It’s been close to a month now since we took a trip down to Santa Barbara to move Boy #4 into his college dorms. We extended our trip an extra day so we could do a little sight seeing in Santa Barbara and along the coast on our way back home. I’m here to share some of the beauty of Santa Barbara and an incredible lunch we had at Enterprise Fish Co. There will be more to come in a separate post about the remainder of our trip.
Shortly after we had unpacked his belongings in his dorm room, his roommate arrived. I got this shot of them just after they first met. I know we just met but you don’t mind if I take about 572 pictures of you guys together so we can document this big moment do you? That is Boy #4 there on the left and Jacob the roomie on the right. Jacob is a great guy and has equally awesome parents. I was pretty impressed with whatever system they use to match roommates. It think it’s working.
After he was unpacked and settled in, Paul and I stayed the night and took some time to explore downtown Santa Barbara on our own the following day. We settled in on Enterprise Fish Co. for lunch.
Can we talk about clam chowder? This was THE best clam chowder I’ve had…ever. Period. It will seriously knock your socks off. The consistency was just perfect – not too thick, not too brothy, and the flavor was memorable, to say the least.
I went with the Boston (white) chowder and Paul opted for the Manhattan (red) variety. We were both in chowder heaven and as we ate, we debated which was better. The soup alone is worth going back for but we’re not done yet. There’s more.
For my entree I ordered the mesquite grilled British Columbia salmon glazed with their Coca Cola BBQ sauce. There are a variety of sides to choose from but I went with these fresh and simple roasted veggies. Incredible.
Paul chose the mesquite grilled Pacific sword fish with lobster butter. Yeah, I may have reached across the table with my fork once…or twice. The lobster butter was phenomenal and really imparted a rich lobster flavor to the fish. Heavenly.
The restaurant is just a couple of blocks and an easy walking distance from Stearns Wharf, easily one of the most beautiful piers in California.
The view in every direction from the pier is breathtaking. The harbor on one side.
The town of Santa Barbara on the other.
Lucky for us, we now have an excuse to visit this beautiful place frequently. We will be back, oh yes, we will be back. See you again soon, Santa Barbara.
Enterprise Fish Co. is located at 225 State St. in Santa Barbara.
SO glad you had a fun time in Santa Barbara~ your son may be here forever, as I moved here 30 years ago to go to UCSB and never left!
Next time you’re here, check out Brophy’s Brothers at the harbor~Fish Enterprise is very good, but Brophy’s is even better! Lots of great foodie finds in SB, including the “Funk Zone” area featuring a lot of our favorite wineries and now breweries. For fun, have a drink at Joe’s Cafe-an SB local hang at State & Cota. If you can be downtown on a Tuesday afternoon or Saturday morning, you will absolutely LOVE our farmer’s market. I buy all my stuff there and feature it on my blog often. I’m smitten.
Have fun, and lucky you, getting to come visit your son in SB!
My son is at Chapman in Old Town Orange so I’ve become a lover of antiquing and retro shopping 🙂
All the best and LOVE your blog.
Thanks
Nancy Newcomer
Founder, Back to the Kitchen: Healthy Living with Real Food
https://nancynewcomer.com/
Thank you for the great recommendations! We will definitely check them out. We are amazed at the number of great places to eat in SB! We haven’t had a bad experience yet. It was just gorgeous this weekend and we had a fantastic time. I’m so glad you stopped by to introduce yourself, Nancy! 🙂
I`m a HUGE fan of clam chowder! I definitely want to visit Santa Barbara, since I live relatively close, so I must remember this place! 🙂
You do live in a gorgeous state!
I loooove Santa Barbara (and SLO area too) – the beaches are nicer and it’s a beautiful coastal city. I will remember this restaurant. Now that you mention about the chowder I have a massive sudden craving. Oh no! 😀 Hope your boy #4 is doing well in college (I am sure he’s missing mom’s food for sure!).
Isn’t Santa Barbara beautiful? One of my favorite places to explore. If you ever get the chance, take Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner down- the ride down the coast is amazing and even more relaxing than enjoying the view while driving. I took it from SLO to Santa Barbara one morning, enjoyed the day, then took it back that evening and it was one of the most enjoyable trips down I’ve had!
That sounds so good, Nora! We’ll have to try that. That section of the coast is unbelievably beautiful. Thanks for stopping by 🙂