Bouchon celebrates 25 years in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Bouchon, one of Santa Barbara's culinary landmarks, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special menu.

The French restaurant opened its doors on Bastille Day in 1998. The owner, Mitchell Sjerven, set out to create a unique dining experience centered around wine country cuisine.

"That whole idea of wine country cuisine, getting everything is local to Santa Barbara, especially if we can get it, and then thinking about how our menu items work with the local wines is what I think has kept us around for 25 years," said Sjerven. "That and the service!"

Sjerven remembers moving to California to go to UC Santa Barbara in the 1980s and there only being about seven wineries in region.

"The idea that we would have this symbiotic relationship with the local wine country and grow up as they grew up was just a thought."

Sjerven says just as Santa Barbara county has grown to become a premiere wine region in the world, Bouchon has grown to be a culinary destination.

"[Being] an authentic slice and sip of Santa Barbara was always the driving force between Bouchon and the community."

Sjerven believes his restaurant serves the most wines by the glass from Santa Barbara, so there is always an opportunity to try a new wine. Sjerven adds that his service staff has mostly likely met the winemaker of a local wine someone might want to try.

"Your server becomes kind of your wine steward and knows all about the wines and what works well with the different food items on the menu."

To mark this milestone, Bouchon will be serving a selection of 25th Anniversary specials such as Ratatouille, Escargot, Salade Lyonnaise, Poulet Provençale, Steak au Poivre, and Tarte Tatin, along with its full menu of classics including Duck Duo of Roast Breast & Confit Thigh and French Onion Soup. Bouchon's anniversary menu will be served until the end of July.

Bouchon is located in Victoria Court in Santa Barbara's Arts District.