Jara

Santa Barbara’s dining scene is often defined by what comes from the ocean and what grows in the surrounding valleys. But tucked downtown, reminds us that the city’s story is also shaped by the people who’ve brought flavors, traditions and memories from somewhere else.

Our table filled with larb chicken, papaya salad, shaved bok choy& duck, mie goreng, nasi goreng jawa, beef rendang, and Pepe’s Ikan; black cod wrapped in banana leaves and grilled with coconut sambal. A spread that encourages conversations and reaching across the table for “just one more bite.”

Some dishes carry generations of history. Nasi goreng is often considered Indonesia’s national dish. Rendang, slowly cooked with coconut milk and spices until deeply rich and complex, is traditionally served during celebrations and family gatherings. Even the simple act of cooking fish in banana leaves speaks to techniques passed down across Southeast Asia before recipes were written down.

That’s what makes Sama Sama special. In a town known for wine country weekends and coastal sunsets, it offers something equally important: a reminder that food is one of the ways culture travels, adapts and finds a new home.

🏅 Michelin Bib Gourmand

#805

I’m usually hesitant to call places “hidden gems.” The phrase gets thrown around so often that it has almost lost its meaning.

But if you’re looking for something different this summer, make the trip to Choi’s Oriental Market in Santa Barbara.

Skip what feels familiar. Order the naengmyeon first. A bowl of icy buckwheat noodles floating in a chilled broth that somehow manages to be both refreshing and deeply satisfying.

Then get the samgyetang, a whole young chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, garlic and dates a dish rooted in the Korean tradition of restoring strength during the hottest days of summer.

These aren’t trend-driven dishes. They’ve been feeding people for generations.

And here’s the thing: I’ve looked. A lot. You won’t find naengmyeon and samgyetang being served together anywhere else in the 805.

If you’re still hungry, the jajangmyeon and japchae are worth your attention too. Comforting, nostalgic dishes that have earned their place on Korean tables for decades.

In a region where it can be surprisingly hard to find traditional Asian dishes like these, places like Choi’s matter. They offer more than just a meal, they help preserve flavors, tradition and stories that aren’t always easy to come by in the 805.

This is the kind of place worth supporting, and worth returning to.

📍 Choi’s Oriental Market
185 S Patterson Ave D, Santa Barbara

#805

🍋💕 GIVEAWAY TIME 💕🍋

Summer just got a little sweeter! I’m teaming up with to give two lucky winners a $50 Handel’s gift card so you can try their NEW limited-time Pink Lemonade flavor for yourself.

To enter:
✨ Follow .simp and
✨ Like this post
✨ Comment your favorite ice cream flavor below

Winner will be selected and notified via DM on June 13,2026. Gift card must be picked up at the Handel’s Oxnard location.

Good luck, and may the sweetest summer win! 🍦🍋

Gift card generously provided by Handel’s Ice Cream. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram.

SummerTreats