Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro Awards

Renaud's Patisserie & Bistro Restaurant Review:

Proprietor and pastry chef Renaud Gonthier baked for The Ritz-Carlton and has appeared on The Food Network and The Travel Channel. In Santa Barbara, he presides over two eponymous eateries. Equal parts bistro and pâtisserie, Renaud’s offers espresso drinks and flaky croissants, as well as a wide range of other French delicacies like éclairs and millefeuilles. Full meals include a richly flavored raclette tartine on multigrain toast, the nutty Swiss melting in a flood over buttery golden Yukon potatoes, caramelized onions and smoked bacon. Salads are crisp and lively, and omelets are made with organic eggs produced by cage-free, grain-fed chickens. A retail section stocks imported French fare, homemade candies and fruit preserves. While the service is fickle, the food is typically topnotch. Also located at the Loreto Plaza at 3315 State St., 805-569-2400.