<a target="_blank" href="https://www.barlecote.com/">Bar Le Côte</a>

2375 Alamo Pintado Ave

Los Olivos, CA 93441&nbsp;

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | SEPTEMBER 02, 2022The Food:

Oysters; Pacific Golds, Mere Point Petites

Santa Barbara Sea Urchin

Peel &amp; Eat Shrimp, BLC Spice, Cocktail Sauce &amp; Lemon

Gambas Al Ajillo; Head on Gulf Shrimp, Crispy Garlic,
Parsley, Lemon

Rachelle’s Saffron Buns

Day Boat Scallop Crudo; Pickled Mighty Cap Black Pearl
Mushrooms,

Crème Fraîche, Dill Pollen

Little Neck Clams; House Chorizo, White Wine, Sofrito,
Toasted Bolillo

BLC Spiced Fries

Coconut ice cream

The Wines:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>1996
 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne</td>
 <td>97</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2001 Domaine Leflaive
 Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
 <td>95</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1990 Luciano Sandrone Barolo
 Le Vigne</td>
 <td>96</td>
 </tr></tbody></table> 

With its seafood focused menu and bright décor, Bar Le Côte
is a very welcome addition to the Santa Barbara wine country dining scene.
Executive Chef and Co-Owner Brad Matthews and his team offer a wonderfully
inviting menu that will have you thinking about your next visit before you leave.
I had been hearing raves about Bar Le Côte for months prior to my June visit, so
I was eager to check it out, especially given the paucity of options in Los
Olivos, where I tend to stay.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662128273046-1-VT_September022022-bright.jpg">Oysters, Santa Barbara
Sea Urchin, Peel &amp; Eat Shrimp, BLC Spice, Cocktail Sauce &amp; Lemon 

Bar Le Côte is a new restaurant from proprietors
Daisy and Greg Ryan, who opened Bell’s in Los Alamos a few years before. Located
in the heart of town, literally a stone’s throw from the many tasting rooms
that are the central attraction in Los Olivos these days, Bar Le Côte
is the ideal place to stop by for lunch or dinner in wine country. The open
kitchen, small bar and beautifully designed and warm interior are immediately welcoming,
as is the staff.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662128309341-3-VT_September022022.jpg">Gambas Al Ajillo; Head
on Gulf Shrimp, Crispy Garlic, Parsley, Lemon 

We tried to order as many things off the menu as we could. We
devoured a dozen oysters pretty much the minute they arrived, as they were
sublime. The Santa Barbara sea urchin was delicious, although I would have
preferred to have it on some sort of toast or bread. Peel and eat shrimp were
spicy, as advertised, but not terribly easy to eat. If you order the gambas al
ajillo, don’t plan on sharing. They were magnificent and full of flavor. I also
loved the day boat scallop appetizer, which literally tasted like the ocean.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662128333678-6-VT_September022022.jpg">Bar Le Côte offers an eclectic but well-chosen list. On this
night, though, my friends brought some pretty special wines to share. Vinous
readers are well aware of how much I like Taittinger’s
Comtes de Champagne. The 1996 is
in a perfect place right now, where it has mellowed nicely in middle age, while
retaining plenty of energy. I am not sure it is going to improve meaningfully
however, so I would be thinking about drinking any remaining bottles over the
next decade or so. The 2001 Chevalier
Montrachet Grand Cru from Domaine
Leflaive was sublime. There’s always a bit of trepidation in opening an
older bottle of white Burgundy these days, but the 2001 is in perfect shape for
a wine of its age, showing plenty of grace in its airy, lifted personality. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662128556706-2-VT_September022022.jpg">Day Boat Scallop
Crudo; Pickled Mighty Cap Black Pearl Mushrooms,Crème Fraîche, Dill
Pollen 

Our server raved about the Little Neck Clam, which was
presented as a sort of stew. Knowing we had an older Barolo coming, I was not
sure about the pairing, but I have never been too fussy about such things,
usually preferring an “eat what you like, drink what you like” approach. The
combination turned out to be unexpectedly brilliant. The clams had plenty of
meat-like richness, while the broth, full of chorizo and tomatoes, added layers
of flavor and complexity. A generous serving of BLC’s spiced fries certainly
did not hurt. My guests were similarly delighted with their main courses.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662473976115-5-VT_September022022_covercopy.jpg">Little Neck Clams; House Chorizo, White Wine, Sofrito,
Toasted Bolillo 

Luciano Sandrone’s
1990 Barolo Cannubi Boschis, one of his most famous early wines, obviously
doesn’t have the lushness it did as a young wine, but it has matured into a
glorious, soft wine with all the complexity typical of a 30+ year-old Barolo.
Here, too, I would prefer to drink any remaining bottles sooner rather than
later, as the 1990 is not going to improve from here.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1662128459382-4-VT_September022022.jpg">BLC
Spiced Fries 

A single scoop of coconut ice cream was light, refreshing
and the perfect way to end this indulgent dinner. Readers spending time in or
around Los Olivos will want to check out Bar Le Côte. Reservations are
essential. © 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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