Tamar — Restaurant in Santa Barbara

I was craving falafels from the Billiards place in Santa Ynez across from Chumash Casino because their food is so amazing! But we were in Santa Barbara & our driver Justin recommended Tamar in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone. Was very unique little place. Not too many items on the menu, I noticed because I wanted Tabouli salad. Even though I was craving the other place, this place did not disappoint . The plate had torshi, a delicious green minty spicy sauce , amba tahini sauce and a delicious fattoush type salad with cucumbers, sumac and tomatoes. It was a nice big serving with 4 falafel balls and hummus that was picture perfect. So many spices and flavors delicately combined into this deliciousness of a plate of food. My apologies for not having pictures! I hungry and didn’t expect this explosion of flavors. Did I mention that the pita bread seemed homemade too! As well as the falafel balls seemed to have a hint of dill weed as well. They were perfect and I felt like I was eating something homemade! A must try if you love this type of food. There were a few other things on the menu however falafels are always my...

If you are expecting a legit chicken shawarma Tamar is not the place. We went there with high hopes based on so many positive reviews (sorry "local guides", you don't cut it), discounting the few negative ones. On the plus side, ingredients are high quality and freshly prepared. That's where it ends. Chicken, usually the main event, was a near-generous portion, but lacked any flavor or spicing remotely resembling shawarma. It became completely lost in the salad and curry-spiced tahini. Curry+tahini? There was no real place for the side of zhoug. Pickled cabbage salad was fresh and tasty but, again, overpowered the bland shawarma. Hummus was silky and smooth but missing something, other than too much salt. We had a $12 side of crispy Japanese sweet potatoes that was delicious, but way overpriced for a little bowl containing a handful of crispy discs and some sauce. Adding pain to the disappointment was the premium pricing for food that far missed our expectations. There's clearly a talented chef at the helm, but his California twist on the food is very far removed from its...

I appreciate Tamar's non traditional approach to a style of cooking that is pan-Mediterranean. Some crave authenticity or want to connect with a particular culture's take on shawarma, and may be disappointed, but I'm a fan!

At Tamar, sauces and pickles are the star of the show when one orders a sandwich. The meat is spiced well, but not overly aggressively, and the bread is fluffy and flavorful. With crisp pickled vegetables and cabbage, every meal is a symphony of textures and herbal flavors, not relying overly much on the umami backbone of the meat.

Ordering the meat plate delivers a more straightforward meaty experience, but again, the spicing is subtle. I prefer more heat and salt, so I often add some zhoug to my meat plate to liven things up.

Tamar's dips also hold their own. Overall, it's a fine spot, and competitively priced compared to Mezza Thyme or Zaytoon, the only other...