finch & fork

the restaurant is under new management (again) and i was skeptical sine i have been here for the other versions and was not impressed. but i was surprised and happy this time. the food was good, however don't expect special requests to be handled accurately. of the three at our table none were completed.

finch&fork was attached to a nice and vintage hotel. the decoration of the restaurant was nice, modern with little bit classic. the service was great, the servant was very friendly and helpful.
to start my morning, i ordered highc to fill my body with vitamin c. the juice was fresh and thick, you could tell it was healthy and full of goodness.
the breakfast items we ordered were pretty nice too. pork belly with egg: on top of toasted bread, there were some avocado, toasted pork belly , poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. it was like a creative version of egg benedict. the pork was really tender, some parts could be fat. the avocado and pork fat made it very smooth; the egg and sauce made it very juicy. this dish was delicious abut could felt a little bit heavy too.
sweet potato and short rib hash: short rib meat was shredded and tossed with roasted sweet potato cubes, then topped with two sunny sided eggs. this dish was quite disappointing. it was too oily and heavy, the meat was too dry...
the chop: it was a salad mixed with lots of grains and smoked salmon, cauliflower, quinoa, avocado, tomato etc. the dish was full of fresh ingredients,refreshing , light and tasty!
french toast: caramelized banana with walnut crumbles. normally i am not a big fan of french toast since they were always very sweet. this french toast was not as sweet as usual. eggy toasted bread with sweet banana, tasted so nice and soft, if u like sweet breakfast, don't miss this one.

breakfast - you need it, and you need it done well. cast off the days of just grabbing a quick banana and granola bar on your way out. when my friends and i took a short trip up to santa barbara for a few days, we didn't want to default to the easy route for our breakfasts. we sought out places that specialized in this morning meal, and finch & fork at the base of canary hotel came up in our search. a simple reservation was made, and we waltzed into the neatly decorated, intimate restaurant when the time came, impressed by the choice in interior design and the superb service. how was the food though? you ought to drop in to give your tastebuds a ride sometime.

we visited the finch & fork a couple times while on holiday recently and staying at the canary which this restaurant is part of.

the restaurant is well appointed with comfortable booth seating and a great relaxed ambience. the food is rather good and embraces the farm to fork philosophy which is always a winner when backed up by plenty of flavour. our first meal was a late lunch the afternoon we arrived in santa barbara, mr doe had a pretty decent burger and i had probably the best soup of my life in a bowl of cauliflower soup served with a ham and cheese toastie. we visited again a couple days later for breakfast, good but not quite as great as that first day soup!

service was good, particularly during our first meal when it was quieter but all up no complaints.

after breakfast, it was time to start packing up, loading the car, and visit santa barbara one last time. it was 11am on a sunday which means brunch. finch & fork located on the corner of the canary hotel in downtown santa barbara is a great place to stop in for a bite. executive chef james siao creates california cuisine using the local bounty of santa barbara county. the interior of the restaurant is modern yet rustic with reclaimed wood tables and leather seats.

crab cake benedict was excellent!

pacific oysters and fish tacos. great lunch. a good place to get a quick light meal.

coast restaurant & bar is nestled inside the canary hotel in thriving downtown santa barbara, california. with comfortable seating and views of busy sidewalks from tables inside this eatery next to huge floor-to-ceiling windows, patrons can view passers-by and the beauty of downtown santa barbara. serving american fare with west coast enhancements, coast restaurant & bar caters to connoisseurs of fresh seafood, tender meats and crisp vibrant vegetables meticulously prepared and delivered straight from the local farmer’s market to your table. close to the california coast with its serene ocean and beach, nearby upscale shopping along popular state street, and located within santa barbara’s quaint beach community, coast restaurant & bar presents relaxing comfort, savory cuisine and an inviting environment perfect for enjoying any meal of the day. below, photos of an interior dining room, the main entry of the restaurant, intricate wood details throughout the space indoors, and the water

all in all, i’d say i just may have to make another trip soon up to coast- maybe for one of those monday night wine tastings on their rooftop terrace...