A Margerum Syrah is like a good friend. Â You look forward to spending time with them, you enjoy their company, and you know you can always count on them. Â Well not so with the Margerum Syrah offered up from the blackboard menu at Intermezzo. Â In fact, the spigot swill they pour is a nasty imposter as experienced last Thursday evening. Â With a friend who also wanted syrah, we decided to order a bottle, but we were not told that the bottle wasn't actually a bottle, but instead a carafe filled from a spigot behind the bar. Â The small, swirl-impossible glasses placed before us should have been a tip-off. Â The nose was practically non-existent and the first (and only) mouthful revealed a warm, exceedingly flat, "this CAN'T be a Margerum Syrah" taste devoid of any complexity, but with - get this - a hint of carbonation! Â I was momentarily shocked by the sensation of effervescence on my tongue and could hardly swallow. Â I immediately asked the bartender for a REAL bottle. Â With a barely concealed flash of anger, he whisked away my glass and tossed away the contents and said he would check the cellar. Â At $8 more for a bottle, it was worth the price. Â Real Bordeaux glasses appeared and the cellar-cool wine that was opened and poured into the stems was a beautiful inky ruby with that unmistakable spicy syrah nose. Â A few minutes of swirling and inhaling later, the first mouthful was a wonderfully lush blend of spice and black cherries, well-balanced structure, smooth tannins, and luxurious finish. Â And as always, the food was great. Â Bottom line: save the trendy taps for beer and leave the wine in the bottle where it belongs. Â Serve up the quality that Margerum is known for.
Review Source:I had no intention of dining at Intermezzo. I am so glad my girlfriend and I wondered into Intermezzo late Saturday night.
We had originally planned to have dinner at Wine Cask. Anyone who has spent time around Wine Cask/Intermezzo can confirm that determining where one location ends and another begins is a bit of a challenge. They have two restaurants, a tasting room (where a private birthday party was being held), and a courtyard (where a wedding reception was taking place). Based on the quality of Intermezzo, I don't think it matters all that much where you end up.
I tried to find a single complaint about this place. I don't like to not be able to find one thing about a restaurant that I wouldn't improve upon. Intermezzo has broken my rule. My girlfriend and I split a half-carafe of Viognier, calamari, french fries, and the chevre doughnuts. Jesus. Christ.
Everything could have been the superstar of a complete meal at any other restaurant. The wine was affordable and tasted great (I love when restaurants offer options between glasses and bottles). The calamari was perfectly cooked and unique--it is served up with sauteed peppers, jalapenos, and garlic. Should I ever cook calamari in my own home, I will try my damnedest to copy the Intermezzo formula. French fries were perfectly cooked and worked perfectly with the calamari (what can I say--I like my fried food). And, I don't know if there are enough words in the English language to describe how awesome the chevre doughnuts are. It isn't often you have a desert you've never had before that leaves you wishing you could have the exact same dessert the next day. Well, I want to have those doughnuts today, tomorrow, the next day, and the next. They were packed full of flavor, were prepared to have a perfectly crisp texture with a gooey center, and were paired with an decadent coffee ice cream.
No complaints whatsoever. Just go eat here already.
Absolutely mezzo-tic. The food is grand, the SB County wines are spectacular and the man behind the bar/curtain while I occupied the stool (Jeremy) not only educated me, but made perfect suggestions with the wine on tap, as well as their vast selection of bottled wine. We're here for six weeks, staying less than 1/2 mile away #DangerDanger911Help!. Â I have a feeling Jeremy may get sick of seeing me in the same wardrobe over and over (and over) again. Should have brought more than two button downs and a pair of ratty jeans. Yee Olde Navy sale here I come!
Review Source:My mom and I went for wine and dinner, and I have to say, the bar did not disappoint! The truffle fries were yummy, the Blue burger was delicious, and the bread pudding (with bourbon salted caramel sauce) was heaven in ever bite. My favorite wine out of glasses I tried was the Margerum Syrah. Exquisite.
Review Source:Intermezzo used to be my go-to wine bar when I lived in SB a few years back. Â My GF and I would stop here for some wine, cheese, and tapas at least a couple of times per month. Â The staff were always very friendly and we got to know them pretty well (Justin, one of our favorite servers has since moved on to open Julienne, which is quite a success I understand. Â We wish him well!).
Shortly after we moved back to LA, Intermezzo closed and was remodeled. Â The decor is a little more dark and upscale than before, but the vibe is essentially the same. And they still have their cozy fireplace (although the couches have been replaced with tables, unfortunately).
The menu has changed and seems more expansive than I remember. Â Some of our old standbys are still there (thankfully they didn't axe their truffle fries), but the chef has added quite a few new interesting options. Â The selections seem to be leaning more towards rustic/hearty pub fare than trendy tapas, with offerings like Fried Chicken & Waffles, Grilled Wagyu Flatiron Steak, and Beer-steamed Mussels. Â They also have both steak and tuna tartare if you're into that, as well as a nice selection of salads, burgers, flatbreads, pastas, and cheese/charcuterie platters.
In terms of wine, Intermezzo offers six whites and seven reds, all "on-tap" and delivered to the restaurant in environmentally friendly tanks rather than bottles. Â The wines appear to be kept at cellar temperatures and are sealed from air exposure, so you'll never get a flat pour from yesterday's dregs. Â You can order by the glass or half/full carafe. Â If you'd prefer something else, you can also order a bottle from the encyclopedic wine list of their five star sister restaurant (Wine Cask) next door. Â They have some nice Volnays I used to order, as well as prestige bottles like Lafite / Mouton Rothschild, or Chateau Margaux (though I'd suggest eating at the restaurant if you're going that route).
