SANTA CRUZ
Alderwood is reopening on Friday
Alderwood Santa Cruz (155 Walnut Ave.) is reopening Friday with a new menu and new Executive Chef Mikey Adams. As stated on the restaurant’s website, the new chef’s “culinary journey has taken him across the globe, with notable experience in kitchens in Scotland, India, and with Michelin chefs throughout Northern California. His return to his hometown of Santa Cruz marks a full-circle moment as he reunites with the community he loves.” Starting June 14, hours will be 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Voting for New Leaf beneficiaries underway
It’s time for New Leaf Community Markets’ customers to vote for the new set of local nonprofit beneficiaries of New Leaf’s Envirotoken program. Every time customers reuse a grocery bag at New Leaf, they receive a token worth 10 cents to direct to one of six organizations selected by voters at that specific store. Past organizations have included the Center for Farmworker Families, Native Animal Rescue and Grey Bears. This year, customers need to vote online at newleaf.com/community/envirotokens-vote.
Since the Envirotoken program was launched 31 years ago, New Leaf has donated over $1.2 million to nonprofits.
SANTA CRUZ
Empanada popups at Honey B Market
For the next two weeks, Honey B Market (1005 Cedar St., honeybmarket.com) is hosting popups from 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays (June 18 and 25). There will be tempeh empanadas for sale in three varieties: Original (ingredients include chickpea tempeh and cashew truffle cheese), Shroomy (Far West Fungi shiitakes, lentil walnut tempeh, and more), and Scramble (tofu, spinach, bok choy, caramelized onions, cashew tzatziki). All are made with sourdough pastry. You can purchase in person on-site, but quantities are limited so advance ordering at the website is recommended. Cost is $7 each or three for $20. The café portion of Honey B Market has permanently closed, but owner Katie Belanger is doing a few popups and special events before the building is taken over by new owners.
ROYAL OAKS
Garden Variety Cheese farm dinners
Garden Variety Cheese, led by Rebecca King, is holding three dinners this summer at the farm (Monkeyflower Ranch, 1481 San Miguel Canyon Road, gardenvarietycheese.com): July 13, Aug. 24 and Sept. 28. Tickets are $100. This includes a tour of the sheep dairy farm and cheesemaking facility. King will prepare a four-course family-style meal with Garden Variety sheep cheese and other products plus pork, lamb and eggs from the farm and organic produce from nearby farms. Wine and beer will be sold by the glass or attendees can bring their own with a $10 corkage fee. Visit gardenvarietycheese.com/farm-dinners for tickets and details.
SANTA CRUZ
Zen Musubi reopens after short break
Zen Musubi (zenmusubi.com) is serving customers again at a kiosk at 1130-K1 Pacific Ave. (in front of New Leaf, near the Del Mar Theatre). Its last day is July 28. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. After opening the kiosk last fall, Zen Musubi announced in early May that it was shutting down the kiosk and it closed May 15. Due to customer demand, owner Lisa Koda decided to reopen for two more months. Zen Musubi offers Japanese rice balls encased in seaweed, made with organic heirloom Koda rice, sea salt and sesame seeds. Topping choices include wild-caught salmon, organic chicken/miso, organic handcrafted ume/miso, and Spam. The business is run by Zen Natural Foods, which also sells its products at a booth at the Aptos farmers market every Saturday morning (8 a.m. to noon, Cabrillo College, montereybayfarmers.org/aptos-farmers-market).
SANTA CRUZ
Ar Pe Pe wine night at La Posta
On June 19, La Posta (538 Seabright Ave., 831-457-2782, lapostarestaurant.com) is offering a unique wine. It is opening special magnum/large format bottles of Nebbiolo from Ar Pe Pe Winery, which is in the Lombardia area of Italy. There will be 2005 and 2009 vintages of Grumello, Inferno and Sassella. This is not a wine dinner. Guests just need to reserve a table and can order wine by the taste or by the glass. There is possibly room for walk-ins as well. La Posta will be serving its regular dinner menu plus four specials focused on Lombardian cuisine. These include Sciatt (cheese fritters with chicory salad) and Stinco (braised local pork shank with pan sauce, wild greens and grilled buckwheat polenta).
SANTA CRUZ
Food trucks on deck at block parties
The weekly Midtown Summer Block Party series from Event Santa Cruz continues at 5 p.m. Friday with local food, music, artists and vendors at 1111 Soquel Ave. Activities last until about 8:30 p.m. The next installment features these food vendors: Pana Food Truck, Cracked Cookies, Cuevas Express Foods, and Dulces Al Chamoy. The following week, on June 21, it’s Evil Wings and Epoch Eats. The music headliners are Funkranomicon (June 14) and The Cruzers (June 21). The series continues until Aug. 30. For details, visit eventsantacruz.com.
SCOTTS VALLEY
Father’s Day food truck festivities
Food Trucks A Go Go is hosting a special Father’s Day event from 5-8 p.m. on Sunday at Skypark (361 Kings Village Road). Participating food trucks will be Pesce Veggie, S.C. Eatery, SnB, and Rollin Snack Shack. Also, The Dadbeats Band will perform, and The Brick Lab and “Miss Brooke” will bring Legos and crafts, respectively. Event organizers say the food served will be “dad food.” Visit facebook.com/events/434515319319332 for details.
SANTA CRUZ
Upcoming wine events with Colectivo Felix
Tickets are available for Colectivo Felix’s next two events, both this month. You must be 21 years old to attend.
There is a wine pairing dinner at Equinox Sparkling Wine’s tasting room (334 Ingalls St.) on June 22. The menu has not been announced. Tickets are $120. On June 29, there is a tapas and wine lunch at Beauregard Vineyards (10 Pine Flat Road). This meal will feature four tapas and four Beauregard wines, and tickets are $45. To buy tickets and to stay in the loop about all of Colectivo Felix’s events visit colectivofelix.com/upcoming-events.
SOQUEL
Father’s Day at Tortilla Flats
Tortilla Flats (4616 Soquel Drive, 831-476-1754, tortillaflatsdining.biz) is offering some specials for Father’s Day. These include Bodacious Seafood Burritos and Rambunctious Jalapeno Honey Ribs. Co-owner Azra Simonetti invites the community to “come honor and appreciate the strong men who have shaped and supported your life, whether it’s your father, grandfather, uncle, brother, cousin, or neighbor,” by treating them to a meal at Tortilla Flats on Father’s Day. Hours on Sunday are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
CORRALITOS
Tastings at Regan Vineyards Winery
Regan Vineyards Winery (1610 Green Valley Road), led by Santa Cruz Mountains winemaker John Bargetto (who also serves as director of winemaking at Bargetto Winery), opened for the 2024 tasting season last month. Tasting reservations, which cost $25 per person and include light appetizers, are held every Sunday afternoon through early November at the property’s outdoor gazebo. To reserve, visit cellarpass.com/profile/regan-vineyards-winery or call 831-332-6159 or 831-818-3885. Learn more at reganwinery.com.
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.