Chef Rick's Ultimately Fine Foods

The Potato originated in the Andes of South America 8,000 years ago and it was around 6,000 years ago that Inca Indians in Peru first cultivated them. In the Quechua language, there are more than 1,000 words to describe how delicious potatoes can be of which more than 673 specifically refer to Chef Rick's Potato Crusted Wild Salmon Salad with Sweet Potato Crisps. Enjoy yours today for lunch or as they say in Quechua "Allin mikuna"

Jody Mulgrew and The Skeleton Crew will only be warming up at the Mid-State Fair on Thursday, by the time they get to Costa de Oro on Friday they'll really be on cookin', like my great food! What will I be cooking? Who knows, I am a Man of Mystery! Like Jody's award winning album 'Rocket Ship', let's take off together and explore new worlds where no Chef and Diner have ever gone before!

Don't miss this!!! Friday, July 19th join an elite group of winemakers for the 'Party of the Summer' at Bien Nacido Vineyards. Honoring one of my great friends and great winemakers of the world, Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat. My four-course tribute dinner will be absolutely delicious and will be accompanied by equally special tributes by longtime friends and music by the Tepusquet Tornadoes. Tickets not available after noon on Thursday the 18th, so hurry!!!

Louis Ortega at Costa de Oro what can I say!? Great Grammy award winning music, great company, great wine and of course my great food. Will there be award winning Ortega chilies in the recipes I'm presenting??? You'll only know if you come down this Friday July 12 5-8pm!!! Can I get anymore excited? Can I use any more punctuation?!?!

Your favorite Chef is going on the road for the next few weeks and one extra special event you should really try to catch me at is the Central Coast Wine Classic. Helmed once again by the incomparable Archie McLaren, yours truly will be cooking up a Cajun storm noon to 5 pm during the Rare & Fine Wine & Lifestyle Live Auction on Saturday July 13. For full details of this top flight festival check out http://www.centralcoastwineclassic.org/index.php

This Friday night, June 28th, Gary and Teresa at Costa De Oro Winery's Tasting Room will be welcoming Cadillac Angels, one of my all-time favorite bands, back to Santa Maria. I love live music. I love wine. And I love me. And all three of us will be there Friday. We'll be serving, in honor of Cadillac Angels: I got the "Hillbilly 'Crispy Catfish' Blues" ... "my baby serves it with pickled jalapeno tartar sauce" Couscous Jambalaya Arkansas "Hillbilly" Slaw with Something "Fruity" Rick's Hot Buns $12 per person for dinner. There is no cover charge. Wine is available on tap, by the glass or bottle. You do not need to be a Wine Club Member to attend (but if you are not a member, make friends with one when you get there, they know where the key to the restroom is!) To reserve a dinner, call the tasting room at 805-922-6983. Still on the fence, check out this past view from the New Timeshttp://www.newtimesslo.com/music/3803/start-2010-off-right/ Hey, what else are you gonna' be doin'?

My zucchini-avocado sandwich served with aged provolone, sprouts, and watercress on grilled oatnut bread is not only off the charts with its freshnicity and puriosity but is also super high on the deliciosity scale! Can this blow your mind vegamatarian sandwich get any better?? Why yes it can! Most folks notice their hair is nice and shiny after finishing one off. Easy to see which customer just ate one; which customer inadvisedly skipped lunch!

Did you know that Louisiana is the only state in the union that still refers to the Napoleonic Code in its state law! And as that most famous of French Generals once said "I have tasted Chef Rick's and I cannot give it up"! Ok, you Francophiles got me - he actually said, "I have tasted 'power' and I cannot give it up" but that's only because he had never had my super tasty Louisiana Blackened Sea Bass. So hey, come make it a great Friday and get something Napoleon never tasted - fabulous bass, crunchy hush puppies and a side of slaw!

It's a great lunch menu in honor of a great guy! Come celebrate 'Terry Lawless Day' at Chef Rick's at The Tamale Shop and enjoy food as good as his music - we'll almost, no food can be that good, even mine!!! Menu includes: Yucatan Chicken, Lime, and Tortilla Soup Russ’s southern fried chicken sandwich on jalapeno cheese rolls with green onion dressing Chef Rick’s grilled monster cheese burger and shoestring fries and much, much more. For great stuff on Terry, check out http://www.terrylawless.com/

Today Friday, June 7th Join Gary and Teresa Burk of Costa de Oro Winery as they welcome to their Santa Maria tasting room , (and I can’t believe they’ll be in our little town), the world famous Paisley Brothers Band. Chef Rick’s is honored to be a part of the evening (I love live music, I love wine, and I love me!) where we will be serving: Doctor Zippy’s Ultimately Fine Extra Crispy Tortilla Chips and Salsa Ranchera Barbequed Chicken and Wild Paisley Mushroom Quesadillas ...with Spicy Papaya Salsa Epic, Ethereal, and Magical Cilantro Potato Salad Collard Slaw with Lemon-Sunflower Like Wow Gasca Vinaigrette. We'll be following all that with Super Funky-Extra Chunky Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies! There's No Cover Charge. Wine on Tap, by the glass or bottle. You don’t have to be a wine club member to attend (although if you do come make friends with one as soon as you can. They know where the key to the restroom is!) Hey, make a reservation at (805) 922-6983 What else are you goin’ to be doin’?!

We are still movin' and groovin' on a upper-tempo level but we have not moved. We are still located in Baja Santa Maria @ 4869 South Bradley Road. That address has never been posted anywhere so good luck all you GPS'ers!!! If you are lost give us a call and as Blakers said we will do as much as chefly possible to land you in the right spot! Love, CR