A few months ago, we learned from Eater that Phillip Frankland Lee (Scratch Restaurants) was taking over the restaurant spaces in the Montecito Inn.  After a number of delays one is about to open, bringing new lifeblood to a community devastated by the Santa Barbara Fires and Mudslides.  Recently, I had a chance to speak with the energetic and affable Lee, who was kind enough to take time from his busy schedule to give me a glimpse inside his newest eateries.  Frankland’s Crab & Co. is set to open April 5, and offers a menu of seafood in a bright and airy casual space with high stools and communal tables.  His other Montecito Inn restaurant will be named The Monarch and has a menu of  local Santa Barbara products cooked over almond wood: think pizza, pasta, and “We’ll see”.  Look for an opening in late summer or early autumn.  We wish him the best of luck.

Phillip Frankland Lee inside Frankland’s Crab & Co. 

The progress inside The Monarch

Frankland’s Crab & Co. at night