Bar and patio dining to debut April 8 at former site of Mandarin Touch
Staff Report
The Coast Range & Vaquero Bar (www.coastrange.restaurant), a new Solvang steakhouse and seafood restaurant including a full cocktail bar as well as deli counter and pastry program, will begin its opening phases with the April 8 public debut of the Vaquero Bar and patio dining. The new multi-concept hospitality venture inhabits the former Mandarin Touch restaurant and bar space at 1635 Mission Drive in downtown Solvang.
Award-winning chefs and industry veterans Anthony Carron, Lincoln Carson and Steven Fretz join forces with renowned sommelier and winemaker, Rajat Parr, to bring their collective experience to the new all-day dining concept in the heart of Solvang.
“They say there’s always a silver lining,” Carron said. “While 2020 brought challenges it also allowed us to assemble a world-class team of chefs and find the perfect space to showcase our talents in a part of the world we love.”
More than just business partners, the Coast Range founders are longtime friends who first worked together over a decade ago, and now call the Santa Ynez Valley home. Carron was the executive chef for Michael Mina for many years, then went on to found 800 Degrees Pizza and Top Round, two Los Angeles-based casual dining brands with global reach. Fretz, also a co-founder of Top Round, opened Church Key in Los Angeles and has led some of the top kitchens in the country, working with chefs such as Michael Mina, David Burke and Curtis Stone. Carson, a celebrated pastry chef and recent finalist for a James Beard Award, was most recently the chef and owner of Bon Temps in downtown Los Angeles, which received local and national acclaim including recognition as a “best new restaurant” from Los Angeles Magazine, Los Angeles Times, TimeOut LA, Esquire, and Food & Wine.
Parr, James Beard Award winner and Central Coast resident, will curate a focused wine list of the best of the Central Coast, Northern California classics, and special steak- and seafood-friendly wines from around the world.
Coast Range & Vaquero Bar will celebrate the best that the Central Coast has to offer including steaks from the area’s storied ranches, seafood directly from Central Coast wharves, craft cocktails and a wine program showcasing the region’s finest producers. The restaurant concept will also include proprietary product from the owner’s Santa Ynez ranch, Coast Range Ranch.
Coast Range will consist of three parts. Vaquero Bar, opening first, will display a full cocktail menu, local wine and craft beer, and an elevated yet casual bar food menu which will be available on the outdoor dining patio or inside the bar, at Santa Barbara County’s current COVID capacities. A hand-crafted, 16-seat bar will anchor the 500-square foot Vaquero Bar space which now boasts large windows and a new entryway, both of which open to patios, effectively bringing the indoor energy to the outdoor areas. Coast Range & Vaquero Bar’s expansive patio spaces total 1,000 square feet, with seating for up to 36 patrons.
The Coast Range dining room and the deli portions of the project will open later this spring. The dining room will add another 1,000 square feet of seating for up to 60 guests. The deli area will accommodate daytime walk-up orders meant to be enjoyed on the patios and at night, will transform into a “butcher shop” servicing the Coast Range steakhouse, where guests will be encouraged to pick their own prime steaks before the cuts of meat are delivered to the chef for preparation. One “VIP” table will reside in this space, affording its two diners the opportunity to experience the action of the butcher shop during dinner service.
For updates on opening plans and capacities, follow the restaurant on Instagram @coastrangerestaurant or watch the establishment’s website: www.coastrange.restaurant.
Vaquero Bar’s initial opening hours will be Monday, Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12 midnight; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. It will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday and initial opening hours subject to change. Private event inquiries may be directed to Hillary Calhoun at information@coastrange.com.
