Hi there, my partner and I are driving up to see the airshow next week and we need recs for 2 dinners. We are open almost to anything–I can’t handle anything spicy and am allergic to alcohol. We can eat pizza if it’s really good and in a pinch, we’ll do in-n-out, like last night when we unfortunately had dinner at 10:30 pm. BBQ is also good, and a good diner can also work.
Bottom line, casual and good food with reasonable prices.
Thanks!
If you’ve never had Santa Maria BBQ, you may be in for a treat! The only wild card is whether you can find it while you’re there. Santa Maria had a thriving tri-tip BBQ culture for decades, up and down the main drag, which is both Broadway and State Route 135. It seems like hundreds (although it was more likely dozens) of non-profits would set up their cookers, fired by red oak, slowly cooking tri-tips by smoke and flame. In front of churches, schools and community buildings, in parking lots, just about anywhere. Elk’s, Moose, Odd Fellows, Rotary…they all had trailer-mounted rigs.
The heyday of fundraiser Santa Maria BBQ is gone - maybe a victim of the pandemic? - but if you’re lucky and you time it right, you still might find a non-descript trailer grill rig parked where you’d least expect it. And if you can’t find a fundraiser, there are several restaurants in the area that do a pretty good version, too. Good luck!
Thanks for the quick reply! I can’t say that I’ve had Santa Maria BBQ, so can you please educate me on the difference between that and any other BBQ style? I found one recipe online and it looks like it has a lot of pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper and red wine vinegar. Is that correct? That would give me a huge kick and crying for mercy…
Thanks again!
I would greatly appreciate any recs for a place to go to; I tried to find one using Google maps but it came up with recs for where I live, not for Santa Maria.
Santa Maria style BBQ is tri-tip, a cut that is uniquely Californian. I have no idea what part of the cow it is or how others butcher it, but it’s a roast that is a relatively long triangle. You have the seasonings right, marinated for a long time, then cooked over direct low heat from a red oak fire. Traditionally served with beans (pinquito, I think?), salad, salsa, and bread.
IIRC, the Filipino Community Center had a pretty good set-up across from the fire station on the north end of town.
OK I have to say thanks again for the suggestion but the flavor kick will definitely be more than I can handle. I’ll keep looking for other places that won’t put me in the emergency room late at night…
You should try it. It’s not super spicy, if that’s what you fear.
Traditional tri-tip is not seasoned spicy. Besides cooked over red oak, it’s traditionally served with Pinquito beans (small, regional pinto beans) and salsa. Why not ask a local for a recommendation while you’re there. I’m sure a search will also find stuff. When in Rome…yada, yada…
