Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Chef & Hotel Profile

The Kimpton Goodland Hotel, located at 5640 Calle Real in Goleta, is just seconds from Goleta beach, and is a hotel anyone over fifty seems to find enchanting. The 50s through 90s décor, including a Woody at the entrance and a VYNL record shop in the lobby, where visitors can listen to and buy oldies but goodies offers guests a flash back to the past that is a fun surprise. Artistic surfboards are hung from the ceiling, and tunes like Olivia Newton John's Let's Get Physical can be heard playing by the pool. What really caught my eye was the 70s ocean inspired artwork and seashell string window coverings in the restaurant and bar.

The Outpost at the Goodland, an indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar where casual is key and pets are allowed is a foodies heaven. The flowing area from lobby to restaurant to pool offer an open and relaxed environment to fully enjoy all areas of this classic property. The indoor restaurant is cozy, with a burning fireplace, and colorful artistic touches. The outdoor area is California chilling, where people meet at the bar or enjoy dinner with friends.

The menu, created by chef Nick Bajal, changes seasonally, and during my visit featured lamb with braised red cabbage, nor butter peas, crispy white sweet potato, and the duck confit with coriander vinaigrette, greens, roasted apples, and parsnip, which I enjoyed with a glass of Halter Ranch Cabernet. These dishes were reminiscent of the original Wolfgang Puck and Joachim Splichal early menu years in Los Angeles; perfectly cooked and falling off the bone preparations. Simply outstanding!

Appetizers prepared by Executive Chef Bajal and sous chef Damien Giliberti included West coast oysters, with pear, long pepper mignonette, an amazing beef bone marrow (specialty that night), a Little Gem salad of cucumber, smoked trout, with black sesame seed mustard was delicious with a Margerum white wine. The Pork Ribs with chipotle-pomegranate glaze, popcorn polenta, pickled red onion, chive is one of their very popular items, and the combo of Pork Street Taco Pork shoulder, grilled pineapple, pickled onion, Chicken Street Taco Pickled jalapeno, queso fresco, white sesame, dark mole, Fish Street Taco Battered cod, sriracha tartar, smoked cabbage, sesame combo is a fabulous entree trio or individual separate nibbles.

Dessert offerings included Mexican Spiced Chocolate Pudding, with salted carmel whipped cream and a crispy sugar cookie. Also ice cream, the Chef’s seasonal selection of Sorbet. I almost did not live through the deep fried carrot cake with burnt orange sauce, white chocolate creamed cheese, and McConnell’s vanilla ice cream. What an amazing and creative sweet ending. For coffee lovers, the Outpost proudly serves organic and fair trade coffee and tea.

Brunch in this fun location is an ideal way to start your morning on the patio and offers an imaginative collection of tasty favorites like salmon tartine with caper salsa aioli, tomato and chili threads or Chef Bajal's unique twist on French toast, but my personal favorite was the Avocado Toast made with fried eggs on sourdough, pickle, onion, cilantro, avocado and served with home fries to enjoy with a great cup of coffee while sitting by the pool. Also not to miss is the 'toasted bun' burgers that will take you happily back to your Beach Blanket Bingo days.

There is a genuine nostalgia about the Kimpton Goodland that is so appealing, and I look forward to going back soon. The hotel Kimpton Goodland has an abundance of self parking for visitors, and is minutes from the Santa Barbara Airport by taxi or rental car. www.thegoodland.com.Visit: http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com.