On a recent stroll down Santa Barbara’s tree-lined North Milpas Street, the air was alive with the scent of grilled meats and veggies, spice and smoke.
Defined by midcentury buildings, this section of town sees pedestrians gathering on the uneven, uprooted sidewalks on either side of the thoroughfare. They greet one another and grab a bite along what might be California’s most underappreciated, and noteworthy, Mexican food destination street.
At the center of the mini-district is La Super-Rica, a historic taqueria in a low-slung shoebox of a building, signature teal trim framing the windows and doorways. It was Julia Child’s go-to and famously name-checked in a Katy Perry hit…