SANTA CRUZ
Restaurant Walk benefits Common Roots Farm
Capitola Coast Lions Club is hosting the annual Santa Cruz Restaurant Walk, with 17 downtown Santa Cruz venues, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. May 15. Restaurants provide samples of a signature menu item to attendees. Participating businesses include returning ones from last year (Pono, Poke House, Arslans, Veg on the Edge, Mozaic, Kianti’s, Rosie McCann’s, Hidden Peak Teahouse, Penny Ice Creamery, Pana and Nahna), some returning from previous years (Nick the Greek and Belly Goat Burgers), and some new ones (Oyuki Sushi Nikkei and Iveta). Also new this year: Front & Cooper and Big Basin will provide beer and/or wine to those 21 years and older. Tickets are $40 at eventbrite.com/e/santa-cruz-restaurant-walk-tickets-878983111147. A portion of proceeds benefits Common Roots Farm (commonrootsfarm.org). The 2023 event raised $10,000 for the nonprofit, which runs programming for youth with and without disabilities.
SANTA CRUZ
Lillian’s adds menu items
Lillian’s Italian Kitchen (1148 Soquel Ave., 831-425-2288, lilliansitaliankitchen.com) has new seasonal items. These include Insalata Caprese (organic heirloom tomatoes, Burrata, aged balsamic, and herb-infused olive oil), Scallops (three large pan-seared Day Boat scallops atop sweet corn bisque and rendered Spanish chorizo picante), Steak Salad (grilled filet mignon on a salad with ingredients like spring greens, Marcona almonds, local strawberries, and Point Reyes blue cheese), and more. Hours are 4-8:30 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday and 4-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday (closed Monday).
SANTA CRUZ
Oyuki Sushi Nikkei expands hours with lunch service
Oyuki Sushi Nikkei (1010 Pacific Ave. Suite F, 831-888-2914, oyukisushi.com) recently added lunch service. The restaurant, which offers Peruvian food and sushi (traditional, vegan and fusion with Japanese and Peruvian components), opened in January. Signature dishes include the Acevichado roll with avocado, cucumber and shrimp tempura topped with tuna and Peruvian sauce; and Anticuchos (Peruvian shish kabob). Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, noon to 9:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and closed Sunday.
GILROY
Winemaker dinner on deck from Colectivo Felix
Tickets are available for Colectivo Felix’s next event, 6 p.m. May 23, at Sarah’s Vineyard (4005 Hecker Pass Highway) The five-course dinner, prepared by chef Diego Felix, is a collaboration with Tim Slater and Jonathan Houston. Courses include halibut and Meyer lemon pâté, jicama, chamomile apricot cream, fish roe, fennel, and marigold bouquet, paired with 2021 Sarah’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Tondré Grapefield; and grilled lamb chops, capsicums and pomegranate molasses, with charred purple yam, accompanied by 2020 Sarah’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate. The cost is $160 and you must be 21 years old to attend. To buy tickets and to stay in the loop about all of Colectivo Felix’s events visit colectivofelix.com/upcoming-events.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Areperia 831 pops up at Saison Cellar & Wine Bar
Areperia 831 (areperia831.com), serving dishes such as vegan Venezuelan arepas, will be at Saison Cellar & Wine Bar (222 Mt. Hermon Road, Suite I, 831-200-8312, saisoncellarsv.com) from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday. Monterey Bay Wines will also be popping up that night. Saison’s hours are 2-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 2-7 p.m. Sunday.
ROYAL OAKS
Open house at Garden Variety Cheese
Garden Variety Cheese, led by Rebecca King, is holding a spring open house at the farm (Monkeyflower Ranch, 1481 San Miguel Canyon Road, gardenvarietycheese.com) from noon to 4 p.m. May 18. There will be tours of the milking parlor and creamery, plus cheese to taste. Attendees can meet lambs, and purchase sandwiches, salads and snacks featuring Monkeyflower Ranch meats and Garden Variety sheep cheese. Beer and wine will also be available, and you can buy meat, cheese, yogurt and eggs to take home. The event is free except for a $10/car parking fee.
