S. Irene Virbila heads all the way up to Santa Barbara to deliver a 2 1/2 star rating (because she hasn't given one to a L.A. restuarant for months) to Square One, a restaurant flying way below everyone's radar, most notably with locals. And although Miss Irene seems to adore the place, she can't help herself when it comes to comparisons with more sophisticated locales, perhaps? Punctuating several thoughts with "even in Santa Babara" and "service is terrific, for Santa Barbara," she acts like Santa Barbara is a town full of dolts and cowboys. Did she forget Oprah lives right down the street?
Two-and-a-half stars is good... for a Santa Barbara restaurant. This week the "S" stands for "skeptical."
· A sweet Santa Barbara secret [LA Times]
