the iconic lighthouse building across from Stearns Wharf, is welcoming guests back with a new executive chef, a new outdoor dining patio and new events and promotions for locals and visitors that signal new life after the pandemic. Alberto Torres, formerly executive chef of Hollister Brewing Company in Goleta, has joined Bluewater Grill in the same capacity and is busy applying his years of Santa Barbara culinary experience to create new signature dishes and menus for the restaurant. Prior to Hollister, Torres was executive chef for the Shalhoob’s family of Santa Barbara restaurants and retail markets and served in the kitchens at several other destination restaurants in the area. Executive Chef Alberto Torres “It’s safe to say that no one knows more about the local dining scene and what Santa Barbarans want than Chef Alberto, and we’re excited about the new ideas he is bringing to Bluewater Grill,” said Autumn Vaughn, general manager. “We just debuted new weekend brunch, happy hour and our seasonal spring menus, and we will be offering new dishes and new takes on classic seafood favorites throughout the spring and summer.” The other big, post-pandemic news at Bluewater Grill is a new outdoor dining patio on Helena Ave., offering lunch and dinner customers views of East and Santa Monica beaches. When combined with the restaurant’s existing second-story dining deck overlooking Stearns Wharf, the new street-level patio makes Bluewater Grill one of Santa Barbara’s best options for outdoor, beach-view dining. According to Vaughn, Bluewater spotlights Santa Barbara-area wine, beer and spirits providers in the form of ongoing pour partnerships with Melviille, Alma Rosa, Margerum and J. Wilkes wineries; arrangements with local brewery favorites Firestone Walker and Figueroa Mountain; and a vodka, gin and coffee liqueur alliance with Cutler’s Artisan Spirits. “As a local restaurant heavily invested in the future of Santa Barbara, Bluewater Grill is honored to be able to introduce our locals and visitors to the constantly evolving array of new field- and brewery-to-table opportunities in the area – with many of these partners following our commitment to sustainable sourcing and operations.” Bluewater Grill recently co-hosted a trivia night with the Surfrider Foundation to promote the nonprofit’s work to preserve and protect the world’s oceans and beaches as an extension of its industry-leading sustainable policy. One of the first restaurants in Santa Barbara to adopt the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s stringent “Seafood Watch” criteria for seafood purchase, Bluewater Grill supports local fishing sources when possible, such as Hope Ranch mussels and Santa Barbara sea urchin supplied by local diver Stephanie Mutz. Once again, Bluewater will participate in Santa Barbara Restaurant Week May 16-22, 2022. And during Santa Barbara Locals’ Appreciation Day every Wednesday, Santa Barbara residents can take advantage of happy hour drink prices all day with proof of local residency. The restaurant’s regular happy hours are Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Continuing the fresh fish legacy established by the Castagnola Family who established a seafood restaurant on the same Cabrillo Ave. site in the 1950’s, Bluewater Grill Santa Barbara is open daily for lunch and dinner and offers a full bar featuring local wines, beers and spirits; an outdoor dining deck and patio; and a contemporary coastal casual vibe and pet-friendly policy. The restaurant is located on the water at 15 E. Cabrillo Blvd., at the base of State Street. The restaurant is closed on Mondays, open for dinner only on Tuesdays and serves lunch and dinner the remainder of the week. For specific hours, menus and news about local events, promotions and other offerings, go to https://www.bluewatergrill.com/location/santa-barbara/. About the Bluewater Family of Seafood Restaurants Bluewater Grill specializes in the freshest sustainably caught or farm-harvested seafood, innovatively prepared, in an atmosphere of casual style and at a surprisingly affordable price. In addition to the original location in Newport's Cannery Village, there are Bluewater Grills at King Harbor in Redondo Beach in Los Angeles County’s South Bay; in a newly remodeled space in central Phoenix; in Temecula Wine Country in Southern California’s Inland Empire; over the water on Avalon Bay on Catalina Island; and in the former Hotel del Coronado boathouse on Coronado Island in San Diego. Bluewater’s two newest restaurants are in Carlsbad Village in northern San Diego County and in an iconic lighthouse on the Santa Barbara beachfront. For locations, operating hours, menus and other details, go to www.bluewatergrill.com or visit us on Twitter or Instagram. Each Bluewater Grill also has its own Facebook page for restaurant-specific promotions, events and local happenings. ___________________________________________________________________
|
