Mousse Odile   

18 E. Cota St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-962-5393

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Downtown Santa Barbara's mini restaurant row on East Cota Street, off the main drag, features such quiet spots as this stylish bit of transplanted France. It's one of our favorite places when we want to pretend we are in a Parisian bistro. There's the salad Nioise, a wooden bowl heaped with tomatoes, olives, hard- boiled egg slices, potato salad and much more. The crab and papaya comes with avocados and tomatoes, all on a bed of salad. Then there's the good old quiche Lorraine, lightly toasted. Dinner specials include duck cooked in French curry sauce with mushrooms and fettuccini, Norwegian salmon poached in Champagne with port wine sauce and sauted shrimp scampi with garlic. For those not in the mood for French fare, there's a spicy paella. The California and French wines are reasonably priced, and there's a secluded patio.