The Ellwood Is Open, Finally

The Ellwood at Goleta Beach is finally open. As a restaurant lover who lives about four minutes away, very few sentences have made me happier to type.

I’m fairly certain that I’ve written more about the coming of this establishment than for any other topic in my career. It started in October 2021, when Omar Khashen won the bid for taking over this County of Santa Barbara–owned facility, which occupies the prime spot on Goleta Beach at the foot of the wharf.

The ensuing three-plus years have been littered with delays of the unfortunately normal but also exceedingly extraordinary sorts, as Khashen worked with the county to redo everything from the crumbling structure to ancient sewage lines. The entire landscape of Goleta Beach — the most popular park in the county, based on annual usage — has been revamped in the meantime, and continues, as Khashen’s plans to open a casual seaside eatery and event venue adjacent to the new restaurant. I’ve written at least eight stories about these travails, along the way befriending Khashen and his director of operations Chris Jow over lunches at China King, wine tastings in my driveway, and even, with Jow, golf tourney fundraisers.

The patio at The Ellwood now takes advantage of those killer views. | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The patio at The Ellwood now takes advantage of those killer views. | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The patio at The Ellwood now takes advantage of those killer views. | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
An outdoor fireplace on the patio at The Ellwood | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
An ocean view table | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
A private dining area is available for up to ten guests | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom

“It’s always been a passion project,” confirmed Khashen, who never wavered from his original goal. “It was not the easiest thing to do, but we had really strong partners and investors that helped us through the process. The vision has always been the same: an elevated experience for the building. It would be underwhelming otherwise. We wanted to knock it out of the park with the food and drink to exceed people’s expectations. There’s a lot more coming, too.”

Bringing the cuisine into focus was the role of Craig Riker, himself a longtime Goletan and chef who’s worked most recently at Finch & Fork, the Alisal Ranch, and, for six months last year, at the American Club in Singapore, where he oversaw five restaurants and ate out in the cuisine capital like crazy. The time he spent chaperoning his teenage son on a soccer trip through Europe last summer didn’t hurt either.

“I want to do delicious food for the people, especially the people of Goleta, where I live and my kids were born and raised,” said Riker, whose menu features Italian, Asian, and Californian dishes. “It’s a magical location. It has good energy. I just want to make good food and serve it to good people.”

You’d be correct to observe that his array of cuisines is divergent, from char siu pork chop, hamachi crudo, salmon poke, and pad Thai to calamari parmesan, fusilli alla vodka, short rib pappardelle, and lemon herb broccolini. But I’ve been two Sundays in a row and found many of these diverse dishes to be outright fantastic, and most of the rest to be satisfyingly solid.

Hamachi Crudo | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Cheers to the signature cocktail offerings. | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Ora King Salmon Poke | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The Bad Bunny | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Crudite Vegetable Bowl | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom

On the fantastic front, for differing reasons, would be the salmon poke, char siu, and calamari. The poke slams together flavors that don’t, on paper, make much sense: butter-soft salmon, county-grown strawberries, marinated tomatoes from Pisa, and miso-chickpea tahini — a fresh yet savory party on the palate. The rocket-red pork, served with zesty sesame-sauced cucumber slices, is addictive when slathered in the droplets of marinade (more of that, please!). The pounded calamari — itself a detailed research project to refine the malleted thinness without squid obliteration — is homey in the right ways, recalling Sunday nights at Petrini’s yet with the sea breeze blowing through. Oh, and creative cocktails are a must-start while the browned butter cake is a decadently deserved finale.

“We want to do food that you would expect at the beach but to do it with our own little twists,” said Riker. “We’re just trying to elevate that beachfront cuisine by using great ingredients. I’m utilizing my world travels. I’ll find an incredible ingredient, jot it down, and take it with me.”

The whole team — which includes general manager Antonio Gerli, who’s run his own and other people’s restaurants here (Sorriso Italiano, Due Lune, Lilac Pâtisserie, the Bacara) for more than a decade — is honest and aware that everything is a work in progress.

“We’re just getting started, and this is a good starting point,” said Riker. “We’ll evolve as we go.”

The Ellwood team, L-R: Michael Montone, bar lead; Chris Jow, director of operations; Omar Khashen, owner; Lauren Plumley, assistant general manager; Antonio Gerli, general manager, wine specialist, and events coordinator; and Craig Riker, chef | Photo: Good Times Projects

The lingering tide that The Ellwood faces is that it’s replacing The Beachside, the beloved institution that decided to shut doors in 2021 after 36 years of service. It was a go-to for generations of Goletans, UCSB employees and students (and their paying parents), and anyone needing decent, relatively affordable seaside sustenance in a coastal region rather lacking in sand-front eateries. The Ellwood dinner menu, by comparison, is not cheap, but you do get what you pay for.

“The quality of the product dictates that,” said Khashen. “I could serve you a worse steak and charge you less, but the rate of our markup is the same. Is that what you want? Or do you want a better piece of fish?”

He’s beyond cognizant of the role that his establishment must play in the community, and just launched a more affordable lunch menu with brunch, bar, and happy hour menus forthcoming. Don’t forget about the second chapter either: The Coop, a walk-up eatery with straightforward beach fare to eat on picnic benches, and The Break, an adjacent event venue, both of which are being constructed right now across the wharf alley in a former storage yard.

A piano sits ready to play | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The bar inside The Ellwood | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
A cozy booth echoes the beachy theme | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Interior details of The Ellwood | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
The wines are stocked and ready to serve | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom
Welcome to The Ellwood | Photo: Ingrid Bostrom

“Once we roll out the other parts of the project, those price points will be a little more reachable for everyone,” said Khashen. “If we could do it over again, I would have done that side first.”

I feel a tangible sense of relief from Khashen now, who’s finally able to serve what he’s been thinking about for a significant portion of our lives. “It feels good,” he told me of overcoming so much. “All that makes any challenge we’re facing now feel light.”

I’m happy that he’s finally poised to achieve what he seeks. “Hopefully, we’re the first place that people think of when they’re going out for a celebration or a date night,” said Khashen. “There are some institutions in town where people love to go, like Lucky’s or Harry’s. I want to be in that conversation.”

The Ellwood, 5905 Sandspit Rd., Goleta; (805) 335-2878; theellwood.com