Back in February, The Astronomer, June, and I spent a weekend in the glorious Santa Ynez Valley. The region’s hillsides are incredibly lush at this time of year and beckoned me back even though I was just in the area last fall. A Friday through Sunday trip is never enough, but it scratches the itch well enough.

We stayed at the Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos for the weekend. The historic site, which served as a stagecoach stop in the late 1800s and a Prohibition-era hang in the early 1900s, is newly renovated and reimagined by Auberge Resorts Collection. We were lucky enough to be one of the first guests.

The two-bedroom “Oak” cottage had a magical way about it. Even though it was practically new, the space managed to feel comfortable and lived in. It must be the well-preserved bones of the place.

The cottage served as a lovely home base for the weekend.

Deft interior design and stylish farmhouse accents made the accommodations a visual treat.

I’d never desired a wooden duck until now.

After dropping off our luggage and freshening up a bit, we walked to nearby Bar Le Côte for supper. The seafood-focused restaurant is owned by the same fabulous folks as Bell’s in Los Alamos. Behind the stoves is executive chef and co-owner Brad Mathews, who previously cooked at places like Fishing with Dynamite and The Arthur J in LA.

I sipped a crisp glass of Crémant de Loire Louis Métaireau “Grand Mouton” NV ($16) to start.

The dry-aged yellowtail crudo with lemon curd, fennel, and candied orange ($24) was a hit with everyone at the table, especially June, who managed to basically eat the whole dish.

Also terrific was the simple but satisfying salad made with Finley lettuce, Caña De Cabra cheese, pine nuts, and a sherry and membrillo vinaigrette ($14).

One of the highlights of the night were the gambas al ajillo, head-on Gulf shrimp with crispy garlic, parsley, and lemon ($28).

Rachelle’s saffron buns ($10) with sea urchin butter ($4) made for an excellent pairing with the shrimp.

The final savory course was the meatiest Little Neck clams prepared with chorizo and white wine ($28). A toasted boillo was served on the side.

We shared the tarta de Santiago ($10) for dessert. The almond cake was served with Priedite Barbecue smoked berry jam, fresh strawberries, and Chantilly cream.

The next morning, we strolled the Inn’s tranquil grounds before heading out for the day.

The property is dotted with quaint communal areas for planned and impromptu gatherings. While I mostly enjoy keeping it low-key on holiday, it can be fun to connect with fellow out-of-towners sometimes.

For lunch, we made the short drive to Los Alamos for Priedite Barbecue. The weekends-only pop-up from Nick Priedite and Brendan Dwan is held behind Bell’s every Saturday starting at 10:30 AM and almost always manages to sell out. There was a line a dozen deep when we arrived at 10:15 AM.

We ordered a lil’ bit of everything: brisket and pulled pork tacos, spare ribs, sausages, sides (coleslaw, beans, rice), and more brisket.

Priedite’s brisket taco is a thing of beauty: a thick slab of meat cradled in a flour tortilla and topped with sauce and pickles.

Both smoked sausages were snappy and spectacular, especially the daily special embedded with serrano chiles and Monterey Jack cheese.

I can’t say enough about the buttermilk pudding topped with crumbled Nila wafers and citrus preserves. It provided the perfect finish to an outrageously good barbecue feast.

I spent the afternoon plopped on the couch with two good books, while June and The Astronomer napped in the bedroom. Bliss.

Pre-dinner fire pit action.

We stayed on-site for dinner. While the cottages are newly opened, The Tavern has been serving guests and visitors since last fall. Heading up the kitchen is chef Rhoda Magbitang, who has spent time in the kitchens of chefs Suzanne Goin, Jose Andres, Josiah Citrin, and more. I loved how her cooking was familiar and rustic but boasted enough twists and flourishes to keep us on our toes.

Dinner started off with an excellent cocktail. The Old Gus Berg ($20) is made with Russell’s reserve single barrel bourbon, pinot noir, demerara, and bitters.

Some of my favorite courses of the night included the foccacia ($10) served with butter…

… the sweetbreads with sunchokes, roasted grapes, mustard frills, and oxtail jus ($24) were so good that I am hereby declaring 2023 to be the year of the thymus gland.

I also adored the local abalone prepared with an abalone liver mousse, mushroom confit, and white miso butter ($32). The dish was visually playful with the sliced abalone masquerading as shiitakes, while the flavors were understated but pure.

The highlight of a dinner chock-full of highlights was the squid ink rice with perfectly cooked octopus, piquillo peppers, and dollops of smoked paprika aioli ($36).

A warm-from-the-oven chocolate souffle with caramel sauce made for a great finish.

We crawled home to our cottage, and needless to say, we slept very, very well that night.

Before heading home on Sunday morning, we stopped at the Bandito Burgers pop-up (within a pop-up) run by Priedite Barbecue.

Drippy, cheesy, smash burgers are just the thing to fuel a two-hour car drive.

It tasted as good as it looks, folks.

And since the buttermilk pudding from the barbecue pop-up had me swooning, I knew that I had to grab the last chocolate-almond-ancho cookie for dessert. It did not disappoint. Nick shared that the secret to the cookie’s awesomeness is very excellent chocolate and whipped egg whites that give the cookie lift without heft.

Until next time, Santa Ynez Valley…

A year ago: {swoon} Taiwanese mochi at Corner Beef Noodle House
Two years ago: Slacker.
Three years ago: Yi Mei Deli – Rowland Heights
Four years ago: Slacker.
Five years ago: Everson Royce Bar
Six years ago: True Food Kitchen – Pasadena
Seven years ago: Mian by Chengdu Taste – San Gabriel
Eight years ago: Helena’s Hawaiian Food – Honolulu
Nine years ago: Hominy Grill – Charleston
Ten years ago: Tofu King – Arcadia
Eleven years ago: Chego – Los Angeles (Palms)
Twelve years ago: La Super Rica Taqueria – Santa Barbara
Thirteen years ago: Pappa Rich – Pasadena
Fourteen years ago: Bánh Mì Mỹ Tho – Alhambra
Fifteen years ago: Vegetation Profile: Marian Plum
Sixteen years ago: K.C.’s Pastries – Philadelphia