This crispy rice salad is a must-try at Sama Sama Kitchen and sure to please even the pickiest eaters. Piper Cheney / Daily Nexus

Next time your loved ones  visit you at school and offer to take you out to a nice dinner, drop everything and head to Sama Sama Kitchen. The Michelin Guide restaurant lives in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara on State Street. If the weather is nice (when is it not?), opt to sit in the outdoor dining area. The host will guide you through the bustling kitchen and onto the warmly lit patio shaded with trees. 

The drink menu is extensive, but every drink is extremely well executed. They also offer a list of seasonal cocktails. From this, I recommend the nectarine of the gods – available only during the summertime. Nectarine of the gods is a mix of nectarine-infused vodka, chili liquor, lime, lemon basil and soda water. Other hit beverages at the table include: the pickle martini, the tiki tomcat and the mezcal paloma. Each drink is served ice-cold with a fun garnish on top. 

For the table, I recommend the Vietnamese wings, smashed Persian cucumbers, fried brussels sprouts and chicken satay. The Vietnamese wings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, but the real star is the pickled Thai chili sprinkled on top. The menu ranks the spice level a 2 (highest on the menu), but, in my opinion, it is not spicy enough. The smashed Persian cucumbers offer a refreshing break between the bits of warm, salty food. The fried brussels sprouts are a must-order; the crispy shells of veggies were devoured in 3 seconds at my table. The chicken satay is served on wooden skewers and drenched in a house-made peanut butter sauce. In my opinion, the shareable dishes at Sama Sama are some of the best in Santa Barbara. 

Moving onto the main dishes: the crispy rice salad, braised pork noodles and Naughty Nuri spare ribs should absolutely make the cut in your order. However, if you’re already full from the appetizers and you can only cram in one more dish, order the crispy rice salad. This dish is my personal favorite from the restaurant. The crispy pieces of rice are topped with plenty of fresh herbs, pork sausage, more cucumber and a creamy fried egg. The textures and freshness of all of these ingredients combined make this dish stand out from the rest. It’s such a hit, we had to order two of them! The braised pork noodles are deliciously ginger-y and topped with tender mushrooms. I prefer my noodles to be more creamy and soupy than how they are prepared for this dish. Nevertheless, the flavors are excellent. Lastly, the Naughty Nuri spare ribs are sticky and smoky — everything you need in a rib. The meat falls off of the bone and melts in your mouth. The Brazilian-style dish is served with potato wedges and garlic aioli for dipping. 

Sama Sama Kitchen takes a fun twist on Southeast-Asian cuisine resulting in the most tasty dishes. If you happen to have the budget for it, add it to your Santa Barbara restaurant bucket list.