ABOUT

CHEF DALAN

When life throws you curveballs, what does the owner of the vegan joint Rascal’s do? In short, Dalan Moreno gets to work and gets things done!

He started making tortas in his kitchen, and sold them out his back patio window, health department be damned. After two kitchen-to-patio pop-ups, a close friend’s father got wind of the DIY operation and offered use of his industrial kitchen. That guardian angel of the vegans was none other than the late and great Chef Pete Clements, a big figure — literally and figuratively — in the Santa Barbara food scene, and someone who lent support to someone at a time who really needed it.

Dal reached out to Muni Wine in the Funk Zone. He went in on a Wednesday, and had a pop-up scheduled for that Friday. Dal prepped at Pete’s kitchen, then took everything over in hot boxes and other crucial equipment.

That first downtown pop-up at Muni sold out in thirty minutes. A flurry of tortas gone before you could say, “Wait, that was vegan?” Dalan stayed at Pete’s for eight months, working construction by day, making tortas by night, until Pete moved out of the kitchen. Dal was left as high and dry as a falafel wrap without tahini.

Then there was Alejandro Medina of Bibi Ji, who offered him a place to pop-up at during the height of the pandemic. This was after Dalan was barely getting by with Rascal home deliveries. Bibi Ji changed gears and had to take full use of the kitchen. “At that point I was freaking out. I didn’t know what to do. So I was gonna go back to Mexico until I found an answer. And I posted on Instagram for any leads.”

Dal had been doing Egg McMuffin pop-ups at Low Pigeon. Dennis Medina, at the time head roaster, and his partner Carrie Nelson, were well connected and introduced Dalan to Brandon Ristaino and Misty Orman of Good Lion fame. By chance, the kitchen at their other bar, Venus in Furs, was opening up. Wanna become partners? Rascal’s and Venus in Furs struck a deal in May 2021. But, after a sudden and unexpected notice to vacate his downtown residency on Cota Street on November 4, 2022, Dalan was left in a moment of uncertainty.

On January 1, 2023, Dalan signed a lease for a spot on Haley Street. A place that he hopes the vegan and non vegan community alike will support and love. When he started this project, people would say that a spot like this would do great in LA. Maybe they’re right. But that’s not the point. He wants to give back to Santa Barbara, the place that raised him. And he wants it to be for everyone, the young kid like him looking for a vegan spot or someone just wanting to try something new.

WORDS BY CHRISTOPHER MATTEO CONNOR