My GF opted for the Flying Goat Pinot Noir, which was very nice; Â I tried the Margerum 'M3' Rhone Blend, which wasn't terribly exciting, so I switched to the Flying Goat for the rest of the evening. Â The pours were reasonable; Not overly generous, but not stingy either. Â My only complaint were the glasses, which I found too narrow and really more suited to white wines than red. Â I prefer a large bowl when I'm drinking reds so I can go all sommelier and get my swirl on.
For our food selections, we ordered their Truffled Parmesan Fries, a cheese platter, the Grilled Market Vegetables, and the Fried Chicken & Waffles Basket. Â The truffle fries were rustic and flavorful, and the cheese platter was very generous and served on a cool granite slab. Â The market vegetables were abundant and tasty and a big hit with my Vegan GF. Â I'm not generally a big fried food fan, but the chicken and waffles just sounded too interesting to pass up. Â They were surprisingly awesome and included an apricot marmalade dipping sauce that complimented both perfectly. Â Sort of Chicken McNuggets meets Haute Cuisine (I suspect I just made their chef wince).
The dessert menu has quite a few interesting offerings, including Bourbon Bread Pudding, Trio of Doughnuts, and a Cocoa & Caramel Tart. Â At our waiters suggestion, we opted for the Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie, which unfortunately I didn't find all that exciting. Â I'll try the tart or the doughnuts next time around.
Intermezzo is located one block off State Street, right across from the post office and across the street from the Lobero Theatre, which usually has a nice lineup of acts. Â One night we caught the Dave Brubeck quartet there and hit Intermezzo for an early dinner prior to the show. Â This visit, we were on our way to a swing dance at the Carillo ballroom. Â You gotta love Santa Barbara.
All in all, a fun, casual, and relaxing spot to either kick off your evening with a signature cocktail or a glass of wine, or to just camp out and graze for a few pleasant hours. Â Highly recommended.
Very comfortable and cozy wine bar on Anacapa...a pleasant find for me.
I love local wines, and was happy to wander in here and order some wine. All of their wines are "on tap" in a sense, and so they are fresh and straight from the winery.
The bartender was nice and helpful, and poured me extra tastes when I expressed interest in the Pinor Noirs. We ended up having an in depth discussion of the pinots from 09 and 10 and it was very enjoyable.
Ordered the Parmesan Truffle Fries and they were quite tasty as a snack with my wine. My friend ordered a Moscow Mule (they have a full bar) and really enjoyed it as well.
Nice place to relax, drink some wine, and have some food!
Nice place, had dinner at the restaurant (crispy calamari, beef tartare, Greek flatbread & prosciutto flatbread). Had a few glasses of cab, they have wines on tap and it is best to sit next to the fireplace! I had a great evening with the right person, great food and wine. Good service, nice warm feeling, low lights and reasonable pricing! Will visit for sure next time I am in town! :)
Review Source:Wandered in here between wine tastings because we needed a break, only to order more wine? hahah..
Had a taste of the Flying Goat Pinot Noir and HAD to get a glass. I'm no expert but to me, it was a robust, black fruited pinot (black cherry, black currant), hint of what seemed like oak spice, overall very smooth. Nice semi-dry finish.
The service here was great! Best word to describe it is professional. The menu looks very interesting! I'm looking forward to trying their flat breads soon!
This is my favorite place in Santa Barbara. I've been living here for almost two years now and I've experienced nothing better than Intermezzo! I love the cozy yet upbeat atmosphere. This is great place to grab a drink, kick back and eat some AMAZING food. I am especially a fan of their prosciutto and humboldt fog pizza, it is insane! The apps, wine list and service is all exceptional. I am always sad to leave this place!
Review Source:We have been coming here over the past year, and I finally just have to write about it!! Every time has been excellent!! First, I have to say this is the BEST burger in SB hands down. Just tried the Italian burger last night, and it was incredible. Service is always attentive, atmosphere is great, great wines on TAP, flatbreads are tasty if you are into the thin crust thing, desserts never disappoint, what more could you want? Keep it up!!! We will be back soon!!
Review Source:The whole experience was A+.
We sat outside, split 3 apps, had cocktails and a bottle of Rose.
Trevor, our server was a professional. Â Super nice, funny, and knows his wine!
We had the steak bites, the crab/artichoke dip, and the Orchard flatbread.
GET THE ORCHARD, it was a flavor explosion in my mouth:)
We will be back for sure!
This was a surprise find on a trip to Santa Barbara. Â Adjoining the Wine Cask is this somewhat secluded narrow bar with an interesting / fun menu. Â We came in here for dinner during Old Spanish Days. Â Despite the huge crowds in the restaurants directly off the street, this had a moderate crowd and was quiet and relaxing. Â
Staff was very attentive and friendly. Â My wife started with a dark and stormy and I had a glass of Qupe grenache. Â Generous pour on the wine (always a good start!) Â The wines by the glass are local with a nice selection.
Many very interesting looking dishes to the point it was difficult to decide. Â We ordered a macaroni and cheese with spanish chorizo and Luau Roasted Pork flatbread (mango-pineapple bbq sauce, red onion, goat cheese, cilantro). Â Both were very good. Â I would definitely reutrn.
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