SANTA CRUZ
Tickets available for Homeless Garden Project dinner
Homeless Garden Project is hosting a Sustain Supper with renowned chef Reylon Agustin (Post Ranch Inn and Sierra Mar, Big Sur) July 20 at its Natural Bridges organic farm. In 2024, only one Sustain Supper will be held. A multi-course dinner featuring organic farm produce will be served, plus local wine and drinks. The cost until May 15 is $175 per person; after that it’s $195. This includes a farm tour, live music and keynote speaker Anne Kapuscinski, director of UCSC’s Coastal Sciences & Public Policy Program. Proceeds benefit the Homeless Garden Project, which provides job training and transitional employment to people who are homeless. See bit.ly/SustainSupper2024 for tickets and other details.
SANTA CRUZ
Ocean2Table expands delivery options
Community supported fishery Ocean2Table, which offers fresh seafood with no subscription requirements, recently expanded its local delivery days. Santa Cruz County customers can now get fresh fish delivered from Tuesday through Friday. Delivery rates start at $7. Pickup days are now Tuesday through Thursday; there is no fee for pickup. In addition to seafood, Ocean2Table offers foraged mushrooms and several other produce items plus local chicken and dairy on a rotating basis. Learn more and sign up for email alerts at getocean2table.com.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Beckmann’s Bakery earns accolades
At the American Pie Council National Pie Championships, Beckmann’s Bakery won several prizes in the commercial division. Three pies won in the Super Gourmet category: Peach, Cherry and Berry Bomb. The competition was held at the end of April. For more information, visit piecouncil.org/national-pie-championships.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Scrumptious Fish & Chips popups
Scrumptious Fish & Chips has several upcoming popups. It will be at Scotts Valley’s Steel Bonnet Brewing from 4-8 p.m. Friday and at the same time on May 17 and May 24. Scrumptious is appearing from noon to 7 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 6:30 p.m. Sundays at Humble Sea Brewing Co.’s Westside SC location for the next three weekends (through May 26). Also, it will be at the Felton Tuesday farmers market from 1-5:30 p.m. May 14 and at the same time May 21 and May 28. See full schedule at scrumptiousfc.com.
SANTA CRUZ
Mother’s Day specials at Kianti’s
Kianti’s Pizza and Pasta Bar (1100 Pacific Ave., 831-469-4400, kiantis.com) is offering three specials in honor of Mother’s Day. The first two are takeout/delivery only, available May 10-12: spicy breadsticks, salad, and choice of pizza or pasta; or the same options plus two signature cocktails. See website to order. The third is for dine-in on May 12: any moms that eat at Kianti’s on Mother’s Day receive a complimentary Mimosa with the purchase of an entrée.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Flatcoat Farm & Workshop receives recognition
At a recent ceremony in Oregon, Soquel-based Flatcoat Farm & Workshop won a Good Food Award for its Black Sage Honey. This was one of 215 products that earned top awards. Originally, there were 1,600-plus entries with 428 of these named finalists in January. Other local winners include Golden Kraut from Wise Goat Organics (Hollister), California Botanical Gin from Half Moon Bay’s Jettywave Distillery and Cí Cí Chili Oil from Carmel Valley’s Like Family. Visit goodfoodfdn.org/awards/ for a list of winners.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Wineries celebrate Passport Day
The spring Passport Day for the Santa Cruz Mountains wineries is May 18. Passport holders are welcomed into more than 35 wineries. Some wineries offer special tastings, and some that are usually closed to the public are accessible on Passport Days. Passports are $90 for one or $150 for two, with choice of physical or digital format, and are good for one year. Purchase at winesofthesantacruzmountains.com/events/passport or at any participating winery.
Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food, and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on Twitter @santacruzfood.
