Although I did not ride my bike there today, I have ridden to Oat Bakery in Goleta many times since it first opened in 2023. As I said before in this space I was out of my mind, beyond thrilled when Oat decided to open less than three miles from my house. I had eaten their tasty, unique loaves of bread before and was quite addicted to both the seeded cookie and hygge rolls. What I want to describe today are the delicious meals I have eaten at my favorite very local bakery.
I met owner Lou Fontana right when he opened the bakery in 2023 with his wife Louise and expressed my joy at Oat’s arrival in Goleta. He was incredibly friendly and eager to talk about Oat. Today we chatted about shrubs and shared our thoughts about vinegary beverages. Once the meal was finished I told him how much I enjoyed each bite of my breakfast. (Apologies for the less than stellar photos; we were clearly very hungry and I only remembered to take photos after we had tucked into our food.)
Jessica and I shared two remarkable dishes on this cool June morning. The first was the fava bean toast, consisting of bright green beans, creamy ricotta made on site with sliced cucumbers, a smattering of jalapenos and fresh herbs. I was especially keen on the lemon zest which brightened this dish, making it summertime on a plate.
Our second shared dish was the warm bean bowl. Have I expressed my love of beans before? Perhaps not. I am a huge bean fan–from pintos in my burritos, to white beans and tuna in a salad, to any bean, any time from Rancho Gordo. Therefore, this dish was a dream for me, consisting of soft, creamy, big lima beans, roasted cherry tomatoes, shallots and garlic. I could eat the bean broth every day of my life and be quite content; it is simultaneously rich and light thanks to serrano chiles, basil, and chives. Slices of Oat’s toasted bread accompanied this dish and I reserved them for mopping up the luscious broth at the end of the meal.
For me, the end of any meal is an opportunity for a sweet, and we shared one of Oat’s hearty superseed cookies. This is something I used to buy en route to my former job. Even if I were running late, I took the time to pop into Oat’s original Haley location to snag one of these delectable cookies, sweetened with dates and containing oats, walnuts, sesame seeds, and chocolate. We both enjoyed the cookie immensely. I brought home Oat’s twisted pastry, the Frosnapper. It is a crispy braided stick, with just a touch of marzipan and then covered in sesame and poppy seeds. I thought my husband would really like it, but I only saved him a small bite (which he loved). Fortunately for us, Oat in Goleta is just a short bike ride away.
Biking to Bakeries 