As featured in the Santa Barbara Independent

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Photo: Paul Wellman

The Wurst

How The Wurst Was Won

Blue Agave Opens a Midday and Late Night Sausage Window

By George Yatchisin

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

“I wanted to go back to my roots,” says Blue Agave owner Gabi Barysch-Crosbie, originally of Bremen, Germany, so she’s opened a little window down the alley from her Cota Street restaurant at lunch and on weekend nights and christened it The Wurst. It’s an ode to the sausage stand–lined public squares of her homeland, where “everyone grabs one street-side and eats it in three minutes,” but also to her youth, when her relatives from Poland would send greasy packages of smoky-smelling kielbasa during Christmas. “I couldn’t wait to have those,” explained Barysch-Crosbie, who’s now bringing those experiences to Santa Barbarans.

Running the kitchen is chef Dylan Riehl, who attended the SBCC Culinary School and will look familiar from his days at C’est Cheese, and together they’ve concocted a menu featuring curry, Thai, and chili wursts, a chicken brat, a kielbasa, and a veggie dog. “In Germany they’d all be pork,” said Barysch-Crosbie, “but in California people want chicken and vegetarian options, too.” That said, the delightful slow-burn chili is Texas-style (all beef, no beans) and the Thai (either chicken or pork) comes with a spicy black bean garlic sauce that adds some real zip. The Wurst also connects to a longtime Blue Agave favorite, the Cowboy Plate, which is a grilled natural turkey sausage, poached in Sierra Nevada Ale, with mashed yams, poblano chile rice, black beans, and baby greens salad.

Everything is hormone- and preservative-free, because, as Barysch-Crosbie explained, “I was a vegetarian for five years, so that’s why it’s important for me that everything’s natural.” They are currently buying all their sausages at Whole Foods, but that’s soon to change. “We just got our meat grinder,” she explained, “so we are going to do our own.” Same for the sauerkraut. “In Germany they do weinkraut with wine and apples that’s really, really yummy,” she said. “We will be doing that soon.” And for dessert, Barysch-Crosbie has been baking, so top it all off with homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Best of all, the food has already passed the natives test. “Recently some Germans were here and had [the currywurst], and they really liked it,” said Barysch-Crosbie. “That really means something to me.” n

4•1•1

Award: 2012 CMUS Talk of the Town Customer Satisfaction Award

Awarded to: Blue Agave

Best in Region: Santa Barbara, CA

Star Rating: 4.5

The results are in and based on information gathered over the past year, your business has scored with honors. Congratulations for winning the 2012 Talk of the Town Customer Satisfaction Award reserved for companies with a rating of 4 stars or better.

Visit www.dininganddestinations.com for the whole enchilada!

“The Wurst” from Gabi Barysch-Crosbie on Vimeo.

Wednesday June 1st: One 2 Tree + special guests Soul Papa

Wednesday June 8th: Ian Jones & Phil Cody {Last show of the series }

Only 35 tickets available – reservations are recommended!

Call: 805.899.4694 to purchase or reserve your tickets today.

Music starts @ 9pm

$10 door

21+

Booking Blue Agave – Contact Kara Twist ->

KTwistJones@gmail.com

* subject line – “Blue Agave Booking”

Please attach: Bio Summary/ dates to consider/ streaming music/ website/ video

Swing by from 4 – 6pm.

All $5!

and why not stick around for an evening of holiday fun?

Don’t forget to sport your finest holiday sweater for mistletoe photos!

Patrons of Captain Jack’s tour group receive 15% off!