RESTAURANT REVIEWS / PASEO NUEVO : Going For the Food : Santa Barbara’s downtown shopping plaza was once opposed by neighbors. It now draws a healthy crowd--for dinner.

The Paseo Nuevo mall on State Street was clearly built with out-of-towners, not Santa Barbarans, in mind. In fact, a vociferous number of local residents bitterly opposed the building of the mall, citing the foolishness of duplicating many of the same chain stores already doing business in the other mall in town. They promised to stay away in droves.

Perhaps they have, but others have not. On most days the mall is bustling with activity and seems to be a magnet for all sorts of folks--maybe even some locals.

A major draw is the food, for the culinary offerings of Paseo Nuevo are quite tempting. Here is a rundown of what’s available.

Pierre Lafond

Pierre Lafond is a mercantile legend around Santa Barbara with his choice Montecito gift shop, his lovely clothing stores (co-owned with his wife, Wendy Foster) and the numerous upscale delis bearing his name. The newest is the deli in Paseo Nuevo, offering a varied selection of potent coffees, fresh cookies, rich candies and sandwiches made to order.

Pierre Lafond also has the best salad bar in Santa Barbara. They make eight different kinds of homemade dressings, including my favorite Dijon vinaigrette. For $5.95 per pound, they offer a Gargantuan array of 40 kinds of salad fixings. I recently found blackberries, figs, papaya slices, red peppers, real bacon crumbles, asparagus tips, jicama and guacamole. Beware, for the eyes continue to say yes long after the stomach says no.

Cafe Mona Lisa

This happens to be one of the most interesting and appealing new restaurants in Santa Barbara. It was opened by the drummer of REO Speedwagon who claims to have researched restaurants over a 20-year career touring with his band.

With only a few salads and sandwiches (including a great hamburger), a couple of pastas, and a small selection of fresh fish ($12-$14), the energy here goes into quality and imagination. Soups change daily. You might find a good salmon bisque ($3.50) one day and a delightful potato-red onion the next. Grilled vegetables ($7.95) are sublime.

Many specials are unique. I loved the shepherd’s pie, a dish of wonderful mashed potatoes filled with fresh vegetables and topped with cheese and salsa. The Caesar salad ($6.95) was terrific with it. The restaurant is tiny, spilling out into the Paseo, and tables can seem quite close together. I liked sitting at the comfortable bar stools, watching the three chefs at work. This is a place where you can learn a lot about good food.

Ruby’s Mexican Restaurant and Take Out

Ruby’s is a tiny restaurant, unusual in several respects. One is the striking architecture of its two-story, sky-lit ceiling, fabulous gold-washed walls, golden leaves and sun sculptures. The other is the remarkable quality and quantity of food at reasonable prices. You can find standards such as burritos and enchiladas on the menu, along with not-so-standards such as wonderful spiced potato taquitos .

Be sure to check the specials, where you might find fabulous lobster tostadas ($5.95) or chicken sopes ($3.75) with thick handmade corn tortillas heaped with beans, seasoned chicken, salsa and sour cream.

California Pizza Kitchen

The restaurant that turned a zippy yellow-and-black color motif and a great food idea--pizza with popular ethnic and California cuisine toppings--into a successful chain has carved out a bustling niche in a corner of Paseo Nuevo. They offer delicious salads, fine pizzas and excellent pastas with variations on a theme of sun-dried tomatoes, pungent olives and goat cheese--certainly the flavors of the moment.

Artichoke, capers and sun dried tomato pizza ($7.95) with its thin, light, chewy crust was a great success. Chinese Chicken salad is a crunchy favorite and the Greek salad is a winner too. They train their attractive staff in friendliness that borders on the ebullient.

Nordstrom

Up on the third floor of Nordstrom, you can find an easy, efficient place to pick up a quick meal. The wrap-around balcony gives plenty of light and, of course, it has that Nordstrom good-taste decor.

Order at the register from a simple selection of soups, salads and sandwiches. Mozzarella salad (a great price at $3.95) may not have had buffalo mozzarella, but the greens were fine and the dressing quite good. Big, soft, garlic sticks came with it, in case of dieter’s remorse. The soups are hearty, if heavy on the barley, and breakfast is served all day.

Two businesses in Paseo Nuevo pour a lot of coffee. Nordstrom does a passable imitation of a European sidewalk cafe on Canon Perdido Street, while the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf enjoys one of the most beautiful glass store fronts on State Street. They insist on making their cappuccino from other than espresso beans, but they have their following.

Mrs. Troppers, which actually predates the Paseo itself, makes candies, cookies and muffins without sugar, salt, eggs, dairy, honey or combinations thereof.

For a more decadent treat you can go to Bodacious Buns. How about a cinnamon orange pecan roll, which they will heat for you and dribble with vanilla frosting? If that isn’t treat enough, the mall also offers sweet temptations from Godiva Chocolatier, See’s Candies, Mrs. Field’s Cookies and Haagen-Dazs.